Behringer MX3282A Mixer

The MX3282A is a 32-channel 8-bus mixing console. Don't let its low price fool you -- it's a solid work horse. I have really enjoyed this console. It has a very clean sound. Someday when I have $40,000 to spare, I'll get a nice high end mixer. Until then, this thing really does a nice job of getting a consistent smooth sound, with a very low noise floor with minimal effort.

Hosa PHB-360 Patchbays

Thirty-two channels in the main console may sound like a lot, but it certainly doesn't take long to outgrow it. This is where a nice set of patchbays comes in. These patchbays allow me to hook up all my gear at the same time and then just use patchcords to send their outputs to the mixer for use. I can also use the patchbays to do creative forms of routing for effects sends and returns, submixing, and so on. Hosa makes solid gear and the price is very reasonable. My noise-floor dropped when I started using Hosa's balanced snakes and cables and these patchbays are crystal clear. I could neither see nor hear additional noise when I put them in the loop.