Suggestions for a new desk?

[BigYinUK]

Hi all

 

I'm considering buying a new desk as our old Yamaha MG166CX is being used elsewhere atm. Budget is the keyword as we have about 1000-1200 to spend so secondhand is fine.

 

New kit wise I've looked at A&H's Zed range, either the 428 or the 436 (which is slightly over budget).

 

I need at least 24 XLR inputs and 4 aux sends, providing they are pre or post, 2 of each probably won't be enough.

 

I'm sure someone will suggest Behringer which might be a possible although I'd prefer an analogue desk.

 

Any suggestions or anyone know someone with something suitable for sale?

[J Pearce]

The Zed desks are good for the money and in my opinion better than the LX7 as the buses actually work properly. However, if you're happy to go second hand there are lots of GLs and others in this sort of size that are going for very little as post cheap digital no one is buying them.

[sam.spoons]

If you can get the A&H zed 428 in budget you won't be disappointed, we have one (and a zed10fx and a zed22fx), nice desk.

[BigYinUK]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I should have said this will be used for live sound, bands mainly.

 

Regards

[S&L]

I have been keeping my eye out for something very similar - I do many shows where 16 channels are fine and 24 channels would cover almost every show and 4 aux plus fx is what I really need. I hire in for bigger shows.

I have been waiting for the x32 producer to come to market and it finally has - thomann are listing it as available from 1st November at £1600 - I reasoned that I would buy one of these (anyone lend me £1,500?? - seriously contact me if you want to offer me HP!) and then hire the digital snake in at £30 a week for the 24 channel shows. It would also give me the recording capability that I would definitely use.

the problem for you is that if you permanently need 24 channels that means adding a digital snake and flight cases for both which pushes way over your budget.

Without finance it also pushes me beyond my budget which is why I have been looking at 2nd hand analogues. there are so many good desks available and the market has fallen through the floor - for £300 to £500 you can pick up decent examples of soundcraft lx7 and live 4-2, yamaha MG24 and even allen and heath GL series. now a 2nd hand desk isn't going to come with guarantees and is going to need a thorough going over to make sure it's up to scratch but if you are sticking with analogue, at the price of a 2nd hand decent desk I find it very difficult to argue for a new one, given that for budget you can probably buy at least 3 identical analogue 2nd hand desks.

[paulears]

Ebay is full of Soundcraft and Allen & Heath people are selling for silly money. A GL3 24 channel went for £600 last week!

[i_hate_fisicks]

That sounds expensive compared to some, Paul! If you can manage a bigger console, there are serious bargains to be had. I've seen Soundcraft SM12-32s going for £350. Rather less portable than a GL2200 say, but if you've got room in the van, then well worth it! A local production company to me is selling their Soundcraft SM24 (which is massive!) for £950! They've got a heap of analogue dynamics and FX that are pretty cheap too. It's a shame I've got no use for any of that sort of thing as I don't like to pass a bargain!