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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => SR Forum Archives => LAB: The Classic Live Audio Board FUD Forum Archive => Topic started by: (Brian) Frost on June 21, 2007, 11:32:09 AM

Title: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: (Brian) Frost on June 21, 2007, 11:32:09 AM

Im looking for a reasonably priced board (rackmount ok too) that has 16 channels min, eq, at least 2 aux sends, and is as small as possible.  This will hopefully never get used, but needs to live with the big board in case something ever happens that the big board isnt gonna work.  Ideas?  I know a mackie 1604 will certianly fit the bill but Im lookng for other suggestions.  Small and reasonably priced are key to this since it will hopefully never get used.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Dave Barnett on June 21, 2007, 11:42:11 AM

Allen & Heath Mixwiz

Yamaha LS9/16  

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Kevin Ballard on June 21, 2007, 12:02:20 PM

Soundcraft spirit series.

Cheap enough and models to suit your budget/application.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: gary green on June 21, 2007, 12:08:53 PM

I keep a Crest XR20 nearby...Flexible, sounds fine - certainly a step above the Mackie and Mixwizards IMHO. One of the new rackmount APB desks would be my pick if $ wasn't an issue.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Marty Bilecki on June 21, 2007, 12:12:55 PM

 hi Brian

I think all of the above including the Mackie would do.. If your big console fails at a bad time who will be criticizing mic pre quality ????  You'll have bigger fish to fry to make it through a show...    So I would include any Mackie in that scenario..

Good Luck...

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Chad Johnson on June 21, 2007, 12:46:47 PM

The new APB Dynasonics FOH Rack mixer looks really good. Haven't played with it yet. (The Mix Wiz would also be a strong contender.) I have an inquiry in on pricing/availability right now. I think everyone is at Infocomm...
-Chad
Edit: Add: Also the O1V or smaller LS9 or the older Soundcraft digital studio hybrid. I was working one weekend about four years ago (way before the large format revolution happened) when a touring company from Nashville (Blackhawk?) provided their own Spirit/Soundcraft for the main rig.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Gerry Tacker on June 21, 2007, 01:25:59 PM

APB or Midas 160. The new mackie Onyx sounds much better than the old 1604 and may be more in line with your budget.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Klaus {nojunk} Zimmermann on June 21, 2007, 01:40:04 PM

for analogue, we have crest xr-20s now, but will try apb rack mixers soon...
if you want to go digital, ls-9...

k

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Randy Pence on June 21, 2007, 02:54:10 PM

used O1V?  As a bonus, the built in dynamics and effects would cut down on repatching.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: (Brian) Frost on June 21, 2007, 03:13:47 PM

Most of these suggestions seem good, tho I am going to agree with Marty so far, that this is a backup in case the main board goes down and is just needed to make sure the gig goes on.  It may NEVER be used.  When the main board fails, you are looking for a backup that will patch quickly and get the job done. I want the smallest something I can carry to get through a gig in case of catastrophy.  right now thats a 1604 or mix wiz tho rack mount options and small used options are being looked into. An o1v doesnt have 16 mic preamps which I need as a minimum.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.  Im carrying a mackie 32.4 right now, but want something smaller.  This is backing up a crest hp8 so an ls9 would be more expensive than the main board which seems silly.

I would like to own an ls9 for other reasons tho.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Mike Babcock on June 21, 2007, 03:33:25 PM

You could get an LS9 and use the HP8 as a back up

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: John Roberts {JR} on June 21, 2007, 04:08:34 PM

While I have no idea of budget expectations but wonder if there might be any merit is a big and small digital board, perhaps networked together for normal use. If big dog, goes down, small digi still works alone as backup.

JR

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: (Brian) Frost on June 21, 2007, 04:20:04 PM

I have thought about getting an ls9 and using the hp8 as backup, seriously, but the hp8 is too big to carry as a backup.  You get the funny award tho.  

     

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Steve Payne on June 21, 2007, 10:35:48 PM

oh, an HP8, that explains why you're so desperate to carry a backup.  
sorry, just kiddin' - sorta -
If you want big dog bad assed little - the APB ProRack.
If you want anything'll do in pinch little - A&H Mix Wiz.

Title: Re: Good smallest backup board?
Post by: Scott Raymond on June 21, 2007, 11:30:18 PM

(Brian) Frost wrote on Thu, 21 June 2007 14:13

Most of these suggestions seem good, tho I am going to agree with Marty so far, that this is a backup in case the main board goes down and is just needed to make sure the gig goes on.  It may NEVER be used.  When the main board fails, you are looking for a backup that will patch quickly and get the job done. I want the smallest something I can carry to get through a gig in case of catastrophy.  right now thats a 1604 or mix wiz tho rack mount options and small used options are being looked into. An o1v doesnt have 16 mic preamps which I need as a minimum. Thanks for the suggestions so far.  Im carrying a mackie 32.4 right now, but want something smaller.  This is backing up a crest hp8 so an ls9 would be more expensive than the main board which seems silly. I would like to own an ls9 for other reasons tho.

Well, the DM1000 has 16 mic and 4 line level as well as a couple digital inputs and is very compact for the features.  I suspect it's more $$$ than you'd like to spend unless you have use for it in other applications.  It can be rack-mounted also.   With a couple of external mic pre's it would funktion as a nice little monitor board too.

Title: Topic Swerve
Post by: Gerry Tacker on June 22, 2007, 09:55:22 AM

I noticed APB high on lot's of peoples lists. Just got one and love it. My Question is why am I the only one that mentions The Venice 160 over the Mix Wiz. I have used both and think the midas sounds better hands down. Just wondering what the forum thinks.