MI Pro

A cursory survey of a handful of MI shops up and down the country reveals that all but the most PA-phobic instrument retailer tends to sell at least one mixing console of some description. And they’re quite shrewd in doing so – even in the analog days, it was always worth stocking the odd small-format live mixer for gigging musicians and budding bands, but now that affordable sequencing software and audio interfaces have made home recording a snip, it would actually be daft not to.

Associated PA equipment, too, is these days within reach of the average player who longs to graduate from the bedroom, so modern mixing desks often spend their time hopping between the stage and studio, making their cost a lot more justifiable than it once was. The question, then, is what to stock and why.

Richard Harfield from PA specialist HW Music offers some thoughts: “A traditional setup comprising a good powered mixer and quality passive speakers tends to sound better, but, probably due to their convenience, a lot more people are using active speakers these days. The speakers themselves can sound fantastic, but they are let down by poor-sounding passive mixers. The problem is that to get the sound quality, you often have to spend money on channels and features you don’t need. Lots of controls can be daunting for people who just want to sing and not worry about operating complex equipment. This opens up the market to manufacturers who can provide a compromise. Ultimately, you have to sell a passive desk – it’s just getting the
right one.”

The message seems to be that if you have the space to stock both passive and active mixers, you should do so, since there is still a healthy demand for both. A larger retailer we spoke to noted a stock ratio of 70:30 in favour of passive mixers, but if you can only stock one mixer then it should probably be a passive model – and it’s worth pointing out that we heard “the digital USB type with onboard FX” mentioned numerous times.

That said, we shouldn’t underestimate the demand from live-only users, particularly gigging veterans, who will accept nothing less than an active mixer. With this in mind, here are a few examples, of various kinds, for your perusal…

Peavey
Peavey was a brand mentioned consistently by dealers we spoke to; stocked by all but one and widely considered to be a big hit with musos in quest of a mixer. This is hardly surprising since Peavey manufactures music gear across the board and its development of PA-related kit will logically benefit from its understanding of instrumentation – a concept clearly not lost on the customer.

 The firm’s PV series represents the classic go anywhere, do anything passive mixer. A good pick would be the PV 10 USB, with six XLR mic inputs, two stereo channels with RCA and quarter-inch inputs, USB connectivity, three-band channel eq (80Hz, 400Hz, and 12.5kHz), A/B stereo input selector to reduce patching and inserts on all mono channels. An 80Hz low-cut switch on all mic inputs lends a hand during Isaac Hayes tribute acts, while internal digital effects include reverb, delay and vocal enhancement.

For those willing to shell out a bit more, the FX series offers professional features such as group buses, uprated effects and dynamics. Peavey also manufactures a stalwart collection of MI-targeted powered mixers, the PVi series and to satisfy customers who want ‘the works’, its XR 1212 is due for release soon. This 1,200-Watt Class D powered mixer sports auto, digital nine-band G eq, four-band eq with mid-morph technology, proprietary digital feedback elimination and real-time analyser.

Kam
Although it manufactures a fairly broad range of DJ mixers, Kam offers just the one small format desk. Judging by its lengthy spec, however, it would seem that this little beauty covers all the bases by itself. The recently launched KMD10 is a powered mixing console that takes the form – and almost the size – of a passive desk and, alongside a well-hidden power amplifier, packs in a host of extras and professional features that are normally restricted to far more expensive products.

Boasting top quality mic preamps and low-noise, high gain circuitry, the KMD10 features six mono input channels with gold plated XLR mic inputs and four stereo line input channels with balanced jack inputs. Channels are equipped with swept-mid three-band eq and four-band eq, respectively. Handily, the mute system routes to a set of alt outputs instead of just cutting the channel, so users can set up a sub mix and, for those that wish to add some distinction to a mix, 32 different 20-bit effects are built in.

LD Systems
LD Systems is quickly making a name for itself in the PA sector, with its Dave series of portable systems being received with considerable acclaim. The brand’s LAX series of mixers complements the range with the same bang for buck philosophy.

The LAX series comprises eight models, ranging from the compact LAX6 or LAX6D mixers – a six-channel mixer available with or without 100 preset, 24-bit DSP multi-effects processor – to the LAX8D, LAX12D, or flexible LD Mix 16-channel LAX16D with eight XLR microphone inputs and FX.

The product line is topped off with the LAX12DA power mixer, with twin 300-Watt (RMS) amplification built in. Also including the DSP effects, this mixer ticks all the boxes in application terms and should see the average musician through every conceivable situation. A ten-channel version, the LAX6BMDA active box mixer with two 220-Watt amps is also available.

Phonic
Phonic seems to paying more attention to market trends than ever and while it has already released the new generation Helix Board 18 mixer, it has a new groundbreaking and NAMM-approved mixer due for launch later in the year.

The universal Helix Board 18 mixer features a Firewire and USB interface that can individually stream up to 18 independent channels of audio to the computer and return two tracks for monitoring at transfer rates of up to 24-bit/96kHz with zero latency. The 32/40-bit digital multi-effect processor provides 100 popular programs and six mono mic/line channels with 75Hz low cut filters and comes complete with three-band eq (six with swept mid), while two of the four stereo line channels have a four-band eq.

Expected to arrive in October, the Digital Summit mixer is Phonic's new and revolutionary 16-input mixing console, with a colour, touchscreen graphical user interface, full effects and delays built-in. It can be used in a live setting or a studio, with flexible balanced XLR analog outputs providing users with numerous ways to connect a setup for live performances and/or studio application. Users are able to use the automated faders to adjust the levels of either their main channels or the aux and group mixes, which should take a lot of the guesswork out of adjusting these levels.

Allen & Heath
Although it has historically shied away from this section of the market, Allen & Heath’s Zed series mixers landed with a thud in MI shops recently, offering affordable, small format, USB-equipped mixing for the working musician.

There are a whopping eight Zed models in total, all of which are passive. A good representation of the series is the Zed-14 – the first to be launched – with ten independent outputs, plus two pre-fade and two post-fade aux sends. The mixer has six mono channels with three-band, swept mid-channel eq and four stereo channels with two-band eq. In addition to the twin TRS jack inputs, dual input options include stereo and two-track returns on RCA and a USB interface to enable the engineer to choose which outputs to send to the computer.

All Zed mixers come supplied with a copy of Sonar LE recording and production software and also feature high performance DuoPre padless preamps. These comprise microphone circuits and optimised line input circuits, rather than just one preamp handling both mic and line signals. For the technically-minded, models with the FX post-fix, such as the Zed-12FX retain the same professional features as other models in the range, but benefit from the addition of a comprehensive set of in-house designed effects, developed around an FX chipset. All the effects have individual parameter controls so they can be adjusted live, using the switches on the front panel.

Ashton
The Australian brand has a small but comprehensive offering of both active and passive mixers. On the active side, Ashton’s PMX series of powered mixers range from 200-Watts to dual 450-Watts of power and feature sturdy wood cabinets, built-in digital effects, phantom power for use with condenser mics and eq on every channel. Each mixer also sports a fluoro paint that’s almost as loud as its output, so musicians will never lose it on a darkened stage.

Central to the range is the PMX1042ST, with ten channels, eight XLR inputs and combo inputs, 48V phantom power, two stereo channels with quarter-inch jack inputs, output limiter, twin 200-Watt output (RMS at four Ohms), three-band eq (seven-band for main and monitor outs), auxiliary or effects send, RCA input and output, 16 onboard footswitchable DSP effects and LED metering.

Ashton’s passive range begins with the £69 MXL6, a basic but solid performer, with six channels and individual eq on each. Top of the range is the £292 MXL12 with 12 inputs for mixing large ensembles live, a USB adaptor, 99 24-bit digital effects and phantom power to run condenser mics at the flick of a switch. This mixer also has three-band eq on every channel, but comes complete with a switchable low-cut filter to tame the bass, if necessary.

Yamaha
As one would expect, Yamaha has a huge selection of small format mixers on offer, from the lower-end passive MW series, targeted at the home studio with USB connectivity, to the more advanced MG passive range and the EMX series of powered mixers, the latter two both aimed primarily at the live performer.

“Because each of our mixer line-ups cover different production and performance target markets, we find that MWs, N series and the digital mixers tend to work best within the music production areas of the store, while the MGs sell exceedingly well from the pro audio department,” explains YMUK’s Peter Peck.

“Due to the diverse range of mixers we have, some ranges are available to all dealers, whereas others that require specialist knowledge and need to be displayed with third party peripherals are only available to dealers who have attended training sessions. The lower end models of the MG series are classed as open product so are available to all Yamaha dealers.”

And with the built-in audio interfaces and effects, it is the MG series that is the most adaptable to a variety of tasks. As an example, the MG12/4 has a total of 12 input channels (four mono mic/line inputs and four stereo line inputs, two of which offer mono mic inputs, all with phantom power). The MG16/4 has eight mono microphone/line inputs and four stereo line inputs, two with mono microphone input capability. Gain trim covers a wide
-60dB to -16dB range for mic inputs, and
-34dB to +10dB for line inputs. Mono input channels feature insert I/O patch points, so you can add compressors or eq for vocals, a noise gate on a guitar channel, or other extra signal processing to individual channels as required.

Soundcraft
Harman’s console mastermind has been effectively churning out mixing desks in recent times and, from pro consoles such as the Si2 down to the popular Gigrac package, they’re being held in high esteem across the board.

 In the non-powered section, the Soundcraft EFX series combines all the features of the Soundcraft EPM mixer with a built-in 24-bit, digital Lexicon effects processor. The Soundcraft EFX mixer uses the same Audio DNA processor featured in much of Digitech’s and Lexicon’s outboard equipment, including the respected Lexicon MX400 processor.

A little further up the range are the MPM and MFX series of mixers, newly-upgraded versions of which shipped last month. Soundcraft has uprated both the hardware and audio performance in these models and renamed them MFXi and MPMi (emphasising the high input count on each). This builds on the strength of the original range by using vertically mounted PCBs with the control pots being nutted to the front panel. This not only increases the rigidity of the mixer and gives a firm operating feel, but also aids servicing should it ever be required.

Soundcraft also took the hardware development opportunity to fine-tune the audio design and further enhance the audio performance of the mixers, improving key specifications including noise and distortion performance.