I own a A&H QU16 and a QU-PAC. One band I work with has the QU SB.
About four years ago, I spec'd a QSC Touchmix 16 for the cafe because I felt it would be easier for volunteers to work with, and did not require an iPad or Android device to control. So, I'm constantly between the two systems - actually more on the Touchmix than the A&H.
I've found the TM16 to be quite versatile, and suits just about all of the cafe's needs, including minimal training of volunteers (and a basic setup scene that will produce decent sound in mains and monitors). Not as flexible as the A&H gear, but good enough (and sounding good enough) that at least two bands coming through have subsequently purchased one for their band.
Major complaint has to do with gain trims... Gain knobs run from 8o'clock to 4'oclock. Normal gain is around 3 o'clock. The pots get very sensitive there - the low end of the gain range is almost never used. There is a trim gain within the interface that can adjust the gain remotely to a small extent.
Gain - anything above 3 o'clock and there is noise from the preamps that is quite noticeable. For a SM58 with an average singer, hardware gain is on 3 o'clock and about 6db of software trim gain to drive the channel fully.
The Helpinstall pickup (for the upright piano) needed a preamp (
http://tritonaudio.com/fethead-phantom.html) to get enough gain, and keep another preamp in the bag for situations where the channel is not driven fully - i.e., one drummer has a headset mic (allegedly from SHURE) that cannot drive the channel fully.
Reliability. We use this mixer six nights a week. Purchased Dec of 14.
1) We got an early one that I managed to brick which was running some early software. QSC sent a prepaid lable and overnighted a new mixer once the package was accepted by UPS.
2) We lost phantom on channel 13. Same deal, prepaid label and O/N ship of replacement unit.
3.) There were some spec problems with the power-brick to mixer which could cause random reboots. Replaced by QSC (O/N).
Since we're dark on Mondays, the exchange has not created problems.
The Newest firmware changed the interface in a big way - a huge improvement. Many things are much easier to reach. Most of the layout and improvements came from their 30 channel version.
Right now we are experiencing loss of effects - a power-off and power-on solves that. Annoying, but as we use minimal effects, it is workable. Reboot during break, or if I'm lucky, if I notice the dead effects meters, before the show. Will contact QSC someday soon.
Unike the Behringer, the Touchmix does not have a downward expander. But neither does the QU series. Very little routing capability. I run the IEMs mono, so I use one of the auxes - six mono (more than the QU). I have on many occasions used the stereo auxes to drive digital tape decks, and a Sennheiser ENG transmitter for video. No problem there.
One huge plus - mixer built-in interface is touchscreen - and the display of that (and the hardware buttons) is nearly identical on the iPad and Android apps, unlike the QU-16 (and most other mixers with a surface) There is a lag in controls that one becomes used to - mostly, and the screen is not multi-touch.
For that venue, I'd buy it again. Perfect. No. Quite usable. Hope this helps.frankchange: Correct fact that Behringer mixers DO contain effective downward expanders
