Who's cheap gear do you trust the most?

[STFU]

I like Behringer. A lot of bang for the buck. Great for people with limited funds. However, it's a crap shoot at best on quailty. I had a bunch of Behringer stuff ripped off. I hope it all craps out on the guy!

 

[sidsydney]

Peavey has a crappy logo

Peavey stuff is very very reliable. I have a few Peavey units in my stash; a guitar amp & a Mark VIII 36 channel console. The amp is "all balls" and sounds terrific, the console is a monster, but never fails. I think the deal that keeps me from buying Peavey more often is the logo. It reminds me of the logo for a Jr. high metal band, like something some nerdy kid drew up the night before the talent show. If they had a more refined logo it would be awesome gear, I've had to strip the logos off of everything I own by them just because it makes my eyes hurt. To me, its like an fugly girl with a beautiful voice.

 

[cortexx]

I like yorkville stuff.

I use their monitors , sub , cables and practice amp.

Very robust and it has a 2 year unconditional warrenty on it. Not that I have ever had a need to warrenty anything.

http://www.yorkville.com/

Alto is along the same lines , it isn't bad for budget stuff. Also has a 2 year unconditional warrenty (even if it's your fault they will warrenty it). It's yorkvilles budget mixer line.

http://www.altopa.com/default.asp?p1=4&p_id=18

Another company is Tapco , budget line of stuff from Mackie. I know a few people that use it and swear by it.

http://www.tapcoworld.com/

I use some bheringer gear ( Virtualizer pro and a multiband compressor ), never had problems with noise or reliability. Although the gear I have is older and was when it was made in the US.

I dont use any of Behringers newer stuff.

 

[episg]

Theres a difference between "cheap" and "low priced". Cheap's price reflects the product. Low priced means good product at low price.
Oh yeah, and Peavey gets my vote.

 

[nicolaad30]

The cheapest gear I trust the most.... let me see.... my Fender guitar pick... without it I wouldn't be playing some good stuff...

 

[Big Kenny]

Roger has some good stuff he got cheap, yeah, I trust Rogers' cheap gear.

 

[mrface2112]

all manufacturers have winners and losers in their bargain areas.

the berry headphone amp "does the job" of getting multiple cans loud, but it certainly won't win any prizes in the sonic fidelity realm. mine hasn't broken yet, but i also don't use it very often. i wouldn't say that i trust it.

i've had several m-audio products that i've absolutely loved (the 2496, the 1010 and the sp5b monitors).....and one that i hated (the mobilepre).

and i'll add a +1 to whoever said "Symetrix". i've got several pieces of their gear and it's all good. of course, when new that stuff wasn't exactly cheap or designed for the "low end".....most of it was designed to be used all day every day in a broadcast environment.

as always, YMMV


cheers,
wade

 

[gremlin]

I dont understand how carvin even made the cheap gear list. I have a lot of carvin guitar gear and its all rock solid and never gave me a lick of trouble. I own a V16 (16/5w) tube amp, a legacy half stack, and a custom built TL-60 with active electronics and a fishman bridge. the construction, sound and playability of the Tl-60 is incredible, it has 1/16" string height from the 12th fret with zero buzz.

 

[turtlishous]

I dont understand how carvin even made the cheap gear list. I have a lot of carvin guitar gear and its all rock solid and never gave me a lick of trouble. I own a V16 (16/5w) tube amp, a legacy half stack, and a custom built TL-60 with active electronics and a fishman bridge. the construction, sound and playability of the Tl-60 is incredible, it has 1/16" string height from the 12th fret with zero buzz.

carvin from the words of every gear head i know is a knock off of swr in the bass world and generally try to mimic style and shape, color, and logo of more higher end gear.......

with that said........i'm a huge fan!!!!
i've never had a problem with my r600, and it offers a s4it ton of versitality that i can afford. big plus...

i still stand by the new generation of "k-mart" gear.........behringer.

i bought the c-2 condenser mics for 35 bucks, at a retailer to boot, and they work just fine. and so what if the don't last or they sucked, what did i lose?
35$

 

[gremlin]

All I will say is, to anyone who knocks carvin guitars just because you cant buy one at Guitar Center, Sam Ash, or Musicians friend, or has only played a beat to hell one in a pawnshop. If you are in my area and want to play one in pristine shape through a Vai Legacy or a V-16 vintage series just come on by with an open mind and you may become a believer too...

 

[Capnvynl]

The first was a Behringer Eurorack. Not a great-sounding mixer but it managed to survive an accidental water spill into the sliding pots.

No more drinks in the studio, though.

 

[Flux]

I wish this topic was who's cheap gear do you like the most, but it's not. So I guess, and I can't believe I'm saying this, my vote is Peavey. I hate Peavey crap, their PA stuff sounds tubby and harsh, their guitar amps nasty and shrill. About the only thing I'll grudgingly approve of is their bass amps (and maybe some of their guitars - for the price), but dammit I've got to say their stuff is built like a brick shit house and seems to be dependable - it'll keep on sounding bad for years to come.

 

[SuperGeek]

Alto seems to work no problems for me.

But I find if it works for you then great....Don't matter the brand provided your happy.

I repair stuff for a pro sound and light company so I can borrow what I need for what ever event I'm working on.

Last one was run out back of my escort station wagon and a 1.2kw inverter.

2 ALTO ACL2 Pro compressers
1 ALTO EQU215
4 force1 EV speakers about 550 dollars CDN ea and stands
and a Yorkville powerd mixer M1610.
1 Rapco snake.
plus 2 Sennheiser E845 and a EV RE-2 Wireless hand held.

Sound was great alot of good comments

 

[Treeline]

Neumann. It is not on the list. I don't know why.

It's probably hanging out with Great River and AEA outside the front door and wondering why it's in this neighborhood.

 

[kid klash]

It's probably hanging out with Great River and AEA outside the front door and wondering why it's in this neighborhood.

They call that "out slumming"...

 

[SonicAlbert]

I don't trust cheap gear made by manufacturers of cheap gear. However, I do have more trust in cheap gear made by companies that primarily make higher quality gear.

For example, TC Electronic and Yamaha are a couple manufacturers who make some very high end gear, but also have budget products available. I trust these manufacturers more because I think there is a "trickle down" effect from the higher end gear into the lower end gear. Lexicon also makes some high end gear as well as budget gear.

Companies like Behringer that make just cut-rate gear are the kind that I don't trust.

 

[Jouni]

I've got a peavey bass ntb-5, and slowly starting to develop a love-affair to the thing... one flaw when arrived with a pot,, now I've noticed it to be an asset.. It's a great bass imho.

A friend of mine gets incredible sounds through an Yamaha magick-stomp box..

Voted for Peavey.

 

[maestro_dmc]

Wow. The thread that wouldn't die.


I guess I really struck a chord.
How long has this thing been dragging on?

 

[Sirnothingness]

Carvin has decent prices and pretty solid quality gear. Behringer just sucks outright. Their production methods are cost-based, not quality based. They could fucking care less what they put in their equipment. Just as long as it sells. Ok Behringermeisters, give it to me.

 

[nukeitout]

I voted Peavey, but you really need an M-Audio and Yamaha option. Both have excellent bargain models.

I agree. I'm pretty happy with some low end Yamaha stuff I've purchased. I also voted peavey, as I've had a pa setup work for years with no problems.