Hi, no worries. We help where we can. Who knows, a few years down the line you’ll be helping out other starters yourself.
I just checked on the Mackie Mix 8 and look at something I hadn’t looked at when I answered your other thread (I was too smitten by the extra aux on this level mixer 🙂 ), the outputs. They are UNbalanced (TRs), not balanced. Which would make me withdraw them from recommendation. Same goes for the L-Pad6 from RCF. The Mackie 402-VLZ4 DOES have balanced (TRS) outputs.
You started out with the Yamaha MG06 (latest generation) though. It has XRL balanced outputs (and, I am assuming, TRS jacks out). No aux output, but that seems to be a small price to pay. I think these two are two bets in the budget range you are looking at.
1) Nope. You run TWO cables (either TRS or XLR to XLRk, depending on the outputs of your mixer, but preferably balanced) to the sub. Using both A and B or L and R inputs (A and B on the Mackies). Next your run balanced (XLR-XLR) cables from the High Pass outputs to the tops.
2) If you are going TRS (so not the Mix 8 nor the L-Pad6) to XLR, either a TRS to XLR or an XLR to XLR cable with a TRS to male XLR adapter (or adapter cable) will work fine. Personally I have all my cables XLR-XLR and bought a couple of adapters (both male and female) so I can make whatever cable I need. But that is not necessarily better. Purist will actually point out the every connector in the chain will lose you 1dB. Since balanced outputs run hot enough, I am not too worried about that.
3) This (http://www.bax-shop.nl/dj-meubilair/prodjuser-dj-stand-dj-meubel) is the one I use. It fits my DDJ-SZ and two Numark NDX500s (all in flightcases) next to each other. It sets up in 10 seconds flat (if I take it easy), look professional without being flashy and folds into a reasonably handy package. Working height is super and, for those who want their gear very high, you can always use your flightcase lid under the flightcase for an extra 3-4 inches working height.
I believe ProDJ user is a Dutch/European brand, but Odyssey carries it in the US.
4) I don’t know pricing, but I like the American DJ DOTZ series and the REVOs (both 3 and 4 are nice). If you really want to add effect to whatever lights you use, save up for a decent hazer. This will not be cheap, but it will really transform the way your lights look. So, might wait for the gig bar and stick the extra 200 towards a hazer. My personal opinion, don’t get a smoke machine.
Hope that helps.
.
