Small ish Digital mixer for solo artist?

[The Elf]

Yeah, I was only commenting about touch-screen control in generals - not mixers, specifically. I've never used a touchscreen for a mixer, and I hope I never will.

[S2]

Behringer XR18 is a tablet lunchbox style affair and our singer has one, it's the most unreliable piece of gear I've ever seen! Avoid!

In what respect? Mine has been 100% reliable, and I know of one studio that runs its entire system on a pair of them!

If you're talking about wireless connection I could believe it (I never used that feature), but other than that?

As you say - the wireless isn't good, but as well as that he's had problems with the internal wiring and it has had to be sent away for repair twice.

Maybe he has just been unlucky and got a duff one, and as has been said, one shouldn't draw conclusions from one incident? But coupled with the issues I've had with the X32 (XLR connectors), I've been put off Behringer for life.

[The Elf]

Sounds like he was unlucky. I wouldn't damn the XR18 as unreliable on the basis of that one example.

[AlecSp]

Yeah, I was only commenting about touch-screen control in generals - not mixers, specifically. I've never used a touchscreen for a mixer, and I hope I never will.

The words of a man who's never had the joy of not having to carry/run a heavy multi through an impossible room, being able to pink out monitors on stage without needing an assistant, mixing monitors beside the talent, travelling light.

For a touring band in a decent venue, it's a physical mixer every time for me, but all of the above are life changers.

[Sam Spoons]

When the X32 reached around 300,000 units sold somebody posted Thomann's returns figures and the X32 came out as one of the more reliable desks they sold.

I've just googled and can't find current stats for sales or reliability but I did come across a US Church sound website that did a survey of mixers used in around 350 Churches in 2023 and 52% were Behringer X32 or Midas M32. With that percentage of units in the field it would soon become known if there was any inherent unreliability or dodgy build issues.

I know the XR18 is a different mixer but I don't think it unreasonable to expect it's reliability to be similar to the X32 range as they are built in the same factory.

[OneWorld]

When the X32 reached around 300,000 units sold somebody posted Thomann's returns figures and the X32 came out as one of the more reliable desks they sold.

I've just googled and can't find current stats for sales or reliability but I did come across a US Church sound website that did a survey of mixers used in around 350 Churches in 2023 and 52% were Behringer X32 or Midas M32. With that percentage of units in the field it would soon become known if there was any inherent unreliability or dodgy build issues.

I know the XR18 is a different mixer but I don't think it unreasonable to expect it's reliability to be similar to the X32 range as they are built in the same factory.

You're right. Considering the fact it is considered fair game to pan Behringer but the fact remains, if their equipment was as unreliable as it is claimed to be, the company would have gone the way of the Mellotron. Behringer should be congratulated for the democratisation of musical equipment and made such a wide range of equipment affordable.

And with the X32 selling 300,000 units, that's amazing

[Sam Spoons]

I cant find a current sales figure but IIRC, that 300,000 units was around two to three years in. Latest figure I can find is September 2019 by which time they had sold 700,000 X32s of different flavours so it's not unreasonable to assume then are pushing towards one million units by now.

[The Elf]

Yeah, I was only commenting about touch-screen control in generals - not mixers, specifically. I've never used a touchscreen for a mixer, and I hope I never will.

The words of a man who's never had the joy of not having to carry/run a heavy multi through an impossible room, being able to pink out monitors on stage without needing an assistant, mixing monitors beside the talent, travelling light.

For a touring band in a decent venue, it's a physical mixer every time for me, but all of the above are life changers.

I can see that. I do use an XR18, after all!

I'm happy enough to use a mouse and laptop, up to a point, but not a touchscreen.

[S2]

When the X32 reached around 300,000 units sold somebody posted Thomann's returns figures and the X32 came out as one of the more reliable desks they sold.

I've just googled and can't find current stats for sales or reliability but I did come across a US Church sound website that did a survey of mixers used in around 350 Churches in 2023 and 52% were Behringer X32 or Midas M32. With that percentage of units in the field it would soon become known if there was any inherent unreliability or dodgy build issues.

I know the XR18 is a different mixer but I don't think it unreasonable to expect it's reliability to be similar to the X32 range as they are built in the same factory.

You're right. Considering the fact it is considered fair game to pan Behringer but the fact remains, if their equipment was as unreliable as it is claimed to be, the company would have gone the way of the Mellotron. Behringer should be congratulated for the democratisation of musical equipment and made such a wide range of equipment affordable.

And with the X32 selling 300,000 units, that's amazing

Oh I expect you're right. But from a personal point of view, when you've dumped a grand on a mixer that develops a fault shortly after the warranty expires, and your singer has also had problems with his Behringer equipment then it rather puts you off investing any more money in a company that has let you down. I'd rather put my money into a manufacturer that has not let me down - A&H in my case. And if people ask then I'd have to say that I don't recommend them [Behringer] because of my experiences. They may well be outliers in terms of opinions, but that's the nature of opinions. Unless we have access to the actual reliability figures from Behringer then it's all conjecture anyway. And as we haven't then no-one knows and it's down to opinions from users.

[Sam Spoons]

All fair comment and I'd be the last to argue with A&H as choice, they are excellent mixers and I would be more than happy with one.

[The Elf]

I go waaaaay back with A&H. They seemed to lose their way for a while. One day I should really give one of their digital mixers a try, because I know precisely nothing about them.

[shufflebeat]

I go waaaaay back with A&H. They seemed to lose their way for a while. One day I should really give one of their digital mixers a try, because I know precisely nothing about them.

I have a Qu Pac (iPad only) for my own tinkerings and use the SQ5 and SQ7 at my daily grind. The thing I like about them is that they seem designed to operate as intuitively on iPad only as on faders only. The only problems I’ve encountered have turned out to be gaps in my own understanding which have been quickly back-filled by way of some well organised and presented YT vids from A&H’s chief moustache, Keith.

Coupling the SQs with a decent stage box makes the system really flexible as local in/outs can be used for adding bits and pieces when the auxes are all at the other end of a Cat5. This feature doesn’t seem to be available on all digi-desks.

I’ve had some folks coming through the venue who aren’t 100% happy with carrying their own SQ on tour but a couple of times I’ve been able to address their issues or at least point them towards advice, which is satisfying for all.

I’ve also recently been experimenting with Harrison LiveTtrax for virtual sound check and multitrack recording which integrates seamlessly with both Qu and SQ, much easier than working with Reaper, which was my previous setup, although I transfer files to Reaper for any post-gig fettling.

When I’m out at gigs with the Qu I still carry my dl1608 as backup as it’s so tiny and self contained with PSU and router in a small case with an unhookable lid, inspired by a certain Mr Spoons of this parish.

[Sam Spoons]

I used A&H mixers* with the PA company before I retired and I owned a couple of their analogue desks, the last being a GL2400 24 I bought of the boss when he replaced it with a Qu24 (and my Soundcraft had just died), I regret selling that when I bought my X32 as I found it easier, in my neanderthal way, to get a nice sound out of but finances didn't allow me to keep both (maybe I should look for another...).

I still have my DL 1608 too but haven't used it for ages as I don't really do gigs anymore. I'm sure it'll be just as good if I need to use it again as it was when I stopped, though I guess newer kit will be better still.

FWIW my last 'professional' sound/PA gig was "The Three Degrees" so I did go out in a high (they were brilliant and super professional and easy to work with) but I used the X32 rig for that (Compact with Rack plus ADA8000 over AES50 as stagebox for 24 ins and 16 outs).

* GL 2400 24, ML 300/32, ilive, Qu24, SQ5, and various zed series

[shufflebeat]

…though I guess newer kit will be better still.

I think we may have identified another version of the Gambler’s Fallacy.

[Wonks]

The Studiomaster was returned to Andertons today. All very easy, just handed it back, gave my contact details, got a receipt and that was it. Refund will be processed shortly.