What kind of mixer would I need ?

I used a Mackie 12 channel but also have a portable Yamaha 4 channel one.  The mixer should be powered, as the mikes will more than likely need phantom power.

You'll be pleased with the Rangemaster/222 combination - I managed to get a listenable signal out over a mile with it ground mounted, by far the best range of any AM transmitter I've used (and I've used almost every one, including the ProCaster, Talking House/ATU, Talking Sign, AMT3000, and more).  The only mainstream one I haven't used is the AMT5000, as I haven't been able to find one assembled to this point - it might be able to give the Hamilton a run for its money but I still haven't seen definitive test data to reflect that, again, to this point.

Today I am a minimalist. But that wasn't always true.

But we'll start small.

My external mixer at this time is a Radio Shack 32-206 4-Channel Mixer which can be switched for mono or stereo. Its quality is absolutely great IF you know how to control input and output level matching.

In mono it does 4-mics; in stereo, it does 2-pairs.

But I do zero in-house recording of group conversations. The only voice I record in-house is my own.

For interviews and conversations I either use the telephone or an agreeable restaurant that welcomes us to a table setup for "in person" conversation.

When I started I was an FM employee also started a privately owned recording studio for which I built my own mixer, which was tube based in those days. It all worked very well.

What I never liked was the massive mixers that require a large room like some kind of mutant model railroad.

I also dislike any mixers that have equalizers built into the mic buss.

If run correctly, mixers don't need EQ. That's a sales trick to increase price.

Thanks Artisan, would something like this be over doing it or just right ? http://www.guitarcenter.com/Behringer-EUROPOWER-PMP1000-Powered-Mixer-104629936-i1323949.gc . I really want to thank you for taking the time to help me today bud !

Hey Artisan, would this unit do the job, or would it be over kill ?

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Behringer-EUROPOWER-PMP1000-Powered-Mixer-104629936-i1323949.gc /p>

Thanks for your help bud

Groo

A "powered" mixer isn't needed unless you want to drive some monitor speakers directly from the mixer.  Line level outputs to the transmitter will do and for AM a mono output is nice.  That way you don't have to combine the left/right outputs with extra adapters.

Behringer offers several non-powered mixers which cost much less.

I supposed you need to know how many inputs your mixer will need.  That depends on what you want to do.  Will you need more than one microphone input for multiple participants?  How many audio sources will there be; CD player, MP3 player, record player, etc.

You probably won't need things like effects sends, aux sends, built-in effects although these are standard on most mixers.  Some EQ per channel is nice to compensate for the difference in sources.

Let's see what some of the others out there are doing...

Hey mram, would this be a better choice ? http://www.guitarcenter.com/Behringer-XENYX-X1832USB-USB-Mixer-with-Effects-105811889-i1512169.gc  . Under Behringer, unpowered mixer, this one is the best seller. ( on guitar centers website anyhoo ) The automation software and all the music will be comming from a desktop pc that used to be my gaming rig. We plan on having two sound cards in it , one out to the mixer, and the other will be streaming a signal to the net so peeps can listen online if they are outside the transmitter range. All the other inputs would be for mic's and maybe a record player. I am assuming that if I ever wanted to use it for a live evet I would just get some decent powered speakers aye ? Thanks in advance for all your help guys, its reallly appreciated !

Groo

For a small board it's loaded with lots of extras.

You'll have 6 mic inputs with phantom power for condensor mics.  There are 4 stereo inputs for  other audio sources.  You may need a pre-amp before the board input for a turntable.

The USB interface precludes using the PC soundcard input as the USB interface will be found  as a sound card by the PC although you could feed the main outs to the PC soundcard input.

 I'm not sure how that would all interact using multiple sound cards.  If you will be using only one PC to do it all (audio player and streaming server) I suppose running the line out from the PC soundcard into the mixer and then using the mixer USB interface to feed the streaming software might work.  Although, the USB interface is bi-directional so you might be able to feed the PC audio player to the mixer using the USB connection.

The ON-AIR feed could come from the main outs, the SUB-GROUP, the AUX SEND, etc.

All of this will have to be determined when/if you get the mixer.

The Pre/Post cueing will be helpful to setup the source audio off the air.  The rest is icing on the cake which you may or may not really need but the board would be a great starter.

Thanks MRAM, thats the one I shall get then . When I spoke to a guy at Guitar Center about the mixer, he suggested that I include one of these in my air chain. What are your thoughts ? BBE Sonic Maximizer 382i

Thanks again bud,

Mark

Any small mixer will do as long it has a mic out put your fine 

I believe by "powered" you're referring to, say, a powered PA mixer from a music store.  These are designed for pumping loud music into a venue with live performers.  Yo need nothing of the sort for a radio station.

However I suspect some were confused between "powered" and "passive" as there are simple mic mixers that require no power, and those that do. In this case, you do indeed want a mixer that uses a power source, but not one with a power amplifier in it.

As I've mentioned before, most mixers that are for sale in music stores and to the general public are not intended for on air radio use. They're meant for mixing sound in a live venue such as a hall, club, church, bar, etc. Or are used in the recording of music and other performances.  These mixers include equalization for each channel, effects loops, pan controls and a lot more that you do NOT need or want in a radio studio.  However, since these mixers are readily available and much more affordable than a "real" radio board, they will suffice. 

Decide how many inputs you need. How many sources will you have? Couple mics? Two CD players? Turntable, coupe line feeds from other devices? make sure you have enough stereo inputs for your devices, and enough mic inputs for however many mics you intend to have.  Then allow for extra.  If you think you'll have just one mic, get a board for two or four.  If you think you need 4 stereo inputs, look for one with 6 or 8.  the time will come when you want to plug in other doodads. 

Then look for outputs.  Most recording/performance mixers have more than one output.  sometimes there are monitor, recording, effects loops, etc.  These can all be used for various purposes.  Just because it says it's an effects send, doesn't mean you HAVE to send it to an effects box.  You can send that audio anywhere you want.  A pair of different stereo outputs will et you easily feed a transmitter and an internet streaming computer -- with individual levels, as well if you pick the right board. 

As I've discussed before, what you really want is a broadcast board.  There are a couple dandies on ebay right now that if I had room or reason to buy -- I would.  If you have a mono station on AM look for these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sparta-Mono-Broadcast-Mixer-Console-vtg-Model-A-20-2-/141087903698?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d97e8fd2

Of course, it's old and will require some work I'm sure but if you're a tech guy, no sweat. I've worked on dozens of these over the years. But it's the real thing.

Even at the buy it now price this one is a hell of a buy

http://www.ebay.com/itm/arrakis-arc-8-/261305470410?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cd7050dca

It's a current model that sells for about $800. So athte $500 buy it now, this is a deal.  I LOVE Arrakis boards and have a LOT of time in on them as an engineer and on air. In fact, I sit in front of an Arrakis board doing my commercial radio morning show every morning, and have used the same board since I installed it at the station in 1988. 

I've noticed looking at photos of part 15 stations all over the internet, that many are clearly playgrounds for tinkerers and wannabe engineers (and some real engineers I'm sure) and many of these Part 15 stations have a tons more gear than a "real" station has. Just because you find the stuff and can hook it up without blowing something up doesn't mean you need it. 

REAL radio boards have mic muting (shuts off speakers when you turn on the mic to avoid feedback) outputs for monitor speakers, line out for feed to transmitter (sometimes a choice of mono or stereo or balanced or unbalanced) another line out for audition, built in cue with a speaker (so you can quick listen to something in a little speaker to get it ready for air, without going n the air), talkback intercoms to talk with someone in a nother studio off the air, etc. They're meant to get the job done with the least amount of outboard stuff added on. 

Tim in Bovey

Iron Range Country

Because of working in radio and recording studios I've been around many different "boards," "consoles," "mixers," many names for essentially the same thing.

For me they were all analog, and I think Tim in Bovey was talking about analog mixers.

But now-a-days there's a lot of fuss about "digital everything" and I think there are digital mixers, which would confuse me and requre going back to college.

Sound is analog in the real world and if it gets digitized on the way to the listener it has to get undigitized because the ears hear in analog.

Also Part 15 radio is all analog.

Of course the software mixers in computers are digital, but the inputs and outputs are analog.

If all this information puts questions in anyone's head, please ask all over agagin, and we'll try hard to make the technology as clear as possible.

Yes, the Beringer mixer you made reference too is not a Powered Mixer.  It does not have a power amplifier to drive a speaker system.

However, it does provide both analog and digital line outs and plenty of mic and line inputs, probably more than you'll need for a starter board.

With the USB output the board can act as a sound card to directly interface with PC software such as Streaming Audio apps or audio editors.

The analog line outs could go directly to your transmitter or feed audio processing equipment before the transmitter.

As stated before, radio studio type audio mixers usually don't include EQ, Effects loops, etc.  They simply switch between source audio, allow level adjustment, Cueing (a way to listen to a source off air), level meters and maybe an intercom.  So although the Beringer can do this it also has other capabilities but by definition it's not a Powered Mixer.

I think the term "Powered Mixer" might confuse folks who are just learning about audio for radio.

"Powered" sounds like it's a mixer that "plugs-in-to-AC electricity" as contrasted with a "passive" mixer, which requires no power.

What I think is meant by "powered mixer" is --- a mixer that includes a "power amplifier," the term used to describe an amplifier capable of driving loudspeakers.

If you aren't sure what I've just said, that proves me right! It's confusing!

Not only do we need to give better answers, we need to be asked better questions!

I've used a lot of mixers in Part 15 set-ups

and for PA work, and that sort of thing.

If the mixer doesn't put any noise into the

system, then you are good.  i had a beautiful

board (on the outside) but it was too noisy.

The station's compressor/limiter pulled the

noise up and the result was very noisy station

audio.  That mixer went into the "back-up" pile.

By the way, being a vintage type dude, I

have a Gates mono broadcast mixer from 1962.

I just seem to keep working on it.  Some day

it will fully operational. 

Bruce, DOGRADIO