Mixers w/ Direct outputs for multitrack recording

[supernova777]

http://ethanwiner.com/mixer2daw.html
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1994_articles/aug94/mixingconsoles.html

having the ability to mix your levels on the faders as you record is just something that anyone would expect you should be able to do in any recording setup, be it home or pro studio, but not each setup will allow for this type of workflow with most mixers these days designed for recording live performances unmixed, to allow for freedom to make these changes after the performance in post production style... these mixers allow you to run your effects on each seperate chanel + record that wet signal to its own seperate track backinside your daw, providing you have an audio interface thats a good match up for the mixer...

studiomaster p7 (1993)

http://www.cem3374.com/docs/Manuals/Misc/Studiomaster_P7_OM.pdf

Mackie cr1604 (1990)


8ch source / 8ch monitor (split monitoring)
http://www.mackie.com/pdf/archive/cr1604_om.pdf
http://www.macos9lives.com/downloads/_img/cr1604_mods.JPG

mackie micro series 1202 vlz (1996)

http://www.mackie.com/pdf/archive/ms1202vlz_om.pdf

Mackie CR-1604 VLZ (1996)


http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/jul96/mackiecr160.html

The 1604VLZ is still very much a general-purpose mixer, with 16 mono mic/line channels and four stereo effects returns, but unlike its VLZ-less forebear, the VLZ version now has true 4-buss routing in addition to L-R routing. Faders are used to control the channel gains, the four buss output levels and the main stereo output. Each channel sports a switchable 75Hz, 18dB/octave, low-cut filter, as well as a TRS jack insert point.

http://www.mackie.com/pdf/archive/cr1604vlz_om.pdf manual dates this as being 1997
8 direct outs + 4 sub outs
+ 6 aux sends means you can get a dedicated out for each channel into a daw with this board with 2 pair for your monitor sends left over

mackie 1604 VLZ PRO (1999)

www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep99/articles/mackie1604.htm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec00/articles/mackie.asp

mackie 1642 VLZ PRO(1998-2000)

http://www.mackie.com/pdf/1642vlzpro_om.pdf (manual says copyright 1998 in diagrams)
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec00/articles/mackie.asp

mackie 1642 vlz3 (2007)


http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may07/articles/mackie1642.htm

mackie 1604 VLZ3 (2007)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssNOLFLtzhk[/youtube]

mackie onyx 1220 (2003)


http://www.mackie.com/products/home/showimage.html?u=/discontinued/onyx1220/images/1220_top_lg.jpg
http://www.macos9lives.com/downloads/_img/onyx1220_directOuts.JPG

http://www.mackie.com/pdf/onyx1220_om.pdf
http://www.mackie.com/products/onyxfirewire/

mackie onyx 1620 (2004)

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Oct04/articles/mackieonyx1620.htm
http://www.mackie.com/products/home/showimage.html?u=/discontinued/onyx1620/images/1620_top_lg.jpg

You can even daisy-chain two 16-channel Onyx mixers via FireWire and send a whopping 32 mic signals right to your laptop. (note this applies to "onyx" series not "onyx-i" series)

One unusual feature of this mixer is that the channel direct outputs emerge as balanced line signals on a pair of 25-way D-Sub connectors on the back of the mixer, and not as separate jacks. While this undoubtedly saves both cost and space and puts all the outputs in one place for when the Firewire card is fitted, D-Subs are a right royal pain in the proverbial if you decide to wire them yourself, and it means you're pretty much forced to use a patchbay with them. My best advice is to buy them ready-made, but at least the wiring protocol is the same as for Tascam's analogue D-Sub cables (not the TDIF digital ones) so they can be bought off the shelf.

mackie onyx 1640 (2004)
http://www.mackie.com/products/home/showimage.html?u=/discontinued/onyx1640/images/1640_top_lg.jpg

soundcraft m4 (2001)

http://www.soundcraft.com/products/product.aspx?pid=24

soundcraft m8 (2001)

http://www.soundcraft.com/products/product.aspx?pid=24

soundcraft m12 (2001)

http://www.soundcraft.com/products/product.aspx?pid=24

Soundcraft Spirit FX8 (1997)

http://www.soundcraft.com/downloads/fetchfile.aspx?cat_id=images&id=274
my top pick for project studio due to a number of combined features
a perfect fit for the delta 1010LT or edirol ua-101,fa-101 (8-10channel audio interfaces)
pre/post fader-switchable direct outs, lexicon built in effects
manual: http://www.soundcraft.com/downloads/fetchfile.aspx?cat_id=user_guides&id=271

Soundcraft FX16 (1997)

http://www.soundcraft.com/products/product.aspx?pid=22
http://www.soundcraft.com/downloads/fetchfile.aspx?cat_id=brochures&id=259
http://www.soundcraft.com/downloads/fetchfile.aspx?cat_id=user_guides&id=260

Soundcraft FX16II (2009-2010)


http://www.soundcraft.com/products/product.aspx?pid=150&s=1

Soundcraft Spirit Folio SX (1996)

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/jul96/spiritfoliosx.html
http://www.boomerangsounds.co.uk/shopimages/products/extras/BB192d.jpg
pre/post fader-switch direct outs, no effects

Alesis Studio 32 (1998)

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul98/articles/alesis32.html

Behringer eurorack ub2442fx (2002-2003)

http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/behringer-ub2442fx-pro-38272.jpg

Behringer eurorack xenyx 2442fx (2006)


http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun06/articles/xenyx.htm

The Xenyx range of analogue mixers offers improved sound quality and USB interfacing with computers, plus the extremely competitive pricing we've come to expect from Behringer

Mackie 24-8 Bus (1995) 24 track

http://www.mackie.com/products/8Bus/pdf/8Bus_OM.pdf

Tascam m1024 (1992?) 24 track


Mackie 32-8 Bus (1995) 32 track

http://www.mackie.com/products/8Bus/pdf/8Bus_OM.pdf

[Protools5LEGuy]

Just wanted to say that any mixer with a insert gives you access to the pre (gain) of the board (some mixer after eq others without eq). The tricks was or insert half of the jack on the INSERT of the board (or make the cable, better). One insert take the sound of the mixer and then (precessed/compressed/deessed) back to mixer.
If we just want to use the mixer for multitracking it takes sense make insert cables to the recorder/sound card.
Lots of mixers have inserts but not direct outs

[supernova777]

yes and the above mixers are those that have both...
allowing u to use a compressor on insert .. and  route that audio back to the computer later on down the signal path
and be able to record the "insert fx" as well as "mixer board eq" wet signal

[Protools5LEGuy]

If you use a 888 from digi or 1224 or 2408 from motu, you have line input, not microphone input. You need "gain" only from a mixer to record with the signal matched. Only VERY good hardware should be inserted BEFORE recording. Using a insert cable you take what normally is needed to record a signal without making it dirtier. Eq on mixer or cheaps compressor should be avoided on recordings. Also going from the master outputs of the mixer should be avoided. The cleaner the signal path, the better/more natural sound you get

[Syntho]

You need to add some Allen & Heath Mix Wizards in there 

[supernova777]

If you use a 888 from digi or 1224 or 2408 from motu, you have line input, not microphone input. You need "gain" only from a mixer to record with the signal matched. Only VERY good hardware should be inserted BEFORE recording. Using a insert cable you take what normally is needed to record a signal without making it dirtier. Eq on mixer or cheaps compressor should be avoided on recordings. Also going from the master outputs of the mixer should be avoided. The cleaner the signal path, the better/more natural sound you get

this method u describe i understand it is best for recording live performances etc
but this doesnt allow a signal path for using complex hardware effects such as pedals etc and doing all kinds of "studio recording" tricks for layering + thickening up sound effects etc..... if u use an insert cable out to record , u have no insert path for hardware effects
sometimes it is desired to have a "dirtier" sound

[Syntho]

Interfaces are line ins/outs which is what comes from mixers and studio FX. You can safely run just about any studio processor on the ins/outs of an interface. You can do the same with an insert cable on a mixer. The wiring may be a little different if you've got balanced and unbalanced stuff and different kinds of connectors, but it works fine.

[Syntho]

My board has inserts but I don't use them. I switched all of the jumpers on the inside of it so that the direct outs are post-fader, so that way I can utilize EQ on the board as well as anything else I want. I haven't heard ANY itb EQ that can rival even the EQs on my A&H, sans the stuff from Nebula. I'd take that over plugins anyday. I have a hardware EQ that I run on my interface though.

[supernova777]

My board has inserts but I don't use them. I switched all of the jumpers on the inside of it so that the direct outs are post-fader, so that way I can utilize EQ on the board as well as anything else I want. I haven't heard ANY itb EQ that can rival even the EQs on my A&H, sans the stuff from Nebula. I'd take that over plugins anyday. I have a hardware EQ that I run on my interface though.

yes this is exactly what im talking about and the reason for my emphasis on boards that feature the direct outs
to be able to use the eq's FOR RECORDING AS U RECORD to record the analog eq sounds so u are basically recordin the SOUND of the analog board... rather than using computerized digital eq effects afterwards in the software...
yes theres benefit to be able to undo etc when doing ITB (in the box) but sometimes.. u might want to record the signal proccessed OTB (out the box)

[supernova777]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul03/articles/yamahag164.asp

It doesn't have direct outputs on the various tracks, but its buss structure makes it possible to either record up to four discrete parts at once or to record two parts while monitoring multiple outputs from a soundcard or recorder. Indeed, you could record four parts (five if you used the pre-fade send as another way into your recorder) while simultaneously monitoring the stereo output from a soundcard via the two-track input and control room outputs. Those outputs that aren't fully balanced are impedance-balanced, which works well enough in small studio setups.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov03/articles/yamahamg166fx.htm

[supernova777]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/nov04/articles/allenheathwz3.htm

[supernova777]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may06/articles/allenheathwz320s.htm

[supernova777]

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may10/articles/mackieonyx1640i.htm
Mackie Pro FX16 http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun12/articles/mackie-pro-fx16.htm

Yamaha MGP16X
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb13/articles/yamaha-mgp16x.htm

Dynacord CMS 1000-3
Analogue Mixer
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep13/articles/dynacord-cms.htm

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may14/articles/yamaha-mgp32x.htm

[GaryN]

Here's one more to add to the collection: My Allen-Heath CMC 32X16 with mute automation & SMPTE sync. Tape ins 1-8 come from my Mac via the Delta 1010; 9-15 from my Fostex E-8 tape machine. (The Delta actually sits elswhere - I just put it up for the pic)

[supernova777]

hey gary - hard to find mixers with tape in's these days.....
i dont understand how the manufacturers can not produce mixers of this type for small studios.. the market is really screwd up.. u would think with all the competition that these manufacturers would see this as a chance to produce a unique product but no.... they all copy each other .. and serve only the live pa type of models.. its ridiculous

[mrhappy]

GaryN... that's a 'groovy' console you've got there... you even have the meter bridge! How about the Commodore 64 for the automation??

[Philgood]

Nooo. I just throw away my commodore64 thinking it couldn't be of any use...

[mrhappy]

Philgood... members of OS9Lives never throw away ANY computer!!! Haha!

[GaryN]

GaryN... that's a 'groovy' console you've got there... you even have the meter bridge! How about the Commodore 64 for the automation??

I have a Comm 128 and the Allen & Heath CMPTE interface that plugs into the Comm like a game cart. The 64 I had kept crashing from maxing out the RAM. The 128 in 64 mode works better although I almost never use it. It's not really all that useful unless I have to string a lot of mute combinations together in a really complicated mix. It is slick though to have all the channel and track assigns displayed on its hi-tech 9" composite video monitor…

[mrhappy]

It is slick though to have all the channel and track assigns displayed on its hi-tech 9" composite video monitor…

INDEED!!!!