Would a Mackie 402 Ultra Compact 4 ch Mixer work well?

Billy McBride · Post by **Billy McBride** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 2:55 am

With my Kronos X, would this mixer work well? I have a drum machine, as well as alternatively another Sampler that I want to use with the Kronos X in Program mode. Thanks! - Billy

Jambo · Post by **Jambo** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 4:09 am

It's what I use as a keyboard sub mixer live. Works great, but you wouldn't have enough channels if you wanted to run everything stereo. I run mono live because my PA is mono anyway.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 7:18 am

I don't understand what you mean. It's a mixer. It will mix the specified number of audio signals and combine them to a set of outputs. It may have a few other tricks up its sleeve. What is it that you want to do exactly?

Billy McBride · Post by **Billy McBride** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:02 pm

Thanks Jambo and SanderXpander for reading. I just want a mixer to hook up a drum machine to and my Kronos X, nothing fancy. I was just wondering if anybody liked this mixer or not and why. I might go with a Yamaha now that the one I found has a few more inputs that I like.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 12:10 am

If you want to hook it up to the Kronos you don't need a mixer, just audio and/or midi cables.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 12:35 am

Billy are you wanting to hook the Kronos the drum machine and your sampler up at the same time to a computer? Or do you want to hook your other devices up to the Kronos?

I have a small inexpensive Yamaha mixer, the only mixer I have ever used or tried so I can not say if it is better or worse then what you looked posted above. I can say it has always sounded good to me, use it to play devices through my QSC, and seems to be rock solid. Have had it a couple years.

Billy McBride · Post by **Billy McBride** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:33 pm

My intention is to find a mixer that I can hook up all the mentioned instruments and record through my usual Zoom H1. I would like a mixer so that I can also use it with drum machines and samplers without turning on the Kronos too, but for the most part with my Kronos keyboard. I know that the Kronos can receive audio, but I want the mixer for these other reasons too.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 9:14 pm

Gotcha kind of why I got the small Yamaha, nice to have multiple things set up to go without having to fire up a keyboard if not needed.
I use it for iPad, stereo, wavedrum, Macbook pro, etc.. Could actually use a bigger one. Stereo eats up a lot of channels fast.

kenackr · Post by **kenackr** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 9:39 pm

Billy,

The Zoom H1 recorder only has 1 stereo input for line level sources like your Kronos or drum machine or sampler.

If you want to hook up a drum machine and a sampler and the Kronos at the same time, you will need to have a mixer with 3 stereo inputs (or 6 individual inputs that canned be panned) if the drum and the sampler are also stereo.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 9:50 pm

I use the yamaha mg102c. Got it for under $90.

Have you thought of upgrading to the H6? With the attachment you could have three stereo inputs, if I under stand the specs correctly. And it would work as an audio interface, a lot more expensive then a small mixer though.

Billy McBride · Post by **Billy McBride** » Fri May 02, 2014 8:06 pm

Thanks Berotti and kenackr for your reply. I ended up with the Mackie, and I like it pretty much for what I need to do. It seems simpler to use than adjusting the levels of the Zoom H6, and the Yamaha I found at the store did not have RCA inputs. I am not sure that my SP-404 Sampler can do stereo like we are thinking through the RCA. Or I could have bought a dual RCA to dual TS, but I thought of that afterwards. The Mackie has a nice feel to it.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Fri May 02, 2014 8:09 pm

As long as it's working out have a blast with it!