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Mixer manufacturers miss the main moment
I’m sure many of you have been mixer shopping. There’s huge mixers, but we want compact mixers. There’s compact mixers with lots of mic and single channel inputs plus a few (perhaps two) stereo-pair input channels.
I’m surprised that there aren’t more products that are this:
8 or more stereo inputs (TRS or twin phono)
Volume pots, no eq, one fx send out and back in.
Master fader and meters.
That’s it. No in built effects, no mic stages, no single channel ins, no fancy eq on each in. Small and cheap and lots of stereo pair inputs. Most of our gear would like it.
Comments
Sounds like you want one of these....
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TCBlender--tc-helicon-blender-portable-mixer-with-usb
Or something like this...
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SM10--samson-sm10-stereo-line-mixer
Yes, Behringer do a rack line mixer too
https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and-Lighting/Behringer-Eurorack-Pro-RX1602-V2-Rackmount-Line-Mixer/32OJ
but it's surprising that there isn't more out there, there's a market for it, look at all the people doing those interminable live synth jams on YouTube. All people need is a bunch of stereo ins, mixed. That's it. You'd think the mixer manufacturers would be falling over to fill that niche.
I've got one of these up in the attic (a secondhand one which replaced a new one I used to have when first released), and they'd be ideal if there weren't as many mono channels and were more stereo channels instead, and half that size overall (not rack mount, that's a thing of the olde days, has to be tabletop now).
http://www.muzines.co.uk/articles/tascam-mm1/5714
I use one of these.
https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_rx1602_v2.htm
https://reverb.com/item/19538249-midiman-micromixer-18-w-manual-tiny-powerhouse-almost-100-awesome-free-shipping-to-the-us-and-canada
i mourn the demise of Midiman...
The Edirol M-10MX was a tiny battery-powered 10-input mixer. Sold for ~$150 new, and after they were discontinued the used prices tripled or quadrupled.
https://www.roland.com/us/products/m-10mx/
The digital stereo output was also useful when connecting to the (usually unused) S/PDIF digital input on Roland and MOTU audio interfaces, too.
Edirol also made the more traditional battery-powered M-10DX
https://www.roland.com/global/products/m-10dx/
Those above are really attractive solutions.
If there were a novel small desktop mixer that had about eight stereo pair inputs, what inputs would people prefer?
(I'm assuming pairs of XLR are too bulky for most of us on a tabletop).
I mean, the Volca mix has two single mono inputs, plus a stereo, each on 3.5mm. Something like a volca mix but with at least 8 stereo jacks, would be nice.
That’s a good question because everything used to pretty much be “quarter inch mono” (6.5mm TS) and a couple of RCA phono. Now the 3.5mm format is thrown in the mix along with various configurations of TRS. A pencil and paper is good for mapping it all out and figuring out what minimal combination of cable formats and adapters will get the job done. I’ve done that more than a few times! 🤪🤪🤪
I agree it seems like a missed opportunity... so many small gadgets, small eurorack setups, mobile devices.
These might be something you're after...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maker-hart-Pre-amplify-microphone-Compatibility/dp/B07RDH8ZPP
There are some smaller battery powered variants too.
To be honest, I’m very tempted to lash something up as a passive mixer. Just 3.5mm TRS sockets, resistor summing and 3.5mm TRS mixed out. Not even volume controls!
Their “Just Mixer 5” is probably closer to this aim (especially if you took out the superfluous eq).
I was also looking for a small 3.5mm stereo multichannel mixer. At the end I went for a small passive mixer (still waiting for it to arrive) called Little Bear MC5 and Behringer ha400 headphone amp. I hope it will be a good combo.
The Little Bear looks tempting, I've had it in and out of my watch list on eBay for ages. It's so simple I could make one myself, esp. if I left out the volume pots (on the basis that almost every synth has it's own output vol, and almost every synth has some way of affecting the pan, and almost every synth has a way of affecting the tonal balance (hey, it's a synth!)) so really there's no need for controls (there might be a desire, but there's no need). That way I can go more than 5.
But… live jams!
The Little Bear looks tempting, I've had it in and out of my watch list on eBay for ages. It's so simple I could make one myself, esp. if I left out the volume pots (on the basis that almost every synth has it's own output vol, and almost every synth has some way of affecting the pan, and almost every synth has a way of affecting the tonal balance (hey, it's a synth!)) so really there's no need for controls (there might be a desire, but there's no need).
That way I can go more than 5, plus if I'm making it myself I can tailor the connections – I can make some channels as stereo 3.5mm TRS (for things like the NTS-1), some phono pairs (for, er, I’m sure I've got something), some 6.5mm TS pairs (for things like the Circuit). Probably easier to find leads in the lead repository that way than specifically having to look for adaptors or leads that go from one format to another (I've got enough of them, but the standard same-each-end leads will come to hand easier).
[delete this]
I’m also interested in a small mixer solution but I didn’t found the ideal thing yet. It’s difficult to find a small Desktop mixer with 6 Stereo-Inputs, at least here in Germany...
Till I find something better I’m using my trusty Zoom L-12.
I really like, that it is also a 12 channel Audiointerface for my iPad! 😊
Size is acceptable. It’s the smallest solution I found...
I had 2 of these back in the day. One cascaded into the next. Hot stuff! 😆
Ebay listing fair price
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Excellent-Roland-EDIROL-M-10MX-24bit-96kHz-10ch-Digital-Mixer-Used-w-power-F-S/154067464717?_trkparms=aid=1110006&algo=HOMESPLICE.SIM&ao=1&asc=20160323102634&meid=b6bee3614e00405491a36de62a8d877f&pid=100623&rk=4&rkt=5&sd=383694562537&itm=154067464717&pmt=0&noa=1&pg=2047675&algv=DefaultOrganic&brand=Roland&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1
That's a good deall! Free shipping from Japan too. I put mine on eBay years ago with a starting bid of ~$100, and it sold for close to $300. It's just a cheap plastic box, no idea why they were so in demand back then.
The Radial Key-Largo is interesting. A 3-channel stereo keyboard mixer in a guitar pedal. With MIDI and USB.
Or how about the Behringer XR18? Set it up and control it with an iPad, has WiFi for Ableton Link, etc. Multi-channel audio recording, MIDI, etc.
The Behringer XR18 thing above, the phrase “scope creep” comes to mind
I rate this one highly. 1U so nice and compact for gigging. Aux sends are stereo which is very generous at this price point.
There is the Zoom r16
Eight inputs. Will also record each input simultaneously. Sixteen track total playback. Battery operated. Very lightweight.
Slightly related question:
Do we contemporaneously like tabletop gear because it can be shot with an overhead camera?
No, of course not, that’d be a stupid reason.
How about one of Rolls mixer
https://www.rolls.com/products/mixers
https://www.rolls.com/img/products/MX122_Large.jpg
That Rolls MX122 looks perfect, Amazon has them in stock for $119. Dimensions: 8.4" x 1.7" x 5"; 2.5 lbs.
There's an even smaller one without the XLR input called the MX28 for $75. Dimensions: 4.25" x 1.75" x 4.5", 1.2 lbs.
Thanks @ecou That's exactly what I was looking for! I believe the Rolls have nice metal enclosures too.