B
Quite expensive, for what it is. It makes the job done, but...
Would be a very decent 19" 1U mixer, if just couple of things would get fixed:
a) Assembly quality control none? At first power up, unit extremely noisy, 50/100 Hz buzz from the box, the cover was shaking crazy. If you get this problem, open the top cover, remove the wires pinched between top cover and transformer shield, so that the cover is not resting on the shield and wires.
b) Unity gain positions absolutely undefined. What position of the knob is unity gain? Even more, the MASTER and ZONE output knobs have different position of unity gain (or, to achieve same indicated signal level) - have not checked outputs levels yet.
c) Output level indicators: Bajezus crist, why is it blue? Why 0 dB is red? Why is PEAK level achieved just a dB or so above 0 dB? Nonsense. Guessing indicated value have no meaning in relation to real output levels anyway and is just a gimmick.
d) The "SG" signal input LED, that according to manual should light up green when signal is present, is lighting up RED and only very dim. WTF?
e) If no CUE button is pressed, the headphone output is dead. One would expect in such case to provide the final MIX to headphone output. But no way to get it there. MIC inputs also can not be heard in the headphones.
f) Manual with mistakes: Purpose of the TRIM knob labeled „42“ does not trim levels of channels 3 to 5, but channels 1 and 2 in case those operate in LINE level (buttons 41 not pressed). Likely more mistakes lurking in there.
g) Why there is separate MIC1 (and MIC2) inputs with and without phantom power, is beyond my understanding. Are these inputs wired in parallel? Mixed together, what? Why is phantom only 12V, instead of 48V standard?
I understand, this is not a professional mixer, but my point is, that even significantly cheaper mixers do get these things right - if just this equipment wouldn’t be designed by the clueless. A lot of the problems above could easily be fixed, without any added cost to the BOM of the device. You should be getting much more for the price.
My final verdict: it will get the job done, but will annoy the hell out of you, if you are more than a clueless consumer. Needed 19“ mixer asap for a project and this was the only one looking at least a bit decent and had a pretty much welcomed separate headphone channel with CUE buttons – a rare feature on 19“ 1U mixers. The T/O (talk-over, ducking) function is also very useful one. Thumbs up for integrated USB soundard.
a) Assembly quality control none? At first power up, unit extremely noisy, 50/100 Hz buzz from the box, the cover was shaking crazy. If you get this problem, open the top cover, remove the wires pinched between top cover and transformer shield, so that the cover is not resting on the shield and wires.
b) Unity gain positions absolutely undefined. What position of the knob is unity gain? Even more, the MASTER and ZONE output knobs have different position of unity gain (or, to achieve same indicated signal level) - have not checked outputs levels yet.
c) Output level indicators: Bajezus crist, why is it blue? Why 0 dB is red? Why is PEAK level achieved just a dB or so above 0 dB? Nonsense. Guessing indicated value have no meaning in relation to real output levels anyway and is just a gimmick.
d) The "SG" signal input LED, that according to manual should light up green when signal is present, is lighting up RED and only very dim. WTF?
e) If no CUE button is pressed, the headphone output is dead. One would expect in such case to provide the final MIX to headphone output. But no way to get it there. MIC inputs also can not be heard in the headphones.
f) Manual with mistakes: Purpose of the TRIM knob labeled „42“ does not trim levels of channels 3 to 5, but channels 1 and 2 in case those operate in LINE level (buttons 41 not pressed). Likely more mistakes lurking in there.
g) Why there is separate MIC1 (and MIC2) inputs with and without phantom power, is beyond my understanding. Are these inputs wired in parallel? Mixed together, what? Why is phantom only 12V, instead of 48V standard?
I understand, this is not a professional mixer, but my point is, that even significantly cheaper mixers do get these things right - if just this equipment wouldn’t be designed by the clueless. A lot of the problems above could easily be fixed, without any added cost to the BOM of the device. You should be getting much more for the price.
My final verdict: it will get the job done, but will annoy the hell out of you, if you are more than a clueless consumer. Needed 19“ mixer asap for a project and this was the only one looking at least a bit decent and had a pretty much welcomed separate headphone channel with CUE buttons – a rare feature on 19“ 1U mixers. The T/O (talk-over, ducking) function is also very useful one. Thumbs up for integrated USB soundard.
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