best live/studio board for 20K or less

[centervolume]

I realize I am hitting the bottom of the high end here, but searches on the topic have resulted nothing!

recommendations for a dual purpose mixer (live production and studio) in this range?

needs
approx 16 channels
approx 4 sub mixes
approx 4 busses

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by centervolume

I realize I am hitting the bottom of the high end here, but searches on the topic have resulted nothing!

recommendations for a dual purpose mixer (live production and studio) in this range?

needs
approx 16 channels
approx 4 sub mixes
approx 4 busses

There is absolutely no question: Midas Venice.

If you want to step up one notch: Midas Verona.

[jasonraboin]

I wouldn't say that the Midas Venice is the only way to go.

There is the Yamaha DM1000. It does not have traditional groups but has fader groups. You also get AD for the recording, and you can add an MLAN (firewire card) to avoid the need for an interface. I would recommend 4 channels of external high end mic pre and 4 compressors for the money channels.

There is also the APB line of analog consoles, which I have been told by people I trust sound better than a Venice.

There is the Soundcraft GB4, which I would take over a Venice for certain applications.

[centervolume]

I have been looking at both of these, the GB4 and the Midas Venice. I wonder why the Midas Venice is so clearly favored, clueless?

I am also looking at the APB dynasonics 416 and the Toft ATB 16. I haven't seen any yamaha PM1000 or 2000 units around.

As usual, quietest mic pre's are a big concern due to the studio application.

Anyone with experience dealing with these please chime in!

Since I will also need this board for teaching purposes, I have been looking at the modular boxes like API or TRee sound so I could use different 500 series type input strips.

once again, any input greatly appreciated!

[Clueless]

Originally Posted by centervolume

I have been looking at both of these, the GB4 and the Midas Venice. I wonder why the Midas Venice is so clearly favored, clueless?

First, because it is lightning in a bottle. Second, because I answered a similar query back in 2004 for a user named Bang. He ended up buying my Venice (when I upgraded to Verona) and made an album that I really liked. He also did the gearslutz thing of sharing his works in progress, and he was quite up front about what worked for him:

Originally Posted by Bang

The only console eq on a low priced board I'd use is the Midas Venice eq. It just works so damn nice. I can really make a mix come alive with it. As for lead vox, I've used the Midas on it, but I rarely even eq my lead vox except for maybe a hi pass at 90hz and a tiny bit of 12khz (but with todays new mics it usually has enough at 12khz anyway). However, if I do really need to eq lead vox, I find the Waves Linear Broadband eq can do the job yet stay nice and transparent. I'm getting off base here... Midas Venice brother.
Steve
recording school schools cd duplication at bangrecording.com

blackline

And later:

Originally Posted by Bang

Thanks Rick! Now I don't usually mix anything in the box these days unless I'm in a rush, the band requests it, or I'm comparing it to a mix that I did OUT of the box. The Midas Venice sounds great for rock. I now have an outboard XL 42 coming my way which has an even sweeter eq then the onboard venice ones, it'll probably sit on my kick and snare. I should also say that the Sonalksis eq is a great mixing eq in plugin land. However, its too colorful for mastering so I'd use the Equim for that job, and its great at that. So I'm slowly starting to like plugin eqs...

Steve
recording school schools cd duplication at bangrecording.com
blackline

And finally, everybody seemed to agree in a blind A vs. B shootout, the Venice beat a Mixdream.

Check it out!

[Player1]

I own a Venice 320 for additional mic pres and occasional stem mixer in the studio and I can tell you the first time I plugged in the Venice I was quite surprised at the big tone of this console. When I compared it to my live board (Allen and Heath GL2400) I was blow away at the difference! It was like clearing the smeared audio from my ears listening to the Midas. Midas has a history of great consoles and they have maintained that great sound in the Venice!

[radlid]

If you are talking about Live and Live recording the Soundcraft GB8 is something that gets the job done. It's very flexible with direct out on each channel and they can be set as pre eq and insert or post eq and insert.

I've had a lot of experience with that board.

[BLP]

I think you're going to continue to hear a lot of praise for the Midas, just as I always have. While I've never used a Venice for recording, it certainly is a nice live console. I have, however, used the GB8 for recording and it was perfectly usable. A disclaimer, though: everything I've done on the GB8 was classical, so I can't comment on the EQ's really...

[Claude G.]

Originally Posted by centervolume

I have been looking at both of these, the GB4 and the Midas Venice. I wonder why the Midas Venice is so clearly favored, clueless?

I am also looking at the APB dynasonics 416 and the Toft ATB 16. I haven't seen any yamaha PM1000 or 2000 units around.

As usual, quietest mic pre's are a big concern due to the studio application.

Anyone with experience dealing with these please chime in!

Since I will also need this board for teaching purposes, I have been looking at the modular boxes like API or TRee sound so I could use different 500 series type input strips.

once again, any input greatly appreciated!

I've had the 16 channel APB Dynasonics for about a year and I LOVE IT! It is better than others I own that are "vintage" Like an old Sony 12 channel (forget the model...).

[huub]

The DM1000 is quite a bit less than 20.000.. Also it does have subgroups.. The preamps of the new yamahas are pretty nice, compressors are, errm, well, useable in some circumstances..

Originally Posted by jasonraboin

I wouldn't say that the Midas Venice is the only way to go.

There is the Yamaha DM1000. It does not have traditional groups but has fader groups. You also get AD for the recording, and you can add an MLAN (firewire card) to avoid the need for an interface. I would recommend 4 channels of external high end mic pre and 4 compressors for the money channels.

There is also the APB line of analog consoles, which I have been told by people I trust sound better than a Venice.

There is the Soundcraft GB4, which I would take over a Venice for certain applications.

[jasonraboin]

For exactly $20,000 I bought a Digidesign SC48. With 48 analog in, 16 out, plus the firewire, not to mention the plug ins, it blows the Venice out of the water. I sold a Venice to buy a DM1000, which I sold to buy the SC48.