Looking at Behringer andAlesis usb mixers

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silvercn
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2010/11/28 22:50:57 (permalink)

Looking at Behringer andAlesis usb mixers

Hi - I am looking for any comments out there on 'bang for the buck" for a moderate priced USB mixer / interface. Have been looking at the Behringer Xenyx model X1204 usb, and Alesis Multimix 8 USB FX models....have no experience with either brand (except Behringer mic). I like the idea of combining a mixer with interface capabilties in one unit.....
 
Thanks ! 
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    RogerS
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    Re:Looking at Behringer andAlesis usb mixers 2010/11/28 23:04:56 (permalink)
    I was just reading about the experience another forum member was having with the Alesis Multimix USB, and I learned that Alesis does not even provide drivers. It therefore used Windows drivers or requires ASIO4All, which is lame. 

    If you want to keep the price down, how about an M-Audio 2496 or better. The drivers are decent, and then you can connect an inexpensive Mackie mixer to it. Those cheap USB mixer interfaces only provide 2 channels anyway, so there's no real advantage to those.

    Just my humble opinion.

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    Beagle
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    Re:Looking at Behringer andAlesis usb mixers 2010/11/28 23:22:04 (permalink)
    both suck.  the behringer mixer doesn't really have a built in USB device - it's a separate device which connects to the mains of the mixer with a USB connection.

    Roger is correct about the alesis.  no drivers written specifically for it.  you use windows' "USB Codec" drivers.  they suck.

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    SubSample
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    Re:Looking at Behringer andAlesis usb mixers 2010/11/29 01:03:37 (permalink)
    Yep the forum user who is using the Multimix USB is I.
    I am still new to the whole home recording thing.
    I thought getting one of these plus a new sound card would resolve my latency issues I am having which it does not since I am still using ASIO4ALL as it is needed to run anything through the Multimix if running it through USB.

    I am pretty certain the bigger 8 channel Brother of the Multimix series does have it's own drivers but the 8 channel FX version does not.
    Like the knowledgeable guys around here who posted have stated, the ASIO4ALL drivers work but the latency is not great.

    Yet are better than the Creative ASIO drivers which are made for the Audigy 2 ZS which I previously had which doesn't say much.
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    Beagle
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    Re:Looking at Behringer andAlesis usb mixers 2010/11/29 10:31:27 (permalink)
    no, the multimix 8 does not have its own drivers either.  the firewire 16 one does but there's also a big thread somewhere on this forum where people were having problems with it as well.  personally I would stay away from the alesis mixers.

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    FastBikerBoy
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    Re:Looking at Behringer andAlesis usb mixers 2010/11/29 12:54:48 (permalink)
    I had a lot of problems with drivers when I had a Alesis Multimix FW12. I eventually got it very stable with ASIO4ALL and bizarrely enough the drivers ALesis released for Windows 7 x64 were the best of the lot, considering it was discontinued by then. They were absolutely rock solid for the short time (month or two) that I used them, but then I upgraded to an A&H ZED-R16.

    I've no experience with the USB version but the firewire version was pretty good eventually, but took a lot of patience and trial and error to get it stable. Some people don't have that patience some do.

    A mixer is a great way to interface with a computer though and depending on how your studio is set up really useful. I use my studio for rehearsal as well as recording and have the mixer as the heart of it. I'm quite often using that and outboard gear without the DAW turned on. YMMV
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