Re: [Harp-L] Seeking PA Mixer

Watch Craigslist and eBay for deals on equipment like this, probably also your local classifieds. You can also look in the scratch-and-dent inventory of places like Musician's Friend. You should also budget in a road case for it, to protect your investment.

My band has been using a Yamaha EMX5014 for three years. It's been a solid powered mixer. This one is a 14-channel console style, but you can get slightly fewer channels in a "box" style, if you prefer. Nice effects and plenty of power. You can get a Behrenger with similar features for a couple hundred dollars less. I haven't used one myself so can't speak to its quality. Soundcraft has a really cool unit, they call it the GigRac. Build right into a hardshell ABS case with an integrated shoulder strap. Also haven't tried it, but looks like a nice option.

You probably won't find a better price on a new mixer than from Musician's Friend/Guitar Center/etc. Expect to spend minimum $500+ (US) on a new powered mixer with 12+ channels. Unpowered will cost a couple hundred less. If you're buying now, plan to buy more channels than you think you'll need. It'll future-proof your purchase for when you expand a couple years down the road, or when your drummer decides to start miking all his drums, or you add a trio of backup singers, or your horn players start doubling with wireless mics on all their instruments...

Seth

David Fertig wrote:
I want to get a PA mixer for our band. We've rented one a couple times, and that seems a waste of money ($35-$60) , given how cheap the things seem to be ($150-300, +/-) especially here in SoCal.

A powered mixer seems smart for convenience and power, but we have an amplifier we've been using that's okay.

I figure we need at least 8 inputs (we use 6 plus need room to add visiting vocals/horns), at least 4-6 inputs with both XLR and 1/4", master eq and channel eq, on-board reverb/effects, at least 200 w per channel, perhaps a lot more (it's a somewhat loud band). It's got to be road-worthy and durable, with clean sound and be easy to use.

I play "dirty" through my own amp, but I also play clean through the pa, and mic my percussion stuff through the pa, too.

Any suggestions? Offers? 

-Dave "all mixed up" Fertig
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