Best Mixer for Podcasting

[BradShoemaker]

I started looking at the Presonus, in part because of Mike David's recommendation, but also because a few people I know have said nothing but good things about them. Nice to know that it passes the McPhillips test.

[mcphillips]

Well, thanks for that, but keep in mind that digital mixing is very different from analog mixing. If you decide to buy one, I'm happy to help you set it up. It has many more features than you will need, but it has ALL the features you should need.

I'm not totally convinced that I have seen one set up optimally for Internet broadcasting, particularly as it relates to mix-minus. Time will tell.

[BradShoemaker]

Over the last several years of my radio career, I have gotten used to the digital boards. The Harris Digital Consoles were installed into our building around 2004. Granted those things are waaaay out of the league of what we need nor are they close to the same as the Presonus, but I have definitely had some training on the digital boards and what makes them tick. I have a few engineer friends who are local and have experience as well who can help me work on the settings if I were to grab a Presonus.

[William Thomas]

Obviously I am on the wrong forum. I know quite a few people that do this now and i havent talked with anyone using a 2k mixer. But maybe i am confused. You cant be talking about an audio mixer like 8-12 channels usb connection ????? I have an alesis 8 channel i bought for a buck fifty (thats 150.00) from ebay and it works great. Not sure what you would need besides this. But there are prices for every pocketbook thats for sure.

Good Luck,

Bill

[RichardCleveland]

That is a loaded question. I currently use a Behringer Xenyx X1622USB mixer, however I have plans to upgrade my equipment in stages. We all have to start somewhere. I currently am on the fence with upgrading to either a Mackie Onyx mixer or Presonus Studio Live. My only reason for upgrading to the Presonus would be to get a true digital board and eliminate hardware in my audio chain. Do I need it? No not really. But i wouldn't have to upgrade for years to come and it will handle everything i will be throwing at it as my studio grows.

Thanks

[BradShoemaker]

Obviously I am on the wrong forum. I know quite a few people that do this now and i havent talked with anyone using a 2k mixer. But maybe i am confused. You cant be talking about an audio mixer like 8-12 channels usb connection ????? I have an alesis 8 channel i bought for a buck fifty (thats 150.00) from ebay and it works great. Not sure what you would need besides this. But there are prices for every pocketbook thats for sure.

Good Luck,

Bill

You aren't in the wrong forum at all. This is a place for people of all levels of broadcasting. Those that have to boot strap it (like many of us do when starting up) and those who have the means to get a bit more expensive equipment. I think mcphillips said it best...

Here's the good news. I challenge anyone to tell the difference in the quality of the audio over the Internet or Skype when comparing a Behringer mixer with a Presonus or even an SSL. The cheapest mixer is capable of producing better quality audio than the Internet or Skype is able to reproduce.

[andrewzarian]

The Presonus 16.4.2 is not expensive if you factor in everything that it does. I know a few people that use this Mixer and they have never looked back. Example of what it does EQ, compression, limiting, and gating on every channel, and there are DSP effects built-in. Save your settings for instant recall. Plus, Capture recording software is included with every StudioLive console.

[mcphillips]

William, the only reason to spend $2,000 on a mixer is to get functionality that a lesser priced mixer cannot provide. For example, how many auxiliary sends does your mixer have? You need one (post fader) aux send per mix-minus. You need one mix-minus per Skype computer. So, if you do a Skypezilla arrangement like Leo Laporte, you need four aux sends just for Skype computers. Joe de Max has the same set up. There are many other features on the 16.4.2 that justify its $2,000 price tag.

I'm not being snippy when I ask, what car do you drive? You can get a $1,000 Ford Taurus that will get you every place your present car will get you.

If your present mixer does what you need, there is NO reason to upgrade. However, if you spend $150 on a mixer, then upgrade to a $300 mixer, then upgrade to a $1000 mixer, then upgrade to a $1600 mixer, you would have been better off to spend $2,000 and get one that did not need to be upgraded as often (or ever.)

Price is relative. Someone on a podcast recently said, "Until recently, I thought $30 was expensive for a microphone." Well, I had a Neumann U47 long body, chrome top condenser microphone that I sold for $6,000. And as I said before, you would not be able to tell the difference over Skype or the Internet between the $6,000 Neumann and a $150 Apex 460.