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Author Topic: Soundcraft price drop  (Read 15104 times)

John Chiara

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2013, 07:56:16 PM »

I wouldn't exactly call dragging down the price with a low cost mixer a success story to be proud of. That's about the only thing it has going for it. IMO. The price drops from Soundcraft are largely due to the other guys bringing the market down to the gutter and the uninformed jumping on price only.

There are a number of ways to view this I guess. For me i needed a total digital solution....digital snake, full iPad control, multitrack recording/playback, moving faders, 32 channels, matrices, scribble strips
 ( I am of bad vision in a particular way. I can't read in low light at all, have overall blurry vision, but for some reason could always read a Blackberry screen text without a problem.) the X32 was all there was in my price range 10-11 months ago. It works logically for me and I can easily see what I need. I don't really think investing millions of dollars in multiple countries should be frowned upon on universally.
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Scott Bolt

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2013, 09:46:57 PM »

I wouldn't exactly call dragging down the price with a low cost mixer a success story to be proud of. That's about the only thing it has going for it. IMO. The price drops from Soundcraft are largely due to the other guys bringing the market down to the gutter and the uninformed jumping on price only.
You can count me as one of your so called "uninformed".  It wasn't just price that opened my wallet for an X32 Rack either.  Neither the Expression Si, nor the Qu-16 had as many attractive features or nearly as many people using them in anger in the field.  The SL wasn't even close.

I think it is disingenuous to make statements that imply that only someone ignorant of some secrete sauce in other digital mixers would ever fall victim to the purchase of an X32 product.

Don't get me wrong, I think that the Expression Si is a great mixer..... if you have no need or desire for multi-track recording.  The Qu-16 is also a great digital mixer (this would have been my 2nd choice, but the lack of remote app support and a few other options edged it out of the running).  While you may not personally place the X32 series in the same league with these esteemed mixers, you are in a VERY small minority.  The vast majority of consumers do, and so do Soundcraft, A&H, and Presonus.  Thus the price drops.

@Justice,
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That's a nice looking little mixer. Presonus must be shitting bricks right about now.
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I think that both the Expression Si and the Qu-16 were directly targeted at the StudioLive mixers.  There are very few reasons I can think of that anyone purchasing a new digital mixer would pick the StudioLive mixer over either of these better options.  The two high points of the SL line is the high visibility large segment count full meter bridge (unmatched by its competitors), and the very very good remote app.

The X32 on the other hand doesn't even try to look or feel like an analog desk.  That definitely puts it out of the running for a segment of the market that are never going to want to mix on something so completely different than their venerable analog mixer.

The StudioLive did this well.  Qu-16 and Expression Si do it much better IMHO.
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Bob Leonard

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2013, 10:16:01 PM »

I think casting aspersions upon any of the mixers mentioned is just a bit short sighted. The computer has revolutionized the way we do business, the way we live, and to a great extent the way we think.

Every one of these boards is an extension of the computer, a computer programmed to respond to our needs and surrounded by mechanical devices allowing for human interface. Some computers are built with care, and others not so much. Some boards use very solid and reliable mechanical devices, some not so solid and reliable. But they all work..... at least for a while.

Any of the boards mentioned above will get the job done, and every board mentioned above fills a need. The X32 didn't really lower the cost of goods, it made the rest of the world a bit more honest.

The Expression may use the same components as it's bigger brothers, same chips, same construction, same company. The reason it costs less is because the Expression, unlike it's bigger brothers, is assembled in CHINA, and that's why it costs less. The X32 has a ton of features, but that's Uli's way. Build something and put so many bells and whistles on it that the product can't be ignored. Good for Uli, but software is only as good as the platform it runs on, and to that we need to tip our collective hats to Uli as it appears he's hit a home run with this one.

I don't really understand why Presonus brought out their second edition boards without motorized faders and recallable head amps. It just makes no sense in that they have improved the product by basically adding more software. And the QU-16, as great a board as it's bound to be can't be expanded past 16 channels, another mystery. The world will is smaller than most people think, and just like the laptop, desktop and other computers entry level boards will soon abound each with their own claim to fame and following. Good luck to us all.
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BOSTON STRONG........
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Thomas Le

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2013, 01:22:39 AM »

Call this hopeful speculation, but I feel that A&H might release a QU-24 and a QU-32, it makes no sense stopping at 16 channels.

One thing I wish Soundcraft would do for the Si Expression/Compact/Performer is to have an offline editor, I guess that's what's keeping me from the Si Expression 3 (I like my faders), somehow I dislike the small touchscreen. For Si Expression, I also would like scribble strips but tape labels would be on the console anyway...
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Chuck Simon

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2013, 12:49:00 PM »

somehow I dislike the small touchscreen. For Si Expression,

The Expression does not need a large touchscreen.  Unlike many digital boards, all the controls and info needed to mix are laid out in front of you, similiar to an analog board.  The screen is used only for set up and it plenty large enough for that.
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Bob Kidd

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #15 on: November 15, 2013, 01:42:34 PM »

Quote from: Chuck Simon link=topic =146958.msg1351471#msg1351471 date=1384537740
The Expression does not need a large touchscreen.  Unlike many digital boards, all the controls and info needed to mix are laid out in front of you, similiar to an analog board.  The screen is used only for set up and it plenty large enough for that.


I did have one visiting sound tech that used my soundcraft to run his band get upset because the eq display did not stay up showing a graphical display of his changes. As you make adjustments it shows on screen then goes away. States on x32 it gives you a visual display. I stated the frequency's are written right on faders what is the issue. How did you manage on analog board. Lol.  ::)
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Jamin Lynch

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2013, 01:59:05 PM »


I did have one visiting sound tech that used my soundcraft to run his band get upset because the eq display did not stay up showing a graphical display of his changes. As you make adjustments it shows on screen then goes away. States on x32 it gives you a visual display. I stated the frequency's are written right on faders what is the issue. How did you manage on analog board. Lol.  ::)

Yeah, how long does he need to stare at an eq change once made? I listen to changes with my ears rather than my eyes.
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Steve M Smith

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #17 on: November 15, 2013, 02:01:36 PM »

I think casting aspersions upon any of the mixers mentioned is just a bit short sighted.

Me, too.

The internet is full of comments from people who haven't used an X32 telling us how terrible it is based on the fact that it has Behringer written on it.

If it had a Midas label instead there would be no end of comments from people who haven't used it telling us how great it is!


Steve.
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Jamin Lynch

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Re: Soundcraft price drop
« Reply #18 on: November 15, 2013, 02:06:31 PM »

I've used a few X32's. Everyone had a problem. They were pretty terrible to me.


Well I look at it this way:

Berhinger has never been known for it's "quality". Sure it's a little better than years past. But with the X32 you get:

Berhinger EQ's
Berhinger Comp's
Berhinger Gate etc. etc. etc.
Not exactly what I would call high quality. There might be a little collaboration with Midas but I believe the only Midas feature is the mic pre's.

Soundcraft you get:

Bss Eq's
dbx Comp's
dbx Gates
Lexicon Effects

HHHMM. Some of the leaders in the business known for their quality.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2013, 02:44:16 PM by Jamin Lynch »
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Gordon Waugh

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Expression EQ shelving only on Hi, Lo?
« Reply #19 on: November 15, 2013, 03:08:47 PM »

It looks like the PEQ on the Expressions for the Low and High bands is shelving only. That is, you cannot set it to bell-shaped for those frequency bands. Is that correct?

If that is true, has anyone found that to be a significant limitation?
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Gordon Waugh

ProSoundWeb Community

Expression EQ shelving only on Hi, Lo?
« Reply #19 on: November 15, 2013, 03:08:47 PM »


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