Being in a little home studio, I have to track the drums in a small studio that I know. They have decent preamps but nothing else. I'd like to shape the sound at the source with good EQ. So I was thinking to buy a little console. 8 channels would be enough. What could I get for 400-500? I'm looking for a something not too big because I'd have to bring it to the studio quite often.
Need advice for a cheap console
- Thread starter Heabow
- Start date
HeadCrusher
Member
I doubt you can get anything that's actually worth it for what you are trying to do at that prize range. Sorry.
Thank you man. I'm afraid you're right.
I was lurking these two stuff:
Z18: http://www.thomann.de/gb/allenheath_zed18.htm
ZED60 14FX: http://www.thomann.de/gb/allenheath_zed60_14.htm
I was lurking these two stuff:
Z18: http://www.thomann.de/gb/allenheath_zed18.htm
ZED60 14FX: http://www.thomann.de/gb/allenheath_zed60_14.htm
Maybe you will benefit if you visit a different studio, so you can keep the money and cooperate with someone else.Cheers
HeadCrusher
Member
I was thinking about the ZED-series as well. Generally I'm a big A&H fan but the desks in your prize range (the ones you posted) only have a one semi-parametric mid-band which isn't exactly a versatile EQ. And since you explicitly stated that you wanted to use it to shape the sound I'm pretty sure it's not worth the money for what you are looking for. Also they don't even have Direct Outs as far as I can tell from the pictures (w/o looking at the manuals). While there are ways to still get the EQ'd signal out of the desk and into your DAW it's certainly not ideal or "professional" so to speak.
Personally I think the GS2-R24M looks very nice but since it's way out of your prize range I didn't mention it. If you are looking for a really professional small desk this would be an option but again: too expensive.
Maybe you could try and look for a used Mackie 8-Bus. Mackie isn't exactly famous for their EQs (at least not in that prize range) but at least that board has some spirit and gives you a lot of inputs/opportunities.
The last option that comes to mind would be to buy a good channel strip with an EQ on it and just settle on using it on whatever is the most important channel to you.
The overall question would be though why you want to shape the sound during recording. I know there are advantages to it but if you can't do it it's not the end of the world either.
Personally I think the GS2-R24M looks very nice but since it's way out of your prize range I didn't mention it. If you are looking for a really professional small desk this would be an option but again: too expensive.
Maybe you could try and look for a used Mackie 8-Bus. Mackie isn't exactly famous for their EQs (at least not in that prize range) but at least that board has some spirit and gives you a lot of inputs/opportunities.
The last option that comes to mind would be to buy a good channel strip with an EQ on it and just settle on using it on whatever is the most important channel to you.
The overall question would be though why you want to shape the sound during recording. I know there are advantages to it but if you can't do it it's not the end of the world either.
Obviously no rules here, but I like tracking drums with no eq available because it forces me to get mic placement and everything right at the source. I'd also probably feel different if I had an API / ssl console laying around. Lol
Mago
Austrian Blech Machine
So you'd be recording them to a stereo channel?
I'm not sure if you can use the inserts to send the channels to the daw, without muting the channel at the same time.
Also it only has 4 auxes and no groups soooo.....how do you plan to integrate that thing in your workflow, if you want to multitrack?
Or did I miss the direct outs?
Or does it work as an interface too?
I'm not sure if you can use the inserts to send the channels to the daw, without muting the channel at the same time.
Also it only has 4 auxes and no groups soooo.....how do you plan to integrate that thing in your workflow, if you want to multitrack?
Or did I miss the direct outs?
Or does it work as an interface too?
Thanks a lot guys for your inputs. It helps!
In fact, there is no many studios around my place. At least at decent prices. And I always have to work really quickly to do my recordings because there's no much available slots. Sometimes it's even very incomfortable. Sure I do my best to have the best sound at the source (drum tuning, mic placement, etc.) but I feel that I'd do better things with some EQ maybe I'm wrong tho. To be honest it's without a doubt just about my engineering skill I have to improve... Anyway good to have advices
In fact, there is no many studios around my place. At least at decent prices. And I always have to work really quickly to do my recordings because there's no much available slots. Sometimes it's even very incomfortable. Sure I do my best to have the best sound at the source (drum tuning, mic placement, etc.) but I feel that I'd do better things with some EQ maybe I'm wrong tho. To be honest it's without a doubt just about my engineering skill I have to improve... Anyway good to have advices
Trevoire520
Member
You could save a while longer and grab a Allen & Heath Zed R16, I've got one and love the eq for shaping drums on the way in.
I definitely wouldn't bother with the Mackie 8 bus, I work with Mackie boards alot doing live sound and the eq's and desk in general aren't great sounding.
I definitely wouldn't bother with the Mackie 8 bus, I work with Mackie boards alot doing live sound and the eq's and desk in general aren't great sounding.
HeadCrusher
Member
I've done it by just putting the cable in until the first "click". Don't know if it works on all consoles but I think it should since all inserts should be wired the same basically.
HeadCrusher
Member
I just realized I only used the desk for the preamps when I used the insert-method explained above. So on the ZED-18 you could record six (6) channels w/ EQ by using the AUX outs 1-4 and the Main out. I hope I'm not mistaken since pictures are a bit sketchy... How you could actually monitor what you are doing I have no idea right now... On a sidenote it doesn't seem to have adjustable AUX send level.
The ZED60-14FX is even worse since it only has one (1) AUX send it seems.
You can try and find an A&H GL-series mixer used on eBay. The have groups, more AUXes and even Matrixes that give you more options. The also have Direct Outs but the probably don't benefit you, since the probably just pass on the un-EQ'd signal...
A desk just doesn't seem to be worth it for what you are trying to do...
Have you thought about slowly over time putting together your own rack of preamps that you can take with you?
The ZED60-14FX is even worse since it only has one (1) AUX send it seems.
You can try and find an A&H GL-series mixer used on eBay. The have groups, more AUXes and even Matrixes that give you more options. The also have Direct Outs but the probably don't benefit you, since the probably just pass on the un-EQ'd signal...
A desk just doesn't seem to be worth it for what you are trying to do...
Have you thought about slowly over time putting together your own rack of preamps that you can take with you?
Mago
Austrian Blech Machine
yeah I know, but I hate that kind of undsteady things
It's a lot less work than soldering "adapters" tho
If the inserters are able to be turned off (never seen it on a small console tho) it could work "normally" too.
