• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Recommendations for Budget live-mixer

getBAK

getBAK

Supporting Member
Sep 21, 2006
2,123
3,938
San Jose, CA
www.levijack.com
#1
Hoping for a little guidance here.
My group needs to upgrade it's mixer to something with more inputs and I'd like a recommendation. I'd like something with 8+ XLR inputs and support for both mains and monitors. All of our speakers are active, so no need for a power amp.

I'm looking at the Behringer Xenyx X2222and Soundcraft EPM8 but for under $300 am a little leery about quality.
Would love some input by folks that have "been there"


The Band:
Alt-rock/Outlaw Country/Jam
  • 3 Vocals
  • 2 Guitars. One Guitar is acoustic and DI's into the board, the other is electric and uses a stage amp
  • 1 Bass (5 String) using stage amp and potentially DI'ing
  • Full Drum Set - currently using room sound, would like the option to run overheads and/or bass drum mic.
Venues
Generally sub 200 cap bars, winery's coffee houses. Anything bigger has a house PA

The current rig
  • Older Mackie board 4-XLR input 12 channel.
  • 2 JBL 15" Active Mains
  • 2 new QSC CP12 active mains/stage monitors
 
Last edited:
#4
getBAK said:
Hoping for a little guidance here.
My group needs to upgrade it's mixer to something with more inputs and I'd like a recommendation. I'd like something with 8+ XLR inputs and support for both mains and monitors. All of our speakers are active, so no need for a power amp.

I'm looking at the Behringer Xenyx X2222and Soundcraft EPM8 but for under $300 am a little leery about quality.
Would love some input by folks that have "been there"


The Band:
Alt-rock/Outlaw Country/Jam
  • 3 Vocals
  • 2 Guitars. One Guitar is acoustic and DI's into the board, the other is electric and uses a stage amp
  • 1 Bass (5 String) using stage amp and potentially DI'ing
  • Full Drum Set - currently using room sound, would like the option to run overheads and/or bass drum mic.
Venues
Generally sub 200 cap bars, winery's coffee houses. Anything bigger has a hose PA

The current rig
  • Older Mackie 4-input board
  • 2 JBL 15" Active Mains
  • 2 new QSC CP12 active mains/stage monitors
Click to expand...
For the drums, I'd add some kick. For the bass, you may have to add a sub to handle both.

Maybe a little kick in the PA and HPF your bass rig to clean up the low end and add clarity for the FOH.

That's all I got.
 
Last edited:
#6
You haven’t said what your budget is, but if you can swing it, I’d suggest looking at the Behringer X32 line. We’re running the X32 Rack, which is great as long as you’re comfortable setting up and working with WiFi and a tablet. Having the ability to mix with a tablet from anywhere on stage is really nice, and the X32’s have all the inputs and outputs you’ll ever need for a small band. If you need more, you can easily later add the digital stage boxes. For the price, it’s really hard to beat.
 
#7
I have a Soundcraft EFX8 that my band has used for years. It has been an absolute stone, very reliable and great tone. I would expect the EPM8 to be equally reliable. Pretty hard to go wrong with Soundcraft.
The Behringer is also a very good mixer. The big advantage it has over the EPM8 is that it has effects on board... and they are good effects. It won't hold it's value quite as well as the Soundcraft and may be a tad more fragile.
If you need effects I'd go with the Behringer. If not, Soundcraft all the way.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Oatis and AlexanderB
#9
Given that budget was not mentioned... other than referencing a specific console..
I'd recommend getting a Behringer XR18. It's $488 on Amazon
Fits all your needs, can be expanded and will also provide effects and compression/gates to EVERY input.
You get 6 monitor mixes with individual control over each (via tablet) and L/R out.
It will also support firmware upgrades and wifi access. You will need a tablet to run it.
Invalid Link Removed
 
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
  • Like
Reactions: stubborne, FuturePrimitive, SoCal80s and 5 others
#10
I'd either spend the money on the X-Air 18 (get a cheap WiFi router that does 5gHz while you're out shopping and safe yourself a lot of hassle down the road).

When the budget's tight, don't go digital and cheaper. Go analog and second hand. So many people did upgrade their FOH set to one of the digital units that big, high quality mixer boards should be available on the second hand market.
 
  • Like
Reactions: EdO., two fingers and Zooberwerx
#12
getBAK said:
so - chiming back in here.
The budget is a little undefined, I'd like to stay sub-$500. Willing to consider used.

The I-Pad integrated systems are cool, but I'm not sure how applicable for a band running its own sound from stage
Click to expand...
The xr18 is good for that, you can save shows as scenes. So you can get it setup before and when you go back to said venue, recall the scene. We went to using it about a month ago. The good thing is that you can use it for your monitors so that they never change, and you can take it to venues that have their own pa. So you can have a consistent monitor mix.
 
  • Like
Reactions: s0c9
#13
getBAK said:
so - chiming back in here.
The budget is a little undefined, I'd like to stay sub-$500. Willing to consider used.

The I-Pad integrated systems are cool, but I'm not sure how applicable for a band running its own sound from stage
Click to expand...
My country band has been doing it for years (literally) when we are playing venues with house-provide PA (97%) and no FOH guy (60%), or when we run our own PA (3%).
You do normal sound check - carry tablet out front and adjust EQ, gain, effects, compression and gate. Once you start playing all you should need to adjust (if anything) is the level of a specific channel - and you can get the bar mgt or a "friend" to tell you when that is needed.

And - you can save your setting to a "scene" for each gig, so it's simple to recall and use as a starting point at next visit.
So much simpler and LESS time consuming than doing and analog board reset at each venue. :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: /\/\3phist0
#14
My church has a Behringer X18 that Is terrible. It doesn’t sound very good and the iPad interface isn’t perfectly reliable even if you have a good router.

There are lots of people that want the cool guy factor of having ‘a digital console’ but since you don’t need a lot of inputs or signal routing, an analog mixer is a better choice in your price range.
 
#15
I would highly recommend going for a modern digital mixer like the behringer X18 for $488 listed above. Also, with newer generations of them out, you might be able to find a used Mackie DL1608 or similar down near your $300 price point. You will be looking at 6 or more AUX out puts so everyone can have their own mix, plus everyone will be able to control their own mix from a tablet or smartphone. You also get a full racks worth of outboard gear for every channel including noise gate, compression, and parametric EQ. You will also have typically 4 or more effects sends with various delays, reverb, choruses, etc.

Every band I've been in or spoken to who moved to a digital mixer has experienced the same "you've never sounded better" feedback from bar owners, fans, and friends almost immediately after making the switch.
 
#16
Go with a Behringer digital mixer. You get so much for so little.

Reverb/effects sends options (lots)
Great sounding preamps
Each member controls their own monitor mix with their own phone
Save different settings (scenes) for each venue/setting.
Adjust sound from anywhere in the venue with a tablet (on stage, in front of stage, back of room, on the potty)

Highly recommended.
 
  • Like
Reactions: s0c9 and gln1955
#17
The band I'm playing with uses a QSC TouchMix 16, which is a nifty little board. What I like about it is it's digital but doesn't require a tablet. You can use a tablet or a cell phone if you want, but it's got everything built into the board, including some pretty decent effects. They make an 8 channel version as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bassdirty, s0c9, /\/\3phist0 and 1 other person
#18
JimmyM said:
The band I'm playing with uses a QSC TouchMix 16, which is a nifty little board. What I like about it is it's digital but doesn't require a tablet. You can use a tablet or a cell phone if you want, but it's got everything built into the board, including some pretty decent effects. They make an 8 channel version as well.
Click to expand...
This is another good suggestion. It is what I was using until I needed more than 16 channels. I really like the interface on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JimmyM
#20
Behringer XR12

My band uses the Soundcraft digital/virtual mixer and it's fantastic. I subbed in a band last Saturday and they had the Behringer XR18 and it seemed just great to me. This mixer will have your monitors covered. I don't think there is going to be a traditional knob mixer in your price range that will give you independant monitor mixes.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back