12-16 channel mixer

[SceneMaster]

Hi,

 

I am looking for a 12 or 16 channel mixer for my church for use with the youth band and our new sound install that happened a month ago. All the speakers, amps, graphic and a rack 1u mount mixer and outboard are in place we just need the live band mixer.

 

We have a 12channel multicore running to the front of the church and radio mics. Although a 12channel mixer would probably be enough I think it would be safer to go for a 16channel so we can have room for extra radio mics and outboard without eating up the multicore channels.

 

What are you thoughts for this situation, I have had my eye on a A&H PA20 for sometime as it seems perfect but we do not have the budget for it. We are raising £800 as the youth bands contribution to the new install and out of that we have to get a mixer and some more stand mics. So I would say the budget is between £400 - £500 for the mixer.

 

A Behringer Eurodesk MX2442A seems like the sort of channel spec we need (16mono, 4 stereo) but I don’t like Behringer as a company or their products. I know there has been a thread a while back about theses desks being one of their better products but the company goes against my principles.

 

A Soundcraft Sprit SX is certainly in budget and is a much nicer desk than the Behringer and channel wise would be manageable but there is not really any room for expansion which I feel we should have, yes the multi core could be fully loaded but as soon as we want more radio mics ect we are going to start limiting ourselves on the amount of mics running of the multi unless it is possible for me to use the 4 stereo channels as radio mic channels?

 

So what would be people suggestions for a desk which has 16mono channels and a few stereo channels within the budget of £400 - £500?

 

Thanks any advice is much appreciated,

[Darkfold]

Yamaha MG16/6FX ~ might be worth a looksie £300 approx (inc VAT) EDIT: or not, they count L and R stereo as separate inputs, giving less than you wanted.

Soundcraft Spirit FX16 ~ another potential contender if you can get the VAT back (charity?) £580 (inc VAT)

 

Found on here

 

And another to look at but only if you get VAT refunds is the Yamaha MG24/14FX

[SceneMaster]

Yamaha MG16/6FX ~ might be worth a looksie £300 approx (inc VAT)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Umm no the Yamaha MG16/6FX only has 8 dedicated mono mic inputs... so would be of no use.

 

No churches are not charities so do not get VAT back.

[Darkfold]

Ah well. I'm almost surprised the church hasnt found a way to get charitable status seeing as my school (independant) is a charity...

[ChrisD]

My school (state grammar) has dificulties getting VAT back. Cut our musical budget by about, well, erm, 17.5% oddly enough

[Mr.Si]

I'm not sure howm uch they cost, but the Best console I've used which has 16 mic inputs / mono channels is the Allen and Heath Mix Wizard - lovely desk and it has 6 complete aux sends!

 

otherwsie how about a spirit SX? - only 12 mic inputs, but well within budget. I have one as my small desk.

[djw1981]

Ah well. I'm almost surprised the church hasnt found a way to get charitable status seeing as my school (independant) is a charity...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Yeah, In scotland, the Scottish Executive are changing the rules to bring independetn schools into line (their words not mine) with the state sector and removing their charitable status - much outcry on tv from thise interested parties.

 

Churches can regiuster as charities because they get Gift Aid on the weekly offering - an extra 28% from the government for filling in a few forms makes most church leaderships view it as worthwhile. The VAT rules are slightly more complex though.

[ben.suffolk]

No churches are not charities so do not get VAT back.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Hmm, our church (AOG - Assemblies of God) is a registered charity. There is one AOG charity number for all the churches, we don't have a number each. I know all the end of year accounts that we have to do are normal charity accounts as well, and they are all independent to each church.

 

In fact if your not a registered charity you are missing out on a lot of money, because you can accept gift aid as a charity.

 

Ben

[williamjones]

The Soundcraft Spirit E series are fairly nice little desks, not sure what the 12 channel one retails for but we picked up a few of the little 8 channel ones for about £80.

 

http://www.soundcraft.com/product_sheet.asp?product_id=26

 

MixWizards start at around £780 inc. VAT so thats not really an option given your budget.

 

http://www.allen-heath.co.uk/uk/price_list.asp

 

On the charity thing; my college (also independent) has charitable status so that it can accept donations tax free or so I am told - i.e. when some old boy dies and leaves them a pile of dosh they dont pay tax on it!

 

I know this is probably slighly naughty, but if some charitable person at the Church is VAT registered, they could buy the mixer, and then give it to the Church as a gift?

[Alec]

I know this is probably slighly naughty, but if some charitable person at the Church is VAT registered, they could buy the mixer, and then give it to the Church as a gift?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not sure if this would work, as wouldn't they need to account for this somehow?

 

Either way, you'd still be better off getting a donation from a higher rate tax payer, effectively getting relief on 40% rather than 17.5%.

 

Obviously, getting both reliefs would be best, but may well not be possible.

[J Pearce]

We have a SX at church, although it has now been superseded by a mackie SR24.

It is a great desk, and I can't fault it for its price.

 

Have a look at the mackies if you need something quality but low cost.

The SX just feels a bit plastic-y compared to the mackie.

[Simon Lewis]

1) The Soudcraft M series is a better bet than the E, and does come in around the £500 mark for the 12 channel version.

 

2) Most of the VAT rules for churches relate to a) new builds b) provision of aids for disabled c) building work done to listed buildings.

 

I'm not aware of any blanket 'claim the VAT back' scheme.

[J Pearce]

When we had our new building built we were allowed 2 months of VAT free purchases strictly limited to equipping the building.

[SceneMaster]

Peavey RQ2318 any good? I couldn't find any information about it on the Peavey site is it discontinued or something?

 

Thanks,

[SceneMaster]

I really want a 16channel mic mixer for my budget along with stereo inputs ect but it doesn’t look like I will be able to get this for my budget. A 12 channel mixer is fine for the band end of things (we only have a 12 channel multi anyway). My main issue is if we want to use radio mics this may be a little more tricky. Would I be able to put these into the stereo channels (thinking with the Sprit SX in mind)?

 

I have had a better idea though, not that I like it, I could in budget buy a Folio Notepad as well, and put our radio mics into it then feed the output onto one of the stereo channels, I presume this would work? Ok it is going to be a pain to operate but if it is just for the radio mics I don’t suppose it would be too hard. All I have to remember is radio mics on the notepad and the rest on the desk. I would be much better to get a 16 mono desk but this isn’t in budget unless I go cheap skate and I really don’t want to do this. Soundcraft are a good make and the desks are nice to operate and will last for years (hopefully).

 

What do you guys think and what do people in general think of the folio notepad and the spirit SX?

 

Thanks,