• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

The death of a mixer

317C50KW

317C50KW

Saturday night, during the second quarter of the first high school football game of the season, my trusty Soundcraft Folio 12 audio mixer bit the dust. First the audio in the headsets became super distorted, then glancing up, I saw smoke gently rising from the outboard power wart. Thankfully I was on a pots codec with two mic inputs. We did the remainder of the second on a landline telephone, then switched over to the codec at half-time.

I provide a fairly elaborate production and use quality stuff. But I guess the Folio decided its time had come.

Yep, a new mixer is on order and I'll be ready for the home opener this coming Friday. Back up? Never had to before but now, always. Thanks for letting me vent!
 
As crazy as this sounds, I bring two kits worth of stuff to games for that very reason. Irronically I have NEVER in over a decade had a Shure mixer go down, but I have had a problem with Marti equipment, antennas, and other smaller stuff. Even though it's extra stuff to have to lug, at least having duplicates available in the car can sure turn super big mess into just a little bump in the road down the life of remote sports engineering.

:)
 
I agree with OKC...My remote truck is stocked with at least one backup of everything I might need. High School Football is huge on our station so we can not afford to be off the air...

I keep 4 mixers in my truck. My new main is a Soundcraft MPM 12/2. Very nice mixer for the money. My number 2 is a Yamaha MG 16/4. Number 3 is a Mackie 1402 and my last backup is a Soundcraft Spirit Folio Lite. I am using BeyerDynamic DT-297 headsets so I have to have phantom power.

I would not throw the Folio 12 out just yet. You can more than likely repair the power supply.

I had a filter cap explode on a 1402 a number of years ago while doing a remote in Jamaica. Lucky for me the local PA guy had a spare 1402 that he was able loan me. In hindsight I should have taken a couple of Shure M-267s...

Testing123
 
Ditto to having backup systems! I can't tell you how many times we have needed one, but didn't have one. All because our sports director assumed one set of gear would be enough. :(

R
 
I keep 4 mixers in my truck. My new main is a Soundcraft MPM 12/2. Very nice mixer for the money. My number 2 is a Yamaha MG 16/4. Number 3 is a Mackie 1402 and my last backup is a Soundcraft Spirit Folio Lite. I am using BeyerDynamic DT-297 headsets so I have to have phantom power.

I would not throw the Folio 12 out just yet. You can more than likely repair the power supply.


The Soundcraft is being replaced with a Yamaha MG 16/4, found at a good price on a closeout from a net retailer.

I like the Soundcrafts because of the inserts on the program output. A compressor tightens up the overall sound of the broadcast and helps keep the crowd noise consistant. And the old Folio 12 will get rebuilt.

And Robert, if you guys are doing any of the "squite" games with HP, I'll have a spare mixer at Highlander in case you need it. Thank goodness I won't have to climb the steps at Memorial this year!
 
317C50KW said:
I like the Soundcrafts because of the inserts on the program output. A compressor tightens up the overall sound of the broadcast and helps keep the crowd noise consistant. And the old Folio 12 will get rebuilt.
Click to expand...

Agreed...On the MPM 12/2 and the MG 16/4 I take the things I want to send to my comp/limiter like the mics, parabs, MD or R-09, etc and put them into the group out. Then the output of the comp/limiter goes into the Stereo Return on the Yamaha or the 2 Track input on the Soundcraft...

On the 1402 I use the Alt 3/4 to feed the comp/limiter and bring it back in on the Stereo Return...Doesn't work quite as well as the Auxes mute when you put the inputs in the Alt 3/4...I know you can mod the 1402 so that the Auxes are pre switch but I have never gotten around to it.

Test123
 
317C50KW said:
And Robert, if you guys are doing any of the "squite" games with HP, I'll have a spare mixer at Highlander in case you need it. Thank goodness I won't have to climb the steps at Memorial this year!
Click to expand...

They really need to install an elevator for that press box. Even Hanby has one now, after a complete PB rebuild. Haven't ridden on that one yet, but I hear it's pretty slow. ;) Makes me wonder if they installed a gasoline powered lift, like what's on the tower. ;D

R
 
This is not an uncommon occurrence in the day of "power bricks" to run everything. Probably replacing the power supply will give new life to you mixer. The Shure Mixers are the best and most durable, over the years I have used several models for different functions, even as an impromptu production mixer when I was running a small public access television studio. Phantom power is another issue but most devices provide for battery operation and keeping fresh batteries in the kit would be a must.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom