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Main Mixer Board recommendations

sm49341

sm49341

May 12, 2013
568
524
Michigan
#1
Our last BL purchased a sound board without consulting anyone else in the group. It was on his dime (his choice) so what the hay. It was a Beringer EuroDesk 20 or 24 channel. My personal experience with Beringer is that its low end. Amyway 18 months and 4 dead channels later (and this BL guy gone) an entire output channel quit this weekend. We are down to one side. Time to move on and leave that POS behind us.
Local music store was explaining to me that a Pro level board has a lot more headroom, and keeps things clearer. We run about 14 to 15 channels. He has a used Soundcraft pro board but in my mind I cant take a 15 year old board into a gig, even if it did spend its life in a church. So I'm thinking something new. We are kinda used to having built in effects in the board, but I realize thats prolly more common on entry level stuff. We need 16 channels, with good head room. We play variety stuff, I'd say 70% is clean guitar, 30% cruchy drive. We are certainly more the Wagon Wheel act than rock. We have piano/keys, and our drummer uses a Roland electronic set. (i love those) I play a Fender PBass pre-EQ di out to main board. My onstage amp acts as my monitor. We are very particular about vocals as we have two lead singers, and they seem to be our big draw, so I want them vocs to sparkle, We are bi amping 3800 watts into our subs, 1500 into upper mains, and we have a couple 350watt Mackie powered thumps also adding to the mains. We play small to medium Bars, weddings, halls, and outdoor gigs. Big power but we keep the level reasonable. Anyone have any board suggestions at $1000 or less? Is there such a thing? Thanks for any feedback.
 
#3
Just bought a Mackie DL1608. There are definite ups and downs to a digital mixer, so do the research.
What sold it for me was the stored settings (can recall a gig once you are setup) and the iPhone app so users can set their own mixes, live via wifi.
 
#4
Spend up for a new presonus 16.4.2 or snag a used one about on your budget. It's a great board. You simply won't believe how good it sounds and how convenient it is. For a gigging band anything less is a waste of money.

I migrated from a Yamaha board that I really liked plus 12 spaces of outboard gear... I have more and more well integrated functionality now than I did then and I don't own an insert snake that isn't for sale...

As for the ups and downs of a digital mixer, after a couple of years with the 16.4.2 and having a couple or other local sound guys using them, I see no down side. I'm planning on adding a 32 channel AI version for my sound company. I took a serious look at the Mackie. Love the form factor. Didn't love the OS and the way the iPad integration was handled. YMMV.
 
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#6
4Mal said:
Spend up for a new presonus 16.4.2 or snag a used one about on your budget. It's a great board. You simply won't believe how good it sounds and how convenient it is. For a gigging band anything less is a waste of money.

I migrated from a Yamaha board that I really liked plus 12 spaces of outboard gear... I have more and more well integrated functionality now than I did then and I don't own an insert snake that isn't for sale...

As for the ups and downs of a digital mixer, after a couple of years with the 16.4.2 and having a couple or other local sound guys using them, I see no down side. I'm planning on adding a 32 channel AI version for my sound company. I took a serious look at the Mackie. Love the form factor. Didn't love the OS and the way the iPad integration was handled. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the 16.4.2, especially the new AI models, are really powerful in terms of capabilities and versatility. I've got an early one and have used it to record several bands. Recording each channel individually is very simple, and a lot can be done in post-production with the supplied editing software.
 
#8
I also have one of the older 16.4.2's. Stupid simple to set up, and lots of aux sends for separate monitor mixes. In one band I use 4 monitor mixes, one aux to feed the subs, and one for fx. Excellent eq's , comp, and limiting. Start with the presets and then tweak. Save your setups for rooms you go back to.

Recording is another big thing with this board. I use it all the time to record the shows. 18 tracks via firewire to my laptop using Capture, which came with the board. Do a quick mix on the spot, or take it home and clean up all the tracks with Studio One.
 
#9
If you don't want to spend up and stay with analog +1 to the yamaha mg20xu. I've only been window shopping but I have read everything I can find on it and for $700 it looks to be as good as you can get!
 
#10
I can second for the Allen and Heath Mixwizard 16:2. It has very clear and warm mic preamps, 100mm faders, 6 auxilliary outs, and too many other features to mention. I own one and have used it for several years without any reliability issues. Several of the clubs in which I play and provide sound use this board as there mixer. I bought mine used in a road case and it has been a great investment.
 
#11
You don't say who is mixing, but the choice gets simpler if you're mixing yourself from the stage. In that case, I'd definitely be looking for wifi control.

If you're doing your own sound, life's much easier with saved scenes and the ability to dial main and monitor mixes from anywhere.
 
#19
I've spent a lot of time with the Presonus and the Behringer X32, playing, mixing, recording, and the Behringer is a much better bang for the buck. Forget about that POS Eurodesk, it was garbage when brand new, and it wasn't even the same people that make the X32. And yes, the Presonus guys are 2 hours from my house and they are great guys, but the Presonus is just not up to speed as the X32. When I have to use a Presonus, I live on the app because it's a better interface than the surface. Just one user's opinion.

As for me, I'm looking at either a Soundcraft Expression 32 or the new Yamaha QL1, with the Dante network built in, enabling me to use it with my Nuage stuff. My primary use will be a self-contained band monitor desk with the ability to use it as a mains console, if necessary. Yes, these are expensive, but I have good uses for the feature set they come with, especially the Yamaha.
 
#20
headband said:
I can second for the Allen and Heath Mixwizard 16:2. It has very clear and warm mic preamps, 100mm faders, 6 auxilliary outs, and too many other features to mention. I own one and have used it for several years without any reliability issues. Several of the clubs in which I play and provide sound use this board as there mixer. I bought mine used in a road case and it has been a great investment.
Click to expand...
if you're staying analog, then thirded! this mixer is in a class by itself, everything else that size is either half the quality or twice the price. the "quality" part makes them (almost uniquely) a good bet used, because unlike anything else in that price range and format, the mixwiz has individual boards for each channel, which means it can always be fixed, where other boards like that are essentially disposable.

that said, digital is here now, and my mixwiz languishes in storage while a mackie 1608 does the gigs.
 

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