List of Audio Mixers Tested with VidBlaster

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This post is a ongoing, comprehensive list of audio mixers that VidBlaster users have used with VidBlaster, complete with their review.

Please feel free to post here and I will compile the list in a standard format for easy reference.


Submit your mixer review including this information.
Mixer Make, Model, Model Number
Mixer PC connection (example: firewire, USB, 1/8" line in.) List all that apply.
Features: (example: delay, phantom power, etc). Please list all that apply.
Your assessment/review of this mixer when used with VidBlaster. Please report only what you have personally experienced and can verify. What worked well? What was a problem? What were solutions?
I will take your submission (see sample below) and add it to the resource list (see Alesis post below), and then delete your submission. Please don't post questions or comments here. I would suggest you send your questions/comments about a specific camera directly to the person who reviewed that camera in the form of a PM. That will help keep this listing clean and easy to read. Feel free to PM me as needed or with any suggestions for improvement.

See this thread (http://forum.vidblaster.com/showthread.php?t=1846) for a good How-to on audio mixers.

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Sample Post.

1. Alesis MultiMix 8 USB (1.1)
2. PC Connection: USB, 1/8" line in
3. Features: 8 channel, 4 high-gain mic/line inputs with phantom power, 2 stereo balanced 1/4” line inputs, 100 28-bit onboard preset effects including reverbs, delays, chorus, flanging and pitch, 3-band EQ per channel, separate 1/4” balanced main and monitor outs, headphone out. Mac OS X, Windows XP (32-bit) or Vista (32-bit) compatible.
4. Works with W7 (32-bit). too. Bought mine on eBay for about $40 US. Must turn on mixer before starting PC so mixer's generic USB drivers will load. Occasionally, one channel will experience an echo. Not sure of the cause. I just switch the input (mic or whatever) to another channel and keep on going. I would recommend this mixer. There is a newer version that uses USB 2.0.

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Alesis MultiMix 8 USB (1.1)

PC Connection: USB, 1/8" line in

Features: 8 channel, 4 high-gain mic/line inputs with phantom power, 2 stereo balanced 1/4” line inputs, 100 28-bit onboard preset effects including reverbs, delays, chorus, flanging and pitch, 3-band EQ per channel, separate 1/4” balanced main and monitor outs, headphone out. Mac OS X, Windows XP (32-bit) or Vista (32-bit) compatible. There is a newer version that uses USB 2.0.

Review: Works with W7 (32-bit). too. Bought mine on eBay for about $40 US. Must turn on mixer before starting PC so mixer's generic USB drivers will load.

Cons: Occasionally, one channel will experience an echo. Not sure of the cause. I just switch the input (mic or whatever) to another channel and keep on going.

I would recommend this mixer.

Reviewer: Tom Sinclair (http://forum.vidblaster.com/member.php?u=167)

[wiav8r]

Behringer XENYX 1204

PC Connection: USB (In/Out for Player Mod audio out), 1/8" line in (via RCA CD/TAPE out)

Features: Premium 12-Input 2/2-Bus Mixer with XENYX Mic Preamps, British EQs and external USB/Audio Interface.

2 aux sends per channel: 1 pre fader for monitoring applications, 1 post fader for external FX devices.

Peak LEDs and mute/alt 3-4 function on all channels, 2 subgroups with separate outputs for added routing flexibility. 2 multi-functional stereo aux returns with flexible routing. Balanced main mix outputs with gold-plated XLR connectors plus separate control room, headphones and stereo tape outputs. Control room/phones outputs with multi-input source matrix. Tape inputs assignable to main mix or control room/phones outputs. Rack mountable

Review: This particular unit is discontinued from Behringer but, I bought mine from stock at a local music store for about $125 new.
Behringer does have a similar unit here (http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/1204FX.aspx). It has built in FX. Mine does not.
PRO - Great quality and cheap. sliders have good feel to them and not noisey at all "quiet as a church mouse" ;)
Currently using 2 mic inputs and 2 stereo inputs from the USB interface's. In service 18 months without a hickup!. I recommend this mixer for basic work.

CON - Does not have individual channel "inserts". That means that you will be unable to "insert" from a compressor/limiter/gate into a single channel.

Reviewer: Allan Bunt (profile (http://forum.vidblaster.com/member.php?u=154))

Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLDrDdOaNu4&feature=related)

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Behringer Xenyx 502

PC Connection: 1/8 inch line in and/or via USB interface

Features:

Review: Works great with Vidblaster - only lacks the ability to configure a mix/minus with this model. I travel frequently and this mixer travel well, taking little space in carry on luggage. Truly great for a mobile/lite rig.

Reviewer: Bruce Turner (http://forum.vidblaster.com/member.php?u=72)

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Behringer Eurorack UB802


PC Connection: USB, 1/8", 1/4", or RCA depending on your audio interface

Features: two mono channels and two stereo, phantom power, FX/aux send (for mix-minus)

Review: We frequently use a bigger Behringer mixer as well, but this one is tiny and cheap as heck. We use the "control room" output to go into a headphone amplifier so that the people on our roundtable discussion show can all be wearing headphones.

I've had this little guy for about 4 or 5 years. It has survived a sketchy bar gig or two, not to mention some pretty musty basement rehearsal spaces. I'm really happy with all the Behringer gear I use (I'm a musician). It's all quite well made and reasonably priced.

For VidBlaster, it's perfectly small and cheap ($50 from MusiciansFriend). It has an auxiliary send that we use for a mix-minus to Skype guests. As I said above, we frequently use a larger mixer just to get more XLR mic inputs. Behringer makes another mixer for only $30 more that has 2 more. It's served me well, and I expect it to continue to for a while.

Cons: The limited XLR ins and the proprietary power connector are really the only problems I have with this thing.

Reviewer: David MacDonald (http://forum.vidblaster.com/member.php?u=688)

[mcarrara]

I use a Delta 1010 sound card. It has two mic inputs and 4 stereo RCA inputs. It also has 5 stereo RCA outputs. It also has digital in and out, but I have never used them. There is a software mixer/patch panel included.

I don't do anything fancy with the card but I did broadcast a Christmas choir concert with 6 mic's ( 4 through an external preamp). I almost exclusively use the card for getting audio into Vidblaster.

It is inside the computer so there is not a separate piece of equipment to lug around. It has a breakout cable with all of the connections. I have been threatening to make a patch panel so the connection can be up front, but I have not followed through.

Mark