Need help picking powered mixer for my needs

Special Interest Groups Recording Equipment
1

Hello all!

I just joined, and am in need of some audiophile help!

My setup: 1 peavey powered mixer
6 dynamic mics(radioshack cheapos)
2 peavey speakers
1 Tape Cassette(for recording to tape)

My issue:
Over the weekend the mixer took a dump. So I was informed to “upgrade” the system, and not to fix.

I am an I.T. guy, not an audio guy. Its not the equipment or cables that bother me, its the terminology. My new baby audio eyes just werent ready to see all the confusion that comes along with someone new in the industry(i.e. pre-amps, phantom power, condensers, types of mics, types of connections;tls;1/4 inch;xlr,powered and unpowered mixers, etc)

The Peavey speakers still work great. The dynamic mics are kinda shit, considering there the cheapo dynamic mics from radio shack that was bought 7 years ago.
The tape cassette needs to retire.

This equipment is only used for meetings in a room that is the size of a small cafeteria.
What I need the system to do:
Record 6 mics, and record it to laptop. I have spent the last week researching all this crap, and am so tired from it lol.
Im probably making this more difficult than it needs to be, but considering I am the one many army I.T. department, I double check everything before signing off on something.

The speakers and staying, as well as the mics for now(I want to get xlr mics for obvious reasons, but just dont see the room for them in the budget).
Instead of being recorded to tape, the meetings will now get recorded to laptop.

I am simply wanting some more opinions on my current situation, as well as any recommendations on powered mixers.
The link below is a powered mixer I already picked out that I think would fit our needs just fine, it also comes with a USB/Audio Interface for direct plug & play connectivity to your Windows or Mac computer. Btw, I chose powered mixer over unpowered because it is way more convenient to have the amp and mixer in one box that only has one power cord, rather than hauling around multiple devices.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-X1204USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B0039PPW60/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t

I am welcome to all suggestions and recommendations.

I hope I didnt leave anything out, like I said, our setup is fairly simple, just wanting to record 6 mics with a laptop, all through a powered mixer. I will be monitoring this thread all day today. Hope to hear from someone soon.

2

I hope I didnt leave anything out

Model numbers on your original stuff would have been nice. We have to build your system in our imaginations as we do this. Which Peavey died?

Radio Shack Microphones can do very well. Many of them are re-labels from commercial units. Which microphones is a big deal in recommending a mixer.

I want to get xlr mics for obvious reasons,

Wait. So they’re not XLR microphones?

You see where we’re wandering off here? So all six microphones are 1/4" guitar amp type?

One problem at step one. That new Behringer mixer will only manage four XLR microphones.

Koz

3

Describe what died. In detail.
Koz

4

The BEHRINGER XENYX X1204USB is not a “powered” amp.
“Phantom” power is for powering condenser microphones, not for powering speakers.
Behringer’s current range of powered speakers are here: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Category/Mixers.aspx?s=G300

5

This one is an actual wall-powered, USB or analog connected, Behringer 6 XLR microphone mixer with 48volt Phantom Power. The only shortcoming I can find is it only has live compressors on the first four channels.

It appears to have excellent specifications and isn’t break-the-bank expensive.

Behringer Xenyx X1222USB
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/X1222USB

Unless I miss my guess, we’re building up to fixing your old mixer. What happened to it?

Koz

6

The other shortcoming is that it is not a “powered” mixer, which greenEmerald specified because he does not want to carry around a separate power amp to power the speakers.

7

Oh, right. Misread that.
Koz

8

Your circumstances may be different, but many people opt for separate devices and a short rack or roll-around to get from place to place. It helps with the Single Point of Failure. It can be the difference between having the amp fail and scrounging a new one before a show; to having your amplified mixer fail and having to special order a new one — delivery some time next week.

Or backwards: “Sorry about the coffee in your mixer. My neighbor can have his mixer here in fifteen minutes, but I don’t know anybody fast with another amp.”

Koz