Small mixers recommendation for aux mix?

[Winds]

Hello everyone. Anyone using small mixers or would recommend one or few for the purpose of an aux mix only (with iem as monitors)?

[ericL]

Radial Key Largo is a great one, or its slightly bigger brother, the Radial KL-8.

[FZiegler]

I'd recommend you explain what exactly you need: a small mixer just for 1 IEM mix? How many stereo channels? Do you prefer knobs or faders? With (digitally) storable scenes or always the same? Do you need any mike preamps or is everything line level?

I use a Behringer Flow-8 for my IEM mix. But I'm not sure that it's the best choice - I would have preferred knobs instead of the 60mm sliders and the smartphone control. And the noise is mid range quality in my eyes/ears. But it has parametric EQ, compressor and limiter built in - which is not bad for a monitor mixer.

[wtibbit]

I'm puzzled by the recommendations for the Radial Key Largo mixer. It's expensive, compared to conventional, pro-quality small mixers, has limited functionality (no mic preamps) or headphone output, and includes that odd-ball sustain switch and effects loop that are redundant features for any keyboard setup I've ever used.

I'd recommend one of the conventional, pro-quality small mixers, such as the Mackie 802 or Mackie 1202. They are like Swiss army knives, multi-purpose and handy audio tools for many situations. I've used a 1202 for decades as a keyboard mixer/DI/monitor mixer. For example, I've used it in this configuration on stage: Inputs; three mics on my Leslie (two in stereo on upper rotor, one in mono on lower rotor) into three mic channels, two other keyboards into two stereo channels, mono aux mix from the FoH. Outputs: Aux Output to the FoH with all the mic and keyboard inputs, headphone output, with FoH monitor and as much added keyboards as I need, to my IEM earphones. I've used the same mixer in a completely different configuration in a rehearsal studio: Inputs; four vocal mics and all my keyboards. Outputs; the vocals and keyboards sent to two separate sets of powered speakers.

[Winds]

I'd recommend you explain what exactly you need: a small mixer just for 1 IEM mix? How many stereo channels? Do you prefer knobs or faders? With (digitally) storable scenes or always the same? Do you need any mike preamps or is everything line level?

I use a Behringer Flow-8 for my IEM mix. But I'm not sure that it's the best choice - I would have preferred knobs instead of the 60mm sliders and the smartphone control. And the noise is mid range quality in my eyes/ears. But it has parametric EQ, compressor and limiter built in - which is not bad for a monitor mixer.

Exactly! A small mixer just for an iem mix should do. Prolly one stereo channel enough just for my NS3 as I'm only using one kb now. I think I'm not too picky when it comes to faders or knobs.. sorry what does digital storable scenes mean? Does that mean like if I'm not mistaken u can set levels based on certain songs or situations? If that's the case could be useful.. but maybe not a huge necessity. Mike preamps mmm.. I don't really sing so I don't think it's necessary.. but I think I read that at least one mic with iems to hear what's going on outside makes it necessary? But I also read some iems and allow leakage so you can still hear outside so the preamp for mic in this case becomes unnecessary.. please correct me if I'm wrong

[Winds]

I'm puzzled by the recommendations for the Radial Key Largo mixer. It's expensive, compared to conventional, pro-quality small mixers, has limited functionality (no mic preamps) or headphone output, and includes that odd-ball sustain switch and effects loop that are redundant features for any keyboard setup I've ever used.

I'd recommend one of the conventional, pro-quality small mixers, such as the Mackie 802 or Mackie 1202. They are like Swiss army knives, multi-purpose and handy audio tools for many situations. I've used a 1202 for decades as a keyboard mixer/DI/monitor mixer. For example, I've used it in this configuration on stage: Inputs; three mics on my Leslie (two in stereo on upper rotor, one in mono on lower rotor) into three mic channels, two other keyboards into two stereo channels, mono aux mix from the FoH. Outputs: Aux Output to the FoH with all the mic and keyboard inputs, headphone output, with FoH monitor and as much added keyboards as I need, to my IEM earphones. I've used the same mixer in a completely different configuration in a rehearsal studio: Inputs; four vocal mics and all my keyboards. Outputs; the vocals and keyboards sent to two separate sets of powered speakers.

If just between the 1202 and 802, I believe 1202 could be overkill and the 802 shud be enuf to fit my usual situations. Thank you for the recommendations!

[FZiegler]

The scene storage feature is something only (some) digital mixing consoles offer. Which may be interesting if you have multiple fixed settings for your gigs. But digital mixers are quite expensive at the moment.

If you don't rely on a digital audio network for your music production (Dante, AES50, AVB, etc.), all the special (digital) monitor mixers (A&H Me-1, Behringer P16-M, Presonus EarMix 16M) won't be of any use for you. So you'd have the classical small analogue mixers category to choose from: Mackie 802 or 1202, Yamaha MG10XU or XUF, Allen & Heath ZEDi-10 (FX or not) e.a.

I don't have an idea where you'll get your monitor mix from - maybe you even don't need a mixer as you get everything from an AUX send from FoH. Or you want to be able to control the relation between drums, rest of the band and yourself - which is about what a Mackie 802 can offer (3 mono preamped channels + 2 stereo line channels or 2 preamped mono + 3 line stereo channels = 5 distinct level controls). When I started looking for a monitor mixer myself, I thought that a 6 channel mixer should do the job - and found out that it's more complicated as you have to look what sort of channels you exactly need (preamped/line, mono with pan/stereo with bal, USB etc.). As far as I can see, you really may end up using a 12-channel mixer to get exactly what you need for mixing 3 sources. And keep considering a compressor if you don't get everything preconfigured.

[Winds]

I don't have an idea where you'll get your monitor mix from - maybe you even don't need a mixer as you get everything from an AUX send from FoH. Or you want to be able to control the relation between drums, rest of the band and yourself - which is about what a Mackie 802 can offer (3 mono preamped channels + 2 stereo line channels or 2 preamped mono + 3 line stereo channels = 5 distinct level controls). When I started looking for a monitor mixer myself, I thought that a 6 channel mixer should do the job - and found out that it's more complicated as you have to look what sort of channels you exactly need (preamped/line, mono with pan/stereo with bal, USB etc.). As far as I can see, you really may end up using a 12-channel mixer to get exactly what you need for mixing 3 sources. And keep considering a compressor if you don't get everything preconfigured.

I think I get what you mean. If no mixer then something like this should be enough correct? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ ... nitor.html

However, I think I still like the idea of being able to control certain levels of the band... so I think a small monitor mixer would still be nice.

[Winds]

If you use an IEM amp, you may benefit from a dual-channel solution. Which can be used for stereo monitoring or (sometimes) easy mixing of two sources (the balance knob then serves for the mix mode). And you need to decide whether you want a wireless solution or not.

The cheapest solution is probably the Behringer Powerplay P2 (a sort of 'clone' of the Fischer Amps InEar Stick). More expensive are the cordless systems.

[Winds]

If you use an IEM amp, you may benefit from a dual-channel solution. Which can be used for stereo monitoring or (sometimes) easy mixing of two sources (the balance knob then serves for the mix mode). And you need to decide whether you want a wireless solution or not.

The cheapest solution is probably the Behringer Powerplay P2 (a sort of 'clone' of the Fischer Amps InEar Stick). More expensive are the cordless systems.

I think I'd just go with wired instead, because scared of possible wireless interferences

Let's say for example I only get the behringer or rolls without a mixer and only relying on an aux mix (vocals/other instruments) from the foh.. how would the circuit flow where I can still play around with the levels of my NS3 and the level of the aux mix?

I imagine with the rolls I assume my ns3 will directly go to foh then back to my rolls monitor input, and then the aux mix cud go in the rolls via the xlr mic in, then I could play around with the levels using the knobs. Does this sound correct cuz I've never actually played around with this kind of setup so trying to understand abstractly.

I'm not so sure about the circuit flow if say the behringer tho..