Preamps vs Mixers

K

Kugar13

Well-known member
Hello all,

First off, please forgive me if I am asking a question that may have been posted before. I posted a few weeks back a few questions about sound recording equipment and received a list of links that were suggested, and I am very grateful. I read many of the posts the week or so, spent hours and hours reading, and really didn't come across an answer to my question.

My question....

Preamps or Mixers. Which would be best for sound recording in the field and why. I am under the understanding if you have one you don't need the other for various reasons.

Again, please forgive the question if this has been answered before. I am a Noob (I hate that term) and it shows....

Thx
AE
 
Just make sure if you go the mixer route that you carefully read up on what preamps it uses. Some companies will put very cheap preamps in there and then lure you in with all kinds of other features. Look at the stuff from Sound Devices and Cooper, etc. for quality mixers/preamps.

Steve
 
I have used Behringer mixers in studio situations and can tell you that they are hit or miss. In general your level sliders are not that clean, have the occassional cross channel noise, and the db control isn't accurate.

All that being said, for a first mixer for non professional use, it is an effective tool. Will it be better than the on camera sound, slightly, but when it comes to mixers you really get what you pay for.
 
I have never liked anything Behringer (Truth monitors are ok, but way overrated IMHO). To be fair, some people do like Behringer products. As Yankee said you get what you pay for. More importantly that is a studio mixer that you will be hard pressed to use in the field.

As was stated previous, good field mixers come with preamps built in. Search around the forum for mixers and you will find a wealth of information on the range of ok to great field mixers.

Good luck
 
Are you in the market for one? How much do you want to spend? This could lead us to make some recommendations for you.

Steve
 
Every channel on a mixer is a preamp and behringer mixers tend to muddy up the signal and have stuff you'll probly never use or shouldn't use, I have a Behringer board that I use to get all my audio equipment routed to my speakers but I wouldn't record something through it. For starters I would recommend the Audio Buddy, it's a simple 2 channel preamp with no bells or whistles and it gets you a decent sound without all the clutter or bulkiness of a mixer. I've heard whole song recordings done through this pre and I was amazed with the quality. The preamp that I use now is a Grace 101($600) single channel which is still a low to mid priced pre but that's until I get the Great River MP-1NV($1,075)single channel which is pretty much top of the line.

audio buddy
 
Thank you everyone!

Thank you everyone!

I would like to thank everyone who have worked so hard to help me in regard to my question. You guys are amazing and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have a resource as amazing as DVXUSER.com!!!!!

I think I am going to go the route of using a preamp for now, and wait to upgrade to a mixer when I have enough funds to purchase a decent one.

Thanks again!

AE
 
Mackie 1202

Mackie 1202

What do you guys think of the Mackie 1202? I have been researching it and am tempted to get it.
Thx
AE
 
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