using the Korg Zero as a live sound mixer

miden · Post by **miden** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:34 am

Hi all...I have a chance of buying Korg Zero 4 mixer...My question is can it be used equally as well for live sound mixing and not JUST DJ'ing?

I also have need for a firewire audio interface to record and mix tracks into Sonar X1 - so I was thinking this might do both jobs?

Can some experienced users pass on some advice on this? I suspect from my reading of the Korg hype, and other stuff online, it should be able to, but what is the real-world experience of owners?

Thanks

Marxon · Post by **Marxon** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:20 pm

still interested in pros and cons?

miden · Post by **miden** » Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:34 pm

Hi,
Yes I am

I thought no-one was going to reply so had sorta given up!!

Cheers

Marxon · Post by **Marxon** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 2:48 am

without making the zero 8 bad (i have one too) here some negative facts:

while using 192khz mode you have following limitations:
- only 4 stereo channels (8-in/8-out)
- channel eq not available
- ext1, ext2 send/return not available
- internal effects not available

i noticed a rising latency under heavy workload.
for example while doing fast crossfader cuts.

its not possible to route audio from software directly to the master out,
you have to sacrifice one of the eight channels.

there is no way to save settings (presets) for the internal effects

only stop and play transport/mmc functions

EDIT:
damn i overlooked you wanted infos about the zero4 not the zero8, sorry

miden · Post by **miden** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:10 am

No probs - they would operate in pretty muhc the same way just less channels..

I have a Tascam US800 USB i/f, a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 USB i/f, and i was thinking of moving to firewire instead and I figured if I was going to spend the money, I might as well look at something that could double for live stage duty as well (keyboards and vocals).

Thanks for the info

D

Marxon · Post by **Marxon** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 7:25 am

With your Tascam US800 USB and NI komplete Audio 6 USB you have a lot of available channels. Why not use a midi controller (like UC-33) in addition to "controll" your mix?

Cheers
Marxon

miden · Post by **miden** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 8:07 am

that's a possibility, but I was really looking to migrate from USB to firewire..I was going to sell off those other two, and stick with one hardware unit to do both jobs - live mixing and studio recording.

I have looked at the Mackie Onyx 820i, but its footprint is way too big...not too mention they are exxy!!!

Marxon · Post by **Marxon** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 9:01 am

Whats about Alesis MultiMix series?

miden · Post by **miden** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 4:35 pm

Yeah I looked at those too...but they have really "dicky" gain pot structure..I have read that you get not much gain until about position 8, and then the slightest move above that can send the signal into distortion...VERY twitchy..

And they have a high background operational noise floor. So I ahve read anyway.

I do like Korg products as I find they are usually are of good quality and performance. The Yammies are good too, but again those N series mixer/Interfaces are HUGE!!!