Mixing Desk for Drama studio

[GEN]

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?

[sleah]

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 ;)

[Robin Pratt]

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.

[GEN]

thank you guys for your help, I am needing to buy one due to the behringer being broken

[mi-ul]

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

[J Pearce]

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.

[Johnno]

Our school drama studio uses Soundcraft EPM6. Cheap and cheerful.

[tolley1466]

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

[paulears]

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.

[tolley1466]

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!!

[jamesperrett]

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.

[MarkPAman]

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.

[TimmyP1955]

I find that the best answer to most mixer questions is "a nice used Allen & Heath MixWiz".

[david.elsbury]

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:

[CharlieH]

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