Mixer as an instrument / special purpose equipment

[Commander15]

Do you tend to use mixer as an instrument instead of just for connecting your stuff into PA or recorder? For example, do you use certain mixers for producing special kind of saturation, distortion or overall sound.

[Andrew McIntosh]

For a while, I used the little four track Behringer as a distortion pedal, just by arching up the volumes. A satisfyingly disgusting tone. I really didn't exploit it enough. But that's not quite the same as using it as an instrument per se, I realise.

[anal_yama]

Do you tend to use mixer as an instrument instead of just for connecting your stuff into PA or recorder? For example, do you use certain mixers for producing special kind of saturation, distortion or overall sound.

Yes, just cheap digital mixers, blow the signal all into the red. Beats all the silly DEATH METAL pedals

[Commander15]

I like to use Boss BX-4 as an saturation device for my main mixer. Boss gives an nice crumbly, tape-ish overdriven sound to the main mix. Pretty coloured and warm sounding mixers those in BX-series, Detroit techno guys used to use these to overdrive drum machines and 303's.

[dreadfulmirror]

Experimented a bit with a Behringer Xenyx 502 and the results were an absolutely brutal sound! Nevertheless I didn't realise so far, how it exactly works.
So I'm really interested in other peoples experiences with mixers.

Which setups do you use?
Does it maybe make sense to pic up another small mixer (4 channels maybe?) for more variety of sound?

[Commander15]

Experimented a bit with a Behringer Xenyx 502 and the results were an absolutely brutal sound! Nevertheless I didn't realise so far, how it exactly works.
So I'm really interested in other peoples experiences with mixers.

Which setups do you use?
Does it maybe make sense to pic up another small mixer (4 channels maybe?) for more variety of sound?

I think mixers, especially cheap and "low tech" ones, really do effect the overall sound a lot because usually they are placed at the end of the signal chain. 

I use 4 channel Boss BX-4 with Mackie 402 VLZ4. Boss have this gorgeous lofi overdriven sound that i mentioned before. I use it as an standalone mixer or after Mackie for coloring the whole mix before splitting the signal to PA and cassette deck. I also have Fostex Hexamix and Fostex FD-4, but they are more bland in nature than Mackie or Boss.

[dreadfulmirror]

I think mixers, especially cheap and "low tech" ones, really do effect the overall sound a lot because usually they are placed at the end of the signal chain. 

I use 4 channel Boss BX-4 with Mackie 402 VLZ4. Boss have this gorgeous lofi overdriven sound that i mentioned before. I use it as an standalone mixer or after Mackie for coloring the whole mix before splitting the signal to PA and cassette deck. I also have Fostex Hexamix and Fostex FD-4, but they are more bland in nature than Mackie or Boss.

Do you send the audio signal just "straightforward" through the mixer or do you cross the signal through the different channels within?

[Commander15]

I think mixers, especially cheap and "low tech" ones, really do effect the overall sound a lot because usually they are placed at the end of the signal chain. 

I use 4 channel Boss BX-4 with Mackie 402 VLZ4. Boss have this gorgeous lofi overdriven sound that i mentioned before. I use it as an standalone mixer or after Mackie for coloring the whole mix before splitting the signal to PA and cassette deck. I also have Fostex Hexamix and Fostex FD-4, but they are more bland in nature than Mackie or Boss.

Do you send the audio signal just "straightforward" through the mixer or do you cross the signal through the different channels within?

You mean feedback loops? I use aux feedback loop with Fostex but not with Mackie and Boss. With Boss i don't want to lose one of the stereo outs, but will try it for shit and giggles in next rehearsal session!

[Cementimental]

I've often used an aux send right back into spare mixer channel without making it feedback, just for extra loudness/distortion with EQ control. High gain but not neccessarily a high main volume on the channel allows you to mix in a bit of extra grit/dirt/hiss with the 'clean' signal of your other channels.