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[Dave Bigelow]

Thanks for all the relies.  I was surprised to see that a Soundcraft board would be so inexpensive!  Do you feel it would be a step up in quality over the others?

Almost anything is better than the MG series yamaha mixers, the other 3 brands mentioned in the original post aren't anything to write home about either.

Amen, Dick.

I also question the wisdom and integrity in providing a used cheap mixer period. One  can buy new for very little money and the client has a warranty.

Servicing these lower cost compact mixers can be difficult to impossible.

Assuming you (OP) will provide some warranty on you installation, how much is your time worth when you need to go in and troubleshoot this ?

I read "low budget install", "I don't want to put anything too nice in there", and got the impression that nobody is gonna know how it really works. To me that means "cheap club that will be closed in 6 months". It sounds more like a buddy plan to me.

[Chuck Simon]

"I also question the wisdom and integrity in providing a used cheap mixer period."

Man, you take questioning one's wisdom and integrety pretty casually, don't you?  People used to fight duels over shit like that!

Actually I will be installing used equipment that I already own and will lease it to them on a monthly basis.  They will know exactly what they are getting and I know what they are willing to pay.  I just don't have a "cheap" or small sized board for their limited needs.   I didn't think I would have to explain that just to get some opinions on mixers.

Anyway, your point about buying new and warranty issues is still valid though.

[Chuck Simon]

I read "low budget install", "I don't want to put anything too nice in there", and got the impression that nobody is gonna know how it really works. To me that means "cheap club that will be closed in 6 months". It sounds more like a buddy plan to me.

Yeah, that's about right.  Is that O.K. with you?

Could we please keep the discussion to the original question about equipment?

[Dave Bigelow]

Yeah, that's about right.  Is that O.K. with you?

Why wouldn't it be OK with me? Thanks for asking though, I didn't realize that you cared about my state of OK-ness.

Could we keep the discussion to the original question about equipment?

Hello pot, meet kettle. Discussions go a little off topic and I was not the first to bring up a used anything here. Sorry that offends you so much, best of luck on this one.

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Why wouldn't it be OK with me? Thanks for asking though, I didn't realize that you cared about my state of OK-ness. Hello pot, meet kettle. Discussions go a little off topic and I was not the first to bring up a used anything here. Sorry that offends you so much, best of luck on this one.

Dave....

It's important to stay strictly on the subject here.....no matter how little information was provided in the OP.  If someone asks, "Which cheap pistol shall I use to shoot myself?" it is rude to point out to them that perhaps shooting yourself is a questionable activity.  Just bite the bullet (so to speak) and give them the gun.

PS

You needn't reply, Chuck.  I'm talking to Dave here.

[Dave Bigelow]

Well said, thanks for the laugh there on the analogy.

[Mike Diack]

Thanks for all the relies.  I was surprised to see that a Soundcraft board would be so inexpensive! .....

"Danger, Will Robinson! "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYfM-frIWlQ
The little Soundcraft EPM mixers have a fatal flaw.
The PSU has inadequate ventilation (i.e. NONE)
Bacause users usually never turn these things off, the PSU slowly cooks
Eventually the capacitors around the 3842 SMPSU controller dry out.
The PSU blows up.
If you are more than averagely unlucky, before the PSU expires, the rails
go sky high and take out a bunch of opamps in the mixer itself.

[Chuck Simon]

Anyway, thanks Dick (despite the crappy analogy) and others that have posted useful info.

[George Friedman-Jimenez]

Anecdotal data points, N=2. The two cheapest (<$150 for 2 and 4 mic pre input) mixers out of the 6 that I have both developed problems in their first few months of service that were not worth fixing, an intermittent XLR jack on one and one channel out on the RCA tape input on the other. One is being replaced under warranty, and I am now in my third month of bureaucratic haggling to get the authorized service center to ship the unit to the distributor who has agreed to replace it. The other I bought used, probably had the problem when I bought it, and I continue to use it in a limited function. These are two different brands that have been mentioned here. The other 4 mixers (all in the $200-$400 price range for 4-6 mic pre inputs) have all seen much more use and have not developed any problems yet. So in my small experience, the risk of problems is reasonably high with new or used "value" level mixers. A well respected model used (eg, MixWiz) or a good quality new mixer with good warranty bought from an authorized dealer would seem a better bet.

[Yosi Melamed]

I researched this market pretty thoroughly and this is what I found out:
A&H ZED series are the most reliable among the small mixers, they also have the best combination of features and quality (pre amps/sonic quality).
ZED 12FX $450 eBay
ZED 14 (no effects) $320 eBay

Mackie's ProFX 12 has the best preamps (only marginally better then A&H) but slightly lower reliability. Currently only $240 on amazon, unbeatable value!!!

Both have USB input/output 16bit @ 48khz

Soundcraft- not very good (quality or reliability or features) at these price range.

[ProSoundWeb Community]