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The new Behringer X32 little brothers


efksound

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Behringer has always had reliability issues. Not to mention they certainly have questionable ethics. I don't think I'd ever be willing to use one on location. I "might" be willing to use one mixing to mix a local band or where the application was not so critical, but even then I'd want something standing by as a back up.

Tom

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No "linking" between X32 and X32.

Behringer for me it's for prosumer not for pro and not for this industry.

 

:)

Well Behringer bought Midas, and from first hand view of their big brother of this series and by recommendations from trusted people I know they have in my mind schluffed off the idea that they are solely prosumer. They are now professional and personally for the price might do more than consoles they are competing with. They probably should have kept the Midas name.

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Well Behringer bought Midas, and from first hand view of their big brother of this series and by recommendations from trusted people I know they have in my mind schluffed off the idea that they are solely prosumer. They are now professional and personally for the price might do more than consoles they are competing with. They probably should have kept the Midas name.

 

So we can compare one SSL and one Behringer if Behringer it's for pro studios or live venue.

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So we can compare one SSL and one Behringer if Behringer it's for pro studios or live venue.

I don't know how it could compare to an SSL, but then again I don't think Midas ever tried competing with SSL, but for location sound this may be useful!

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Honestly, with the kind of money we spend on gear because it comes from a trusted company that makes reliable equipment, I dont even know why Behringer would be a subject or topic on this forum unless it is the subject of ridicule. Everyone knows that they are cheap knockoffs of products from other companies (granted some of the newer things may be original designs), but I still wouldn't waste my money on an inferior product. I know I have a tendency to judge a studio or other audio related post if I see products of this caliber being used, I am sure Im not the only one.

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I think that sometimes too much is made out of what preamp design is used or the preamp heritage...  I've been following this a bit, and the long and short of it is that yes Behringer now owns Midas and they are not shy about advertising the fact that their products now have "MIDAS" preamps.  Just like Presonus uses XMAX or this board has Neve 88RS, etc...  The preamps are not the same as those used in the XL, Verona, or Venice models, but is in fact based on the same design as Midas new console, the PRO1/2/3/6/9.  The Pro consoles were manufactured post Behringer ownership, but the team involved is the same team that has been with Midas all these years - perhaps with new budget and QC targets, but is inherently Midas because it is the Midas company that penned them - but maybe not related to the Midas preamp design that has gained the Midas preamp reputation - if that matters at all.

 

I personally never thought much about the Midas preamp as a highly sought after pre, but it certainly is a good performing design.

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I just used the Behringer X32 digital console for a two day shoot with four music artists. It was the central audio device for the shoot, providing preamplification, routing for artists' monitors, routing to Pro Tools for iso recording, and routing to a backup recorder (Nomad).

 

It'll do 32 in/out of Pro Tools over a single firewire cable. That was the most impressive part. On my mac I didn't have to do anything other than select the X32's X-UF card in the Pro Tools Hardware Setup. I had zero issues with the console and a solid connection to Pro Tools. Plus, the console sounds great, even the internal effects which I used for the editorial stereo mix.

 

I've used Yamaha PM5D, M7CL, AVID SC48 and they are all great consoles. For the price and feature set, this Behringer beats them easily ($3000). I fully understand why professional touring artists go to other more expensive consoles, but this console is a market-changer. My only concern is durability and reliability over time. The unit I'm using will live at a small event center and will only ever see light to moderate use - no touring or bar bands - so that shouldn't be too bad. At $3000, I could easily replace it down the road without thinking I've lost money.

 

Oh, and this console is replacing two sister Midas consoles - a 56 input Midas Verona and 48 input Midas Sienna. If anyone is interested they are for sale.

 

Mark O.

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External clocking by AES i suppose...

 

I just got back from NAMM, and had a very close look at the new products.

These mixers have no external clocking and no AES/EBU inputs or outputs (SRC or no). 

Compatible AES50 devices and their proprietary monitor mix output are the only devices that are linked digitally.

The X series is fixed 48kHz, Midas is fixed 96kHz except for one huge interface box that has a new firmware update that lets it clock down to 48kHz.  

The new Soundcraft mixers have a sole Word clock input, and option cards for various digital signals.

 

Tom (TASCAM)

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I have mixed on the Behringer X32 before. A local nightclub has replaced their venerable Allen & Heath with this guy. Sure, I mocked and chided the owner for putting in a key piece of equipment from a company like Behringer and their reputation. The thing has been installed for nearly 6 months now, doing multiple bar bands every night. AFAIK, no hiccups.

 

My time on it was fine. It was a capable, good sounding mixer. I own a Presonus Studio Live, and it was defiantly better, especially in the eq which I'm not happy with on the Presonus at all. Not having a trim for every input was weird at first, as it was on the Nomad, but one gets over that pretty fast.

 

I liked the sound of the Soundcraft better, but this X32 has twice the channels for the same money. I will say this though, the Soundcraft wins the beauty pagent. She is a looker compared to the old hag that is the Presonus.

 

I have used the Presonus with Boom recorder and Pro Tools quite a bit, and mixing this way is a huge advantage in ergonomics and cost over using a 788T or Nomad type setup. I'm quite interested in the X32 compact as a Presonus replacement.

 

Oh, but the first thing I did when mixing on the Behringer was put a piece of black gaff over the logo, so nobody could take a picture of me working with such a thing.

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Behringer may have a bad reputation, but they aren't stupid. Other companies of ill-repute have come and gone but Behringer has been around for more than a decade.

 

They were smart enough to buy Klark Teknic and Midas. These are two very respected companies that were loosing their financial footings as their mostly analog products were going the way of the dinosaur. I think it's fair to say that Behringer has bought some respect. If they can manage to parlay these companies' reputation onto theirs without running it all into the ground, they will become an even more successful company. The X32 line is a big step in the right direction.

 

The X32 itself in no way feels cheap or poorly designed - quite the opposite. Sure it's minus a few features like word clock and more in/outs, but it's like the difference between a Nomad Lite and Nomad 12 - a reduced feature set for less money.

 

I didn't have any trouble recording simultaneously to both Pro Tools and 12 tracks into my Nomad (10 analog, 2 AES). It worked like a charm and sounded great too. Nomad doesn't have word clock either, just SRC digital inputs.

 

I think Behringer's reputation is on the way up thanks to this respectable product. And no, I haven't put black gaffe over the Behringer logo yet. I like to point out what's on the face, "Powered by Midas".

 

Mark O.

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The bad reputation is because they make bad products. For example: the ADA8000 have an unacceptable S/N for a digital product (65dB?), the DCX2496 have a very high armonic distortion on low freq. Are cheap?.... yes, but, IMMO are a bad quality products.
 
I was very afraid with the Behringer's purchase (I thought that Behringer bought the labels for give a quality charm to his main brand), now I think that the other two will leave his legendary quality for be a "Midas by Behringer" (Or viceversa). 
 
IMMO recently Midas has sold low quality desks with the Midas brand (All under Heritage series), (sorry but the worst Midas that I had the pleasure of work before was the XL200 and in comparision is a gem). Probably Behringer noted this and they thought that what sells is the label.
 
I hope be on a mistake.
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Probably Behringer noted this and they thought that what sells is the label.

But they haven't branded the X32 products as Midas. They have Behringer boldly printed on them in big letters. The "Powered by Midas" is quite small and you have to look for it.

 

Again, not being a stupid company, they won't de-value their Klark Teknic and Midas brands by releasing new, low cost products under those names. They still sell expensive products like the Midas Pro digital console series.

 

They were smart to purchase the rights to the  intellectual property, products, and engineering staff of better brands. This is something that even an already-excellent company like Apple does.

 

If they priced the X32 as $5000 street price it would have been a good deal. However, with the Behringer name and comparable products like the Presonus StuioLive 24.4 at $3000, they had to match the price.

 

Mark O.

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Again, not being a stupid company, they won't de-value their Klark Teknic and Midas brands by releasing new, low cost products under those names. They still sell expensive products like the Midas Pro digital console series.

 

The Midas Pro 1 and 2 are Behringer's made consoles (chinese), and yes it's a "new, low cost products under Midas brand".

 

IMMO If you spend a bit more than a X32 you can buy much better consoles such as Roland V-Mixer series (M200 or M300). But is just my opinion 

 

A X32 review 

 

http://www.cx-mag.com/behringer-x32-review-sept-2012.html

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I used to own one of the Roland VM mixers awhile ago... pretty forward thinking back then, sort of a tethered control surface with the main I/O box as a separate unit.  I don't understand how Roland makes any money with mixers, though.  They discontinue models much quicker it seems than other manufacturers, and I never ever hear of anyone actually buying / using one.  

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I used to own one of the Roland VM mixers awhile ago... pretty forward thinking back then, sort of a tethered control surface with the main I/O box as a separate unit.  I don't understand how Roland makes any money with mixers, though.  They discontinue models much quicker it seems than other manufacturers, and I never ever hear of anyone actually buying / using one.  

 

Probably in the past you are right (I had the same opinion), but now makes a nice mixers.

 

The digital snake is a very nice idea for PA systems, up to 100 m, 40 in / 40 out on a cat5, and work flawless (The best system I tried, shared with Ethersound). The past weekend I worked on a BBC radio show, my mixer was a Roland M400 and the signal system a Roland digital snake. 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pz2l2

 

The smaller unit the M200i have 16 inputs on the desk + REAC

 

I'm not a Roland commercial, I'm just a user.

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The Roland M-200i mixer looks pretty terrific (it may be brand new, some may have seen it at NAMM show). Certainly the size and weight are acceptable (for those who might think about using Yamaha O1v). They seem to have provided an iPad interface/controller that is very well thought out and can be hard wired or used wirelessly. One thing I have not been able to determine is power requirement: the specs state 3.6 amp current and there is a "DC connector" on the back next to the power switch. It would be great if this mixer is actually DC powerable.

 

post-1-0-01668800-1359674456_thumb.jpg

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One thing I have not been able to determine is power requirement: the specs state 3.6 amp current and there is a "DC connector" on the back next to the power switch. It would be great if this mixer is actually DC powerable. M-200i_sm.jpg

It looks to be a customized coax-style input connector, and the writing below states the use of a Roland power supply only - it probably needs STABLE DC, not the range over which our batteries fall. You could put a regulator in line I guess but you'd be looking at a big brick for 3.6amps...

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