Mixer for Edirol FA-66

[pietdeyaert]

I was thinking of the Jb Systems MM10.
It has phantom power, ... and only costs 150 euros.
I'm planning to put it in front of my Edirol Fa-66 and connect the two XLR outputs from the MM10 to the XLR inputs from the FA-66 and then connect my mics to the MM10.


What do you think?

 

[SMuir]

I haven't used this particular mixer, so please take my comments with a grain of salt.

I did a quick search, but couldn't find very much information on the MM10. It appears to have been designed for and marketted to DJ's and small-venue front-of-house mixers, which are very different applications than production sound.

The first thing that strikes me when looking at it is that the faders are very short, which rather defeats the purpose of opting for a conventional mixing desk over one with rotary faders. Longer faders will give you more control over your levels, whereas short faders will prove more cramped and inexact.

Even compared to notoriously cheap mixers (eg. Behringer MX-1604A), the MM10 is very light on features. There's no solo, no mute, and only one mix bus.

The price point is very attractive, but you'll outgrow this mixer in no time. You also need to take into account the build quality and durability in field situations. Most mixers in this price range are simply not up to the rigors of field production.

If you're looking for a workhorse cart-style mixer for production sound, I doubt you'll be very happy with the MM10. Mackie's the go-to brand for this sort of work, and they're about a innexpensive as mixers get without severely compromising on build quality. Some of the Soundcraft desks are also worth the investment. Bear in mind that mixers in this price range will require mains power, although you may be able to modify them to run off battery packs.