I need to mix together a few signals for a few live shows and I have
very limited shelf space. Assuming I don't get an ART Powermix thing,
is it safe to assume that a Tapco will be quieter/more reliable/etc.
than a similar Behringer mixer? Say a Tapco Mix 50 vs. a Behringer
UB50?

Has anyone had the displeasure of comparing these things?

Thanks.

SoundAsleep wrote:

Assuming I don't get an ART Powermix thing,
is it safe to assume that a Tapco will be quieter/more reliable/etc.
than a similar Behringer mixer?

No, it's not safe to assume that, but it's safe to assume that the
difference will be little enough so that, on your limited budget, you
shouldn't care. If you don't like Behringer on general (or some
specific) principles, buy the TAPCO. If you don't like Mackie on
general (of some specific) principles, buy the Behringer.

Frankly, I find black panels easier to get around on than silver, so
I'd buy the TAPCO. That's the kind of differences you should be
considering. Unless you have some unusual requirements, either will do
your job adequately.

SoundAsleep wrote:

I need to mix together a few signals for a few live shows and I have
very limited shelf space. Assuming I don't get an ART Powermix thing,
is it safe to assume that a Tapco will be quieter/more reliable/etc.
than a similar Behringer mixer?

No. Why did you think so ?

Graham

Well, I'd always heard that Behringers were basically Mackie copies,
only more poorly built. So I was thinking that Tapco might be similar
in quality to Mackie. I'm looking to see if anyone has first-hand
experience with Tapco mixers.

If Mackie or a better company made a mini/micro mixer (8" x 8" or
less), I'd get it.

Thanks.

SoundAsleep wrote:
Well, I'd always heard that Behringers were basically Mackie copies,
only more poorly built.

There was one Behringer mixer that was a pretty close Mackie copy, but
that was a long time ago. The mixer you're looking at isn't a copy of
anything, but the basic design is so much of a form-follows-function
thing that it's hard to make one very much different from the other.
And Chinese manufacturing has come a long way since the "Behringer
steals designs and uses sweat shop labor" accusation days.

And at the $100 price point, it's hard for one product to be truly
superior to another. So they aren't. Buy the one you like and don't
abuse it. It'll work fine and last a long time.

Thanks Mike. Do you know of a higher-end "micro" mixer by chance?

SoundAsleep wrote:
Thanks Mike. Do you know of a higher-end "micro" mixer by chance?

They are mostly going to be rackmount units like the ARX or Rane.

I think that Langevin makes a little micro mixer as part of their
studio monitoring system, and I think Masque Sound does something
similar. They won't be cheap, though.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Yeah, I was happy with my old Roland M120 - but for various reasons I
have to go rackless now. Langevin is going to be overkill. I wish
there was a non-rack version of a Rane or similar. Oh well.

Thanks.

SoundAsleep wrote:
Yeah, I was happy with my old Roland M120 - but for various reasons I
have to go rackless now. Langevin is going to be overkill. I wish
there was a non-rack version of a Rane or similar. Oh well.

Well, how many input channels do you really need? Unbalanced or balanced
inputs? Can you live with mono?

You know I am thinking of that ubiquitous Shure product....
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

I'd like to keep it stereo, balanced isn't important. Right now all I
need is one stereo and one mono, preferably with a headphone out.
Which Shure?

SoundAsleep wrote:
Thanks Mike. Do you know of a higher-end "micro" mixer by chance?


Sonosax =)

--

Jonny Durango

www.jdurango.com

"If the key of C is the people's key, what is the key of the bourgeoisie?"

SoundAsleep wrote:
I'd like to keep it stereo, balanced isn't important. Right now all I
need is one stereo and one mono, preferably with a headphone out.
Which Shure?

I was thinking about the ubiquitous (but mono) M67. But I would bet there
is a stereo version today on the Shure webste too.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Scott Dorsey" wrote in message
...
SoundAsleep wrote:
I'd like to keep it stereo, balanced isn't important. Right now all I
need is one stereo and one mono, preferably with a headphone out.
Which Shure?

I was thinking about the ubiquitous (but mono) M67. But I would bet there
is a stereo version today on the Shure webste too.

There are a few, but then, Toto, you're not bottom-feeding anymore.

Peace,
Paul

SoundAsleep wrote:

I'd like to keep it stereo, balanced isn't important. Right now all I
need is one stereo and one mono, preferably with a headphone out.

I bought a Tascam M106 at a garage sale for $30 CDN a few years ago. It
needed only minor repairs which I was able to perform myself.

6 unbalanced inputs, 4 group outs, 2-band shelving EQ, 1 pre-fader and 1
post-fader aux send, stereo effects return, reasonably hefty headphone
output, ... It even has phono preamps on some of the channels, and
plenty of flexibility to slave it to a bigger mixer if/when required.

It serves well as a keyboard/line level mixer, which it sounds to me is
what you're looking for. Keep your eyes open locally and online for
bargains like this.

--
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Sylvain Robitaille

Major in Electroacoustic Studies Concordia University
Faculty of Fine Arts / Music Department Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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