opinions on Behringer mixers ?

[BigLex]

I need a mixer to route my equipment (ASR-10, Roland keyboard, turntables/mixer, computer, VCR, receiver, bass)- I'm thinking about copping the Eurorack MX2004A for $220.. how's the quality and reliability of their products? Theres also the mx1804x for $30 more with DSP effects, but it has 6 less channels. How good are its effects? How's the preamps (I'll probably be using it for recording vocals, drums, and bass).

[esactun]

Lots of people dislike Behringer's mixers. Their quality control is iffy. The preamps can be noisy. The channels can crosstalk. It's definitely low-end equipment.

That being said, I have a MX802. Why? Cuz I needed a little board and I had little cake to spend. The first unit I got was unadulterated junk-- all sorts of QC issues and VERY hissy preamps. After I took it back I tried another unit, and it was of much better build quality, the preamps are quieter and usable (but certainly not thick or rich sounding), and the phantom power actually shuts off when switched off! I also usually do only one track at a time, so crosstalk isn't (yet) an issue for me. And noone is paying me to record them either

You can get a usable unit for sure, but it might not be the first one you buy. And pay no attention to the level meters, they bear next to no relation to reality-- things distort/clip out in the low orange!!??! That might make drums a challenge. Also, note that Behringer preamps really suck as bass guitar DIs. (The infamous ART Tube MP utterly smokes it in the bass guitar department.)

Most people will recommend saving another hundred or so and getting a little Mackie VLZ board.

Hope this helps.

Curiosity question: Why do you want to run your VCR and turntable through it? Is the mixer for recording or for your home stereo setup? Do you really want to tear down your stereo every time you want to record?

Also: Don't post the same question in every forum... that will make some people quite testy!

[BigLex]

thanks for the reply...

the main purpose I'm using this for is to have all my equipment connected so I dont have to disconnect something every time I need to make a change, and also so I can use my setup without having to have my computer on- right now I've got my DJ mixer running to the in on my computer, going out to my monitors.... I will be using it to record eventually, but thats not my main purpose. And when I do, I wont be doing more than one track at a time, so crosstalk isnt much of an issue for me either.

As for the bass, I'm going to get something like a Pod or Tech21 Sansamp for that.

It'd only be another hundred or so for a Mackie VLZ with the same # of channels? I've got 2 catalogs here, and neither prints the prices...

As for my turntables- I'm a DJ setup, they're connected to my DJ mixer, which I want to send out to the mixer. And the VCR- to be able to hear audio through my monitors when watching movies, and for sampling through the mixer into my ASR-10.

[scottboyher]

Originally posted by esactun
Lots of people dislike Behringer's mixers. Their quality control is iffy. The preamps can be noisy. The channels can crosstalk. It's definitely low-end equipment.

That being said, I have a MX802. Why? Cuz I needed a little board and I had little cake to spend. The first unit I got was unadulterated junk-- all sorts of QC issues and VERY hissy preamps. After I took it back I tried another unit, and it was of much better build quality, the preamps are quieter and usable (but certainly not thick or rich sounding), and the phantom power actually shuts off when switched off! I also usually do only one track at a time, so crosstalk isn't (yet) an issue for me. And noone is paying me to record them either

You can get a usable unit for sure, but it might not be the first one you buy. And pay no attention to the level meters, they bear next to no relation to reality-- things distort/clip out in the low orange!!??! That might make drums a challenge. Also, note that Behringer preamps really suck as bass guitar DIs. (The infamous ART Tube MP utterly smokes it in the bass guitar department.)

Most people will recommend saving another hundred or so and getting a little Mackie VLZ board.

Hope this helps.


Also: Don't post the same question in every forum... that will make some people quite testy!

esactun, exelent answer! I couldn't have said it better myself.

[cnote763]

they have supposedly improved their preamps on their new line of mixers. I t would be nice to hear from somebody that has heard them.