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soundcraft m8 vs epm8 vs e8 vs spirit folio
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Old 1st July 2009   #1
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soundcraft m8 vs epm8 vs e8 vs spirit folio
hello

i need an 8 track mixer for live use.

i'm hesitant between buying a cheap used mixer paying the less that i can (something like a spirit folio) with 8 preamp or buy something can be useful also for tracking and eqing.

so i need to understand better the difference between those mixer.

i have a fireface 800 and an m-audio profire 2626, i've tons of preamp, but they don't sound very good. i've also one very good channel strip (vintech x73i) so i record pretty much everything with the vintech, but if i need more mic (not for drums, only acoustic guitars, cabs, voice) i have to use the fireface preamp, which aren't so bad, but i would like to improve them.

so the question is "can the m-series preamp be better than fireface?", which of those mixer, or other on the cheap side, have better preamp then the fireface, which of those have pleasant eq to use in tracking or mixing to give character to synth, softsynth, drum machines etc.

i'm a bit confused because the bruchure says the m-series preamp are the same of the ghost (some my friends says the ghost is crap) i've heard the preamp of the epm are the same of the m-series (so they are the same of ghost?) but soundcraft doesn't say that.. the e8... i don't know anything about it, just is cheaper than the m-series and idem for the spirit folio.

i need information to make my choice.

primary use is live use, so can be enough a spirit folio.. but i hate to spend money for stuff i can use on just one thing.. because it takes space in my room so i want to use it also here in studio for tracking and maybe as "character box" for tracks.. and i really miss a hardware eq.. i don't like very much the vintech one (is great on some stuff, but not very usable.. seems a too narrow Q and you can't push it very much)

thanks for all the suggestions!

p.s. i would be interested also on allen heat mix wizard but they are too expensive here..
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Old 1st July 2009   #2
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I owned an E-8 for a couple of years. My use was different than yours (sports remotes for radio). I thought it was an excellent mixer for my purposes.

It is not as rugged as a Mackie but you're looking for audio quality.

I'll see the M-8 series come up on the bay, CL and even on the GS for sale forum and I always look. And if one were to become available at the right price, I'd probably get it.

If you can get one on a demo basis, try it and see if it works for you.
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Old 1st July 2009   #3
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thanks!
unfortunately i can't try it..
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Old 1st July 2009   #4
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I have owned a spirit folio, 2 m4's and now own a m12. Get a M8 theyre are awesome plus you also have the spdif out!
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Old 1st July 2009   #5
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thanks, could you describe a bit the differences in preamps and eq between spirit folio and m series?
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Old 1st July 2009   #6
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Please note that the spdif out is fixed at 16bit/44.1. I love my M8 but now that I'm not doing the band anymore I'm constantly thinking about selling it and buying a dedicated preamp.
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Old 2nd July 2009   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mattianlaseppia View Post
thanks, could you describe a bit the differences in preamps and eq between spirit folio and m series?
Hmmmm Okay,

Spirit Folio Rac Pac Vs M12/4

SP is good decently clean but a bit noisy. Less gain than the M12 or M4. The M12 and M4 Pres have a decent amount of gain. Mid 50's if I remember correctly. I'll have to look it up to be sure. Possibly even 60 db. I like how clean yet musical they are. The Spirit folios seemed "dry" compared to the M series pres. I like the M series pres for vocals and bass a lot. I also have a Auteur and a M101 at this time (Being the Gearslut I am it'll probably change 3 times by the end of the year!)

The EQ! I LOVE THE M SERIES EQ! Just wanted to make that clear. If I had to compare the M series to the Sprit Folio I owned it was night and day. Like a cheap radio eq compared to a nice mixer eq. It is amazing. One of the reasons I love this mixer. The Spdif out is a plus I have used at times. Cool thing is you have the option of using the main out or the aux 1 and 2 as a source so you can have a separate mix. I can't tell you enough how much I love mine. I got it for 300 ish if I remember correctly.
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Old 2nd July 2009   #8
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great! thanks!
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