Thanks again y'all.

Thinking about abandoning something that has been tried and true since the late 1980s is difficult. Your input and experience is helpful.

Originally Posted by Mike Halloran
<…snip…>
If you let us know your exact needs, chances are good that one or more of us can steer you towards something better. Anything made by Mackie or Yamaha where roadworthy reliability is a reality and people answer phones if you need support will be much, much better.

Thanks. At the price point, I figure the Behringer can't be too rugged, and I would prefer 3 tone controls instead of 2. The FX isn't necessary as long as the mixer has an aux loop.

Plus, since it's only a 10 channel mixer, it's not ideal. Just the closest I can find. I'll have to build a passive mixer to mix the synth module outputs. Which means I'll have to build two.

If I could find something better, I'd go for it.

Needs.
  • 4 rack spaces or fewer
  • 11 channels (ok, 12)
  • Knobs - no touch screen - no necessary remotes - no battery requirements
  • All inputs/outputs (except headphone) connections in the rear of the unit
  • Ability to use my FX unit (preferred) or internal FX
  • Rugged design - one-nighters are notoriously hard on gear


Of course, it needs to sound good.

I've had Peavey and Yamaha mixers in the past, and especially the Yamaha was bulletproof. Mackie has a good reputation, but I can'f find anything to fit the bill. Alesis made an 8 channel (two stereo) that was $100 more than the Behringer, but I believe it's been discontinued.

I wrote to Alesis today, and they haven't written back yet.

I had my new rep at Sweetwater search, (my old rep retired) and he can't find anything else, and told me he wasn't comfortable with the Behringer doing one-nighters. He's missing a 3 mixer commission by telling me he doesn't think it will fit my needs. That's the sign of a good sales person.

I e-mailed Samson, and they gave me a list of authorized Florida repair shops, and of the 7, two are about 100 miles away, in opposite directions. I'll be giving them a call to see what they think the future repair-abiity of the MPL1204 is.

The Samson is a nice unit. I've been using them for decades, but they are old, and I get about a year or so between repair jobs. That's really not too bad for their age. I think they went over 10 years before the first failure. The problems haven't been catastrophic, currently one channel is peaking the Right channel and distorting, even when the trimmer is almost off. Old, analog, 3 tone pots, knobs, etc., are perfect for gigging.

Keith at Sweetwater said the trend in small mixers is digital. To me, digital with a touch screen is fine, except for live performance unless it's a FOH guy/gal who has nothing more to do.

If I hear some PA ringing while I'm singing, a microsecond glance is all I need for my hand to finish finding the knob, and in less than a second, it's turned down. If it were a touch screen, I have to wake up the screen, look at the screen because I can't feel it, and then turn it down. By then, the PA could be in full feedback, or I've missed the next line of the song. And what if there is glare on the screen or it's at one of those blind angles?

Here is an equivalent. Guitar is my 7th instrument, so I know it the least. If I need to turn it up, turn it down, change the tone, or switch the pickups, my hand knows where these controls are I don't have to look and in most cases, even miss a note. What if it were a touch screen instead? You have to look at the touch screen. It's the same reason why I wouldn't want essential controls in my car on a touch screen.

Some things are better digital, some things are better with a touch screen, but a mixer for a live performance musician is not better with a touch screen.

Sorry about the rant.

So the search is still on.
To Behringer, or not to Behringer?
To repair Samson, or not to repair Samson?
To replace with something else, or not to replace?

Those are the questions.

Bites ♫

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
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