mixer?

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 7 Nov 2005 11:03 pm

My current PA system is as follows:

- Powered Phonic mains...sound great
- 8 channel Samick mixer('80's)
- Yamaha power mixer to power three non-powered monitors.

I am looking for recommendations on what kind of upgrade mixer to get. I want to keep the powered mains...and eventualy get powered monitors. In the meantime, I need to upgrade to a 16 or 24 channel mixer, which will work onstage, or out in the middle with a snake. Any suggestions? Any favorites? I'm looking at middle of the road quality...best bang for the buck.

mtulbert · Post by **mtulbert** » 8 Nov 2005 5:11 am

Best Bang for the Buck is

Mackie.

I have seen lots of groups use them with very good results.

Regards,

Mark T.

Here's the link to their site www.mackie.com

Charles Dempsey · Post by **Charles Dempsey** » 8 Nov 2005 5:23 am

Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro. Great mixer. Small. Light. Full featured. Rack mountable. Best mixer I've ever owned (and I've owned a few).

Charlie

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 8 Nov 2005 6:27 am

Thanks -- Because finances are an issue, Christmas coming, etc., I might end up getting the "no interest, no payments for a year" offer from Guitar Center...save up the money throughout the year and pay it off right before it comes due. Normally I would buy used, but that looks like the best way to get what I need.

Thanks guys...any other thoughts on brands that are carried there?

Will Holtz · Post by **Will Holtz** » 8 Nov 2005 9:09 am

I have an Allen & Heath MixWizard 16 :DX2, for which I paid $450 (used). I've spent lots of time on the Mackie VLZ-pro boards and some higher end consoles. I often get fusterated by the lack of sweepable EQ on some of the Mackie boards. I find my MixWizard to be a big step up from the Mackie both in terms of audio quality and usability. However it is lacking some features such as additional busses. It does have 6 aux sends though! For what I do auxes are much more important than sub masters. My MixWizard also has direct outs on all the channels, which allows me to use it for both live and recording work.
<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Will Holtz on 08 November 2005 at 09:09 AM.]</p></FONT>

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 8 Nov 2005 5:25 pm

The Allen and Heath mixers are some great sounding mixers.....You could also look at the Soundcraft Spirt line also ...The English EQ sections are really nice to have ....They work well live or for recording .....The Carvin 1644 is also a great mixer for the $$$......Jim

Don Discher · Post by **Don Discher** » 8 Nov 2005 6:26 pm

I use a Yamaha EMX 5000, 12 channel, 500 watts a side at 4ohm.
This mixer will power 4 monitors and an auxilliary line out to your powered speakers.
There was one like this on the forum a few days ago.

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 8 Nov 2005 9:19 pm

I have a Yamaha MC 1602, 16 x 2 channel mixer I will sell if you are interested. I am the original owner, it's in good condition and everything works. Has never been worked on.

Len Amaral · Post by **Len Amaral** » 9 Nov 2005 8:47 am

I have a Mackie CFX-12 mixer and it works well in many situations. The benefits are as follows: It has a built in 32 bit digital effects processor and a 9 band semi parametric equilizer. You can only use the effects one at a time such as reverb or delay, etc. but I use the reverb features only.

With these 2 built in features it allows me not to have an independent EQ or effects processor. With the various ins & outs on this mixer you can add all the outboard gear you want and get as fancy or as complicated as you want but this bare bones mixer is extremely good for what it does. Also, you can use it as a desk top unit in a studio or buy the rack ears for about $20.00 and install it in your rack.

Gary Shepherd · Post by **Gary Shepherd** » 10 Nov 2005 7:28 pm

Makie is good. Behringer has the same specs (better specs in some areas) at about half the price of Mackie. Of course, I wonder if all the Behringer boards are made with the same quality standards. Still, I've never had a problem with a Behringer board.

------------------
Gary Shepherd

Carter D-10

www.16tracks.com

T. C. Furlong · Post by **T. C. Furlong** » 12 Nov 2005 9:22 am

I have a lot of experience with mixers and I can tell you that Allen & Heath mixers do sound good, but in my experience they have reliability issues, especially recently manufactured ones. Lately I have been liking the Mackie Onyx line of mixers. Just a little pricey but they do sound good and have a ton of cool features. Here is the link to my company's web site where you will find links to all of the manufacturers mentioned in previous posts.
http://www.tcfurlong.com/sales/authorize.htm

TC

Cartwright Thompson · Post by **Cartwright Thompson** » 16 Nov 2005 8:51 am

Check out a Peavy "PV14". I really like mine. It replaced a similar Behringer. The Peavey is a huge improvement sound-wise.

James Quackenbush · Post by **James Quackenbush** » 16 Nov 2005 11:38 am

TC,
I was ready to pull the plug on a Mackie 1640 ....It was a great sounding board..The best thing about the board was the Perkin's EQ and the firewire option ....Very nice ideed...

One HUGE problem !!..... When using the firewire option your material get's sent PRE EQ !!!.....It comes back PRE EQ.....
What a waste of a great EQ !!....

Had they given the choice of PRE or POST EQ , they would not be able to keep these mixers on the shelves....It's still a great little mixer, but pricey for a mixer that can only use the analog ins and out's with the Perkins EQ .... They lost a BUNCH of customers on that alone !!......Jim

Tim Marcus · Post by **Tim Marcus** » 17 Nov 2005 6:00 pm

you can easily mod the new mackies to send post EQ to the firewire card. I recommend doing that - otherwise the board is basically usless for recording. They usually host their schematics and service materials on their site and will give them to you if you email them.

tap the signal from the mute button - that should be post EQ, and pre-fader - or if there is an EQ bypass, thats probably another decent place to tap from, cause you can take the EQ out again.

another vote for behringer though - sure, they are cheap and sound awful - but they are good for gigging cause they do not break and if they do behringer is a no questions asked company - they just give you another one through your local dealer, and they take the busted one and toss it. Behringer does not even want it back!

I see no difference between any of the mixers in the under $2000 range, in the compact size. Might as well save cash right?