Upgrade Behringer 802FX to Mackie 802-VLZ3 or Allen & Heath ZED-10FX?

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mtbcast

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Last week I picked up a Behringer 802FX (non-USB). Since then I've been chasing a hiss down. The preamps appear to be the culprit. With nothing on the board I can pick up considerable hiss through phones. It's much more prevalent on the 2 mic channels but I can duplicate it on the others. Even with Gain set way down, I begin to hear it with output from 0 up. So being still within my return window I'm thinking about picking up the Mackie 802-VLZ3. It's a good bit more but from what I've read I should get quieter pre's. For another $10 beyond that I could go with the Allen & Heath ZED-10FX.

So the question is Mackie or Allen & Heath? Can I save the $100 and get quiet operation with the Mackie?
 
The Mackie will be quieter than the Behringer--but going the extra mile for the Allen and Heath will be money well spent. Pre amps aren't just about lack of noise; it's also how they sound and A&H have a lovely warmth that Mackie just can't match.

However, I have to ask why you need a mixer at all? Obviously you're going into an audio interface after the mixer--why not straight into the interface and drop out one stage of electronics?
 
Actually, I go straight to a computer and recorder. No audio interface. I'd thought about an audio interface but have read about noise issues with them too. Plus I need at least one AUX send/FX send. Truth is, I don't need more than 4 channels but finding good quality 4 channels with an AUX send isn't easy either. I don't mind having extra channels. You never know, eh?
 
Ah, "Danger Will Robinson!"

If, by "straight into a computer" you mean you're plugging into the built in sound card on any normal computer, don't spend any more money for now.

On board sound cards are universally rubbish and could well be part of your noise issue. I'd strongly recommend you get some form of USB external interface before worrying about your mixer (and I fully understand your desire for an Aux send--good reason for a mixer). Since you're outputting line level, something inexpensive like a Lexicon Alpha would be all you need--but this should change your noise floor from somewhere around -60dB to about -85dB.

As for extra channels, don't forget that, no matter how much you have plugged in, the mixers you mention only output two channels of mixed feed.

(None of this changes my suggestion of the A&H...just a suggestion that you sort out downstream noise first.)
 
Understood. The noise I'm getting is definitely from the mixer itself. I can yank everything off the board and hear it in my phones with nominal gain and output. I've done several recordings of just the noise at various gain and output levels.

The most likely scenario would be to a Zoom H4, not a computer but an option. Most of what I'm doing is vocal so I have no music to overlay the hiss. And being a musician too having a mixer gives me dual duty, though most of the work will be through a mic and pulling audio from another computer.
 
Just be aware that noise is cumulative. If your onboard sound card is giving a noise floor at -65dB it might be just outside what you can hear unless you turn up your monitoring--but even slight extra noise from the mixer will quickly bump this to the problem area. If an external sound card has a noise floor of -85, you have that much more leeway.

Zoom H4 is a very useful tool by the way.
 
I love my Zoom! When I travel it's my goto recorder for everything.
 
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