Phantom Power: Room and Board
Dec 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Doug Eisengrein
Not too long ago, ubiquitous terms such as “DAW” and “control surface” didn't exist in the recording world. Just as with corporate mergers, blogs and Starbucks beverages, it seems like the sheer number of choices facing you when purchasing a mixing console keeps escalating out of control. No longer do salespeople ask only basic questions such as, “live or studio use?” or “16, 24 or 48 channels?” Personal mixer choices are much more complex now, so before you drop your hard-earned greenbacks on the heart of your studio or live rig, here are some key factors you should consider.
STOP, COLLABORATE AND LISTEN
It's easy to get immediately sucked into fancy technicalities, such as a board with motorized fader or full parametric EQ on every channel. Instead, think about the bigger picture. In the end, what exactly do you want to accomplish with this thing? Making music! First, think about the particular sound you like. Have you ever participated in the various debates about an Abbey Road-like British EQ, the “cold” sound of digital, etc.? Naturally, everyone who really listens has his or her own opinions, and guess what? We're all correct, because the bottom line is that all gear — just like the music it produces — makes sound that is subjectively good or bad. It's all in the ears of the beholder.
So gather some samples of your absolute favorite music, bring them around to the music shops and listen to them through as many consoles or interfaces that are on your radar as you can. Do you hear differences? One word of caution: The listening rooms will have an effect on the sound, but perhaps more importantly, so will the speakers used in this experiment. When shopping, take time to really listen to the different mixers, but bring and use your own headphones if possible.
IN 'N' OUT
Perhaps the next most important trait to consider from the outset is the number of physical inputs and outputs you desire. Often, only the most expensive control surfaces and digital desks sport a comparable number of inputs, outputs and routing options as their less-expensive analog brethren. When thinking about “total I/O,” consider whether your studio is entirely computer-based or if you also have a lot of outboard gear. If it's the former — and you think it will remain that way in the future — then a control surface might make the most sense. If it's the latter, then a traditional analog or digital board may be the better choice because you can route your computer's I/O through it, along with all of your other gear. Also keep in mind that you can always fit a control surface into the chain along with a traditional mixer at a later date.
LIVING LARGE
When making this all-important decision, your best friend may be a tape measure. How large is your desk space? In my project studio, I combine a large amount of software instruments and a few DAWs, along with some — but not that much — outboard gear. My room doesn't allow for a 72-channel console, yet I need more I/O than my 18-channel analog mixer can accept. As a solution, my mixer is rackmounted, and all its vital ins-and-outs — along with all of the hardware I/O — are routed through a couple of patchbays.
A 48-channel console might look impressive to your peeps, but if you impulsively buy one, will your MPC, mouse, keyboard and coffee mug end up on top of it? Consoles always seem bigger on your desk than they appear in the store. On the flip side of that argument, consider scalability. You may need only a tiny 12-channel mixer for your bedroom rig now, but you may eventually plan to add a bunch of outboard synths or a full set of mics for a drum kit in the future. If so, think ahead and get something that will give you room to grow.
That's also true with DAW-based studios. If you work on track-heavy projects but are on a limited budget, then consider a scalable control surface for which additional channel add-on units are available. Several are on the market, such as the Mackie Control Universal Pro (www.mackie.com) and the Tascam FW-1884 (www.tascam.com).
BODY OR MIND?
Another important question to ask is whether you are a prolific artist, producer or engineer who consistently works on several projects simultaneously? If so, then a digital board or control surface that is able to recall project settings and automate all mixer controls to match the project at hand might be the best option for you. Pro Tools users can get such power out of the Digidesign 003 Factory (for Pro Tools LE) and the M-Audio ProjectMix I/O (for Pro Tools M-Powered). Going this route avoids many frustrating notebooks' worth of hand-drawn analog mixer snapshots — some of which never actually see the light of day after long, late-night studio sessions. I know of that all too well from years of analog board use.
Also, consider your personal style. If you want all of the wonderful things that the various DAWs have to offer but are coming from a vinyl-loving club DJ or live sound-engineering background, then you may feel the need to have your thumb and forefinger gripping real faders. On the other hand, if you're a certified geek more akin to the genius types at Cycling '74 — and have seen more glow of an LCD than sunlight while you sit with mouse and keyboard in hand, tweaking the most minute settings — then your choice of DAW, a good pair of speakers and a decent audio interface might be all you need.
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