I have been experimenting lately with doing matrix recordings. Whereas in the past when I would record at say, SLO Brew in San Luis Obispo, I would either do a soundboard or an audience recording with my Neumann KM-140s. I have a friend who owns a pro sound company and he has let me borrow some gear to try out. I borrowed a Mackie 1202 VLZ PRO mixer from him to record Dave & Phil Alvin at SLO Brew in January:
https://archive.org/details/da2015-01-21.matrix.flac16I liked the end results a lot, because it really gives you the best of both (soundboard + audience).
My friend Dennis suggested that I get a four channel recorder and mix in the computer, but I'm really not much of a computer guy. I'd rather mix it live and record with my two channel Tascam DR-100mkII.
I am also the archivist for Cuesta Ridge, a local bluegrass fusion band, that my brother in law plays drums for. When I have recorded them in years past (except for the SLO 'Concerts In The Plaza' shows), I had the choice of either doing an audience recording or taking the output of their PA, but they don't mic the drums. I used the Mackie 1202 to record Cuesta Ridge a couple of nights before the Dave Alvin show and I was able to mix their PA with my Neumanns and get a good mix including drums.
https://archive.org/details/cr2015-01-17.matrix.flac16My question is this:
I think the 1202 is more mixer than I need. I looked online at the Mackie 402, which seemed a little too basic. The 802 looked nice and is $200. Would that work well for me with what I am doing? I don't want to spend a lot on a piece of gear that will not be used all that much, but I like the ability to pan the inputs and also have an XLR output because my DR-100mkII has XLR line ins.
Thanks for the advice,
-ONT