Category: Audio Video

If you’re a content creator, having the right audio mixer can significantly simplify your workflow, particularly as your setup grows. The great news is that selecting the perfect one for your needs simply involves answering a few key questions. What Are You Using the Mixer For? Audio mixers are relatively straightforward: they merge multiple audio signals into a smaller number of outputs, generally speaking. However, they differ in several aspects, such as the number of input and output channels they offer, as well as additional built-in features ranging from basic equalization to advanced audio effects. Although it may be tempting to buy a mixer with features you might use, it’s usually wiser to prioritize what you’ll use most frequently. For instance, if you’re producing a podcast, ample microphone inputs are essential. On the other hand, if your primary focus is recording from synthesizers, this won’t be as critical. Selecting the Appropriate Number of Inputs One of the most crucial factors when choosing an audio mixer is determining the number of inputs you’ll need. Consider your typical setup—do you require multiple microphones for podcasts, or several instrument inputs for music production? Planning for your current needs while allowing some flexibility for future expansion ensures your mixer remains a valuable tool as your projects grow. When evaluating mixers, keep in mind that many advertised as “16-channel” often count both the left and right sides of stereo channels, inflating the number. While technically accurate, this doesn’t equate to having 16 fully independent channels. There’s no strict “N+1” rule for choosing channels; instead, carefully review the input types and counts to ensure they fit your needs. Lastly, remember that upgrading to a new mixer later is typically more expensive than investing in a slightly larger one upfront. If you’re uncertain about needing extra channels, it’s usually better to have them and not need them than to find yourself limited. Microphone vs. Line vs. Instrument Inputs The number of inputs on a mixer is important, but the types of connections those inputs use can be equally or even more critical. Most audio mixers support either 1/4-inch jacks or XLR connections for microphones. While some mixers may offer instrument-level inputs for directly connecting a guitar or bass, this is generally a feature more common in audio interfaces than traditional mixers. Be sure to choose a mixer that accommodates the specific connection types your gear requires to ensure a seamless setup. Combination Jacks for Greater Flexibility Many consumer-level audio mixers come with combination jacks that accommodate both 1/4-inch and XLR cables in a single input. This design provides valuable flexibility, allowing you to connect a variety of devices now while keeping your setup adaptable for future needs. Whether you’re plugging in a microphone, an instrument, or other audio equipment, these versatile jacks can be a game-changer. Determining the Number of Outputs You Need Choosing the right number of inputs for a mixer is straightforward—six microphones require six inputs. However, selecting the appropriate number of outputs can range from simple to complex, depending on your needs. For most beginners, a stereo output will suffice, and nearly all mixers provide this standard functionality. If you’re purchasing your first mixer, this may be all you need to focus on. That said, many modern mixers offer the capability to send stereo audio directly to a digital audio workstation (DAW) on your computer. While this feature won’t fully replace a dedicated audio interface, it can be a convenient addition for recording and editing audio digitally. Built-in Effects Depending on your intended use, having built-in effects in a mixer can be a valuable feature for enhancing audio signals. While these onboard effects may not compete with high-end hardware units costing thousands of dollars, they are often sufficient for most practical purposes. Common built-in effects on consumer-level mixers include basic reverb, echo, and delay. Some models even offer more creative effects, such as AM radio simulation or pitch-shifting, depending on the manufacturer. However, practical effects like compression are less common, as they typically work best on a per-channel basis. Mixers with per-channel compression do exist but tend to be significantly pricier than standard consumer models. When an Audio Mixer Isn’t Necessary An audio mixer isn’t always necessary. For most people, a few USB microphones combined with DAW software are more than enough. A mixer becomes essential when you need to combine multiple audio sources simultaneously. For instance, if you’re miking up a drum kit or hosting a podcast with multiple participants, a mixer will help you manage those audio channels. However, before deciding on a mixer, carefully assess how much mixing you’ll actually need. Additionally, keep in mind that mastering a mixer takes time, research, and practice. If you’re not prepared to dedicate the effort, a simpler setup might be the better choice.

DANTE. It’s a networking protocol and it is quickly being integrated into many Production Sound Mixers’ workflow. Full disclosure, I am a Dante user, which I had to license by purchasing a Dante-enabled product. Dante is owned by Audinate, an Australian company, the seeds of which were sown by some former employees of the Motorola Research Labs, shuttered in 2003. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Aidan Williams explains. “I was constantly connecting my synth to a mixer, to a sound card, MIDI cables, all sorts of different connections,” he recalls. “To me, it seemed like a networking problem. Why make all those different connections when you could integrate it into a single network?” In 2006, David Myers joined Williams to form Audinate Bruce Jackson, Vice President of Dolby Labs’ Live Division, an early advocate, made the Dolby Lake Processor the first Dante-equipped professional audio device to be used at a performance of Barbra Streisand in Washington, D.C., in 2008. That same year, Lee Elison joined the company, opening its US headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Dante has played a role in numerous mission-critical events; from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Pope’s appearance at World Youth Day in Sydney, to hundreds of concerts by major music performers. There are more than 170 manufacturers who have partnered with Audinate, representing more than five hundred different products that are Dante-enabled. How Dante works? In its simplest form, Dante is a protocol for communicating multiple audio channels over standard Ethernet and IP networks. Audio signals between Dante-enabled devices are routed using Dante Controller software. In the analog world, audio connections are point-to-point and individual copper cables representing each channel. In Dante, the physical connecting point is irrelevant as long as all the devices are connected to the same network, audio signals can be made available anywhere and everywhere. Patching and routing are configured in software and not over physical wired links. Depending on the application, Dante allows up to 512 bidirectional channels of audio to be sent and distributed over an Ethernet network, using CAT-5e or CAT-6 cable. Dante was built to work on Gigabit Ethernet, so it already rides a fat pipe. Those 512 bidirectional channels can be sent on a 1Gb link, uncompressed, 48kHz, 24-bit audio. Latency can be as low as .25mS. One link can simultaneously carry audio with different sample rates and bit depths. You can also set up a system with multiple network zones, each with a different latency to match the needs of your equipment. There are other AOE (Audio Over Ethernet) protocols available. The most popular are: CobraNet Peak Audio developed CobraNet in 1996. It accommodates up to sixty-four bidirectional channels of audio over a single CAT-5 or fiber-optic cable. You aren’t going to get advanced features like self-configuration, bandwidth adaptation or error correction. Since it’s a digital signal, equipment does have the ability to process the audio, but that’s a function of the manufacturer’s gear, not CobraNet itself. MADI MADI (Multichannel Audio Digital Interface) was an AES standard protocol, developed in 1991 and further improved by AMS Neve, Solid State Logic, Sony and Mitsubishi. It is a unidirectional (point-to-point) approach that allows up to sixty-four audio channels over coaxial or fiber-optic cables and less commonly CAT-5 from a few manufacturers. How to use Dante? Simply purchase a mixing console and recorder that has Audinate Dante available. Consoles such as the Yamaha 01V96 and 01V96i have a single-card slot to accommodate a Dante card. There are many other consoles that do the same; Behringer, Allen & Heath and the Soundcraft Expressions and Performer series to name a few. Many manufacturers have Dante built in like the Yamaha QL-1, the Sound Devices PIX 260i, the 970 and the Cantar X3. Dante devices have a primary and secondary port for redundancy, meaning, there are two identical but separate networks providing a failsafe if one of the networks fails. You can disable Dante Redundancy Mode and use the second port to connect to another Dante-enabled device. Daisy-chaining Dante devices can be done, with caution, but it is recommended to use a Gigabit Switch in a “star” topology to connect to multiple Dante devices. Gigabit Switches Gigabit Switches are just that, multi-port switches that can handle high-speed audio traffic with excellent management, often called QoS or Quality of Service. Some of us are using simple 5-port switches, such as the Netgear GS105, which retails for around $40 and can be powered via 12 volts. Others prefer the Cisco brand, starting with eight ports and up. Whatever you purchase, make sure they are not EEE (Energy Efficient Ethernet), also known as Green Ethernet. These units will reduce power to individual switches during periods of low network traffic, resulting in poor synchronization and even signal dropouts! Dante Controller will also work with other DAW software like Boom Recorder, Pro Tools (9 and up), Logic and Cubase up to sixty-four channels. This is achieved via Dante Virtual Soundcard software. Dante networks are not restricted to digital consoles and peripherals. You can connect analog equipment to Dante interface boxes that do the A to D conversion.

Expensive speakers can be very alluring and seductive. Everyone wants to have the best sound they possibly can, and it can be incredibly tempting to throw money towards the goal without thinking twice. But are they really worth it? There is not a one-size-fits-all answer. If you are in an average sized, untreated room and listening to music for entertainment, your best bet will be in the Rs 24000 – Rs 80000 range. The higher you get within that range, you will generally find better results, but a higher price doesn’t guarantee quality. It’s possible to spend Rs 4 lacs on a system that sounds incredible. Unfortunately, it’s also possible to pay same amount for a system that sounds terrible. IT’s ALL IN THE FREQUENCIES.. HIGH MID LOW A cheap system with low-quality components will struggle to play low frequencies or clear high notes regardless of the quality of the media. For example, Spotify can play notes down to 30hz, and if your system can’t produce those notes, you’ll notice. There are more important things than price to consider when judging the quality of a speaker. So again what makes high-end speakers more expensive? The cost of a speaker comes from more than the electronic components themselves. High-End speakers can be more expensive due to the design of the speakers, the quality of materials, the durability and weight, and even the branding. These elements are often much more important than people realize. Moreover Big companies spend so much on R&D to just fine tune every frequency a human ear can hear. The biggest thing to watch out for if you care about quality and value is brand-inflated pricing. Beats headphones, for example, are notorious for being a very low-quality product that gets sold at a high price because of it’s branding alone. You have to be very careful about purchasing expensive headphones or speakers because the brand can play a huge part in the pricing. Assuming we are not talking about speakers that are expensive because of the brand alone, there are several components where the quality can be seen and felt. Weight is Usually Associated with the Quality of the Driver More expensive speakers are typically more robust and substantial. They will have thicker enclosure walls and heavy-duty hardware. Weight is a huge factor when it comes to speaker quality.Good speakers require drivers with heavy coils that can precisely drive the speakers. The more rigid and complicated a speaker is, the heavier it will be. Why Lighter Speakers are Usually Not as Good The added weight also reduces the vibration of the speaker or within the speaker itself. This is dually important. First, the sound will be immediately affected if you can hear the vibration of the speaker’s components while it’s producing moderate to high levels of bass. Secondly, a vibrating speaker over time will likely loosen components and start to sound distorted. This means a speaker that isn’t durable might sound great now, but terrible in a year. Shipping Heavy Speakers is Expensive Also, the added weight will likely add to the shipping cost as well. This is one reason to avoid buying speakers made in China. Though China does produce some quality products, bulky items like quality speakers become expensive to ship from low-cost countries. High-end speakers usually get built in the US or Europe. Engineering It is common for expensive speakers to use more expensive components, but in some cases, they will design entirely new elements. As an example, some people believe speakers sound better if the audio is all coming from a single point in space. As a result, manufacturers like KEF put one driver inside the middle of another driver. So rather than a tweeter a few inches above the midrange driver, the tweeter will be inside the midrange driver. This requires extra design and engineering and can add to manufacturing costs as well. Expensive Speaker Materials Some speakers may be more expensive because they use high-end or exotic material. In some cases, this may be strictly for aesthetic purposes. Wooden enclosures may be constructed out of finished walnut or painted with a red violin finish. The level of workmanship or intricate visual detail can add significant cost to the speaker. An extreme example of this is the Porsche 911 soundbar, which retails for 3L – 4L. It has great ratings, but more in-depth reviews detail that the sound is just “better than okay.” While durability, engineering, and high-quality materials are great, they do not guarantee a great sounding speaker. So sure, you can pay more for better visual aesthetic and material quality.However, if you want a better experience with your media, spending more money isn’t always a better way to get there. Setting A Speaker Budget You will eventually hit a point of diminishing returns. As you approach the Rs 1.5 L mark, the quality increases will become much more subtle. At the lower end of the spectrum, you may spend Rs 50 K more for a system that is 5x as good. When you get up to higher-end speakers, you may be paying Rs 2 Lacs more for a mere 5% increase in quality. Most consumer-grade speakers under the 1 Lakh will give you a full range of sound. The quality will be noticeably better the higher you get on that price scale, even if you are only listening to Spotify and watching Youtube videos. In general, the most expensive speakers are only worth it if you are working in audio production and listening to extremely high-quality media. Even then, the space you are in will play a huge role in audio quality. Professional Grade Speakers When you get out of consumer-grade equipment and into production-level audio gear, you start looking at equipment designed for an entirely different purpose. Consumer-grade equipment is made to be versatile, to sound pretty in a variety of settings no matter what is playing. This is the personality of the speaker itself and is often referred to as color. Color can …

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