At the LPFM I operate for our City, I chose a Behringer 1204USB mixer.
Trying to keep cost low, this mixer has 4 XLR/line inputs with phantom power and 2 stereo line inputs. There are 2 aux bus (one pre fader the other post fader), 3 band parametric EQ, an alt stereo bus, tape in/out, control room out, and the usual fare.
It's fully utilized as we have 4 mics conneted and 2 stereo program sources. One aux effect bus is used for phone patch and the aux bus (channel 3 and 4) is used primarily for cueing.
The board has a built in USB sound card interface which is not being used at this time.
At $150 it was a very cost effective choice and works and sounds great.
Here's a shot of WCFI-LP On Air with The Italian Connection show using the 1204USB mixer.
The WCFI-LP studio with Behringer 1204USB mixer.
The WCFI-LP transmitter shack. Nautel transmitter in cabinet to right.
What an amazing maze!
Audio mixers are what it's all about.
Our Altar of Radio Worship should feature an audio mixer as the center piece.
Me too... I've been here now for several days smiling at my new little mixer... it is more beautiful than Megyn Kelly.
You'll never be mixed up again with a good audio mixer.
I'm in the ALPB.
is a wheatstone A-50 and will eventually replace my small board a BT Pro mix 12.
Is the "Peavy 20 USB" a suitable board? I have access to one.
Thats a nice board. Way too much for what I need. But, I would take it if I had access to it!
Boing!
Not knowing much about them, my kid says the Peavy has a limited output. But all I really need for output it to send a signal to the transmitter. Can anyone say what features the typical board should be?
outputs: Audition (for recording VT w/o taking station offfline), Program (main program bus to TX & Processing), Mix-Minus (for telco hybrid)
inputs: 2 mic channels (you want a DJ & Gueust mic at a minium and at least 6 inputs for various sources (CD, MP3, PC, TT, Etc)
these are my minimum requirements and recommneded to run a professional sounding station IMHO.
others will likely reply with smaller requirements.
a Broadcast Tools Prom Mix 12 is a relatively cheap board but still pricey for many but that is what i currently use pending replacement with the Wheatstone A-50 which in my case i picked up for a song off secondary market value.
For part 15 you could get away with as little as a 2 channel mixer. A mic and an audio playback source is all ya need!
Mighty said: "For part 15 you could get away with as little as a 2 channel mixer. A mic and an audio playback source is all ya need!"
Absolutely!
Even though my mixer has 4 mic inputs, I only use 2 of them, proving Mighty's point.
I think some of the mixers listed in this thread have only 2 mic inputs.
Just like MRAM's. I love it! You're right. I doubt I will ever run more than 2 mics...
Doug
Been running this one for awhile now have had no issues 
Friends don't let friends buy Behringer anything.
And as for Arrakis? My experience with their customer service has been nothing short of a disaster. Two weeks and not even a response to my inquiry?
Your money's good. Spend it on good products and good customer service.
Hi Mark!
Have you seen this?
Best 40 bucks I've spent on equipment! What do you think of the Mackie 1402?
Doug
I like the Behringer stuff, currently working with a Eurorack UB1202-FX w/12 inputs and on on-board effects. Echo,Reverb,Phase,Pitch. Nice board.
But my beginnings in vocational school in real radio started my classmates and i with 2 brand new Broadcast Electronics 8S250's. I don't have images to post but they were simple and built like tanks.
Later in Commercial radio, i worked with AudioArts Wheatstone, Autograms and even a couple vintage rotary boards. I have a preference for Rotary Boards, sliders tend to get dirty much easier than rotary faders.
In the end, they all do the same thing, the layouts might be different or the features numerous, still it is a great experience to have your hands on so many different boards.
My commercial radio career included DJ, Production, Micro-Managing an AM Station on the weekends, Board Op, live remote broadcast's and sadly , baby sitting a satellite program feed.
Barry of BBR 1620
Deep in the heart of nowhere.