Old Allen&Heath Mixwiz preamps

[suprstar]

I am contemplating getting an A&H MixWizard 16:2dx off CL, (not the wz3/4) this version is from about 1998 or so. It has 16 direct out's I intend to run into some 8-channel interface (eventually a pair), probably a presonus fp10 / firepod / firestudio / whatever theyre called. I've worked with various behry xenyx's, an 8 old mackie vlz, and a 4 year olf yamaha mg (in order from worst to best imo) - Im wondering how the preamps stand up against them, it's hard to find valid comparisons on a mixer this old. If they're better than those I'll probably pick it up.

Oh and I also have an MAudio DMP3 if you wanna compare it to that.

Any experience with the dx?

 

[The Ghost of FM]

No direct experience with this model but generally, if one is offered a quiet, clean British mixer with lots of headroom and a nice eq section from a respected manufacturer, they'd generally take that in favor of a made in China or Japan equivalent. At least I know I would.

Cheers!

 

[Chris Marcelli]

The Ghost of FM is spot on. I have a late 1990s Mixwizard 20:8:2 and the preamps and EQ are much better than the Behringer or VLZ...that's assuming the mixer is in good working order and the power supply has been recapped. You may not be able to tell on a single track, but noise and bad EQ add up quickly in a mix.

 

[suprstar]

Also considering going with a new zed instead, It doesnt have direct outs but I can tap into the inserts. For the same $$ it wont have the channel count but I dont really need 16 tracks. Plus I'm kinda leary on a 17yo mixer IDK if it's really been taken care of or whatever.

 

[Chris Marcelli]

I went with an Audient ASP008 preamp 8 channels) and I now use the Mixwizard for monitoring and mixdown only. The A&H preamps are nice but the Audient blows them out of the water.