Hello everyone...
I am new to this forum and have found great info here!
I am the old school type when it comes to PA systems and want to step up the ladder a bit!
I am in the process of putting together a club PA system for our band...
We play Country and classic rock.
We play clubs with anywhere from 75-300 people
The next buy will be a mixer of 16-24 channels...non powered analog.
I would like to hear what everyone is using...
Mackie, Peavey, Allen & Heath, Behringer, etc...
I have new 2 Peavey PV215 mains and 2 PV118 subs so far and 1 Behringer EP2000 power amp.
I plan on purchasing 2 QSC amps for the subs and mains and will use the EP2000 for monitors...That is until it goes out! I will replace it with another QSC.
Right now I am looking for a mixer with or without FX...What should I buy???
New or used.
Thank you in advance for your input!
I am new to this forum and have found great info here!
I am the old school type when it comes to PA systems and want to step up the ladder a bit!
I am in the process of putting together a club PA system for our band...
We play Country and classic rock.
We play clubs with anywhere from 75-300 people
The next buy will be a mixer of 16-24 channels...non powered analog.
I would like to hear what everyone is using...
Mackie, Peavey, Allen & Heath, Behringer, etc...
I have new 2 Peavey PV215 mains and 2 PV118 subs so far and 1 Behringer EP2000 power amp.
I plan on purchasing 2 QSC amps for the subs and mains and will use the EP2000 for monitors...That is until it goes out! I will replace it with another QSC.
Right now I am looking for a mixer with or without FX...What should I buy???
New or used.
Thank you in advance for your input!
Very nice board but way over my budget!
I am looking for a mixer in the price range of $500.00-$1000.00 range...
Yep, still over budget...For a band that makes $500.00 a night but drinks up half of that in beer! LOL!
I love the Mackie 24-4, they are $500 or less used and they work, sound decent and they just don't do anything really wrong. they don't do anything really right either. it just never gets in the way i guess is the best way to put it! For a $500 budget you simply cannot go wrong! plus they have 6-aux sends! so you can set up 4 monitor mixes and 2 FX sends! The board really has a LOT to offer!
I have never liked Allen and Heath boards! they just never felt right to me. and I have had problems with newer Soundcraft boards. walk up to one plugged into a PA and just tap the rear connector panel! TINK TINK TINK right through the PA! that was with TWO brand new boards right out of the box!
I played with a 32 channel Carvin board and just found it lacking!
I wouldn't own a Behringer board if my life depended on it. might as well just take your money and set fire to it as you WILL be buying another board before long!
I have never liked Allen and Heath boards! they just never felt right to me. and I have had problems with newer Soundcraft boards. walk up to one plugged into a PA and just tap the rear connector panel! TINK TINK TINK right through the PA! that was with TWO brand new boards right out of the box!
I played with a 32 channel Carvin board and just found it lacking!
I wouldn't own a Behringer board if my life depended on it. might as well just take your money and set fire to it as you WILL be buying another board before long!
I did say I wan't to step up the ladder a bit...Not go over the top! LOL!
I did post 24-32 channels in the introduction by mistake...Should be 16-24 channels but 32 channels is a good idea...
Too many channels are better than not enough...
We have 3 vocals (3ch.), 2 guitars (2ch.), a bass (1ch.), keys (1ch.), and drums (9 ch.) 7 cads and a Roland drum module with triggers. I like the drum module for the sound but has a slight delay so I use the mikes to get the attack on top of the beat...That would be 16 channels but a 24 would be nice to run additional rack mounted effect units back through the extra channels.
I like to use compression on drums and vocals. a couple of effects, reverb, delay, etc and looking at a sub harmonic synth. for kick and bass guitar.( old idea but new to me) There is no need for USB or Firewire as I use my old Roland VS1680 for recording demos and such.
I do have some of our songs on Soundclick under The Del Rio Tx. recorded in a mobile home with my Roland LOL!
Here's the link...
http://www.soundclick.com/mysoundclick/default.cfm?content=stations&show=allfull
This will give you an idea of the calibre of our band...
Like I said a mixer around $500.00 to $1000.00
We are not stars, Just pickers that like to have fun!
Thank you, Steve
I did post 24-32 channels in the introduction by mistake...Should be 16-24 channels but 32 channels is a good idea...
Too many channels are better than not enough...
We have 3 vocals (3ch.), 2 guitars (2ch.), a bass (1ch.), keys (1ch.), and drums (9 ch.) 7 cads and a Roland drum module with triggers. I like the drum module for the sound but has a slight delay so I use the mikes to get the attack on top of the beat...That would be 16 channels but a 24 would be nice to run additional rack mounted effect units back through the extra channels.
I like to use compression on drums and vocals. a couple of effects, reverb, delay, etc and looking at a sub harmonic synth. for kick and bass guitar.( old idea but new to me) There is no need for USB or Firewire as I use my old Roland VS1680 for recording demos and such.
I do have some of our songs on Soundclick under The Del Rio Tx. recorded in a mobile home with my Roland LOL!
Here's the link...
http://www.soundclick.com/mysoundclick/default.cfm?content=stations&show=allfull
This will give you an idea of the calibre of our band...
Like I said a mixer around $500.00 to $1000.00
We are not stars, Just pickers that like to have fun!
Thank you, Steve
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HAHA! Behringer's reviews are bad too! Mark, Our lead singer bought a used 32 channel Behringer mixer with FX and is now under his bed collecting lint balls!
Channels 1-8 went out the 2nd gig we used it on!
I have 3 Mackie SR24.4 mixers saved on ebay right now ranging from $350. to $575. and the higher priced of the 3 has a nice road case included.
Mark also bought a Carvin with all the bells and whistles but it is noisy!!! HISS and HUM! Ground lift does not help.
Poor Mark! LOL!
What about the new Peavey stuff?
When I played a house gig in Bossier Cty. La. back in the early 80's we used a Peavey 12 ch. with humongus channel knobs instead of sliders that looked like crap but kept on working even with drinks spilled all over it! LOL!
2CS 800's a CS 400, Peavey wedges, and 2 SP1's...2 of them just about filled up a pick-up bed...Those were the days!
I like PV stuff. I think when you say " a Peavey did this or that,' it is like saying a General Motors car did this or that. Was it a Chevette, a Corvette, a minivan? New Peavey, old Peavey, large small? They are not generic.
(I am reminded of my brother in law swearing a Beta VCR was better than a VHS, and then was surprised when his $200 Beta didn't make better pictures than his $1100 VHS.)
I don't like blanket statements about brands, even Behringer.
My shop is an authorized repair center for Mackie, Peavey, and Behringer, among others, and frankly they all make nice boards. WHat I consider on the road is servicability and reliability. They all will sound nice. PV has service centers all over, and the factory will send you any schematics you want direct for the asking, plus the parts department there will sell you any part. The PV gear tends to be reliable, and I'd take it on the road with me.
Behringer is at the other end of the scale. It is darned hard to find a service center locally, and the company will not send schematics to anyone not authorized, and parts can be an issue for civilians.
Mackie falls in the middle, you can get schematics, there are service centers but a lot fewer of them.
Features of course matter, but most brands make a wide range of models.
And used is indeed worth looking at.
(I am reminded of my brother in law swearing a Beta VCR was better than a VHS, and then was surprised when his $200 Beta didn't make better pictures than his $1100 VHS.)
I don't like blanket statements about brands, even Behringer.
My shop is an authorized repair center for Mackie, Peavey, and Behringer, among others, and frankly they all make nice boards. WHat I consider on the road is servicability and reliability. They all will sound nice. PV has service centers all over, and the factory will send you any schematics you want direct for the asking, plus the parts department there will sell you any part. The PV gear tends to be reliable, and I'd take it on the road with me.
Behringer is at the other end of the scale. It is darned hard to find a service center locally, and the company will not send schematics to anyone not authorized, and parts can be an issue for civilians.
Mackie falls in the middle, you can get schematics, there are service centers but a lot fewer of them.
Features of course matter, but most brands make a wide range of models.
And used is indeed worth looking at.
HMMM...Now I did say in the $500.00 to $1000.00 price range so I guess that is the Chevette of mixers...
Peavey has always been good equipment but I haven't used any sense the 80's...With todays economy, People are cutting corners here in the USA and using inferrior parts... That is one point I am basing my search on...
I did buy new Peavey speakers right from the start and happy so far...
I did take someones advice on the Behringer EP 2000 amp. Others have told me that the amp will not hold up after a while...Well we'll see! It is new out of the box with a warranty.
I personally have not used any Mackie products but have read an extensive list of reviews and like the semplicity of them...In fact I have red extensive reviews on all mentioned mixers above.
I agree with you about access to service centers for the products I do choose to purchase but if they are made right I shouldn't have to use them other than normal maintenance and cleaning which all will need sooner or later.
A little Carbon Tetrichloride or what ever it was replaced with today that is "Green"....
So far we have 1 for Mackie and 1 for Peavey in my price range...
After Jan. 1st I will be buying a mixer...
Our New Years Eve VFW gig will pay great and it will be a good time to buy...
Thank you for your input Enzo...
Steve...
"but if they are made right I shouldn't have to use them "
Even the Rolls Royce dealer has a service department. WHat if the need for service is some sort of damage? A mic stand falls on a couple faders and snaps them off? That has nothing to do with how well they are made. If a kid steps on his guitar cord, it is as likely to break the jack on a cheap crappy little amp as it is on a $1000 amp.
Even the Rolls Royce dealer has a service department. WHat if the need for service is some sort of damage? A mic stand falls on a couple faders and snaps them off? That has nothing to do with how well they are made. If a kid steps on his guitar cord, it is as likely to break the jack on a cheap crappy little amp as it is on a $1000 amp.
Yes! Good point Enzo...Could happen to the best of them...
Have you got any mixers there in your shop for sale?
Personally I own a Soundcraft LX7 I Have the 16 Mic channel version but bigger boards are available.
I bought it in preference over the Mackie for using at gigs. Technically the Mackie has better preamps, but is more geared to recording, rather than live sound. I,m not completely familiar with the Mackie 24-4 but if I was you I would look carefully at the specs of the mixer.
What won me over to the Soundraft LX7 were the 100Hz Hi pass filters - The EQ with 2 sweepable mids. The inserts points being in the right place for adding compressors to each channel, and the physical layout of the mixer, which is easier to operate in a live setting.
Regards Martin
I bought it in preference over the Mackie for using at gigs. Technically the Mackie has better preamps, but is more geared to recording, rather than live sound. I,m not completely familiar with the Mackie 24-4 but if I was you I would look carefully at the specs of the mixer.
What won me over to the Soundraft LX7 were the 100Hz Hi pass filters - The EQ with 2 sweepable mids. The inserts points being in the right place for adding compressors to each channel, and the physical layout of the mixer, which is easier to operate in a live setting.
Regards Martin
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