New addition to my "kit"

[JerryPH]

I was surfing the net and found a deal on something that I had kind of been researching for a couple months now, something that would let me make better recordings once I can play a bit better again.

The one big block to recording the best quality sounds from my setup was always that I used analog signals from the mixer output to the stereo line-in jack on the computer. That meant that I always mixed my instruments down at the mixer and output it to the PC 2 channels at a time. If I needed more, I just added more tracks as needed, but never more than 2 at a time.

All this was always just fine for me and worked better than nothing, but when this deal came up, I had to jump on it.

I purchased a new in the box Mackie Onyx 1640i mixer.

http://syner-g.asuscomm.com/mymusic/files/1640i-1.jpg>

http://syner-g.asuscomm.com/mymusic/files/1640i-2.jpg>

Now, its a pretty good quality mixer, far better than what I have now, but what makes this mixer so special is that it has FireWire outputs on the back that connect to my computer. It has the ability to send 16 channels simultaneously out to the computer.

Once there in my PC, I can work on any individual channel or channels and keep adding all the tracks that my heart desires. I truly have a home studio set up that can offer as close to professional results as I will ever want. Normally, I would not make such a quick impulse purchase, but this was the last one and the price was unbeatable, about 20% of what it originally was (80% discounts are hard to fight if it is on something that you like and will use... lol)! I am sure that the fact that they are a discontinued product helped, but I have a full factory warranty and its a console that will serve me well in my home studio and (if it should ever happen again), as well be excellent during live performances.

Now, I am even a little more motivated to be able to get better again, just so I can start recording for myself and the family again.

Perhaps a bit silly but something like this gives me so much pleasure to think about and is a great additional goal. {}

 

[NigelB]

Nice find I have the 1220 version it works well with the firewire and sounds good! Only criticism is no reverb for live work but pedals are cheap.

 

[JerryPH]

Nice find I have the 1220 version it works well with the firewire and sounds good! Only criticism is no reverb for live work but pedals are cheap.

I had that covered... Alesis MIDIverb to the rescue (uses midi and/or analog resources and the reverb is very clean). The 6 AUX sends gives me more than enough for that and other things in the future, or I can get all fancy and use VST plug-ins for special effects and add it in the software then just send it back to the mixer.

The 1220 is really nice too! This is my first Mackie product, how do you like the Onyx mic preamps and what about the overall quality of your Mackie, like it? Also, are you capturing to a Mac or a PC and what software are you using?

 

[Glenn]

It looks like overkill to record an accordion but nice piece of kit anyway.

 

[JerryPH]

It looks like overkill to record an accordion but nice piece of kit anyway.

Massive overkill if all you wanted was to use a single channel and record one accordion. 25 years ago I was making 4-track cassette recordings and frustrated that I had only 4 tracks and had to mix 4 tracks into 2 tracks before I could add 2 more tracks, at the expense of generational losses in the all analog setup and issues with tapes, and as a young man dreamed of having a nicer home studio.

Well, today I am not 1/2 the player I used to be, but I am a lot smarter techno-wise, and since I can afford it and basically surroound myself with more than just that lone accordion, I dont know what I can accomplish, but I sure plan to find out, and who knows, it may be good enough to not scare away the neighborhood cats... lol.

 

[NigelB]

The 1220 is really nice too! This is my first Mackie product, how do you like the Onyx mic preamps and what about the overall quality of your Mackie, like it? Also, are you capturing to a Mac or a PC and what software are you using?[/quote]

Generally it's been good, a bit of noise on one pot after 7 or so years of dust collecting on my worktop. The parametric eq and compressor are good. I dont have amazing mics (AT20 20) so I can't really comment on the pre amps but I've recorded some bit and pieces with it that have been used professionally and I seem to get a sound I like most of the time. I use a free copy of cubasis le on an old MacBook at the moment but it's worked fine with logic and garageband. I use an Allen Heath zed 10 for live which is also very nice.