We got one in our new sound
system install this summer. We haven't had one problem with it.
Things I like:
-Full dynamics and full 4-bd parametric on every
channel
-12 real auxes (not the 3-4/5-6 type thing like the 1604)
-4 separate effects processors
-Mic preamps on every analog
channel (no strictly
line channels like the SR24)
-Switchable 48V on every
channel (NOT globally switched...yay!)
-Full ADAT I/O (24 channels @ 44.1/48 kHz)
-AES and SPDIF I/O
-Nice big smooth 100mm motorized faders, pretty good motors too
-8 bus even though it's banked
-VCA capability on the subgroups
-User bank (ability to assign pretty much any
channel fader in the board to a custom bank)
-11x8 "Matrix Plus" with delay
-Snapshots
-Compression and EQ on every aux
-Tone generator, white and
pink noise generator
-Ability to turn the
channel "V-pots" into a mini
meter bridge
-Expansion slots for future stuff
Stuff I don't like:
-The "V-pots" are a little too inacurate for my tastes. Even with the speed turned way down in the setup
screen, there's still a huge gap between the slow speed fine tuning and the fast speed coarse tuning.
-Small monochrome "quick mix"
screen, probably wouldn't cost too much to more stick in a color bigger one
-Some screens in quick mix could be better organized
-For the life of me I can't find a readout for the HPF...
-Somewhat large learning curve going from analog to digital (for example you have to remember what your aux routing is since it's not in front of your
face anymore)
Go over to their forum and ask what people like/don't like about it. You may get a slightly biased opinion, but you'll probably be tapping into the largest user
base if you ask over there.
Anyway, I think it's a great
console despite some of its shortcomings. Perhaps
Mackie will straighten out a few of them in future firmware versions. They do listen to
feedback in their forums and impliment suggested features. An example of this would be the Onyx series. About two years before Onyx came out, one of the
Mackie guys posted a question on the board, "What features would your ideal
mixer have?" Pretty much every feature requested within reason was implimented in the Onyx
line.