Mackie 1604 VLZ-PRO

[Skyline609]

Recording engineer, have i seen in other posts that you own one of these. can you tell me a little about it?? Im finalizing my mixer purchase, and its down to this board and the alesis studio 32!!
Thanks!

[Recording Engineer]

Well, you're not really going to hear a difference in quality. If anything, the Mackie pres in the Pro will be quieter; how much? Good question. It's enough to notice, but you have to decide if it's a big enough difference to really dominate your final decision. It also depends on how many tracks you'll need to record at once. The Mackie provides only 8 direct outs while the Alesis provides 16. Is this going to affect you (now or later)?

So, why did I choose the Mackie (which costs substancialy more) even though features of the two are about the same (or a little more features on the Alesis because of the direct outs)? Simply because loyalty. Mackie has never let me down! Not my beating taking SR24-4 that I hauled all over with no case for three years, not the 1400 amp I've had for about a year and a half now, nor my 1604VLZ-PRO I've had for around six months now.

For me, I love Mackie for live sound reinforcement over most live boards in the under 10kUS range. It's crystal clear, clean and crisp, and mud-free; which is just what I'm looking for in live sound.

[Recording Engineer]

By the way:

I'd be a proud owner of either boards. In my opinion, they both take top honors in their class. I've used a Spirit 16-channel before; hated it! I've used a Allen & Heath; hated it! Their sound isn't bad (the Alesis or Mackie aren't any better in that sense), but both boards (in this class) just feel cheap, plus, their lay-out is just not logical to me. I haven't used any Behringer gear at all, so I can't say anything about them other than Behringer's rep doesn't even come close to Alesis' and Mackie's reputation; which that right there is is something to note greatly.