Small live mixer

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prodjay

DJ Extraordinaire
Dec 13, 2009
1,103
560
Bossier, Louisiana
What brand and model live mixer would you buy for ceremony use?

My requirements are must be very small, must have mute and I would only consider some of the better brands. ( Yamaha, Mackie, Soundcraft, Allen & Heath)

One other thing I would like is XLR outputs.
 
Honestly, for what it seems you want to do , a Midas MR12 is a quality brand and tool for this task.

At an even better price you can add a Behringer XR12 for backup. (They are fully interchangeable including the software.) These will give you sound capabilities light years ahead of anything in the analog Peavey PV6 class of boards (and in the same price range too!)
 
Tiniest 8 XLR-input mixer ever. Wireless control via tablet, but for some that may sweeten the deal:

 
My vote goes for this one. I have 2 of them and they're wonderful. Built-in compression on the first 2 channels and XLR outputs.


Actually, that's my main mixer. For ceremonies, I use this one. It's a bit smaller and fits into my road case better. Doesn't have compression, only 2-band eq and no XLR output, but in my case I'm usually right next to a powered speaker on ceremonies.

 
My vote goes for this one. I have 2 of them and they're wonderful. Built-in compression on the first 2 channels and XLR outputs.


Actually, that's my main mixer. For ceremonies, I use this one. It's a bit smaller and fits into my road case better. Doesn't have compression, only 2-band eq and no XLR output, but in my case I'm usually right next to a powered speaker on ceremonies.


I'm with Rick I have a smaller Yammie and a smaller Xenyx both are perfect for this
 
A lot depends on use model. I'm with Pro in that the small digital mixers (Behringer XR or Midas MR) can be had under $300, have plenty of inputs/outputs, have features like dynamics processing(compression/gates/limiters) and effects on every input, and can be controlled remotely, so if you need to put the unit up front by the speakers, you can still run it from the back wirelessly. Downside is you need a tablet and you can't control those without one (well, you can use a phone, but it's limited).

The Midas ($295) and Behringer ($265) are basically identical, except the Midas has better mic preamps, supposedly better A/D, D/A converters and better XLR jacks.

SO it may be a bit more, but you get a lot of flexibility .. the compressors are nice to have on speaking mics
 
The Midas ($295) and Behringer ($265) are basically identical, except the Midas has better mic preamps, supposedly better A/D, D/A converters and better XLR jacks.
I frequently run live events on both M32 and X32 consoles. Both full size, I won't touch a compact X32 console because they lack critical features, like scribble strips. As for sound quality, if the room is dead silent (like before the band arrives for sound check), I might be able to hear some kind of difference, but I'd have to disable all EQ to make sure both consoles were flat. Some years back, a guy on YouTube did a crude test where he phase-flipped a channel on an M32 and mixed it in with the same input on an X32. It's hard to follow, but what he's saying is that all residual sound differences were 30db below the unflipped signal:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvxQvtHZKuI
 
I frequently run live events on both M32 and X32 consoles. Both full size, I won't touch a compact X32 console because they lack critical features, like scribble strips. As for sound quality, if the room is dead silent (like before the band arrives for sound check), I might be able to hear some kind of difference, but I'd have to disable all EQ to make sure both consoles were flat. Some years back, a guy on YouTube did a crude test where he phase-flipped a channel on an M32 and mixed it in with the same input on an X32. It's hard to follow, but what he's saying is that all residual sound differences were 30db below the unflipped signal:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvxQvtHZKuI
Probably not a whole lot of "sound" differences, but someone opened up both and the Midas one seemed to be better built (better components throughout). For $50, the better built one would get my vote.
 
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The M32 console has a lush black finish which feels classier than the X32. I haven't used a Behringer analog mixer in years, but yeah, they were always regarded as cheaply made.
 
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The M32 console has a lush black finish which feels classier than the X32. I haven't used a Behringer analog mixer in years, but yeah, they were always regarded as cheaply made.
I've owned too many of the Behry units over the years ... never happy with them. Again, sounded OK, but something broke on half of them. I love my Allen & Heath, but miss my larger boards (A&H GL2400-24, Presonus 16.4.2 and Soundcraft FX16) .. all sold off. My Behringer XR12 is OK ... fine as a backup .. will probably replace it with the Midas version (or maybe the larger one) at some point. It would be nice to have 6-8 mic inputs for some events I've done. My A&H ZED12FX has 6, and I've used it to mix a band (with a Rane mic mixer mixing down the drums), but it's small for other than karaoke use.
 
I'm fond of Soundcraft and A&H digital boards, but I loved the Presonus 16.4.2 AI - hands down the most intuitive digital console I've used. But Presonus lost me (and all the other StudioLive AI customers they abandoned) with the current Series III workstations... uh, excuse me, "mixers".
 
cant go wrong with a yamaha ... never let ya down

cc
My only pet peeve with some of the Yamahas is, instead of a MUTE button on the channel strip, they had an ON button, so when it was lit, it was opposite most mixers. I used to have a MG16 of some vintage.
 
I won't touch a compact X32 console because they lack critical features, like scribble strips. As for sound quality, if the room is dead silent (like before the band arrives for sound check), I might be able to hear some kind of difference, but I'd have to disable all EQ to make sure both consoles were flat.

The pre-amps are the same between the two mixers. What makes Midas more costly (and only by a small margin) is the quality of other electronic components. You're not going to find a difference in sound quality - not in a digital path. What you will find is that the M32 is likley to outlast an X32 because of the QC standard on some of the internal parts and connectors.

The X32 compact does have scribble strips, the X32 producer does not. However, the producer like ALL of the Air series boards have them in the app, at least with respect to naming and color.. I use a 17" PC to run the AIR series which is just much better than a tiny tablet.
 
My only pet peeve with some of the Yamahas is, instead of a MUTE button on the channel strip, they had an ON button, so when it was lit, it was opposite most mixers.

LOL. Which is why so many Engineers prefer Yamaha to most other mixers. :)

Lit when active is consistent with every other studio device - making it the preferred setting. "On" just makes more sense. But I know, Live event only producers treat the mute like it was an "active" effect - so they look for that activate light.
 
For ceremonies, I use this one. It's a bit smaller and fits into my road case better. Doesn't have compression, only 2-band eq and no XLR output, but in my case I'm usually right next to a powered speaker on ceremonies.

If you have multiple open mics at a ceremony than you have some real issues to deal with and compression by itself will make the problem worse. All of my analog racks have dynamics processors and auto-mixers to handle the multiple open mics. These are the one's I set up and leave behind for people because once set they don't require a tech or anyone monitoring it.

Digital mixers replace ALL of that (and more) for the cost of a really good dinner for two.

At the very least, an automix is what is needed for great ceremony sound from multiple open mics. The Intellimix might be out of the price range but, you can pick up a used SM820 for the price of coffee as facilities all switch over to digital.
 
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Lit when active is consistent with every other studio device - making it the preferred setting. "On" just makes more sense. But I know, Live event only producers treat the mute like it was an "active" effect - so they look for that activate light.
Yeah but, mute buttons are traditionally red, and something that's powered ON should NOT glow red. Except for Soundcraft and its channel ON buttons, which are green at least.
 
The pre-amps are the same between the two mixers. What makes Midas more costly (and only by a small margin) is the quality of other electronic components. You're not going to find a difference in sound quality - not in a digital path. What you will find is that the M32 is likley to outlast an X32 because of the QC standard on some of the internal parts and connectors.

The X32 compact does have scribble strips, the X32 producer does not. However, the producer like ALL of the Air series boards have them in the app, at least with respect to naming and color.. I use a 17" PC to run the AIR series which is just much better than a tiny tablet.
Actually, the mic preamps are very different .. at least between the XR and MR series. You can see the full breakdown here: REVIEW / COMPARISON: Behringer XR12 vs Midas MR12 digital mixer - Karaoke System Discussion - TKaraoke Forum - (https://forum.tkaraoke.com/tkf_postst11314_REVIEW---COMPARISON--Behringer-XR12-vs-Midas-MR12-digital-mixer.aspx#post76540)

Behringer XR12 mic pres (right end of board):

1553696505066.png

Midas MR12 Mic Pres (you can see the additional caps and transistors added):

1553696549987.png