3 Low Cost Vintage Studio Recording Mixers

[@DJPHAROAHE]

I Love That Yamaha Mixer Nice Video as Always Bro

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Thank you! It's a pretty good sounding little mixer. It's Japanese made in the 80s so it's great quality too.

[@DJPHAROAHE]

@@TwinCreekAudio Awesome I'm Definitely Gonna Get One I Love the BadAss VU Meters & Direct Outputs

[@lj5899]

Hey Buddy, thanks for this comparison on some great consoles! I have two words for you... "Yard Sale" (and be sure and let me know WHEN and WHERE, I'll be there!)

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Thank you! I'll let you know when I have the next yard sale too!

[@John-s3k6m]

I just bought a Teac 2A in mint condition for under $200 shipping included. I also bought the Meter Bridge separate and will be reuniting the two. Anyways I'm commenting because I'm using this vintage board to improve the quality of my recordings BEFORE they go into my DAW. I master there then send to Cassette and back as many times as needed for the desired saturation. My main deck is a Tascam Model 12 and I have a 1960's drum machine and multiple cassette decks. I'll be running a Lexicon MX 200 with the vintage board so I can send vocals out WITH effects if desired. I'm really excited to hear how it's all going to sound. Just wanted to mention my setup in case anyone had something similar or can give me advise on different ways I can work with this type of system. Great channel. SUBSCRIBED! THANKS

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Wow! Thanks so much! I think you have an excellent setup that's definitely going to be able to create some great analog sounds. I really appreciate the comment. I know a lot of my viewers have done similar things with their studios but each one is unique to the individual using it. It's a very good way to work to be spontaneous and creative. Thanks again!

[@G_handle]

Another great video Brotha! Can I request a follow up? Run some sound through 8-channels of Each mixer (A,B,C), and 8-channels of the Soundcraft (D), and and the same in the DAW (E), then compare and contrast. You’ve done similar in other videos on outboard and it was great. I, and I’m sure most people glued to this channel, would love to see you demonstrate what each of these little monsters can do. And what they Can’t do. What are the limits? There’s also numerous ways you can integrate these: Just running say 8-busses D-A, through the circuitry, gain-staging for say 1-the cleanest level, 2-slightly over-cooked distortion, 3-the sweet spot, then back in A-D. Bypassing any of the analog summing and just using the channels as outboard “hardware plugins”. Then the same but engaging the various EQs to demonstrate their differences in function and sound. 2-band, 3-band, bell, shelf, bax, sweepable, fixed, smooth, crunchy, how wide or narrow are the bands. And maybe where you’d be inclined to use them as opposed to a surgical colorless DAW EQ. I’d also love to see how you hook it all up, maybe through a patchbay, but that’s a different video.

[@TwinCreekAudio]

That's a great idea! I have done some of that in the other videos about these but not much with the EQ. I have the RM804 up for sale right now but I definitely made a summing video with that one already. I'd love to explore more of that with the Tascam and the Fostex. The Fostex 450 actually has surprisingly good, versatile EQ. I'll definitely try to make a video using your suggestions as time allows. It might be one of those videos that takes a few weeks to make in my spare time but maybe I'll break it down and make several videos out of all of it.

[@G_handle]

Just wrote a long response and it vanished…smh. Where are you selling the Yamaha?

[@TwinCreekAudio]

@@G_handle it's on my Reverb shop store thing as of today. I did make a summing video with as well as a few others a year or so ago. I've had it for close to 10 years.

[@G_handle]

@@TwinCreekAudio couldn't find you on Reverb. Do you have a link?

[@imothy]

i picked up a TEAC Model 5 mixer and its very similar to that tascam. Very warm and punchy sound out of this mixer.

[@TwinCreekAudio]

I love the older Tascam mixers but I find that most Tascam gear over the years has sounded good especially for the money.

[@healthcompassconsulting1918]

@@TwinCreekAudio how does the model 5 sound running its RCA outputs into an audio interface that has quarter inch inputs?

[@coffeehigh420]

hey man, how are you feeling ? hopefully better ? I can hear in your voice whatever cold you had is kinda going away but still there a little. Your a good man! just thought I'd check up on you bro. let me know how your doing.

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Thank you! I'm doing pretty well now. I had the flu and it took several weeks to recover but it wasn't COVID so I guess that was lucky? I really appreciate you checking on me.

[@coffeehigh420]

@@TwinCreekAudio - sure! great to know you are doing well and your right, thank Gd it wasn't covid!

[@RiotHomeRecording]

Great video!

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Thank you! I really enjoy your videos too. I had an MCI JH16 with the JH114 transport like your JH24 for awhile. Trying to fix an Otari to use now.

[@erobs6653]

Super informative! Has anyone ever mentioned you have nice hands and wrists?

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Thank you! Maybe I could be a hand model like JP Prewitt in Zoolander? But seriously, thank you. I guess thats a good thing since I use my hands to point at things in videos a lot.

[@erobs6653]

@@TwinCreekAudio I’m in the business. I’ll send detail. Seriously, I see potential. Keep up the good work.

[@math-matix]

How can I connect my spk pro to my 18i20

[@TwinCreekAudio]

I would have to know more about the mixer to know for sure but basically you need outputs from the interface to connect to the mixer to mix or sum with it and outputs from the mixer to the interface inputs to record.

[@lars-fenin]

noice.. the fostex 450 was my first mixing desk when i started producing around 2000. bit of a biggie for an 8 channel console and it felt a bit "cheap", but i remember the eq sounded quite good. (replaced mine with a 16 channel studiomaster later)

[@TwinCreekAudio]

It's an interesting little console and it doesn't sound bad. It does seem to bit flimsy but mine did survive many years sitting in a pawn shop and still worked 100% when I got it. It was extremely dirty but worked right away. I like the Studio master consoles a lot too. I used one back in the 90s with some ADATs. I think it was a Mixdown Classic?

[@lars-fenin]

@@TwinCreekAudio if i remember right mine was a mixdown as well..:)

[@TwinCreekAudio]

@@lars-fenin the mixes I did on the Mixdown Classic I used best mixes I made of the same material on an Amek Big. What did you think of yours?

[@lars-fenin]

@@TwinCreekAudio it sounded very warm and good for a glued mix..:) faders/pots on mine were a bit worn out (bought it used) so i replaced it with my final mixer a tascam m 2600 (24 channels). which doesnt sound as good as the studiomaster, but is a reliable workhorse for more then 20 years for me..:)

[@johnsnyder4949]

i had the fostex board but the 16 channel input model....wish i still had it lol

[@TwinCreekAudio]

It's a really nice little mixing console. The 16 channel version would be even more useful. They also made another mixer shortly after these, the 1240 I think. I'm always looking for different things to test on the channel.

[@audiolego]

Very very fascinating channel and content. ❤. Binge watched this channel last night. I'm interested in Soundcraft MTK22. It's a sound card and a console and it does usb loop. But I want to know the best preamp mixer in the 80s(flagships) and see if I can see one now for a cheap price.

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Thank you! I am so glad you found the videos useful. The Soundcraft MTK22 has the Sapphyre EQ which is very good. I also used to own and used the Ghost preamps a lot. They are a bit dark but accurate and high quality. The only draw back to the MTK is the lack of inserts on all channels which is a useful feature for using hardware or mixing through the console though the EQ should be excellent. I can remember if the MTK has subgroups or inserts on the subgroups as that is a very useful feature for parallel compression. 80s consoles and preamps that do not have inflated prices would be small Soundcraft mixers and things like the earlier Tascams. Hill Audio also made some good console in the 80s like the rack mount Multimix or the later Remix studio console. I have seen each of these for sale recently. Out of the 3 in the video, the Tascam is my favorite but the Fostex has more features and is smaller and weighs less so it's easier to move around. Hope that helps and thanks so much for your comments.

[@wehappyfewmusic]

Great stuff, which mixer do you like best out of the 3?

[@TwinCreekAudio]

I think the Tascam M35 sounds the best and is built the best of the 3. I'm also partial to the Fostex 450. It has a cleaner sound but terrible faders. They don't sound scratchy or anything. They arent smooth at all but mine is pretty old and they are still usable as is. The Fostex 450 also has the most versatile EQ and phantom power. I like its retro 1980s looks too. I love the Yamaha RM804 and probably the coolest looking of the three. I mainly like it for the mic preamps though people thought it sounded really good in the summing video I made with it. I recently sold the Yamaha mainly because I have several and I want to bring in others to make more videos about.

[@wehappyfewmusic]

@@TwinCreekAudio cool, interesting about the fostex. It’s the easiest to get hold of in the UK and loads cheaper than the other ones. Shame that the faders are not very nice though.

[@TwinCreekAudio]

@@wehappyfewmusic They may not be a big problem if they are in better condition than mine. Mine aren't scratchy though they're just rough to move. It doesn't affect the audio except it is a little bit jerky to adjust them. Fostex also made some others after the 450 that should also be pretty cheap and might have better faders like the 812 and 1840. At least the 450 I have is quiet and reliable. It's clean sounding and the EQ works well.

[@JK-gw6mz]

Would you recommend a Teac M30 or a Yamaha RM 804 or a Ramsa WR-S208 both in terms of noise, capabilities, size/weight for portability !?

[@TwinCreekAudio]

I've never used that model Ramsa. The Teac will be a lot larger and heavier than the RM804 and neither have phantom power. I think the Teac probably has a little more vintage vibe and will be a little less noisy. They are both a little odd in use so be sure to find the manual.

[@TheBinaryWolf]

Is there a way to clean corroded terminals on an old mixing board? I sprayed them with an industrial grade cleaner but with little success. The female XLR jacks are the most difficult to clean. Any suggestions?

[@TwinCreekAudio]

A small round brush or pipe cleaner with some contact cleaner should allow you get into the XLRs. I have some Deoxit Pro Gold that comes with a small brush. You can clean some male XLR and then use that to clean the female XLRs too.

[@TheBinaryWolf]

@@TwinCreekAudio Thanks. I tried what you kindly suggested. I may just use a jeweler's rat tail file to scrape off the oxidization. It worked on the TSR jacks that removed a lot of noise in the line.

[@premiumproductions9041]

Of the 3 , which would you say has the largest soundstage,highest headroom and 3D sound ? Thank you

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Most likely it's the Tascam M-35 but the 450 is a bit cleaner. None of these really have the big 3D sound as they are more Lo fi sounding mixers. The M-35 probably comes closest and it has a lot of headroom even though the meters may look like it's running of headroom, you don't hear any major issues when pushing the levels though it. It has a more warm, flat 70s sound. The M-35 preamps are great for drum sounds that kind of downplay the sound of the room and have a lot of punch.

[@premiumproductions9041]

@@TwinCreekAudiothank you I greatly appreciate you responding with such detail 🫡 would you say the M 35 also takes it for separation ? Or do you prefer the separation of the Fostex 450 as far as instruments having there own space ? Also what used Analog mixer / console would you recommend under $1000/ $2000 that has a larger soundstage that you feel outshine these model ⚙️

[@mwarsell]

All the jumpers in my RM 804 missing. Any ideas where to get them?

[@TwinCreekAudio]

I'm not sure but you can probably use any kind of jumper that has the correct spacing or get some very short RCA cables. I made some for my Fostex 450 out of solid copper wire but it doesn't look as good.

[@YARDMANMX]

E hoy the video i love vi race stuff people always I love yo buy outdated stuff but they would not understand I have the foster 820 model it sound great very warm I am keeping for repair all these are good summing board after mixing in the box

[@TwinCreekAudio]

Thank you! I really think the vintage Fostex mixing consoles are underrated. They are very reliable and sound pretty clean and good for the time period when they were made.

[@uniquetune0101]

hi, can you please make a video comparison of how the mixers sound in relation to each other ??? ... that would be really helpful

[@TwinCreekAudio]

That's a good idea. I have already made videos showing each of them for comparison though I could try and compare the M35 and the 450 as I am selling the RM804. There should be multiple videos demonstrating each of these though.

[@uniquetune0101]

@@TwinCreekAudio ,thanks you for your work 🙂

[@TwinCreekAudio]

@@uniquetune0101 make sure to check the playlists for each of these. They may give you an idea of how they sound until I can make more videos to compare them.