Good 10+ channel mixer for my PA system at a great price?

[NoDestiny]

I had a behringer POS used thing that just sucked and didn't work 1/2 the time (I gave the thing away, it pissed me off too often). I have been using my Firepod for now, but want a dedicated mixer for this. I would love 16 channel, but 10-12 is a must and I really don't want to spend a lot, yet I want something reliable. Don't need a ton of features, but basic level, maybe some EQ, filter cut, etc. (just the basics).

Thanx for the input!

 

[006]

Sounds like a question for the Equipment forum!

 

[egan.]

price? Mackie is really hard to beat in the price to performance reinforcement category. That said there are a lot of option so you should really determine your needs. As in, how many mic pre's do you need? Line in? Auxes? etc. We bought a dirt cheap yamaha for our rehearsal space but we really only needed 4 mic pres and a couple of stereo inputs.

 

[NoDestiny]

Sounds like a question for the Equipment forum!

I considered it, but its not for recording...

Really, I would like 10+ mic pre's. Ill look into some Mackies. Thanx!

 

[DanLights]

I was just suggesting in another thread that we could use a live sound/FOH kind of subforum.

All i can help you is that i've heard Mackie is good and affordable

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Have you checked out what Allen & Heath has to offer?

 

[NoDestiny]

^^^ ill check them out too. After my Baringher experience, I'm skeptical of just jumping out and buying one without asking people first.

 

[NoDestiny]

How about Peavey for mixers? I found the PV14 seems to be a good price...

 

[darth_cupboardy]

For budget mixers maybe also look for soundcraft.

 

[Trevoire520]

Allen and Heath for the win in my experience.
Even the bottom of the line PA series mixers have decent pre's and good eq. The Zed/Mixwizard series are a step up in all respects. Used a Mixwizard and a GL2400 for plenty of live mixing and recording and they are very very good mixers. The onboard reverbs on the MW are surprisingly useful.

All A&H mixers are built like tanks too. Might cost a little more than an equivalent Mackie but imo a A&H is a mixer made for life.

Yamaha and Peavey also make some pretty solid mixers, the Yamaha MG's have compressors on some channels which is handy if you don't have many outboard comps.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Allen and Heath for the win in my experience.
Even the bottom of the line PA series mixers have decent pre's and good eq. The Zed/Mixwizard series are a step up in all respects. Used a Mixwizard and a GL2400 for plenty of live mixing and recording and they are very very good mixers. The onboard reverbs on the MW are surprisingly useful.

All A&H mixers are built like tanks too. Might cost a little more than an equivalent Mackie but imo a A&H is a mixer made for life.

Yamaha and Peavey also make some pretty solid mixers, the Yamaha MG's have compressors on some channels which is handy if you don't have many outboard comps.

Yeah. I've only done one small gig with a Zed, and considering the price, I was pretty convinced. The lack of features was compensated by the feeling of actually working with a good desk, even though it was pretty limited.

I've also got a good friend who does a decent amount FOH engineering, and he swears by A&H desks.

 

[egan.]

^^^ ill check them out too. After my Baringher experience, I'm skeptical of just jumping out and buying one without asking people first.

Honestly anything from Mackie, AH, or soundcraft is going to be decent quality. Historically I would have given AH the edge but I've found the onyx pres/eq to be comparable or better than anything else in the sub $1K point.

 

[Trevoire520]

+1 on the Onyx pre's comment (I used to have a Satellite) Not that the A&H pre's are bad by any means, infact I think they're quite smooth in the highs, which is nice. Not used an mackie board but I've heard nothing but good things about the onyx series.
Getting a 1640 with a FW card would make recording gigs a piece of piss too, just need to bring a laptop.

Soundcraft are also good, used to have a Spirit Studio desk that had a lovely warm, but open sound. But in my experience Soundcraft's seem to be more prone to noisy pots, dead channels etc compared to A&H.