Need small stereo mixer for Axe-Fx II and backing tracks

[Colorado Axeman]

Does anyone know of a little 4-channel mixer that I could use to play my Axe along with backing tracks? Ideally it would have 2 XLR inputs with a pan control for the Fractal in stereo, and 2 channel stereo hookup to connect an iPhone. Output either TRS or XLR to the power amp.

 

[Matt_B_77]

I've been looking for something like this for my AX-8 and made a spreadsheet that might help you:

Mixers

BTW, with the Axe FX you really don't need to use a mixer with an iPhone if you can use the FX Loop block for its returns only. You can run an iPhone into those inputs.

With my Axe FX I just the USB audio and my Microsoft Surface or my PC.

 

[Colorado Axeman]

I've been looking for something like this for my AX-8 and made a spreadsheet that might help you:

Mixers

BTW, with the Axe FX you really don't need to use a mixer with an iPhone if you can use the FX Loop block for its returns only. You can run an iPhone into those inputs.

With my Axe FX I just the USB audio and my Microsoft Surface or my PC.

Thanks, I'll check those out. Wouldn't using a FX Loop block require you to modify every single preset? If so, that seems like a pretty tedious way to go about it.

 

[Toowoombaus]

Get a mixer, they come in handy.

Mackie is $99 for channel decent quality

Behringer is $65 for eight channels

 

[Colorado Axeman]

Get a mixer, they come in handy.

Mackie is $99 for channel decent quality

Behringer is $65 for eight channels

I have a 12-channel Mackie mixer already, but it's wired up to my PA system. I was looking for something smaller and more portable so I don't have to fire up the whole PA system when I practice.

 

[chris]

if you can use 1/4" for your Axe, your options get less expensive. i use 1/4" all the time, and all my videos and live streams use 1/4" with no issue.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Q502USB--behringer-xenyx-q502usb-mixer-with-usb

this $69 mixer has 1 xlr for a mic, 2 stereo 1/4" channels, and USB I/O. so if your tracks come from a computer, you can use USB and free up the 2nd stereo channel.



otherwise, you're probably shopping for an "8 channel mixer" or bigger, usually $199 and up. if you need EQ on all channels, that also means bigger mixers.

 

[Matt_B_77]

Thanks, I'll check those out. Wouldn't using a FX Loop block require you to modify every single preset? If so, that seems like a pretty tedious way to go about it.

That depends on how many presets you want it in.

 

[Colorado Axeman]

if you can use 1/4" for your Axe, your options get less expensive. i use 1/4" all the time, and all my videos and live streams use 1/4" with no issue.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Q502USB--behringer-xenyx-q502usb-mixer-with-usb

this $69 mixer has 1 xlr for a mic, 2 stereo 1/4" channels, and USB I/O. so if your tracks come from a computer, you can use USB and free up the 2nd stereo channel.

View attachment 52809

otherwise, you're probably shopping for an "8 channel mixer" or bigger, usually $199 and up. if you need EQ on all channels, that also means bigger mixers.

That does look like a pretty good solution right there. The S/N ratio looks really good on it, too.

 

[chris]

That does look like a pretty good solution right there. The S/N ratio looks really good on it, too.

for rehearsal or fast gigs, behringer products are great.

 

[Matt_B_77]

If I was going to get a table top mixer, I'd get the Yamaha MG-06 has 2 XLR Ins (line or mic level), 2 stereo 1/4 ins and XLR and 1/4" outs.

 

[Manny Kuhn]

I have a Rolls MX122 that I use for this sort of thing. I've been very happy with it.

 

[chris]

If I was going to get a table top mixer, I'd get the Yamaha MG-06 has 2 XLR Ins (line or mic level), 2 stereo 1/4 ins and XLR and 1/4" outs.

wow interesting that the XLR channels can be set to stereo. i haven't seen that before.

 

[Colorado Axeman]

I have a Rolls MX122 that I use for this sort of thing. I've been very happy with it.

I almost pulled the trigger on a Rolls MX124 until I saw the S/N ratio spec (84 dB). I'm guessing it's so poor because it's battery powered? The Rolls MX122 looks to be better in this regard.

 

[Matt_B_77]

wow interesting that the XLR channels can be set to stereo. i haven't seen that before.

No room for Pan controls? We got that covered.

 

[Muad'zin]

if you can use 1/4" for your Axe, your options get less expensive. i use 1/4" all the time, and all my videos and live streams use 1/4" with no issue.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Q502USB--behringer-xenyx-q502usb-mixer-with-usb

this $69 mixer has 1 xlr for a mic, 2 stereo 1/4" channels, and USB I/O. so if your tracks come from a computer, you can use USB and free up the 2nd stereo channel.

View attachment 52809

otherwise, you're probably shopping for an "8 channel mixer" or bigger, usually $199 and up. if you need EQ on all channels, that also means bigger mixers.

I once went along with a band as their monitor tech to a gig and the venue showed us two mixers. A 4 channel Behringer Xenyx as the FOH and a 2 channel for the monitors.

Suffice to say there wasn't much for me to do that night other then being a roadie.

for rehearsal or fast gigs, behringer products are great.

I got a small 8 channel Behringer mixer for at work, for digitizing old cassette tapes. Within a few months that thing started to have high pitched noise on one channel after the other. It still works but its now a useless piece of junk. So your mileage may vary. Me, I replaced the Behringer with my old 8 channel Phonic. It's a little older, but it works as it should and it keeps on working as it should. I love Phonic mixers. I'll take one over a Behringer any time.

 

[chris]

I once went along with a band as their monitor tech to a gig and the venue showed us two mixers. A 4 channel Behringer Xenyx as the FOH and a 2 channel for the monitors.

Suffice to say there wasn't much for me to do that night other then being a roadie.

a soundguy i know here got hired by a restaurant to "do sound" for the live music. but his only job was to change from the house music to the live feed, and turn up the stage monitors with an ipad app with only a single fader on it. surprisingly, they can't train non-soundguys to do that...

he quit after about a week or so. what a joke gig! now the top manager on duty does it, and they tend to mess it up all the time... not sure how.

I got a small 8 channel Behringer mixer for at work, for digitizing old cassette tapes. Within a few months that thing started to have high pitched noise on one channel after the other. It still works but its now a useless piece of junk. So your mileage may vary. Me, I replaced the Behringer with my old 8 channel Phonic. It's a little older, but it works as it should and it keeps on working as it should. I love Phonic mixers. I'll take one over a Behringer any time.

honestly, i've personally had more trouble with Mackie products than Behringer. i tried 3 brand new ProFX mixers, right out of the box, and the built-in FX sends all had a high pitch and white noise thing going on when turned up.

that said, anything in the lower price ranges are prone to trouble. but for rehearsal, it usually is sufficient without breaking the bank.

 

[maxdown]

Yamaha MG series are pretty good mixers .... I have a MG10XU (X is in built FX and U is USB) .... I don't use the FX really - but suppose reverb could be used on vocals .... the USB is very handy though ... hook up a laptop or the AxeFX through USB and use the mixer as the sound device. The USB channel (ch 9) can be routed to either the balanced XLR mains or a monitor out (trs jack I think?) ... if you don't use USB then it can be a standard 1/4 input channel instead.

 

[Muad'zin]

a soundguy i know here got hired by a restaurant to "do sound" for the live music. but his only job was to change from the house music to the live feed, and turn up the stage monitors with an ipad app with only a single fader on it. surprisingly, they can't train non-soundguys to do that...

he quit after about a week or so. what a joke gig! now the top manager on duty does it, and they tend to mess it up all the time... not sure how.

Seems like a sweet easy gig. Was he bored or was it for personal reasons?

honestly, i've personally had more trouble with Mackie products than Behringer. i tried 3 brand new ProFX mixers, right out of the box, and the built-in FX sends all had a high pitch and white noise thing going on when turned up.

that said, anything in the lower price ranges are prone to trouble. but for rehearsal, it usually is sufficient without breaking the bank.

A friend of mine also has a Mackie mixer and his also developed a problem, he had to sent it back to Thomann. No issues with my Phonics though. (knocks on wood)

Speaking on Phonic mixers, I work at a university and they recently started to demolish some buildings to make room for a new huge one, so I asked the super of the old building if I could collect some of the sound and video stuff that's inside the lecture rooms for work purposes. Because the technical department was just going to chuck it in the bin anyway. I was mostly interested in old VHS machines, to digitize old tapes.And I knew that every lecture room has this panel where the teachers could plug in their laptops, DVD's or VHS tapes. The super was okay with me doing this, so we went there with a couple of colleagues to ransack the place. Imagine my surprise to find that inside those panels were 6 channel Phonic mixers and 19" poweramps.

KA-CHING!

Free pro audio gear for the win!

And the good part is, there's still one more building with these facilities to go.

 

[Toowoombaus]

You scored dude!
What kind of power amps did you get?
I used to mix down to stereo VHS because some of those machines had a pretty high signal to noise ratio.
This was before CD burners.

 

[Muad'zin]

It was a Phonic Max 500. It now powers a pair of speakers, also from the same place, in my kitchen. No more having to turn up the volume in the living room while cooking.

I wish I had gotten to the other buildings as well. They tore down five, I only got to 'explore' one.