Mixer for 6 live mics?

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MissMegan
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Mixer for 6 live mics?

Post by MissMegan » Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:41 pm

I apologize if i'm duplicating efforts - i've trolled the boards for a bit and couldn't find what I think i'm looking for.

I record a weekly podcast that usually has 4 people recording, but can have up to 6, and I would really like to start getting individual mics for the staff. (Example podcast: http://www.dorkadia.com/2013/12/05/episode-18/). We currently record with a Yeti mic (http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Microphones- ... B002VA464S) on a table we all sit around and try RIDICULOUSLY hard not to touch. Unfortunately the voices are often anywhere from very loud laughing, to one guy who frequently turns his head away from the mic and mumbles.

I'd like to get everyone on their own mic, but i'm having difficulty finding something that would take up to 6 live microphones. I've seen a lot of recommendations for the Peavey PV6, but I think that limits me to 4 microphones. I'd like to keep the price under $5-600 if at all possible. I will say i'm very novice at this, but would love some input!

kozikowski
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Re: Mixer for 6 live mics?

Post by kozikowski » Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:39 am

The only reason I know about the PV6 is I installed several of them in modest applications and I own one.

That's it behind the headphones.
http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/ ... dShoot.jpg

Two of the others mix a theater live audience sound into a presentation review recording and/or Send Service for conference voice between several different cities.

It's never done anything naughty. None of them have. I use the analog version because digitization -- if needed -- always happens somewhere else. In the case of the theaters, I used the classic analog long-line technique to ship the sound to another building.

I've also installed Mackie mixers in production rooms.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ ... fgodeXUAJQ
That will handle 6 simultaneous microphones plus sound effects and live clip playback. All on separate volume controls.

You understand (he said ominously) that each speaker is going to need headphones, right, and each one will want to adjust their own volume? Past the obvious problem of never running live loudspeakers and live microphones in the same room, this goes a very long way to evening out each performer's volume.

"...no," he said to the dog, "because my mother is a duck!" HA! HA! HA! (OW! My ears).

"...So that's the problem. What do you think, Phil?"

"_________mumble____________whisper_________ Boy, I'd better speak louder so people can hear me, huh?"

Designing a six microphone studio is not for the easily frightened. Any noise the room makes is going to be six times louder, so if you think you had troubles with the dog next door before, you have not lived.

The PV6 and the Mackie mixers do not support direct digitization, so somehow you have to get into the computer.

That's my Behringer UCA202 connected between my PV6 and my Windows laptop.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/ ... Lenovo.jpg

Please, please tell us you don't want to fold Skype into this.....

Koz

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