Need some help with studio setup / equipment

[Jay Pace]

Yo. Ho ho.

Have recently been advised that I shouldn't really be running everything through the mixer in Cubase, and infact I should be using an outboard desk.

I currently use:

A tapco mini mixer
A focusrite compounder
Alesis Mk1 Active Monitors
A delta 4x4 soundcard

Everything else is software based.

I have been advised to buy a proper mixing desk, which will require a soundcard with more ins and outs (delta 10x10?)

Everything I read and study harps on about the mixing desk being the centre of your studio - is this true? If so can anyone recommend me a good desk in which case? Don't want to spend more than £400, and ideally would like to spend less.

[BloodStar]

i think you cant go wrong with Mackie mixing desk,. me liking Mackie Onyx,.

[Jay Pace]

Have you got that? It looks mint. Very exciting looking piece of kit - and then I wouldn't need a new soundcard....

Anyone else know anything about Mackie Onyx?

[mattboyslim]

you can get just as good results with a midi controller desk to control the faders in cubase. i guess its jsut the hands on feel that allows a bit more creativity. the difference in sound quality is of course, debatable

[Jay Pace]

I use midi controllers already so that isn't the problem.

I was more interested in analog eq, gains and preamps.

[messyfuture]

the onyx may be a bit pricey not to sure

but you could pick up a second hand 1604 vlz pro for around the £400 mark and they are lovely mixers, make sure you get the pro version cause they have the swept eq's on the mids

[xfive]

For that much cash you can get a used 16 channel Mackie 8Bus (which is what I've got) and it's way more flexible than the 1604.
And sounds greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. ;)

[messyfuture]

For that much cash you can get a used 16 channel Mackie 8Bus (which is what I've got) and it's way more flexible than the 1604.
And sounds greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. ;)

i know

i wish my subs had inserts on them

[etnarama]

My opinion is that you dont need a desk for now, if you manage to have a pretty good mix with just your cubase when you send it for massterization someone will enhance your sound... i can do almost the same with just my cubase and my own tools, the trick is to learn your tools and take the max from it.... many people lose time buying more gears and forget that people like Mylo has an album just done on reason and some other blokes on Fruity, learn your tools and improve.....

[Jay Pace]

Sound advice I reckon.

don't want to get caught in the trap of becoming a producer with all the gadgets and no skills.

[tekara]

i say forget the mixing board altogether.....it is debatable whether sending signals out of cubase and into a desk, and then back into the computer will have any positive effects. Some will swear that it makes the signal sound warmer, but if thats the case, then you are basically buying the an expensive desk as one big effect unit., which can be taken care of using a plugin. The EQ's on a 1604vlz is far from anything to rant and rave about. If you have a lot of equipment already, then yes maybe patching them into a mixer is the most reasonable thing to do, but even now, alot of people just bypass the mixer altgether and patch everything directly into an audio interface.