Soundcraft Compact 4

Buy the Soundcraft Compact 4 from Dolphin ...

• Online Price: £59.00 GBP (inc VAT)
• SRP: £99.99 GBP   Save £40.99 GBP (40%)
• Euro Price: €74.60 EUR (1 GBP = 1.26444 EUR)
• Availability : 5 In Stock, usually dispatched within 24 hours.
• Manufacturer SKU: SCC4   Dolphin ID: 4669
• Postage will be £6.99 per order.

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The Soundcraft COMPACT 4 mixer is perfectly suited to many applications requiring simple mix facilities, but it comes into its own when used for recording vocals and music onto computers using a soundcard.

Several features have been specifically incorporated for this. Firstly, it’s simple to route an input straight to the record output simply by selecting the RECORD button on the channel.

Secondly, a wide variety of input sources are catered for on this simple 4-input mixer. These include microphone, line, and a special ‘DI’ or ‘Direct’ input for guitars and keyboards, plus stereo inputs for keyboards, CD/tape, or turntable (with RIAA equalisation). This DI input matches the input impedance of the mixer to the output impedance of the instrument, ensuring optimum professional-quality audio capture.

Thirdly, listening while recording is made easier thanks to a special blend control that allows you to control the mix of the computer playback mix and the signal of the track being recorded which are blended for the Artist headphone output.

Using an external analogue mixer for computer recording means zero-latency monitoring. That is that you can listen to your track being recorded simultaneously with the playback from the computer, without the inherent signal delay of the computer soundcard and host processor.

Other standard features on the COMPACT include 3 band EQ on the inputs, along with professional 48V phantom power for condenser microphones, dedicated balanced and unbalanced Record and Playback connections, independent engineer & artist headphone outputs, and monitor outputs. The dual headphone feeds provide a level of monitoring normally found in large commercial studios.

All monitoring is in true stereo, rather than the mono-summed monitoring found on competitive products. This means that what you hear is always as it will be in your final master.

What is an audio mixer ?

The term “mixing” is the combining of audio channels, in most cases to form a stereo output signal made up of left and right channels. Mixers normally have level controls (or faders) on each input to set the required amount of audio before the mixing stage

What other functions can a Compact mixer perform ?

The Compact4 and Compact10 consoles can also be used to process audio. You can:

a) Apply Equalisation ( change the tone of the audio ). This is done using the EQ controls for the low, mid and high bands.
b) Place an audio processor over a particular signal, this is achieved using the insert point to peform additional processing such as compression, or adding fx such as reverb.
c) Control the audio position within the stereo field (the sound stage created by your speakers/monitors).
d) Increase or decrease the incoming signal level in order to achieve the best signal to noise ratio (audio quality). This parameter is known as “gain”.

The Compact4 and Compact10 consoles can also be used to route audio, you can:
a) Send audio to record outputs, normally fed to your recording system. The source can be unbalanced for use with consumer soundcards, or balanced for professional soundcards.
b) Send audio to the mix output, used to feed a PA when performing. The term “monitoring” can be more simply described as listening to audio channels. Mixers normally have monitor switches in various parts of the mixing process to check channels, before and after mixing.

The Compact4 and Compact10 consoles can also be used to monitor (using ears and eyes) audio. You can:
a) Send audio to the LED meters and the monitor outputs simultaneously. You always see what you hear from your monitor outputs which will feed the speakers in your main listening position.
b) Send audio to the artist headphone output, used to allow the artist to independently control their own personal mix without affecting any other outputs
b) Send audio to the artist headphone output, used to allow the artist to independently control their own personal mix without affecting any other outputs

What kind of things can I plug into it ?

We can’t possibly list all of them here, but below are a few of the most common sources:

a) Microphones, both dynamic and condensor types can be used. Channel One also has a high-pass filter which removes the sub bass frequencies when singing “b” and “p” sounds.
b) Guitars, there is even a DI circuit to enhance bass guitars, which is located on a mono channel
c) Synths/Keyboards, line level stereo outputs can be fed to the stereo input channels.
d) Decks, or turntables if you’re that way inclined, can be fed to stereo inputs with RIAA Equalisation. The RIAA Equalisation returns the tone of the deck input to that of the original signal (as RIAA-EQ is applied when cutting vinyl).
e) Computer, both Mac and PC systems have a host audio card, often found on the motherboard. The unbalanced connection from the host (or consumer soundcard) can be connected to the phono playback inputs.
f) Professional Soundcards, or Digital Audio Workstations can be connected to the 3-pole ‘A’ gauge balanced jack playback inputs.
g) CDR/DAT/MD/MP3 - the outputs of these consumer, or professional devices can be connected to the unbalanced phono inputs, or the 3-pole ‘A’ gauge balanced jack stereo inputs (Compact10 only).
h) Another mixer, often called a sub-mixer will be used to mix a drum kit, or an orchestral outfit. The outputs of this mixer can be connected to the unbalanced phono inputs, or the 3-pole ‘A’ gauge balanced jack stereo inputs (Compact10 only).

Wow that’s a lot of stuff for such a small mixer ?

Yes it is, you should be happy, you made a good choice.

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