GEN Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I am looking at buying a new Mixing desk for our drama studio at present we have a 20 channel behringer thing which I hate. For FOH on stage we have a Soundcraft MFX 20/2. This has been a great desk for ease of use and good for being able to show the kids how it all works etc. At first I was looking at getting either a Soundcraft MFX 12 or MFX 8. As we do not really use more than 8-10 Channels of it within the drama studio. Can anyone Recommend any other desks I could look at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleah Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Wow! Sorry I can't add anything constructive, but it sounds like you're pretty well kitted out already for a school B-) .... assuming it works and isn't broken, that is. Ask yourself, "do we really really need to replace what we have?" What do you need to have that your current kit doesn't? I have an old (late 80's) Tascam desk with 8 mics & 2 stereo channels with no frills, no effects, no channel mutes, no sub masters. It does have aux sends (post & pre) and inserts and the appropriate aux returns. No graphic, just the basic channel EQ's (hi, low, tweakable mids).I use it with 8 lapel radio mics at least once a year for a Junior musical and have used it for rock concert type events. I have a 2 channel Alesis Midiverb 4 for the rare occasion I use effects for a singer, and recently added a 2x31 cheapo graphic for ringing out the radio mics. I'd love something with more features such as on board effects and individual mutes, but I get by with what I've got. Mainly because I don't have a budget as such and have to grovel for anything I need, and I don't want to spend the school's money unless I can really justify it. That said I am considering asking for a new desk this next year, as the Tascam is showing it's age and I don't want to run it too far in to the ground and have it pack in on a show. Hating an otherwise perfectly servicable desk in a school environment isn't justification at all for replacement - you're going to have to be more creative that that with the finance people ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Pratt Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 Have a look at the Allen & Heath Mixwizard series. They're slightly more expensive than other desks of that size, but with good reason. The majority of small format sound desks are built on a single PCB, which makes them very difficult to service or repair compared with larger, modular construction desks. The Mixwizard, however is built along the same lines as its larger cousins with a seperate PCB for each channel strip, and faders not mounted on the PCB at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEN Posted September 15, 2009 Author Share Posted September 15, 2009 thank you guys for your help, I am needing to buy one due to the behringer being broken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mi-ul Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 I must admit to being a fan of the spirit desks at that size. An alternative to your suggested one (which looks a good desk) is the M series M8 / M12 but they don't have the groups or effects. Alternatively another vote for the mixwizards. Other than those (and the Midas Venice 8/4) then the rest are pretty much all behringer equivalents (ish) Mi-ul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted September 15, 2009 Share Posted September 15, 2009 A&H Zed range, A&H GL range. The yamaha desks are good, definitely a step up from Behringer, both in sound quality and reliability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Our school drama studio uses Soundcraft EPM6. Cheap and cheerful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolley1466 Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I'd vote for a Soundcraft Spirit SX. They last, they generally sound okay and you can rack-mount them. Also you can usually get one for about £150 now. See here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I bought, almost on a whim, a mixer to sell on to a client - I was offered it at a pretty good price (although possibly more than the OP wishes to spend), and a quick check of the spec on the net suggested it would be fine. When it arrived, I was very impressed. I have a Soundcraft LX7 24ch desk here and I'm going to sell that to the client and keep the ...... Peavey! It's an FX32. All the usual stuff for a desk of this type, but a few interesting extras. 2 USB connectors, one used to record out to a computer, but the other can be used for a USB stick - I put a few mp3s on one and stuck it in. Theres a multifunction LCD screen, and prodding 'USB' have me the usual options for playing back with track select and play controls etc - but the other option said record? Hitting record allows you to record direct to the usb stick - pretty neat. Two inbuilt fx units with better than the usual factrory programmes - they're all named for typical uses - so snare, double track vocal, gates, compressors all selectable. I've never come across these before, and didn't even know Peavey made mixers. If you have a bit more money available, these are worth considering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tolley1466 Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I bought, almost on a whim, a mixer to sell on to a client - I was offered it at a pretty good price (although possibly more than the OP wishes to spend), and a quick check of the spec on the net suggested it would be fine. When it arrived, I was very impressed. I have a Soundcraft LX7 24ch desk here and I'm going to sell that to the client and keep the ...... Peavey! It's an FX32. All the usual stuff for a desk of this type, but a few interesting extras. 2 USB connectors, one used to record out to a computer, but the other can be used for a USB stick - I put a few mp3s on one and stuck it in. Theres a multifunction LCD screen, and prodding 'USB' have me the usual options for playing back with track select and play controls etc - but the other option said record? Hitting record allows you to record direct to the usb stick - pretty neat. Two inbuilt fx units with better than the usual factrory programmes - they're all named for typical uses - so snare, double track vocal, gates, compressors all selectable. I've never come across these before, and didn't even know Peavey made mixers. If you have a bit more money available, these are worth considering. I used one of these at a festival last year (I think). It was on review with Sound On Sound. Generally good desk. I was suprised that Peavey manufactured a desk like that. It didn't have any of that awful Peavey green either!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesperrett Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 I've never come across these before, and didn't even know Peavey made mixers. Peavey make just about everything (or it seems like that sometimes). Their electronic gear has always been fairly good in my experience - it is just the speakers that I don't like. I still use one of their old 4 in one multi effects boxes occasionally. Cheers James. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted September 18, 2009 Share Posted September 18, 2009 Peavey make just about everything Indeed. I went on a training day run by Peavey UK (many years ago). They had a full band setup in which everything from the drums & guitars through to the speakers was made by them - except the CD player. I'm on the lookout for something allong the same lines as the OP, & had not considered Peavey, but I'll try to track one down & have a listen now. Thanks Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimmyP1955 Posted September 19, 2009 Share Posted September 19, 2009 I find that the best answer to most mixer questions is "a nice used Allen & Heath MixWiz". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.elsbury Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 What about when that answer doesn't work because you're not allowed to purchase used gear, or you want more channels than a mixwizard, or you don't have any mixwizards for sale nearby? I suppose another way of saying your post above is that when all you've got is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail (if I'm quoting that right)... :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 I find that the best answer to most mixer questions is "a nice used Allen & Heath MixWiz". We have a A&H MixWiz at school, and I find it perfectly good to use. It is a bit short on channels sometimes, but I just plug the music departments Behringer into it to compensate. I get a little confused with the layout as well, as the inputs are all beneath the desk in our rack, and it is very fiddly to get to them, and then to find the right one is a nightmare, but if you want it pretty-much permanent with just the odd bit of rewiring, then would second the recommendation for the MixWizard. Hope this Helps,Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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