Hey, slutz.

I am looking for a small format analog console (about 24 channels sounds right for me) for mixing underscore/tv & film music. A lot of midi/sampled tracks from both hardware and software and live sweeteners recorded to a DAW.

I am very happy with my tracking front-end (Millennia, etc.), so the desk is purely for mixing. Wanting to add a small amount of mojo (not too much color), and I'd love to be able to actually use the EQ (as opposed to Mackie).

I am a follower of the analog summing concept, mainly for the separation of instruments I hear analog inherently providing. This can really help in a dense, orchestral cue.

Oh, and so people don't want to put me on a stake for not doing a search, I did. Not much there if you're not doing primarily rock/pop.

Thanks!

One of the new "table-top" Neotek Elans might be right up your alley.

Neotek

Thanks, Drumsound.

I jumped for joy when I heard about those and contacted Mike Stoica. A little pricey for me at this moment. 24 channels is 18.5k. I have no doubt that it's worth it, though.

Sorry, I should have said that I'd like to stay under 10k. Not sure what's out there in this range. I definitely don't want to get a desk in constant need of maintenance. I have zero soldering skills and/or patience.

There are used Neoteks around. I bought my Elan used and got 32-channels in your price range.

Have a look at the Midas Venice !

I do filmscoring too, I have an old Soundcraft 2400, which is beautiful and big, but I never really used it, cause nearly all my projects need a quick recallabilty.
I promise, every time, I had a complex mix lying on the board, I had to make quick changes on another project, so I ended up using only the first 10 channels with unity gain. And very slight EQ settings.
So at the moment I thinks about an analog summing box to have my total recall fast and easy, or maybe a Midas to have more inputs for synths and stuff....

If you don't mind me asking, Drumsound, what could I expect in upkeep for something like an Elan?


Thanks, kosi, I've been looking over the Venice. I'll have to hear one used in this context. I'm not too interested in a "summing only" box, as part what I'm looking for is faders, EQ, Aux, Bussing. Ahhhh, this sounds like mixing will be fun again!

Besides, I listened to Bang's Mixdream/Venice summing comparison and choose the midas. heh

Honestly mine has a couple of small issues that I can work around. I need to replace a couple of mute buttons and one channel only pans left. There's one pre amp out also. I just noticed a problem with ch24, but I usually put SMPTE on 24 and the fader still works to serve as a group master when I have the automation on. Except ch24 these issues were there when I got the console three years ago.

I had one other problem, but it was my fault. I pulled the master module out without powering down. I arked the solo logic and didn't have solo for a few weeks before I could book a tech.

My console is nine years old and sounds and works great.

Bumpity. Any other recommendations, folks?

AWS 900

I also bought a used Neotek Elan in your price range i cannot imagine a much better console for the money....beautiful sounding console!



Ron Florentine
Soundswest Studio

What about this one?
http://www.adt-audio.com/UsProducts/...3MainPage.html

It is also available without mic preamps.

I would buy the Midas Venice or Verona but only if you want things to sound good. I like Neotek, its clean and quick, but it has less character then somthing like the Venice. We're in different lines of work so I don't know. The Onyx stuff by Mackie sounds very clean and nice as well, they have new large format 8 buss consoles out now.

Steve
www.bangrecording.com
www.blacklinerock.com