Best 24-32 channel mixer for the buck

steze48 · 14th December 2011, 11:20 AM

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!

pinkmouse · 14th December 2011, 11:32 AM

I'd look for a s/h A+H GL4000. Flexible, good EQ, and pretty robust. Find the right example and it will do you well for years.

imix500 · 14th December 2011, 11:40 AM

Adding to what Pinkmouse said-
APB-Dynasonics (the former Crest guys) make a few really great small-ish format consoles. ...and they're built here in the US.

steze48 · 14th December 2011, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinkmouse

I'd look for a s/h A+H GL4000. Flexible, good EQ, and pretty robust. Find the right example and it will do you well for years.

Very nice board but way over my budget!
I am looking for a mixer in the price range of $500.00-$1000.00 range...

steze48 · 14th December 2011, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imix500

Adding to what Pinkmouse said-
APB-Dynasonics (the former Crest guys) make a few really great small-ish format consoles. ...and they're built here in the US.

Yep, still over budget...For a band that makes $500.00 a night but drinks up half of that in beer! LOL!

Zero Cool · 14th December 2011, 07:17 PM

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!

steze48 · 07:31 PM

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/mysoundcli...s&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

pinkmouse · 14th December 2011, 07:49 PM

If a GL4000 is too rich, how about a GL3? That should be within your budget.

steze48 · 14th December 2011, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zero Cool

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!

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!

Zero Cool · 14th December 2011, 09:20 PM

we had a peavey installed at a local club i did a weekly gig at, it was ok, but then we got an old soundcraft 200B board and it kicked the Peaveys **** all over the place! headroom for days, sonicly it was night and day!

14th December 2011, 11:20 AM	#1
steze48 diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2011	Best 24-32 channel mixer for the buck 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!

14th December 2011, 11:32 AM	#2
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	I'd look for a s/h A+H GL4000. Flexible, good EQ, and pretty robust. Find the right example and it will do you well for years. __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort

14th December 2011, 07:17 PM	#6
Zero Cool Audio Junkie diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: MN	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! __________________ It's not about what you can BUY...It's about what you can BUILD!

14th December 2011, 07:28 PM	#7
steze48 diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2011	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/mysoundcli...s&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 Last edited by steze48; 14th December 2011 at 07:31 PM.

14th December 2011, 07:49 PM	#8
pinkmouse diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chatham, England	If a GL4000 is too rich, how about a GL3? That should be within your budget. __________________ Al I conceive of nothing, in religion, science or philosophy, that is more than the proper thing to wear, for a while. Charles Fort


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14th December 2011, 11:40 AM	#3
imix500 Proud Union Member diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Nashville, TN	Adding to what Pinkmouse said- APB-Dynasonics (the former Crest guys) make a few really great small-ish format consoles. ...and they're built here in the US.

14th December 2011, 09:20 PM	#10
Zero Cool Audio Junkie diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: MN	we had a peavey installed at a local club i did a weekly gig at, it was ok, but then we got an old soundcraft 200B board and it kicked the Peaveys **** all over the place! headroom for days, sonicly it was night and day! __________________ It's not about what you can BUY...It's about what you can BUILD!

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