Tons of Summing Mixer Options

[Kalite Marka]

Some have very few or no buttons others have more features than a real mixer.
And the price range is from $1000 Folcrom to $3800 SPL Mix-Dream.

Isn’t the whole idea of a summing mixer is to “do all in the box” and "simply sum the busses"?
Why have all the expensive bells and whistles if the box is integrated into a patchbay?
Just curious?

[Hershal Pearlma]

Summing rack mixers are a quickly dying transitional fad. Don't bother with them!

We are on our way back to using Mixing boards just like everyone used to. I still can't figure out why everyone got rid of their analog mixers. They always make a better mix then any other device. That's why they call a mixing board, a mixing board. No one I know has ever called their personal computer a mixing board. Mixing is for Mixing boards, effects are for effects processors, computers are for storing and retreiving and editing data. Mixing is a musical engagement, performed by a mixing engineer with the right tools which include a mixing board. Computer programmers/editors cannot mix music because they are not mixing engineers and they don't know how to use mixing boards. Just like drummers don't know how to play guitar the way guitarist do because they don't own or play a guitar unless they are both of these things. If you are a mixing engineer than surely you must use a mixing board as without one you cannot consider yourself to be a mixing engineer. A mixing engineer's most important tool is a mixing board.

If you were a butcher...would you carve up those cows with a Pentium 4 or a butcher's knife?

[Kiwiburger]

And throw away the benefits of track and effects automation? I don't think so.

Control surfaces give you a fader in your hands, if that makes you feel better.

[raal]

Originally Posted by Kalite Marka

Isn’t the whole idea of a summing mixer is to “do all in the box” and "simply sum the busses"?
Why have all the expensive bells and whistles if the box is integrated into a patchbay?
Just curious?

for me the biggest advantage of a summing box is to use analog gear, saving unnecessary ADA conversions. if i need pre fader analog stuff, then i use inserts, but if pre fader isn't necessary, there's the summing box.

[aevan]

Yes, the main benefits beside running through so many analog circuits is the routing on a console. If you're using mults on say a kick and you want 3 tracks, you can do it many ways with a console and only use one converter output, but on a summer you need 3 outputs or a patchbay with parallels in it. I guess it depends on how you prefer to mix hey.

[raal]

Originally Posted by aevan

Yes, the main benefits beside running through so many analog circuits is the routing on a console. If you're using mults on say a kick and you want 3 tracks, you can do it many ways with a console and only use one converter output, but on a summer you need 3 outputs or a patchbay with parallels in it.

my choice would be a nice sounding analog console with total reset capability + mono/stereo channels so as not to take up too much space - funny, i used to have a euphonix and sold it, but the unintuitive vibe and sound just didn't do it for me. the sound didn't bug me half as much as the unintuitive vibe.

i like my ITB + analog rig better, and have become too used to being able to switch songs at the snap of a finger. guess that's why they say the grass is always greener...

[Mike Caffrey]

Originally Posted by Hershal Pearlma

We are on our way back to using Mixing boards just like everyone used to.

Exept they wil be called "summing boards" or "summing consoles"


Also, the next generation will have some hybrid functions. Say 16 faders and 16 virtual faders on a touch sensitive LCD screen that will replace your montir and be used for editing as well.


Without making a judgement, summing via math and summing via electricity passing over wires and mashing all together is different and part of the reason that I think you are right in believing that we will not be limited mixing in the box.

[TEMAS]

Originally Posted by Kalite Marka

Why have all the expensive bells and whistles if the box is integrated into a patchbay?
Just curious?

One the reasons I went for the Phoenix N16 was that it has pan control for each input. For me thats all I require in a summing amp, so that I can mix mono and stereo tracks.

But everyone's situation is different, and I'm sure some people would argue that level control is more important than pan.

[TEMAS]

Originally Posted by Hershal Pearlma

Summing rack mixers are a quickly dying transitional fad. Don't bother with them!

We are on our way back to using Mixing boards just like everyone used to. I still can't figure out why everyone got rid of their analog mixers.

For me, I'm selling my Mackie Desk because I always have about 50 tunes on the go at once and its too much hassle to reset the levels all the time. But I don't like mixing entirely ITB, so I have a few high quality analogue processors and a summing amp to mix with.

When I can afford an SSL AWS900 I'll buy one, but until then I don't think reverting to another mid-priced console will help my situation.

[radiant]

Before long, programs like Sonar will have "virtual analog mix busses" modeled (ie SSL, Neve) and analog summers will be a thing of the past. e

[raal]

Originally Posted by radiant

Before long, programs like Sonar will have "virtual analog mix busses" modeled (ie SSL, Neve) and analog summers will be a thing of the past. e

not if you have outboard gear.

[Bang]

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/showt...835#post699835

take a listen to track 3, it was done with a Folcrom and Trident S20.

[severe]

Originally Posted by radiant

Before long, programs like Sonar will have "virtual analog mix busses" modeled (ie SSL, Neve) and analog summers will be a thing of the past. e

This is quite true. I'm not sure if you were being facetious, but I would be willing to bet that this will happen within the next few years.

[Methlab]

The Phoenix and the Chandler are probably at the top of the summing heap.

[Duardo]

The Phoenix and the Chandler are probably at the top of the summing heap.

Interesting that they both make some of the better-respected plugins out there these days as well...and the Phoenix especially is designed to emulate the "sound of analog"...

-Duardo

[upscaps]

Originally Posted by Duardo

Interesting that they both make some of the better-respected plugins out there these days as well...and the Phoenix especially is designed to emulate the "sound of analog"...

-Duardo

isnt the plug-in "phoenix" made by cranesong?

[Duardo]

Whoops, yes, I'm sorry, I wasn't paing close attention and when I saw the word "Phoenix" I associated it with Cranesong but was actually thinking about the Spider. Sorry about that.

Still, interesting that both of those plugins come from companies known for their analog gear.

-Duardo