Behringer VS. Mackie..opinions please...

Heat

New member
I am trying to purchase a small mixer for my home studio. I am doing digital recording...and have never before used an external mixer.

I have narrowed my choices betweeen a Behringer MX 1804x, or a Mackie CFX series.

At this point I am not to concerned with number of inputs, outputs, returns, etc. The comparison I am looking for, is wich brand is least noisiest and has better sound quality. Both of these models also contain onboard signal processing wich is also cool...anyone like one over the other for this reason????

Like I mentioned before, I have never used an external mixer before, and I am looking for low noise, and good overall quality....I am also not opposed to any other brands you guys have tried any liked in the >$500 range.....

Thanks for your advice,


Heat
 
my tascam tmd-1000 is so quiet I cant even tell that its on. and its digital, so your converters are set away from your noisy (rf speaking) computer... and so on. It also has onboard effects, including dynamics.

xoxoxo
 
Hello.I can tell you from personal experience that Behringer makes some great sounding stuff(awesome prices too).I've never tried a Mackie board though,but I've heard allot of people have been unhappy with them.
My advice-trust your ears.If you have a guitar center or a local music store close go check em out and see what sounds the best to you.
 
I have two questions up concerning similar topics to yours, although I am shopping for a much larger mixer. However I also needed a small mixer, and I recently bought a Behringer MX802A. It may be just what you are looking for - 8 inputs (4 mono 1/4 or XLR, 2 stereo 1/4), Main stereo out, plus seperate control room (monitor), phone, and 2 track outs. It also has 2 effects sends (one pre one post) and three band eq all in a box about 10" x 12". It seems very quiet although I really have not used it much yet. I got it from Guitar Center for $119 - quite a deal I thought. They make one model smaller (6 channels) for about $80 and of course several larger mixers.
 
I think I am leaning towards the Behringer...Ive hear good things about them for the most part, and Ive hear a lot of negatives about Mackie overal on this BBS.

I checked AMS online and then have the MX1804x listed for $339.99 -5% for online orders...sounds like a good price to me......now it seems like the problem is goint ot be to find one of these suckers......
 
I think I am leaning towards the Behringer...Ive hear good things about them for the most part, and Ive hear a lot of negatives about Mackie overal on this BBS.

I checked AMS online and then have the MX1804x listed for $339.99 -5% for online orders...sounds like a good price to me......now it seems like the problem is going to be to find one of these suckers......
 
Don't want to start something here, but I've read all the same "trash the mackie" junk as well. Do a search on an expired discussion ("Mackie sucks- so what doesn't") and you'll see what I mean.

Take the brand loyalty you find here with a grain of salt; I tried to listen for experience and ditch the ego trips. And what I learned was that Mackie doesn't "suck" at all; it placed its products in their respective market niches, that's all. Most who responded seemed to feel it edged slightly ahead of Behringer (compare the prices and that shouldn't be startling) but did not produce an "ultimate" studio system in the under $1,000 range. Name something that does!

One or two members with strong pro studio background preferred the Soundcraft products. Soundcraft has a budget line (Sprint) that looks really nice and seems to have very good specs. Watch out for non-U.S. vendors, though; you won't get a warranty worth anything.

The Mackie CFX is not a studio mixer. It is a live perfomance mixer. It will not be as quiet, but it will be more affordable and more capable than its studio bretheren.

I bought a Tascam TM D1000 for home digital recording and was impressed with its specs, but I found that digital audio was a tough read for me (it comes with three manuals and a video tutorial) and I also learned that it is positively the last mixer on earth I would ever want in a live performance situation, because of a poorly designed user interface. It drove me nuts. But it cost $500 and really rocks as a recording mixer. I want something more intuitive for occasional outside use, and mine had a defect; back it went.

So after all the dust settled, I bought a Mackie CFX12. Can I hear noise? Yep. Turn up the trim till it clips, turn up the faders past unity, EQ too much and play "twelve year old" with the effects. All kinds of noise.

Is it quiet? Yep. Do what you need in moderation and the mixer performs very well for the price. And it is intuitive.

Is it perfect? Nope. But I'm not a pro, and I don't have a big budget. I'm just beginning this project - guitars, mixer, computer (still at the SB Live! value stage) and getting sticker shock at cabling and such.

When I'm ready for a recording console, the prices will likely have dropped, and maybe someone out there will finally design a digital mixer that I can't tell from analog - except for the signal. But for now, I'll stay with the Mackie.



[This message has been edited by Treeline (edited 05-16-2000).]
 
Yeah Treeline I agree with you on what your saying.....Dont think I was just trying to post a trash Mackie Thread...

That is just what I have read..for the most part..is a lot of people were unhappy with their Mackie's because of Sound Quality. I am also just staring out...and know where in the pro studio range....(do you think I could spend $70,000 on an Oramsonics console??? my first house was cheaper!!!)

I guess my point was Behringer offered a feature packed mixer for $339.....for the money seemed like the best mixer around......
 
I'll just add one more comment - I am really a self-taught "hacker" hobbiest in my studio skills, and I have put up with shoddy hardware for a long time because I could not afford otherwise. Now that I make more money in my "day" job (basically PC tech support) I have been shopping for better gear. However, the three people I personally know who make a living from their studios all recomend Mackie highly FOR ITS PRICE RANGE. Enough said...
 
Bank for the Buck, Behringer and Mackie are likely right on par with each other. Consider that Mackie is more expensive and there you go... there's your better mixer. :D

-jhe
 
Behringer: 3

Mackie: 2

RWhite are you changing your mind??? Are you finding you are not happy with your smaller Behringer???


Just trying to find the best man for the job..............Heat
 
I agree with you Amadeus. Though in my aforementioned thread I based my comparisons
on actual use, I'm not a fan either of Behringer mixers. I believe a little more work and effort can be made on Behringer mixers to bring them up to par.Mackie's just make better mixers than Behringers.But I do give Behringer much credit for their compressors and efx boxes;not the greatest in the world but for their price range they do a magnificent job.
 
I really like my Mackie. I own a 1202 and have used the 1402. I would go for the 1402 if I had the need to buy a new board. But my 1202 is still working fine, after 10 years. They're built like tanks. Only have one XLR connect that needs to be replaced. But since I record one track at a time, no rush. At $500, the 1402 gives you quite a few options and the newer models have killer mic preamps. I have to say, though, I have never used any mixer other than Mackie on a frequent basis. I have heard the Alesis Studio 24 and was impressed with that unit. Bottom line, listen, listen, listen, then buy.

Peace, Jim
 
I have previously owned the Behringer Mx2624.
Decent mixer,Eq was not "musical-enuff'" faders were smooth,pre-amps were so-so,not much noise at unity when trim and fader is up.Pfl/solo switches produced a faint click
when depressed (unit was brand new). Sold it
and purchased the Alesis Studio 32. Good clean mixer,stereo aux sends and returns,Eq was smooth,but needs work on the midrange frequencies,preamps were satisfactory and the relative ease of controls were nice.I also bought the Mackie 1202 because thier preamps are much better than aforementioned mixers and for some reason,less noisy.
So in my honest opinion 1 being bad and 5 being great:
Behringer=2.75
Alesis =3.00
Mackie =4.25
Mind you these are only my opinions.1 man's bread can be anothers man's feast!
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the general consensus on most newsgroups, especially rec.audio.pro, that Behringer is basically a Mackie copy but just not as good? All I've ever heard is how Mackie preamps are much better quality than comparable mixers, how solid their built, and how great support from Mackie is. I've heard people say, well Behringer is cheaper and good enough to get the job done, but I've hardly ever heard anyone say that Behringer is actually a better mixer. And it seems that this thread supports Mackie as well. My Mackie works great, so although I don't have the 2 brands to compare side by side, from what I've read you gotta go with Mackie.

Plus Behringer mixers even look much cheesier than Mackies :)
 
What I have heard is that Behringer has no real R&D as a company, they basicly find a unit they like (mixer, effect, whatever) and copy the technology from it. Since Mackie is currently sueing Behringer for copyright infringement, there seems to be some credance to this story. Of course if you are going to steal, steal from the best! My Behringer 802 seems like a nice unit, certainly way less expensive than the comperable Mackie unit. But I hear lots of praise about Mackie from those who should know. So I am still undecided about what (larger) mixer I am going to buy, but leaning toward Alesis Studio 32. I would go Mackie if they would just put tape returns on their mixers.....
 
Having defended and then purchased a Mackie CFX12, let me turn the tables a little and suggest that you check out this little gem:
http://www.allen-heath.co.uk/product/prdfrm.htm

Allen & Heath has one hell of a reputation for their pro recording consoles, and they're now into the small mixer market.

Maybe some of the pros on this site could help out on this one. I think the 12 channel runs somewhere in the $500 - 600 range.
 
So, I hear all you guys defending Mackies.
That's fine and dandy. But the Mackie 1202-VLZ sells for $379; the Behringer MX802-A (almost identical) sells for $119, a third of the price. The Mackie 1402-VLZ costs $549; the Behringer MX1604-A costs $189, a third of the price.

Two obvious questions are (and I don't know the answers): (1) are the Mackies 3-times better than the Behringers? (2) Which mixer is the best value?

If money was no object, I wouldn't buy either of these brands.
 
wow...a little emotional about a mixer huh? Ok CAMN if you are still reading this post...I went down to Guitar Satan today and checked out Tascam-TM-D1000...on sale for $499.....

I have to say looks like a sweet ass digital mixer for under $500.....onboard effects too.......so anything bad about it that you regret now....anybody else with a take on digital mixers.....seems to me like i cant loose with this mixer...but then again im still a little naive about these things.......

Thanks guys...this BBS rules.......Heat

[This message has been edited by Heat (edited 06-02-2000).]
 
I dismissed the Tascam unit because of too few analog inputs. Yamaha makes some nice digital mixers but all well >$1000. I do like my little Behringer 802 and I have got lots of good work of mouth about Mackie. But when looking for a new (large) mixer I came down a choice between Behringer Eurodesk 3282 (32 channel inputs, 8 sub outs) for about $1120 or the Alesis Studio 32 (16 channel inputs + 16 tape return, 4 sub outs) for about $760.
After debateing this choice for weeks I finally went to the Guitar Center Memorial Day sale and bought the Alesis. The only one there was a "repack" (i.e.opened) so knowing they have 30 day exchange I bought it. Turns out it had more than a little use on it - if the scuffed feet weren't a give away, the manufacture date of 10/97 was. So I called GC and said I would be bringing it back for an exchange, they said no problem, they will have a new one in a few days. So I took the chance last night to run a few tests on this (used) unit and I must say I am impressed. It seems virtually noiseless for one. All the faders and pots are very smooth. Flipping the tape returns in and out of the monitor sends (in addition to the mains) produced no drops or noise of any kind. I also ran some pink noise through a channel and checked the EQ on an analyser (a cheap one mind you) and the EQ "looks as good as it sounds". While it would be nice to have more than 4 subs, I would have to recomend the Alesis for anyone looking for a good mixer in the >$500 <$1000 range.
 
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