>Hi, everyone! I've got a quick question regarding
>mixer set-up. So, here is the list of my equipment:
>AN1x (obviously), ESQ-1, TX81Z, and an RY20. Now, I
>want to run these through a mixer (Alesis MultiMix 6x,
>maybe), but on that specific model, it has 2 Mono
>(lines 1&2) and 2 Stereo (lines 3/4 & 5/6) inputs.
>Now, the question is, if I get this specific mixer,
>what would be the best way to hook-up my gear? I'm
>sort of baffled as to why lines 3,4,5 & 6 don't have
>their own separate stereo inputs. Shouldn't this be
>labeled a '4 channel' instead of a '6 channel mixer',
>as it effectively has "only" 4 sets of inputs?
>Anyway, if someone would be so kind as to guide this
>newbie down the correct path, I would GREATLY
>appreciate it. If you wish to reply off list, my main
>e-mail addy is nsbhp5@.... Obviously just
>remove the nospam from the address. Thanks in
>advance!
>
>Sincerely,
>Scott
Scott,
Welcome to the jungle.
The Alesis mixer you've chosen will not have enough inputs to run all
of your gear at the same time if you want to use them all in stereo.
Each box requires two inputs and that makes a total of eight.
Mixer manufacturers can count the "number of channels" in many
different ways; Alesis does it by counting the total number of
signals that can be brought in on the channel inputs of the mixer (so
a mono channel has one input and a stereo channel has two), but other
manufacturers only count channel strips (thus possibly under-counting
the number of inputs) or they also include effects returns (which
over-counts the number of inputs).
Most small mixers generally offer a combination of mono and stereo
inputs. The former are for microphones and the latter are for the
modern line-level keyboards that run in stereo, or for stereo effects
processors (like the Line 6 POD) for guitars. The idea behind this is
that if you're working with a lot of stereo devices, it's much easier
and cheaper to build stereo channels for them. You only need one set
of electronics rather than two, and when you turn down one knob you
lower both channels' levels at the same time without riding two
different controls. The ideal "synth mixer" would be a gigantic
console that only or almost only has stereo channels, but only a few
such boards have ever been made and they're only available as custom
devices from companies like Speck Electronics now...and such boxes
are very, very expensive.
If what you want to record is four stereo instruments (I don't
remember if the ESQ1 is stereo), you will require a mixer with four
stereo channels or eight mono channels or some combination thereof to
get you the total number of inputs you need. You will also need to
reserve extra channels to use as effects returns if (a) your mixer
doesn't have them and (b) you want to process your synths with
external effects, for example a reverb box to help put all your
synths in the same "room". If you're only going to use the internal
effects of the Alesis mixer for now, then you needn't worry about
that last limitation, as its internal DSP has its own returns and it
doesn't use the ones on the mixer.
If you insist on using the 6-channel Alesis, you'll need to do one of
two things: either run two of your synths in mono, or use the stereo
aux return to bring back one of your stereo signals into the mix
(thereby sacrificing the ability to add external effects later). I
recommend that you get the 8-channel model instead, as the extra few
bucks will pay off in flexibility. And if you plan to add more synths
later, you might even consider buying a mixer with even more channels
to hold in reserve.
Good luck, and if you really want to learn about this stuff upside
down and backwards, the best investment you can make right now would
be a subscription to a good pro audio magazine. I'd suggest
--Whoops, ball dropping. Gotta go!
mike
--
"My week beats your year." (l. reed)
====================================================================
Mike Metlay ∗ ATOMIC CITY ∗ PO Box 17083 ∗ Boulder CO 80308-0083 USA
metlay@... ∗ ∗
http://www.atomiccity.com