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Looking for a Small Keyboard Mixer


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I only need 3 inputs for my Mojo and Korg Module (mini stereo plug)... So I am considering the Mackie ProFX6v3. Any other suggestions?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0849LT2HD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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I have used a soundcraft notepad 10 (mainly because I was doing some fancy routing and it has a pre-fader aux). Quiet, dependable. More channels than I needed, and I don't need EQ, but I bought it from a friend for 50 bucks :)

 

I bought a Rolls mixer but never actually used it at gigs. I found it was noisy with crosstalk until I bought a better power supply for it than the one that came with it.

 

I also was looking to get a good stereo DI box(es) and ended up getting the Radial Key Largo. It is a mixer with radial DIs built in. It also has an audio interface in it, but I'm not sure if it works with IOS devices...I've heard conflicting things. That might make it a worthy contender as then you'd get audio over usb. It has a monitor send but it's post-fader if that matters.

 

Unfortunately all these have wall warts, the soundcraft one being a "line lump" design at least.

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Yamaha MG06X seems pretty similar, I haven't personally used Mackie mixers for several decades, and have been a satisfied Yamaha mixer user for a while.

 

As someone who has unfortunately accumulated more mixers than I'll ever need in the garage - my honest suggestion is to purchase ALL YOUR CANDIDATES and A/B them in your intended gig rig before you decide on the keeper...then return the others.

 

I realize that might sound pretty stupid and a waste of time and money. But I have unfortunately found all mixers are not built the same, and some of them really color your sound in really bad ways...including units from really well-regarded brands.

 

Edit: As soon as Radial announced the Key Largo, I preordered it and have been gigging it ever since its release. I'm very, very happy with it, and all my other mixers staying the garage (except the Yamaha, which I use in my office setup now). Yes, it's far more expensive than the Mackie, and it doesn't have built-in FX either. But the sound is everything you'd expect from Radial. Can't recommend it highly enough, if it serves your needs. Also, I have it mounted on a pedal board so I haven't had any of the power supply failures that have been reported with the wall wart.

..
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Some options

 

Rolls MX28

https://rolls.com/product/MX28

 

I have this one in a setup that I have in another room from the main studio. Smallest footprint I've seen for your need.

 

 

Maker Hart

https://makerhart.com/product_d.php?lang=en&tb=1&id=37

 

If you are OK with the 1/8" inputs. Friend of mine has it, has served him well.

Korg Kronos X73 / ARP Odyssey / Motif ES Rack / Roland D-05 / JP-08 / SE-05 / Jupiter Xm / Novation Mininova / NL2X / Waldorf Pulse II

MBP-LOGIC

American Deluxe P-Bass, Yamaha RBX760

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Radial Key Largo is my top recommendation as it will do what you need, acts as an awesome DI and also has some other cool features. I'm thinking about getting a second one so I can have two different racks for different purposes.
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Alto ZMX862:

 

Advantage: "gain" leveling knobs on all channels,

Cons: walwart of some kind; 1/4" outputs only

 

 

Alto L8:

 

Advantage: "gain" leveling knobs on all channels, effects section, no walwart (normal keyboard type plug, IEC C13(?)); XLR and 1/4" outs

Cons: discontinued, hard to find

 

If you can stand the 1/4" outputs and walwart the ZMX862 is your ticket. Can be purchased at less than half the cost of the Mackie and soundwise in the same ballpark.

 

 

If you don't need EQ's on the channels, then the Rolls MX28 mentioned earlier is your ticket.....

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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If you can stand the 1/4" outputs and walwart the ZMX862 is your ticket. Can be purchased at less than half the cost of the Mackie and soundwise in the same ballpark.

 

 

Quick scan of typical websites for used gear shows some very reasonable prices on ZMX862.

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Unfortunately all these have wall warts

Yeah, that could be a deciding factor for me. On full size keyboards, they seem to be a necessary evil on almost anything that is lightweight (i.e. has a plastic chassis). But on a small mixer, I don't see a reason to put up with the nuisance of it. I'd probably go for the Allen & Heath ZED-6. It uses a less common power cord, but still one that's cheap and easy to find, to keep a spare or two around. If you're running the Mojo in mono, even the little ART USB Mix might do the trick, if you're willing to settle for the ubiquitous USB power adapter which is at least a step up from the unit-specific adapters you usually have to deal with. Though by reputation, I'd rate A&H above the others.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Thanks everyone, but I really need one with a mini plug input from my iPad to the mixer.

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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Thanks everyone, but I really need one with a mini plug input from my iPad to the mixer.

 

Breakout cable from a stereo 1/8" TRS to two 1/4" TS monos? Or am I missing something?

Korg Kronos X73 / ARP Odyssey / Motif ES Rack / Roland D-05 / JP-08 / SE-05 / Jupiter Xm / Novation Mininova / NL2X / Waldorf Pulse II

MBP-LOGIC

American Deluxe P-Bass, Yamaha RBX760

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...Though by reputation, I'd rate A&H above the others.

 

 

An A&H Zed10FX is one of the mixers sitting in my garage. It gets used occasionally, mainly because it has vocal FX when I have to cobble together a small PA for a vocalist. But I would definitely NOT rate A&H above the others, despite their long reputation.

 

Counterintuitive, I know (their rep was one of the reasons I ended up with the Zed), but when you A/B mixers for shites and gaggles your ears reveal all sorts of unexpected findings.

..
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Yamaha MG06X seems pretty similar, I haven't personally used Mackie mixers for several decades, and have been a satisfied Yamaha mixer user for a while.

 

As someone who has unfortunately accumulated more mixers than I'll ever need in the garage - my honest suggestion is to purchase ALL YOUR CANDIDATES and A/B them in your intended gig rig before you decide on the keeper...then return the others.

 

I realize that might sound pretty stupid and a waste of time and money. But I have unfortunately found all mixers are not built the same, and some of them really color your sound in really bad ways...including units from really well-regarded brands.

 

Edit: As soon as Radial announced the Key Largo, I preordered it and have been gigging it ever since its release. I'm very, very happy with it, and all my other mixers staying the garage (except the Yamaha, which I use in my office setup now). Yes, it's far more expensive than the Mackie, and it doesn't have built-in FX either. But the sound is everything you'd expect from Radial. Can't recommend it highly enough, if it serves your needs. Also, I have it mounted on a pedal board so I haven't had any of the power supply failures that have been reported with the wall wart.

 

oi, I didn't realize the Key Largos had issues with the power supply. I was thinking I'd put it and my Behringer monitor mixer on a sturdy metal music stand that fits under my keyboards...but wondering if I shouldn't go with the pedalboard route.

 

Could you by chance post a pic or two of your setup? Or at least can I ask which pedalboard you use, diy/store brand etc. I assume you have a power supply on the pedalboard, if that is "taking the weight off" the wall wart?

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[breakout cable from a stereo 1/8" TRS to two 1/4" TS monos? Or am I missing something?]

 

Yeah, I know about that... but I have had terrible luck with breakout cables. The simpler the better!

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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Maybe out of the budget, but Behringer Flow 8 is pretty good! Pluss you can run it with your phone ;)https://www.behringer.com/product.html?modelCode=P0DNM

 

I have one for the smaller solo gigs, and I have the XR-18 in the rack (among other things) for recording and mixing the bands.

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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[breakout cable from a stereo 1/8" TRS to two 1/4" TS monos? Or am I missing something?]

 

Yeah, I know about that... but I have had terrible luck with breakout cables. The simpler the better!

 

This will do the trick; its not a cable.....

 

 

link

 

We're knocking your excuses out one at a time :)

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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oi, I didn't realize the Key Largos had issues with the power supply. I was thinking I'd put it and my Behringer monitor mixer on a sturdy metal music stand that fits under my keyboards...but wondering if I shouldn't go with the pedalboard route.

 

Could you by chance post a pic or two of your setup? Or at least can I ask which pedalboard you use, diy/store brand etc. I assume you have a power supply on the pedalboard, if that is "taking the weight off" the wall wart?

 

I've had my Key Largo mounted in my rack since I got it over two years ago and not a single problem with power supply protected in the rack. I have a little shelf onto which I mounted the Key Largo and my Vent side by side - curse these non-rackmount units! I have been thinking about upgrading to the Radial KL-8 mostly because it is actually a rack unit, but there is still no rack mount Vent option. Here's a picture I took when I was putting together my rack stuff (this sits in a 3U rack below my wireless IEM gear).

 

tRlrJfK.jpg

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[breakout cable from a stereo 1/8" TRS to two 1/4" TS monos? Or am I missing something?]

 

Yeah, I know about that... but I have had terrible luck with breakout cables. The simpler the better!

 

This will do the trick; its not a cable.....

 

 

link

 

We're knocking your excuses out one at a time :)

 

I also had intermittent problems with breakout cables until I started to use gold plated 1/8 TRS to dual 1/4 TS cables from LinkinPerk (I know... the name :sick:). You can buy them off Amazon. This cable is in constant club use. I have a spare, but it's still packed away.

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For oddball cables I have ordered custom ones from Redco a few times...no adapters, just whatever ends you want on each side and the exact length you need. Not sure they offer 1/8" though in the custom cable config thingie.

 

Thanks eric, I have debated getting a rack like that, despite not having any actual "rack gear"! It would make setup and teardown easier and less prone to yanking cables if I had things going to a patch bay like that (speaking of, Redco sells stuff to do that so I might take a peek.)

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oi, I didn't realize the Key Largos had issues with the power supply. I was thinking I'd put it and my Behringer monitor mixer on a sturdy metal music stand that fits under my keyboards...but wondering if I shouldn't go with the pedalboard route.

 

Could you by chance post a pic or two of your setup? Or at least can I ask which pedalboard you use, diy/store brand etc. I assume you have a power supply on the pedalboard, if that is "taking the weight off" the wall wart?

 

Posting pictures is sort of a multi step process around here, so I can tell you that I use the Gator G-Tour pedal board (the small size I think). I chose that because it comes with its own wheeled ATA case. I keep the KL, sustain pedal, Lester K, black power strip all velcro fixed to tha board (I screwed in the power strip.).

 

I didn't know about KL power wart problems either, until I read reviews of the replacement wart on Sweetwater. I'm not sure if its any more fragile than any other wall wart (the cord connection is a common failure point for any wall wart if you're constantly disconnecting and winding up the attached cord).

 

But for all of us who use the KL in a "fixed" install where the wall wart doesn't endure regular stress, I doubt it's an alarming failure point. Still, good to have spares.

..
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[We're knocking your excuses out one at a time smile]

 

I don"t know, Delaware Dave⦠I need stereo and that does not do the trick.

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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That mackie is perfectly good for the job.

 

My one suggestion is if you plan to expand your rig at all, this doesn't give you any flexibility. I have a Yamaha MG10XU (10 channels) and it can cover absolutely anything I want to do. Even so, I can see myself shopping for 12 or more channels when it's time to replace it.

 

If your budget allows, I would nudge you toward something with 8 or 10 channels.

Keyboards: Nord Electro 6D 73, Korg SV-1 88, Minilogue XD, Yamaha YPG-625

Bonus: Boss RC-3 Loopstation

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[That mackie is perfectly good for the job.

 

My one suggestion is if you plan to expand your rig at all, this doesn't give you any flexibility. I have a Yamaha MG10XU (10 channels) and it can cover absolutely anything I want to do. Even so, I can see myself shopping for 12 or more channels when it's time to replace it.

 

If your budget allows, I would nudge you toward something with 8 or 10 channels.]

 

I already own a 12 channel wireless mixer for my studio. I want to have the lightest possible rig.

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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oi, I didn't realize the Key Largos had issues with the power supply. I was thinking I'd put it and my Behringer monitor mixer on a sturdy metal music stand that fits under my keyboards...but wondering if I shouldn't go with the pedalboard route.

 

Could you by chance post a pic or two of your setup? Or at least can I ask which pedalboard you use, diy/store brand etc. I assume you have a power supply on the pedalboard, if that is "taking the weight off" the wall wart?

 

Posting pictures is sort of a multi step process around here, so I can tell you that I use the Gator G-Tour pedal board (the small size I think). I chose that because it comes with its own wheeled ATA case. I keep the KL, sustain pedal, Lester K, black power strip all velcro fixed to tha board (I screwed in the power strip.).

 

I didn't know about KL power wart problems either, until I read reviews of the replacement wart on Sweetwater. I'm not sure if its any more fragile than any other wall wart (the cord connection is a common failure point for any wall wart if you're constantly disconnecting and winding up the attached cord).

 

But for all of us who use the KL in a "fixed" install where the wall wart doesn't endure regular stress, I doubt it's an alarming failure point. Still, good to have spares.

 

Indeed. I'll taking a look at my friend's pedalboard today, he has mounted a few different things on it. I like having wall warts in a fixed install no doubt, with no stress on the cable.

 

Do you have all those things on the top of the board, or as guitar pedal power supplies sometimes are, is anything mounted underneath? I note that the pedalboards typically don't have a ton of height. I'm also thinking of how a pedal case might work, the type where you lift the top off and everything is already mounted on the bottom.

 

I didn't mean to derail the mixer conversation with my pedalboard questions, back to mixers!

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[We're knocking your excuses out one at a time smile]

 

I don"t know, Delaware Dave⦠I need stereo and that does not do the trick.

 

Actually, it does. You said in your opening post "..I only need 3 inputs for my Mojo and Korg Module (mini stereo plug)..". I'm assuming then that you have three stereo devices.

 

channel one, pan hard left and use the 1/4" input available on that channel

channel two, pan hard right and use the 1/4" input available on that channel

channel three has both left and right inputs that are 1/4" (use the 1/8" to 1/4" adapter i linked you to earlier (not a breakout cord, a true copper adapter)

channel four has both left and right inputs. that are 1/4" (use the 1/8" to 1/4" adapter i linked you to earlier (not a breakout cord, a true copper adapter)

 

Therefore you can have three devices requiring stereo input and accomplish it.

 

You're running out of excuses.....

57 Hammond B3; 69 Hammond L100P; 68 Leslie 122; Kurzweil Forte7 & PC3; M-Audio Code 61; Voce V5+; Neo Vent; EV ELX112P; GSI Gemini & Burn

Delaware Dave

Exit93band

 

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This suggestion might seem a bit off the wall, but in the past I was on a similar quest and ended up with this ART mixer/splitter:

 

rack-mixers-splitmix-front-angle.jpg

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/ART-SPLITMix-Channel-Passive-Splitter/dp/B002VX0DCE

 

 

PROS:

 

1. It can take up to four inputs.

 

2. It uses TRS.

- so a single TRS cable from a headphone output can be used.

 

3. It is completely passive.

- so no noise, distortion is introduced, etc.

 

CONS"

 

1. It uses TRS

 

- If you want to use the stereo out from your keyboard, you have to use a 2X TS to 1X TRS cable.

 

2. It is completely passive.

- Being passive means there is also a significant dB loss (I think 3-6 dB, can't remember off hand).

- So, you need to send the signal to something that has a pretty good input gain amplification (like some powered speakers).

 

By itself, it ultimately did not work well for use with my Space Station, as the SS has a pretty weak input amplifier anyway. However, if you run something small after the ART splitter, then you can juice the gain back up (I was using an FMR RNC compressor, which not only gave me plenty of gain, but a nice, transparent compressor).

 

Anyway, I now use the ART mixer/splitter as a submimxer for my laptops, computer, etc. into a stereo channel on my larger recording mixer.

 

EDIT: Wow, I didn't realize how big that mixer is until I saw the picture I posted.....

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I only need 3 inputs for my Mojo and Korg Module (mini stereo plug)... So I am considering the Mackie ProFX6v3. Any other suggestions?

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0849LT2HD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The new Roland Go Mixer Pro might be what you are looking for. I have the old version.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1648392-REG/roland_gomixerpx_go_mixer_pro_x_audio_mixer.html

 

https://www.roland.com/us/search/?q=go%20mixer

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