Mixers/Consoles - Decent 16-24 Channel Analog Desk for High School?

[qu1cks1lver56]

My high school is in need of some serious sound help in the auditorium.
they've got a terrible powered behringer board that only has 8 mic ins.
i know there's nothing small like this thats nice without going with a midas, but we dont have that kind of money, to be honest i dont know what kind of budget they have for it, but somethings got to be done in there.
im looking for something that has at least 16 mic ins, unpowered, 4 aux sends, a few groups, built in compression would be nice, but not necessary.
Doesn't have to be a new desk, they can buy used, and i know the used market for analog equipment is great right now.

so suggestions?


thanks

[DaveySimps]

You might want to look at the Yamaha 01V96, or the old style 01V on Ebay. They are great little boards with a lot of features. The 01V96's run about $2500ish. I bought an old 01V on Ebay last year for $450, with an ADAT card and it is working great for my project studio. The O1V's can be expanded and use external preamps to increase their channel count with various cards installed on them.

~Dave

[soundlight]

If you're set on analog, look at the A&H Zed series.

[qu1cks1lver56]

definitely set on analog, this school is nowhere near ready for the switch to digital stuff.

[soundlight]

If you have the budget, A&H GL2400-16 or GL2400-24. If your budget isn't that high, maybe the A&H Zed 420 or Zed 428. I mix quite often on the GL2200, the GL2400's predecessor, and it's a very nice board. I've also mixed on the newer GL2800, which is basically the 2400 with 4 more busses. Very nice board as well. I really like the headroom and EQ.

Soundcraft has the LX7ii and the FX16ii. The original FX-16 was an amazing board for the price, I mixed on one at my church. They now have a GB8 (but I moved so I only get to mix for them when my family goes back down to the hometown) which is pretty sweet. I'd assume that the new FX16ii is nothing short of the old one, so that might be a good choice.

Yamaha has the MG series (MG32/14FX, MG24/14FX), but I'd pick an A&H or a Soundcraft before these boards.

Oh, and the inveitable question, considering I'm a strong proponent of digital and absolutely love using the theatre's beautiful Yammie LS9, what do you have against digital?

[avkid]

APB Dynasonics ProRack House.

[hsaunier]

A&H mix wizard is also a nice little desk. It also has a small built in EFX processer.

[jowens]

I'll second the gl-2400's... They are worth every penny.

[qu1cks1lver56]

Originally Posted by soundlight

If you have the budget, A&H GL2400-16 or GL2400-24. If your budget isn't that high, maybe the A&H Zed 420 or Zed 428. I mix quite often on the GL2200, the GL2400's predecessor, and it's a very nice board. I've also mixed on the newer GL2800, which is basically the 2400 with 4 more busses. Very nice board as well. I really like the headroom and EQ.

Soundcraft has the LX7ii and the FX16ii. The original FX-16 was an amazing board for the price, I mixed on one at my church. They now have a GB8 (but I moved so I only get to mix for them when my family goes back down to the hometown) which is pretty sweet. I'd assume that the new FX16ii is nothing short of the old one, so that might be a good choice.

Yamaha has the MG series (MG32/14FX, MG24/14FX), but I'd pick an A&H or a Soundcraft before these boards.

Oh, and the inveitable question, considering I'm a strong proponent of digital and absolutely love using the theatre's beautiful Yammie LS9, what do you have against digital?

I don't have anything against digital, I've just grown up around analog, and from what I've been told from several industry pro's digital's only good when you get into the high end stuff like the PM5D's and the new Digidesign desk

[howlingwolf487]

You need to experience it for yourself, then. Go to a local music store for a couple of hours and fiddle around with a digital board. Others' opinions are great, especially if they are from experience. I say that each person needs to find out for themselves what works and how it works best. I have yet to really work on a digital board, but I'll get there sometime soon.