Small format live digital mixers

[Angus Kerr]

Following Mike's suggestions, I've been looking at digital mixers. I figured, as nice as a new analog mixer may be, it would just be *another* new analog mixer doing the same thing as my Mackie 1604 and Behringer 2442FX.

Now there is a big jump in cost.

I looked at the Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 and the Behringer XR18, and, much as I hate to say it, the Behringer looks like a really nice piece of kit. It costs substantially less than the Presonus, has 16 mic pres, so no auxiliary mixer and premix tricks required, has no moving parts, LCD screens to go faulty etc. No need for a snake, no need for long monitor cables, you can plug straight into the audio interface on stage, and use your Android tablet as the interface via a Wifi connection for the mixing. You can set your monitor mix while standing in front of the monitors.

Considering that the Behringer costs substantially less, and offers more I/O, I am inclined to advise that my partner in crime that this is a good buy.. I would guess the Presonus may sound better, but for more money a typical band recording would involve a second analog mixer doing, say, a toms and overheads submix to 2 stereo channels. The Behringer would be simple plug in everything into its own channel.

Both products offer multitrack recording, with some sort of PC software offering (I would import these tracks into my Linux system for further processing anyway), but the Presonus only works with iPad, where the Behringer works with both iPad and Android.

Experiences? Note let's not turn this into a Behringer bashing exercise......

[Mike Rivers[_2_]]

On 10/21/2015 1:21 PM, Angus Kerr wrote:

> I looked at the Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 and the Behringer XR18,

> Considering that the Behringer costs substantially less, and offers
> more I/O, I am inclined to advise that my partner in crime that this
> is a good buy.

> Both products offer multitrack recording, with some sort of PC
> software offering (I would import these tracks into my Linux system
> for further processing anyway), but the Presonus only works with
> iPad, where the Behringer works with both iPad and Android.

If you're considering a mixer without a control surface, Mackie has a
16-channel one, as does Soundcraft, and I think PreSonus (though that
might be 24 or 32 channels). The Soundcraft works with a web browser so
you can talk to it from any platform. I was unaware that Behringer had
an Android app for the remote control, so that's a good selling point
for you.

I'm not a Behringer basher in general but the one Behringer mixer that I
have failed in a minor way - the phantom power LED indicator quit, and
it's not the LED, but what drives it, which is quite thoroughly buried
(which is why it still doesn't work). On the other hand, I've had Mackie
and Soundcraft mixers for years and years and the're still working fine.
But also, they're not digital (nor is the Behringer with the dead
phantom indicator).

I doubt that the Behringer will continue working as long as your Mackie,
but you never can tell. Or maybe it won't have to.

--
For a good time, visit http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com

[[email protected]]

>
> Both products offer multitrack recording, with some sort of PC software offering (I would import these tracks into my Linux system for further processing anyway), but the Presonus only works with iPad, where the Behringer works with both iPad and Android.
>
> Experiences? Note let's not turn this into a Behringer bashing exercise......

one second hand experience I can offer.....after talking to the sound guy....

If you have the fortune to mix in a 1,000 or 10,000 seat venue, and you use WiFi to inferface your tablet to the console, be sure to TURN OFF the SSID broadcast of your network ID. Just having a password is not good enough.. If you get 1,000 people trying to log onto your console network at the same time, it will bog it down. If the SSID is off, they won't even see it.

Mark

[Angus Kerr]

On Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 9:25:02 PM UTC+2, wrote:
>
> one second hand experience I can offer.....after talking to the sound guy....
>
> If you have the fortune to mix in a 1,000 or 10,000 seat venue, and you use WiFi to inferface your tablet to the console, be sure to TURN OFF the SSID broadcast of your network ID. Just having a password is not good enough. If you get 1,000 people trying to log onto your console network at the same time, it will bog it down. If the SSID is off, they won't even see it.

[Angus Kerr]

On Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 9:20:18 PM UTC+2, Mike Rivers wrote:
> On 10/21/2015 1:21 PM, Angus Kerr wrote:
>
> > I looked at the Presonus StudioLive 16.0.2 and the Behringer XR18,
>
> > Considering that the Behringer costs substantially less, and offers
> > more I/O, I am inclined to advise that my partner in crime that this
> > is a good buy.
>
> > Both products offer multitrack recording, with some sort of PC
> > software offering (I would import these tracks into my Linux system
> > for further processing anyway), but the Presonus only works with
> > iPad, where the Behringer works with both iPad and Android.
>
> If you're considering a mixer without a control surface, Mackie has a
> 16-channel one, as does Soundcraft, and I think PreSonus (though that
> might be 24 or 32 channels). The Soundcraft works with a web browser so
> you can talk to it from any platform. I was unaware that Behringer had
> an Android app for the remote control, so that's a good selling point
> for you.
>
> I'm not a Behringer basher in general but the one Behringer mixer that I
> have failed in a minor way - the phantom power LED indicator quit, and
> it's not the LED, but what drives it, which is quite thoroughly buried
> (which is why it still doesn't work). On the other hand, I've had Mackie
> and Soundcraft mixers for years and years and the're still working fine.
> But also, they're not digital (nor is the Behringer with the dead
> phantom indicator).

lol, I have a Behringer 2442fxPRO, and I have had to repair the Power Supply, and replace faulty RAM chips on the Effects board. I'm hoping they make things better than then (+-2004), but I'll be going into this eyes wide open, knowing that I have the skills, or know other people that have the skills to repair switch mode power supplies. When it comes to surface mount failures, chances of successful repair are low .......Although the faulty RAM chips I replaced were surface mount (my hack fix wasn't pretty, but it works).

As far as the other products, I haven't seen the Soundcraft being marketed here, the Mackie only supports stereo recordings and is iPad only, and the PreSonus hasn't got good reviews on Preamp quality, is limited in IO (8 mic pres and 4 stereo channels), and is iPad only.

In short, the Behringer is the least expensive, and the most flexible.

Unfortunately. And looking at the internet buzz, Mackie customers are not impressed by the lack of Android support.

Behringer are being very smart here with their cross platform capability, I mean I've even seen software for Linux and the Raspberry Pi!

99% we'll be going for the Behringer.

Thanks for your inputs...

-Angus.