This looks promising. Simple volume and pan. This is an 8 channel line mixer.

https://www.samash.com/art-mx821-8-channel-mic-line-mixer--amx821sxx-p

 

This is for a walk-through attraction. There will be 10-20 distinct and unique scenes. Each scene has many animatronic figures. They use a stereo sound input where one channel contains an audio signal which controls part of the animatronic motions (typically the mouth).

The other channel is the sound for each scene projected to the Holosonic system so one scene cannot be heard in the next... often as close as 5’ away. This system can cover about 5’ sq. So I need a minimum of two systems per scene. The audio from any given animatronic must appear to come from its position, each sound signal needs to be panned. Then, the individual animatronic signals needs to be mixed together for input to the embedded amplifier in the Holosonic system.

 

10-20 mixers? Maybe you need to build a simplified version. Might be good to reverse engineering a simpler mixer. Could you explain what exactly the mixers do?

This for $300 is a deal and they do a very good job. Everything has balanced connections and I would get another behringer board for general use.

Maybe if you look around you can find a lower priced one. This one has all the features I would be interested in. I wouldn’t even be able to get the pots and faders at this price. Let alone all the other features.

This one is $163 out of China but I’m not famialar with it or the company.

These are used for complete mix control for stage monitors. This might be all you need if you could find it at a great price or you might base your units on.

This looks promising. Simple volume and pan. This is an 8 channel line mixer.

Some of these would break my budget. Twenty @ $200 apiece is $4,000. I’m looking at some units for $12 apiece... $240. Total. Less than the cost of one of these units...

I’ve budgeted $25,000 for the Holosonic systems and trying to lower costs for panning and mixing.

The entire project is budgeted around $500,000 for the first year. The animatronics cost $2,000 apiece.

I’m getting a lot of support! Thanks for your help.

 

UPDATE: I spent the morning at a local sound systems company. Their chats gave me a different perspective.

First, while my inputs and outputs are mono, take advantage of the stereo features of a mixer. Hence, consider the L&R inputs on a channel as separate mono inputs. Then, I can use the level controls along with the pan control to create the artificial stereo signal in two mono amplifiers. I may also need a third output, and most mixers I’m looking at have between 1-3 Aux outputs.

It seems to fit. A Behrenger Xenyx 802 or Behrenger Xenyx 1202 looks like they will fill the bill. For ease of maintenance and flexibility of reconfigurations, I had been considering one-size-fits-all, but perhaps a mix of these two units will be better for me.

Oh, and both are under $100. The 802 is $65 and the 1202 is $99.

 

it's a steal for what they are...

 

it's a steal for what they are...

I got to play with the 802 on Sunday. My girl and I have this favorite local musician and he had just bought one!

 

I believe the xenyx line came with a special opamp they selected... and marketing wise they went after Mackie's Onyx line... in any case, you won't go wrong with these... they very good for the crazy low price. I have the old full metal ones...

I'm sure you won't have issues with them but if you require a different "sound" some folks change the opamps out and do other mods... I've had success using Burr Brown opamps on some other more critcal (recording) set ups.

There is still a jump from these to the full format mixer and preamps... but for the cost, these are incredible, you will be happy.

 

I believe the xenyx line came with a special opamp they selected... and marketing wise they went after Mackie's Onyx line... in any case, you won't go wrong with these... they very good for the crazy low price. I have the old full metal ones...

I'm sure you won't have issues with them but if you require a different "sound" some folks change the opamps out and do other mods... I've had success using Burr Brown opamps on some other more critcal (recording) set ups.

There is still a jump from these to the full format mixer and preamps... but for the cost, these are incredible, you will be happy.

These are primarily for pre-recorded audio. Likely in MP3 format. Plus background music. Do you see a problem?

 

none at all! that's why I recommended it. I secretly love all my behringer stuff.

 

For those of you interested, this is the Directional Sound System that I’m considering. This article from their site is an introduction to their technology. I’m planning on using a different model but the 16i has most of the base features.

I researched other DSS manufacturers but only one looked close. It was a German manufacturer but during pre-sales discussions, the Holosonics guy “got” what I was doing and was the only solution that satisfied my requirements.