I guess it depends on the quality of your DJ mixer. I use a Vestax 05 and the mic inputs suck on that mixer so I always have the small mixer board as part of my set up. It's also handy for when someone needs to connect another sound source. I'm currently looking to replace my 05 and I was wondering if I would continue to use the small mixer if I can find something with enough line inputs and two quality mic inputs.

Another mixer gives you more head room and like you said, more mic/aux inputs.

nm

It gives you some basic EQ control so you can leave your dj mixer EQs as usual for mixing. The extra outputs with independent control also comes in handy when you may have multiple speakers, monitors, or rooms.

Thats what I was thinking too, depends on the quality of your mixer. My old Vestax sounded like shit. After that Ive been strictly pioneer, allen & heath and rane so I never felt the need for an external mixing console. I have more than enough headroom with my current setup.

True a mixing console is must for clubs. I should be more clear though, I'm talking directly for a single mobile DJ setup only. Ive seen it a lot, but Im slowly realizing the DJ mixer is usually the culprit for bad sound and need for a mixing console.

bingo, my vci-300 absolutely has to have a line mixer for proper sound.

Im really interested in the Allen & Heath series mixer boards. Their DJ mixers have the best sound IMO. I would even run my Rane 62 through one of those. We'll see if I can find one at a good price.

^ I recently got a A&H Zed10 mixer and it is nice, small, and versatile for many applications when I don't feel like lugging my Mackie 1604VLZpro around...

I use the mackie 802vlz4 with my 62 or ddj sr

I got it for the extra mics but now i been using it lately with the ddj sr on my normal gigs and i amplify the outputs a bit and it has been great.

If it messes up im definately going to pick up a A&H zed10 my buddy owns one and i like the sound quality it has.

Can you guys recommend a good mixer console? I'm using my ddj sx when I play at the club and wanted to run it thru a mixing console so I can have the extra mic/inputs. Also last time I checked my ddj sx was not working with wirelles mics. Maybe since then they developed a new firmware to work with wireless microphones. Willing to spend about $500 for good mixer. Thank you

My wireless mic works just fine on my ddjsx. The new Yamaha mixers are nice. They are compact with xlr outputs which is rare.

How does a mixing console make a mixer/controller sound better? Will the most basic Mackie/Alto/Yamaha console work? Thanks.

I would recommend a Soundcraft mixer for an inexpensive alternative. Sounds great and built like a tank.

Ive had mine for about 10 years, still works.

I also have and recommend the A&H Zed10FX mixer. Originally bought for extra mic inputs, I also use it for connecting multiple DJ rigs together at clubs and have done sound for some small bands. At home it lets me connect multiple systems up to my monitor PA system. The Zed10 has XLR mains and USB In/Out.

I really wish people would post more about not top dollar gear.

well, it's more expensive than mackie and alan & heath for comparable models, but it's still pretty inexpensive (<$300 for an 6 channel + 2 stereo channels).

Thanks for the suggestions. Can anyone chime in on how a mixing console can make a bad sounding controller or DJ mixer sound better?

basically limited output.

Obviously higher end mixers will sound better than cheap ones, but part of what makes nice mixers sound good is headroom and the ability to get to a certain volume without distorting. The cheaper mixers don't have that luxury so if you don't have enough volume and push your mixer, things clip, distorts and sounds like shit.

With an additional mixer, you can keep your DJ mixer at the optimal level and add an extra gain stage to boost the volume if needed while not choking out your dj mixer.

Sometimes your $1400 mixer has no XLR outputs and you have to run it through one that does.

For weeks I have been wondering what a second mixer adds to a dj setup I see it all the time especially on jamaican sound system. It would make sense to have a second mixer to boost your gains. But how would you connect it up and can I plug anything in that second mixer. Would I get the same signal from both the master output from both mixers

Ha ha!, TRACKING!

I bought the alto zmx 52 but that was to run my turntables and my vci 380 through the same speakers.

I was talking about this again in another group. Again this all depends on your DJ mixer/controller. Cheap ones have terrible output components/sound and headroom. Working with these sound companies on some of my gigs I noticed a few things. Pro sound mixers make microphones and high end sound systems sound better. To start I work with a hypeman at some of my events and having him plug into my rane mixer is a nightmare! He is literally screaming in my headphones while I'm trying to mix. Having his microphone plugged in directly into the mixing board is perfect. Microphones also sound ten times better and dont get any terrible feedback. It also protects your equipment. My output levels on the mixer stay clean. A lot of blown speakers come from people using microphones at bad distortion levels. As far as the sound, the output from a digital Allen & Health pro mixing board for is going to sound waaaay better than the output from a numark mixtrak. The higher end mixing boards also come with built in "drive racks". Limiting, compression, eq, etc. I personally dont use one still, but I would love a nice high end one for some of the events I do. A pro mixer is a must if you run tour grade sound since they contain all the DSP you'll need to run your sound and vocals independently.

An outboard mixer is worth it for this alone..

And second everything else...more/better sounding mic inputs....more inputs in general...more headroom...etc. Been considering adding one to my set-up for years now...will eventually lol.

It does become just one more thing to set-up though so depending on your current ease of set-up (I have 12's and a 57 in a coffin hooked up..one power wire and 2 xlr's out and i'm ready in 10min) it may not be as beneficial to you. Pretty much only reason I haven't added one to my set-up but I rather have 2 mics available for weddings and not having the MC scream in my ear is becoming more appealing lol.

I just picked up a Yamaha MG06X to replace my shitty Behringer Xenyx 502 for a small-size mixer.

Pretty happy so far - XLR outs which is nice and 2 mic inputs as well 2 stereo ins as well as some basic onboard effects like reverb and delay. Only thing that is annoying is the lack of RCA ins.

Haven't done an A/B with my Soundcraft yet, but for a small size mixer, I'm pretty impressed.

hello, i have the DDJ-SX controller, with 2 Behringer B212D speakers run through the master out cables. i recently picked up 2 Yamaha sw118v subs, and a yamaha p3200w amp. how can i hook those up to my amp, and controller without using special speaker wire, or bridging with smaller wire? do i need a separate mixer board for the subs to control the bass? help me out please !!

Which Soundcraft do you have?

i have a ddi sx, can you run it to a separate mixer, as well as sub controls? like bass, mid, treble, etc...?

I dj with cdj's and a rane 56 but i recently bought a powered sub and its not performing as i thought it would but i was advised to by a pa mixer as that would help with the volume, so is a
Yamaha MG06 6-Channel Stereo Mixer up to the task?

what sub are you talking about ? How do you know the sub is NOT preforming as it should and you expectation were just wrong ? Details are important.....

The additional volume and Eq the mg06 can give your output signal will help, but I'll tell you why I use a Mackie vlz1202 vs the smallest mixer available, for mobile DJ work, it adds vastly more capacity.

-more mic channels. I use 4 Mics frequently at weddings.
-pre/post aux output with master send (great for feeding a videographer a signal other than what the system is playing
-independent aux out volume to feed subs. Allows for proper gain staging.
-pan pots on each channel. At weddings I often have to pan the Mics away from one speaker or the other because people always seem to want to stand right in front of them.
-mute buttons.
-pfl on all inputs, handy if your cueing up a non DJ mixer signal.
- standard IEC power cord. That alone is worth the additional cost.

Basic EPM6. Done me good for the last 6 or 7 years.

LOL, let me go get Ivan

This is in my studio

I've finally invested in a sound system and would like to get a PA mixer so I don't always have to have my DJ mixer on hand when I use it. What's the most affordable mixer that will keep my system sounding beautiful?

Another possible route would be to get a mixer that I could use with bands. I'd like to be able to provide full sound for bands eventually. Is it foolish to invest in a cheapo mixer when I'm probably going to be needing something for live music in the near future?

I'd love to hear some suggestions for both possible routes, ie bargain mixer vs something more serious for live sound.

I'd say get a basic Mackie.
I have a 1402 and a 602 (14 chan and 6 chan).
Get more channels then you think you'll need.

If you see yourself moving into live sound for bands then I would bypass an analog mixer altogether and go digital. You can not engineer a band without having outboard gear (EQs, Compressors, Gates, Reverb, Delays, etc.). Even if you bought them used you would spend way more than what it would cost to get a decent digital board like the Behringer XR18 or Touchmix 8/16.

Also make sure to budget for multiple mics, cables, AC, Gaff tape, backline gear and more. Live sound is a money pit and the pay is usually shitty.

Yeah the analog Mackie is more for small band setups like at parties and bars w no system.
Or rap groups over beats etc.
...or for DJing when you need to send to extra outputs or to sum to mono or whatever.
A Mackie analog mixer is one of the most durable peices of music equipment around. It will last forever and never be obsolete.

Thanks guys!

I got pretty excited looking at those digital mixers. I can see how that's a rabbit's hole when you start to go there. I love the idea of being able to go out on the dancefloor and EQ the sound from there using a tablet.

I think I'll probably go for a super simple analog mixer for the moment. Every dollar I spend on this is a dollar I'm not saving for my next pair of subs. Once I get the sound system optimized for DJ shows for about a 300 person audience I'm going to get that digital mixer and all the other gear you need to mic up and mix a small band.

I ended up ordering the Mackie 802VLZ4. Thanks for the replies.

Even when you get a bigger digital mixer later, you'll still be glad to have the 802.
You can use it as a direct box in a pinch. Or as a real big adaptor if yer using speakers without many input options. Or as a high pass filter if you don't have a crossover for an extra set of speakers or whatever.

Can't go wrong with the A&H Zed10FX mixer. Great sound quality, good build, USB in/Out, good FX, reasonably priced these days:
www.sweetwater.com

Man, you gotta love Amazon shipping. That Mackie 802 mixer showed up about 12 hours after I placed the order.

So far it seems pretty good. Solid build for sure. I think I notice the sound quality is a little less warm and smooth than my DJM900 NX2.

I'll be back for a nice digital mixer with a tablet interface hopefully in time for next summer. I can see a lot of nice benefits to having one even for DJ shows.

Thanks for the suggestion. I did look at that model a fair bit before deciding on the cheaper Mackie mixer. I'm familiar with A&H from their DJ gear so it was tempting for that reason. The A&H QU series looks interesting as well.

In the end I went for economy first and foremost so I can set up my system for a party where we're just going off a play list and hopefully keep my DJ mixer in good shape for a bit longer.

I don't think I've ever heard a pioneer mixer referred to as "warm." Haven't heard the nxs2 tho.

Maybe warm isn't the right term. The bass sounds loud but not as clean and I feel like the low, low end is less emphasized on the Mackie than it is on the Pioneer. This is with the EQ set to flat so maybe it's something I can correct a bit after playing with the EQ.

$2000 Mixer vs a $200 mixer. I think there may be some quality differences.

Yes, totally fair point. I listened to my ETX 12P and ETX 15SP off my pioneer mixer quite a bit over the last few weeks so I've got pretty familiar with their sound. I was able to notice the difference in resolution between the ETX 12P and the EKX12P speakers when I got a pair for monitors. Similarly you can definitely hear a difference running the ETX 12P off the Pioneer and that Mackie mixer as well. It still sounds great though and it's going to be fine for what I want to use it for.

+1

I recently acquired the XR18 and it truly is "bang for your buck" not only boasting 16 high quality xlr mic pre inputs and 8 outputs with wireless tablet control and a multitude of processing, signal chain options. But the fact that is also doubles as a 16 channel recording interface for DAW multi-tracking makes it truly one of the best gear investments I've ever purchased.

I love this mixer. I used one at my last job and it was very versatile. I need to get one for my studio at home.

I have a Zed10 that I primarily use at weddings; if I were running sound for bands I'd want the 10FX though. I also have a Zed14 as my studio mixer; both are great.

I also have a Mackie 1202 VLZ Pro that I now use as a backup/2nd PA mixer; it was my main until I started using the Zed10.

Did you see a big sound improvement moving from the Mackie 1202 vlz to the zed 10? What controller are you plugging into the mixer

I wouldn't say a -big- sound improvement, but it was definitely cleaner (I'll have to use it a few more times with and without a sub to be sure about dynamic range and what-not). I was using a Pioneer DDJ-SX.

One thing I do find less than awesome about the ZED10 is the lack of mute buttons; not a huge deal with DJing (only 2-4 channels to deal with including mics and the levels stay pretty static) but with a band I'd want the ability to set a level and mute the channel when applicable without changing the level setting.

You could always get the Zed60-10FX. It adds faders and Mute buttons to the Zed10FX.

www.allen-heath.com

This mixer is the truth...

Want to get a case for it though...

Anybody have any tested suggestions?