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[Mike Caldwell]

Take a look at the Allen Heath QuPac 32. 16 channels on board expandable to 32 channels with the stage box, works and sounds great, compact, has no physical faders but all functions can be controlled from the front panel if need be.

[Alec Spence]

It honestly sounds great and since the recent hardware updates, has shown to be worth every penny.

What hardware updates?

Also, on the M32, have they changed the buttons?  The Midas website shows brighter lozenge buttons, like on the X32, rather than the black with rather discrete/insipid labels, which are all I've seen on videos.  Or are the pics on the site just misleading visuals.  Much prefer the brigther buttons.

[Stephen Kirby]

X32 rack with one of their X-Touch units....would that do the trick?

Not quite.  This ends up being two boxes with something that has to lay on top trying to look like a mixing board.  And everything is assignable controls that you have to read some little screen to figure out what they're going to do.  Not what you want when you're playing guitar and the singer walks in front of something getting feedback.  Things like the Si or Qu get you to that main or monitor mix with two easy to find grabs.

I realize that rotary encoders and surrounding indicators cost money for each duplication.  And so product designers want to minimize them in a smaller product by multiplexing functions.  But someone in a bar band who is used to reaching over to their Peavey or Yamaha powered box/mixer isn't going to want to navigate a display and modes to get to what they want before the next verse comes around. 

With the advent of good reliable powered speakers, having a powered box mixer becomes unnecessary.  Although I often use my Soundcraft Gigrack as a front end for an all active system in a small bar situation as it has the essentials I need.  8 inputs, a monitor send, basic channel eq, a couple simple graphics for mains and monitors, and basic effects.  Just wasting space and weight carrying around a couple power amps I don't need.

What I envision is an 8-12 input box (cubic so you can set other things on top of it) with maybe analog gain trims since they aren't going to be jumping around pages or layers.  Corresponding rotary encoders with segment indicators that can control mix levels for main, monitor, sends.  The indicators can use the Soundcraft trick of changing color by mode so you're sure whether you're in main mix, monitor mix, sends or whatever.  It may be less intuitive than a vertical graphic but you could even use these for mix graphic eqs.  Then have channel select buttons like a regular digital desk with a master channel strip having 3-4 band eq and maybe some simplified compressor controls.  I think this could all be easily fit into 4-6U box with I/0 on the front, which saves having to peer behind the box to check if connections are right in the typical bar set up scramble.

Using already developed engines, a fair amount of power could be stuffed into a very portable, intuitive and easy to operate box at a reasonable cost.  And would probably fit the OPs needs wonderfully.  Along with thousands of other folks playing at the corner pub who don't have the need or space for some big fancy thing, or the ability to poke around on an iPad in the middle of playing a song, and/or want some of the advanced features modern digital desks offer over their trusty Peavey boxes.

[Luke Geis]

What hardware updates?

There is three versions of the full size X32 mixer as we know it. The first two are essentially the same with only the fader knobs being changed. The third and most recent version has rubberized buttons and different faders ( I believe ) again. The buttons are the big hardware upgrade. The original plastic buttons would stick and not function properly. The newer ones do not stick and have a softer touch and look.

The producer and compact versions also share these similar updates. The Rack version has no such buttons really and is really just an input module with a cumbersome user interface. I own the rack version myself and 5 others people I personally know own the full size X32; all of which love it and agree that it is impossible to beat given the price.

[John Luty]

thanks for all the responses .I'm a bit surprised at the overwhelming nods for the x 32 after reading them all I'm now leaning towards its little brother ,the x air x 18 mainly due to the cost ( I only do sound 2 to 3 times a month ). I also do DJ/ Karaoke a couple of times a month How well would this work for that ?

[Tim McCulloch]

thanks for all the responses .I'm a bit surprised at the overwhelming nods for the x 32 after reading them all I'm now leaning towards its little brother ,the x air x 18 mainly due to the cost ( I only do sound 2 to 3 times a month ). I also do DJ/ Karaoke a couple of times a month How well would this work for that ?

I grudge-purchased a full size X32, expecting - and wanting - to hate the thing and figured I could sell it to some other fool.  I kept it and eventually got an X32 Rack and S16, too.

No experience with the X Air but other users here seem to like them.  You'll have an overkill karaoke rig. ☺

[Russell Ault]

You'll have an overkill karaoke rig. ☺

As someone who actually enjoys karaoke, the quality of the sound at most places has always been a kill-joy. I (for one) would be thrilled to discover that the karaoke host was using a rig with compressors on the inputs and a decent reverb.

-Russ

[Scott Holtzman]

As someone who actually enjoys karaoke, the quality of the sound at most places has always been a kill-joy. I (for one) would be thrilled to discover that the karaoke host was using a rig with compressors on the inputs and a decent reverb.

-Russ

The built in wireless in the x-air is worthless.  The IOS app is awful but the Android version is very usable.  In the x-32 world there is a third party Android app that is excellent and the IOS app is wonderful too.

If you are willing to use an external wifi access point I think you will be happy for the x-air.  I have two, never used them for anything but DJ and corporate work.  They are emergency spares and I have no doubt I could substitute for the x-32 in a pinch and nobody would notice.  One of mine is the model with  four built in MIC inputs.   I keep it racked with an 8 channel Rane mic preamp with and try and always have it with me just in case the main board dies (which has never happened). 

I am doing many more gigs that use an x32 rack for in ears and monitors and then I run FOH from another x32.  In those cases I don't carry a spare.

Another little piece for your decision matrix.

[Mal Brown]

For sound co use, I've been using a pair of SL 16.4.2's. Since they were released.  No complaints.  I just upgraded to an SI 3 as our larger console.  We used to link the 16.4.2's by firewire in larger shows.  That was beginning to happen more often and so in prder to be in 2 places at once, I needed a bigger surface.

In my own band, a 4 piece pop group with occaisional sit'ins I use a DL-1608.  The Mackie software is easy.  There are workable reverbs in there but they are buried.  I find the Mackie to be a really easy board to live with and the form factor can go big room on a tray stand or on the floor by the drums in small places.  If it is next to me (I'm the bass guy) the docked iPad has my monitor mix on it.  I have an iPad 4 on a mic stand with the main mix.  Docked iPad also has our break music on it.

I like the dl1608 enough to be considering a 32r if I find a 'predatory' distressed musicians sale ...   That might change to a SI 1 as I get more familiar with big bro however...

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