Adding a mixer to an MPC 2500 setup. Do I need one?

hey yall
since I got some outboard gear, i've been wanting to maybe get a mixer to make them all play better with eachother.
I found a nice deal on a Mackie micro VLZ-1202.

My gear:

MPC2500
SP303
SP404sx
Minibrute
OP-1
JU-06
Turntable

I plug it all to the 2 MPC ins and the SPs ins.
I record the tracks on the MPC straight to ableton for further editing

I think I might need a mixer so I can use my effect pedals more efficiently as a send instead of a direct plug into the MPC, and also, better connectivity and more flexibility.

I'm fairly new to the hardware world, i've been an ableton dude my whole life..

Thanks!

Given you are an ableton user, maybe get an audio interface with lots of ins/outs. Then use the ableton or audio interfaces mixing controls to do all the send returns and auxing etc. that will give you a very flexible and powerful set up. Also you will get all the midi synching with your gear and ableton.

I remember lampdog mentioning the audio interface he uses a while back. I looked at the specs.... looked inspiring. very useful, very powerful.

I have that same mixer I think, it's nice but for recording I'd get a audiointerface. That is offcourse if you're gonna record with your pc.

I got a m-audio audio interface for a pretty good price which allows me to have 6 of the 8 mpc2500 outputs plugged in the back and the other 2 can be plugged on the front of it, but also easily taken out when I need to record my microkorg or whatever. It's called the M-eight or something like that and for me it works great. Not motu quality soundwise but it works fine for me.

Hi platfus118,
check the Soundcraft signature 12/22 MTK, it has 12/22 channels as USB interface, the the main drawback is it has no inserts.

(Sorry for any mistakes, english is not my native language)

Just a hunch but I think you'll be happier with the Soundcraft 12 MTK than the Mackie. I don't have one but do have an old Soundcraft and read at least a hundred reviews for small mixers before I bought it. Better components equals better sound. If you want the Mackie look at it in a store before buying.