Any demand these days for Analog Mixers ?

Athana · #1 10-30-2014, 11:41 AM

I have a pretty much unused Soundtracs FM Rack Mount 12 Channel Mixer that I really never got to learn to use..I think it was $1900 or 2300 in 1987-89 (I have the receipt somewhere).
Any demand for such a Mixer for recording these days?

I ended up just using it occasionally as a preamp at home to plug cassette player into one channel and to play with cassettes I recorded.
Pretty disappointed in the whole thing.
I like things simple and all those knobs with words I didnt understand just put me right off it.
The Studer Revox PR99 II Reel to Reel I had got with it went to Ireland but who knows about this thing.
Personally I'd rather no sound shaping/processing.. just a great mic (an AKG C12 comes to mind),a nice room & a recorder that captures things as accurately and nicely as possible.

I've got a 414XLS Mic,Nakamichi MR1 Professional Cassette deck & AKG K240S headphones, I think thats a basic start,if it works..

MikeBmusic · #2 10-30-2014, 12:38 PM

No, not much use these days for mixers when recording. Most people want to send all individual tracks to their computer/recorder for optimum mix-down ability. If you were limited on #inputs available to record discreet channels (4 track audio interface for example), you could use a mixer to premix certain mix inputs when recording a drum kit with 8 mics, but ... that's not ideal. Mixers can be handy for creating headphone sub-mixes in the studio.
If you liked the sounds of the preamps in the mixer, you could use it between mics and the line inputs on an interface. Or even re-amp with it - sending your recorded signals out to it and then back to another track.

there's a whole section for analog devotees in the forums at homerecording.com

KevWind · #3 10-30-2014, 01:32 PM

Ya looks like not so much

Here is one on ebay the guy is trying to get $469 but It looks like the are no bids, with a bunch of people waiting until the last minute to come in with a low ball

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nk...d=121154217320

Athana · #4 10-30-2014, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

Ya looks like not so much

Here is one on ebay the guy is trying to get $469 but It looks like the are no bids, with a bunch of people waiting until the last minute to come in with a low ball

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nk...d=121154217320

That one has been there forever and in his garage with dirt all over it.
Looks like he picked it up out of someones rubbish. Same model though.
Isn't there a sound quality difference between the little flimsey components of a computer ( I have an iMac) and the components in these things?

Athana · #5 10-30-2014, 03:05 PM

Isn't a Mixer still used in live performance for mics ?

Joseph Hanna · #6 10-30-2014, 04:38 PM

Mixing with an analog console can be an extremely luxurious process. There's nothing quite like it and although I make my living mixing "in the box", someday I'd like to have my home environment be Pro Tools-out to an analog desk.

Athana · #7 10-30-2014, 11:50 PM

I see there are some still using them.

And for live ..there are still Mixers used to Mic/PA..unless there is a digital alternative.
The Homerecording.com /analog section was interesting to read.

KevWind · #8 10-31-2014, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Athana

I see there are some still using them.

And for live ..there are still Mixers used to Mic/PA..unless there is a digital alternative.
The Homerecording.com /analog section was interesting to read.

Oh certainly for live use still very popular and likely that would be the biggest amount buying interest, that's the good news, the bad news (if your looking to sell) is that there are literally thousands of PA mixers on the market new and used in the $ 200 to $500 dollar range.
And while there are certainly still analog consoles being used in recording as Joseph said, but generally they are high dollar units. I personally have no idea how desirable the Soundtracks unit might be for that use.

MikeBmusic · #9 10-31-2014, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Athana

Isn't a Mixer still used in live performance for mics ?

As already answered, for sure - but since you were posting this in the Recording section of this forum, I ignored that obvious use.

Some people do like to use them in their studio so they can have everything plugged in all the time - mics, keyboards, etc, which is why I bought my mixer
when I first started recording with a digital recorder. Since I moved to computer recording, I found there's no need to keep everything plugged in all the time - I can run a cable from keyboard or amp or plug in mics in a minute and not have a mass of extra cables around all the time.