Ok, so I think for $2500 for digital I would go with a
Yamaha 01v96 with additional cards -- based on technology, flexibility, convenience, and size and weight. Thanks everyone for your input.
Now, (of course), I'm finding myself tight on budget, having to upgrade some mikes and buy EQ and a couple extra PA speakers, so I would like to see if there's a low-cost upgrade to my existing analog board. I've looked around and it's hard to find something with the format that I need.
My CFX-20 has:
- Input channels: 16
mono + 2 stereo pairs
- Buses: 4 group + 2 aux + 2 efx = 8 total
- jacks on top (fairly important as I have a shallow
desk with audience right behind it, difficult to access the rear, so I need top jacks for patching)
What I need is:
- Input: 24
mono + 2 stereo pairs, or 32
mono
- Bus: 10 total (8
speaker outs plus 2 for recording or
stage/band
monitor)
- jacks on top
Looking around, I had a hard time finding boards with this arrangement. In fact, the only real match for my needs that I could find was ... brace yourselves ... Behringer!
Yes, the Behringer MX3282A has 24+8 input, 8+6 outputs, jacks on top, and comes at a ridiculously low price of $600 ... I can get one new at the local music shop right now! But will I be kicking myself later if I buy it ... ?
Another board I really like was the Allen & Heath PA-28, everything looks great for $1000 or so, except for lack of output buses :| So I think this one is ruled out.
The
Yamaha MG3214 as all the I/O I need for $1000, but the jacks are in the rear ... :|
I can also go to a
Mackie 32.8 but they're very deep boards, however if I'm pressed then this may be my only viable option.
So I would appreciate input on other board options -- new or discontinued models -- that would give me the type of features that the Behringer has.
I would also appreciate some
feedback on the Behringer. Is this board going to be noisy? Will channels stop working in the middle of shows? Is it worth buying the board, keeping the
Mackie as a backup, and counting on warranty and other repairs to keep it operational for the next couple of years until I can get something much better? (After all, $500 in repairs and I'm still just approaching the cost of a
Yamaha or A&H).
Thanks. John