Allen & Heath 2200/3300

[Bryson]

I thought I'd seen a similar thread here, but I can't find it....

 

I'm in the process of asking (read: begging) for end-of-year funds to buy nice things with, and I was looking at a new FOH desk. We currently run a 24-channel GL3, but frequently run out of channels....plus we do monitors from FOH so the first 4 auxs are always full.

 

I was looking at getting anothe A&H (the GL3 has treated us well) and was amazed by the difference in price between the 2200 and the 3300 (32 inputs)

 

So: Is the 3300 worth the difference? Has anyone had any trouble with the 2200? Is there anything I need to know?

 

To be honest, the 2200 is so reasonable (£1800 list!) I think I won't be able to justify anything else....what do you reckon?

[Dave]

As someone who's familiar with these desks, I would say that they are both excellent and well-regarded throughout the sound industry (we have a GL2200, and I'm thinking of getting a GL3300 as well - I specced a GL3300 for an installation not so long ago and they think it is wonderful).

 

I am not aware of any problems with either of them, including with the GL2200 internal PSU.

 

The extra cost of the GL3300 is due to (1) external PSU (about £600 list), (2) meter bridge (3) semi-modular construction, (4) slightly higher build quality, and (5) extra features.

 

Main extra features are 8 auxes, 8 sub groups, 2 matrix sends, and 4 mute groups. The latter are very useful indeed.

 

I personally think the GL3300 is a very nice, well thought-out medium size desk, and it is competitively priced. It's seems dear because the GL2200 (especially the 32 channel version) is an absolute bargain. Compare it to things like a Soundcraft Series 2 or K2 and you will think it's cheap! In terms of bangs per buck they both walk all over mixers from previous generations.

 

If you are after 32 channels, then 8 sub groups can be useful, depending on your mixing style. The mute groups make life a lot easier, and if you need 4 sends for FB then you will have 2 left on a GL2200, which may not be enough if you need lots of FX.

 

One thing to note is the number of stereo inputs. The GL2200 has two returns with eq and sends, plus two of the channels can be used as stereo inputs. The GL3300 has two basic stereo returns, and if you want more you have to get specify some of the mono inputs as stereo ones (in blocks of 4). If you are tying up lots of input channels on the GL3 with stereo sources then this could be useful.

 

It's primarily a case of studying the relative features of the desks in details and deciding what you need. My instinctive feeling is that if you need a 32 channel desk then the chances are you will benefit from the extra stuff on a GL3300, and your sound will improve as a consequence.

 

I'm sure you've said this before, but what sort of venue and work is it for?

[Bryson]

We're a fairly small venue doing everything under the sun...but, music-wise, primarilly Jazz...a bit of world...not an awful lot of rock.

 

We also have crazy multi-media gigs with, say, a band, a solo artist, a comic/compere, films on beta, vhs, dv & dvd, cd & md playback, reverb....we fill up 24 channels pretty quick those nights. ;)

 

We run 4 monitor sends...my thought was, with the gl3 out of service, it could double duty as a monitor desk, and then we could go up to 6 monitors and free up 4 auxs FOH... :blink:

[mark b]

The 3300 is a superb unit we have one in our hire stock and it is the mainstay of all of our large shows. the four stereo inputs help you out alot, espcialy as we end up with alot of playback from various sources in our shows. there are also add in boards for syslink so thay you can chain two 3300 together (have not tried this yet) and an add in card to allow full switching of the group faders to aux masters and allows all of the group faders to be swiched to aux masters in any combination. (This card is not an instalation for a novice as it requires soldering onto pcb's! As well as the construction of a bodge box!) over all an exelent desk.