Presonus Reliability Poll

[RoadRanger]

Not if you don't hook it up to a computer/MIDI

"Born to Tweak" LOL.

[ChiroVette]

I thought we were discussing it. I'm not emotional, or arguing. I'm making points I think are relevent. Are they not?

 

 

I am following this conversation very closely because as of right now, the 24 channel Presonus is the one I am lusting after for when I build my PA some time in the coming months. But that can change, hence why I am lurking and trying to absorb.

 

Not for anything, but I find the way you are having to contend with crap to be a little offensive. I personally HATE when someone types out an emotionless, unbiased post as you did and then someone creates a straw man and accuses you of reacting emotionally. I also find it a little fanboyish of some to attack you for daring to elucidate a possible weakness in the console.

 

Also, and this is a pet peeve of mine as an avid gamer, I HATE fanboyism. I really do. Look, I am probably going to buy the Presonus board, with or without the fault you elucidated, but you know what? What if that flaw was a deal breaker for me, because of a desire to do a ton of audio recording or whatever? Nobody tells me about that flaw and I would be very disappointed. But no products are perfect and having an unbiased list of flaws and virtues is a GOOD thing, certainly nothing for anyone to jump all over you for.

[agedhorse]

The flaws may not be a dealbreaker for you and in fact for applications be a total non-issue even if you did encounter a problem.

 

For some users this isn't the case and to downplay these flaws or marginalize them as being trivial is just as important some users as calling them out.

 

The point is that a wide variety of users participate in these forums and for them to be the most valuable to as many users as possible, it's important to provide information that may apply to such a wide range of users. I think Craig has done a fantastic job of keeping the big picture in perspective all around.

 

Now when discussing (real) large frame consoles, I have been just as equally handed... IMO the size and weight as well as in some cases maintenance costs are just as much of a deal breaker for many users too. It's not just digital consoles that get "beat up" on, it's everything within the context of a wide range or forum participants (including lurkers).

[ChiroVette]

 

The flaws may not be a dealbreaker for you and in fact for applications be a total non-issue even if you did encounter a problem. For some users this isn't the case and to downplay these flaws or marginalize them as being trivial is just as important some users as calling them out. The point is that a wide variety of users participate in these forums and for them to be the most valuable to as many users as possible, it's important to provide information that may apply to such a wide range of users. I think Craig has done a fantastic job of keeping the big picture in perspective all around. Now when discussing (real) large frame consoles, I have been just as equally handed... IMO the size and weight as well as in some cases maintenance costs are just as much of a deal breaker for many users too. It's not just digital consoles that get "beat up" on, it's everything within the context of a wide range or forum participants (including lurkers).

 

 

Perhaps you misunderstood or I failed to elucidate my point clearly enough, but I am in complete agreement with this position. I THANK EVERYONE for pointing out both the virtues and the flaws of a product I am considering buying. This is one of the reasons many reviews have two main sections: Pros and Cons. So that an unbiased reviewer can lay out all the cards and allow the intelligent consumer to make their own minds up. That, in my estimation, is what Craigv was trying to do, and what you usually do, which is provide unemotional information. And I guess it just pisses me off when fanboys seek to downplay or even subtly attack positions based on their...well, their blind, fanboy allegiance.

[agedhorse]

Perhaps you misunderstood or I failed to elucidate my point clearly enough, but I am in complete agreement with this position. I THANK EVERYONE for pointing out both the virtues and the flaws of a product I am considering buying. This is one of the reasons many reviews have two main sections: Pros and Cons. So that an unbiased reviewer can lay out all the cards and allow the intelligent consumer to make their own minds up. That, in my estimation, is what Craigv was trying to do, and what you usually do, which is provide unemotional information. And I guess it just pisses me off when fanboys seek to downplay or even subtly attack positions based on their...well, their blind, fanboy allegiance.

 

 

Yes, I understood your point, and was elaborating on why for some of the other folks who maybe don't see as much of the bigger picture as some of us older and more experienced guys do.

[tado921]

For what its worth, I have been using the 16.0.2 board for about six months now, and have had no issues whatsoever. I have used the FW interface to record entire gigs, while at the same time running the remote with my iPad and two iPhones running QMix for the in-ears we use. No dropouts, recordings are perfect, etc.

 

My $0.02

[agedhorse]

For what its worth, I have been using the 16.0.2 board for about six months now, and have had no issues whatsoever. I have used the FW interface to record entire gigs, while at the same time running the remote with my iPad and two iPhones running QMix for the in-ears we use. No dropouts, recordings are perfect, etc. My $0.02

 

 

See how it works when you need to use it for a month, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it MUST be 100% reliable.

 

Just saying... 6 months in a light weight application doesn't apply to some of us. That's why there are different classes of products.

[MFlanagan]

 

See how it works when you need to use it for a month, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it MUST be 100% reliable. Just saying... 6 months in a light weight application doesn't apply to some of us. That's why there are different classes of products.

 

 

I'm guessing that 99% of the members of this forum don't require 24 hours 7 days a week 100% reliability... I think what happens it that there are a few members here that are at a level far beyond that of most of us. While the years of experience are greatly appreciated - it is just hard to relate. I would love to be able to say that I have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on "top level" gear and make sure that I have everything that I need to ensure that there is never and "embarrassing moment" but that is not financially possible.

 

I run a small rig that is based on a SL 16.4.2 and QSC tops and bottoms. It works for me. Would I like to have the equipment that Agedhorse uses? Of course I would. But then again - would he be willing to bring his standard rig out to a local club for $500 for the night? As he has stated - there are different classes of equipment and different gigs - so use what is appropriate for you.

 

I am frustrated by some of the posts here that seem to suggest that if you are not using systems that are 100% reliable ( in other words there is zero chance that you have a hiccup in your show) you are in some way not "there"

 

Don't get me wrong - I respect and admire the members here that have spent years in this business and offer their experience to those of use just getting our feet wet. But I sometimes wonder if they forget what it is like to try and produce a show with a very limited budget. Sometimes you just have to throw a few mic's up and let the guys play.

 

For the guys that have spent years putting on show after show - please continue to guide us. But also remember that we just don't have the budget to show up to a club with the level of equipment that you regularly bring to a show.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

I'm guessing that 99% of the members of this forum don't require 24 hours 7 days a week 100% reliability... I think what happens it that there are a few members here that are at a level far beyond that of most of us. While the years of experience are greatly appreciated - it is just hard to relate. I would love to be able to say that I have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on "top level" gear and make sure that I have everything that I need to ensure that there is never and "embarrassing moment" but that is not financially possible. I run a small rig that is based on a SL 16.4.2 and QSC tops and bottoms. It works for me. Would I like to have the equipment that Agedhorse uses? Of course I would. But then again - would he be willing to bring his standard rig out to a local club for $500 for the night? As he has stated - there are different classes of equipment and different gigs - so use what is appropriate for you. I am frustrated by some of the posts here that seem to suggest that if you are not using systems that are 100% reliable ( in other words there is zero chance that you have a hiccup in your show) you are in some way not "there" Don't get me wrong - I respect and admire the members here that have spent years in this business and offer their experience to those of use just getting our feet wet. But I sometimes wonder if they forget what it is like to try and produce a show with a very limited budget. Sometimes you just have to throw a few mic's up and let the guys play. For the guys that have spent years putting on show after show - please continue to guide us. But also remember that we just don't have the budget to show up to a club with the level of equipment that you regularly bring to a show.

 

 

A $2,000 16-channel mixer is not exactly slumming, for the bar/club set (like me). My 16-channel mixer cost me $350, had a manufacturing defect that the manufacturer repaired, and has been 100% reliable since then. That was almost ten years ago. My use is NOT heavy, but ten years of it still adds up.

 

Would I consider moving to a digital board to replace it? Absolutely...I have been. But the issue of reliability is paramount if I'm the guy sitting behind whatever board I choose, and there's a band of ANY caliber, and an audience that's paid to be entertained by them. It doesn't matter where the peripherals are located...in a rack of analog devices, digitally in the mixer, or any combination of these.

 

So, given all this, I think a $2000 "upgrade" of any form is worthy of spending time to impassionately discuss whatever issues have been presented by other owners.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

I am following this conversation very closely because as of right now, the 24 channel Presonus is the one I am lusting after for when I build my PA some time in the coming months. But that can change, hence why I am lurking and trying to absorb. Not for anything, but I find the way you are having to contend with crap to be a little offensive. I personally HATE when someone types out an emotionless, unbiased post as you did and then someone creates a straw man and accuses you of reacting emotionally. I also find it a little fanboyish of some to attack you for daring to elucidate a possible weakness in the console. Also, and this is a pet peeve of mine as an avid gamer, I HATE fanboyism. I really do. Look, I am probably going to buy the Presonus board, with or without the fault you elucidated, but you know what? What if that flaw was a deal breaker for me, because of a desire to do a ton of audio recording or whatever? Nobody tells me about that flaw and I would be very disappointed. But no products are perfect and having an unbiased list of flaws and virtues is a GOOD thing, certainly nothing for anyone to jump all over you for.

 

 

I completely understand defending a high-dollar investment decision. But everyone has to stick with the issue, not make it about the people involved in the discussion or about the fact that they brought it up.

[ChiroVette]

 

I'm guessing that 99% of the members of this forum don't require 24 hours 7 days a week 100% reliability... I think what happens it that there are a few members here that are at a level far beyond that of most of us. While the years of experience are greatly appreciated - it is just hard to relate. I would love to be able to say that I have tens of thousands of dollars to spend on "top level" gear and make sure that I have everything that I need to ensure that there is never and "embarrassing moment" but that is not financially possible. I run a small rig that is based on a SL 16.4.2 and QSC tops and bottoms. It works for me. Would I like to have the equipment that Agedhorse uses? Of course I would. But then again - would he be willing to bring his standard rig out to a local club for $500 for the night? As he has stated - there are different classes of equipment and different gigs - so use what is appropriate for you. I am frustrated by some of the posts here that seem to suggest that if you are not using systems that are 100% reliable ( in other words there is zero chance that you have a hiccup in your show) you are in some way not "there" Don't get me wrong - I respect and admire the members here that have spent years in this business and offer their experience to those of use just getting our feet wet. But I sometimes wonder if they forget what it is like to try and produce a show with a very limited budget. Sometimes you just have to throw a few mic's up and let the guys play. For the guys that have spent years putting on show after show - please continue to guide us. But also remember that we just don't have the budget to show up to a club with the level of equipment that you regularly bring to a show.

 

 

My first, gut-level instinct when reading your post was to nod my head in agreement. I mean, I am a musician NOT a sound man. In all likelyhood, the PA system I have right now is "good enough" for my band even though it is a 15 year old JBL MR (not even MRX) based system with a rack mounted Soundcraft mixer and a crown Powerbase 2 amp. However, I want my band to sound better, so I am saving for far better gear. As I said, initially I couldn't help but to agree with your post, but in thinking about it, I have to say that I think you are saying two different things, one of which is right and one may not be so right.

 

Yes, we can't all have the kind of gear that the pro sound guys like Agedhorse have because we may not have the need, or maybe, like me, you only care about your own band and are not looking to strike out on your own as a pro sound guy. However, I think that you are confusing this truth with inherent reliability of a product. First off, my experience with MOST decent electronic equipment in any area in the modern age is that usually when stuff goes wrong, it goes wrong quickly, due to some manufacturer defect (hence the warranty) or because of owner abuse. Also, there is normal wear and tear, but that usually takes years. So I honestly don't think that when you are spending $2K on a mixer, even though it is not in the same league as ones costing much more, it should have a level of reliability, period. I am not a fan of Mackie, for instance, but if I were to purchase a $350.00 mixer as Craigv is depicting, I may not expect the quality, features, craftsmanship, or versatility as I would a Presonus 24 channel StudioLive, but you know what? I would still anticipate it to be a reliable product that isn't going to just die on me out of nowhere. Yes, this happens. Yes, certain products are known to be less reliable than others, hence, this forum and all the great information here. I used Mackie as an example, because true or not (and I don't know because I have never owned a Mackie anything!) they have the reputation of being unreliable, or rather having a higher fail rate than other boards.

 

Still, here's the rub: Even if they fail, say twice as much as other mixers, I would still expect the one I bought to be reliable. Because that is just the nature of the world we live in. I am looking around my apartment now and I am typing on a laptop, with a desktop PC right next to me, a flat screen LCD TV with a PS3, 360, DVD player, and suround sound system hooked up to it. I have a couple of smart phones charging, an iPod, a blue tooth, some peripheral hard drives all within reaching distance. Like anyone here, I can rattle off a huge plethora of electronic devices in my possession including a ton of musical equipment.

 

You want the truth? VERY VERY VERY few of the electronic devices I own ever malfunction in any way, shape, or form! This includes, but is not limited to my musical equipment.

 

So, yes, I absolutely expect that if I am going to be investing money in gear that it should be reliable for use as often or as infrequent as I need it. Now, I get that some products are commercial versus made for home use. I used to have a store that sold panini's and smoothies, and when I bought the smoothie blenders and Panini machines, I didn't go for a George Foreman grill and an Osterizer, which are fine for my house, but insteadm invested in commercial grade products.

 

The thing is, though, that the Presonus mixers in this thread, and yes, even the Mackie mixers, for all their notoriety, are considered pro gear. So while I may never use my gear as much as agedhorse does (or hell, maybe I will!) I expect that this pro gear will be reliable 24/7 and I don't think that is unreasonable. And again, I expect reliability in electronic devices as a rule, and consider the kinds of issues that people face to usually be he exception rather than the rule.

[jlb]

A $2,000 16-channel mixer is not exactly slumming, for the bar/club set (like me). My 16-channel mixer cost me $350, had a manufacturing defect that the manufacturer repaired, and has been 100% reliable since then. That was almost ten years ago. My use is NOT heavy, but ten years of it still adds up. Would I consider moving to a digital board to replace it? Absolutely...I have been. But the issue of reliability is paramount if I'm the guy sitting behind whatever board I choose, and there's a band of ANY caliber, and an audience that's paid to be entertained by them. It doesn't matter where the peripherals are located...in a rack of analog devices, digitally in the mixer, or any combination of these. So, given all this, I think a $2000 "upgrade" of any form is worthy of spending time to impassionately discuss whatever issues have been presented by other owners.

 

 

Great post. I have been following this one close. I have been considering moving to a small digital board to help lessen setup time and avoid mix position issues for my smaller shows. The Presonus IPad setup looks great on paper, but I am worried about reliability. My Mix Wiz is a great piece of equipment that has seen it's fair share of bad weather, drunken patrons ect. Many of my shows are high profile regional acts so reliability is of greate importance. The other week my mains went down during the headliners act. This was due to amplifier/power supply issues beyond my immediate control. The band and manager were less than impressed. This was a seven act show, seven acts that I will probably never work with again.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

My first, gut-level instinct when reading your post was to nod my head in agreement. I mean, I am a musician NOT a sound man. In all likelyhood, the PA system I have right now is "good enough" for my band even though it is a 15 year old JBL MR (not even MRX) based system with a rack mounted Soundcraft mixer and a crown Powerbase 2 amp. However, I want my band to sound better, so I am saving for far better gear. As I said, initially I couldn't help but to agree with your post, but in thinking about it, I have to say that I think you are saying two different things, one of which is right and one may not be so right. Yes, we can't all have the kind of gear that the pro sound guys like Agedhorse have because we may not have the need, or maybe, like me, you only care about your own band and are not looking to strike out on your own as a pro sound guy. However, I think that you are confusing this truth with inherent reliability of a product. First off, my experience with MOST decent electronic equipment in any area in the modern age is that usually when stuff goes wrong, it goes wrong quickly, due to some manufacturer defect (hence the warranty) or because of owner abuse. Also, there is normal wear and tear, but that usually takes years. So I honestly don't think that when you are spending $2K on a mixer, even though it is not in the same league as ones costing much more, it should have a level of reliability, period. I am not a fan of Mackie, for instance, but if I were to purchase a $350.00 mixer as Craigv is depicting, I may not expect the quality, features, craftsmanship, or versatility as I would a Presonus 24 channel StudioLive, but you know what? I would still anticipate it to be a reliable product that isn't going to just die on me out of nowhere. Yes, this happens. Yes, certain products are known to be less reliable than others, hence, this forum and all the great information here. I used Mackie as an example, because true or not (and I don't know because I have never owned a Mackie anything!) they have the reputation of being unreliable, or rather having a higher fail rate than other boards. Still, here's the rub: Even if they fail, say twice as much as other mixers, I would still expect the one I bought to be reliable. Because that is just the nature of the world we live in. I am looking around my apartment now and I am typing on a laptop, with a desktop PC right next to me, a flat screen LCD TV with a PS3, 360, DVD player, and suround sound system hooked up to it. I have a couple of smart phones charging, an iPod, a blue tooth, some peripheral hard drives all within reaching distance. Like anyone here, I can rattle off a huge plethora of electronic devices in my possession including a ton of musical equipment. You want the truth? VERY VERY VERY few of the electronic devices I own ever malfunction in any way, shape, or form! This includes, but is not limited to my musical equipment. So, yes, I absolutely expect that if I am going to be investing money in gear that it should be reliable for use as often or as infrequent as I need it. Now, I get that some products are commercial versus made for home use. I used to have a store that sold panini's and smoothies, and when I bought the smoothie blenders and Panini machines, I didn't go for a George Foreman grill and an Osterizer, which are fine for my house, but insteadm invested in commercial grade products. The thing is, though, that the Presonus mixers in this thread, and yes, even the Mackie mixers, for all their notoriety, are considered pro gear. So while I may never use my gear as much as agedhorse does (or hell, maybe I will!) I expect that this pro gear will be reliable 24/7 and I don't think that is unreasonable. And again, I expect reliability in electronic devices as a rule, and consider the kinds of issues that people face to usually be he exception rather than the rule.

 

 

 

Given a choice among several similar products, will you choose one that has a poor reputation for reliability? Would reliability play less of a factor in your decision if the less-reliable product offered more features? Would you pay more for more features but similar or worse reliability?

 

These questions might help sort out where reliability falls in the range of priorities for a purchase decision.

 

The home electronics analogy is interesting, because that's a market with much greater volume, so building in extra reliability is much cheaper than it is for pro audio elecronics, which is by comparison a miniscule market. I'm not sure whether we can make the same assumption of quality here, with gear that's considered cutting-edge such as digital mixers or for that matter, any newly released offering. As devices get more complicated, reliability problems surface...more parts = more change for part failure. More software = more chance of software bugs.

[tado921]

See how it works when you need to use it for a month, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and it MUST be 100% reliable. Just saying... 6 months in a light weight application doesn't apply to some of us. That's why there are different classes of products.

 

 

I certainly agree with this. I am an electronics tech and network engineer by day, so I can relate in this way: If I am installing a network for a company that expects 100% reliability, I'm not going down to Joe's computer shop to get some cheap hardware. They will be getting high-end, proven equipment from a company with a quality reputation.

 

If I'm installing in my neighbor's house so little Johnny can play games on the internet and mom can get email, I bet they don't want to pay upwards of $10,000 so they can be sure it never breaks. See you at Joe's...

 

Does that mean I will tell the high end company that the hardware will never fail? Of course not...stuff breaks, {censored} happens. What I will tell them is that the hardware has a proven track record, and the odds of something going wrong are remote. However, if it does happen to go bad the company will back up the product and make it right.

 

So, when buying the 16.0.2 I did my homework, both here and at other sites. I wanted to get an idea of what I could expect, and so far it has worked out well. The thread title is "Presonus Reliability Poll", so there you go.

[ChiroVette]

 

These questions might help sort out where reliability falls in the range of priorities for a purchase decision. The home electronics analogy is interesting, because that's a market with much greater volume, so building in extra reliability is much cheaper than it is for pro audio elecronics, which is by comparison a miniscule market. I'm not sure whether we can make the same assumption of quality here, with gear that's considered cutting-edge such as digital mixers or for that matter, any newly released offering. As devices get more complicated, reliability problems surface...more parts = more change for part failure. More software = more chance of software bugs.

 

 

This is a fair point, and again, I am not invalidating your post or trying to. Only saying that I guess I have a decent amount of faith in the tech industry, whether it is in mixers, computers, or gaming consoles. lol Of course, if I buy a Presonus 24 channel board and it dies on me on my first show, I will be the first one to bitch about it here, so I guess I'll just have to let you sort that one out for yourself. :-P

[agedhorse]

I am just trying tpo point out that there are different needs for reliability, not just the extremes but everywhere in between. Some of us are at one extreme, others are at the other and still others are in the middle. There are quite a few folks who just don't understand why reliability is important to some of us, because they just don't understand the particular needs ourt applications present. These are also some of the same folks who just can't fathom why somebody would pay any more for a mixer than say $2k because they just are not aware of other application's needs. I'm not saying the SL is a poor choice, in fact it's probably a good choice for many folks but it's not by any means a slam dunk for everybody.

[VanHalen]

IF (big if, but still....) the responses over there are any indication of overall reliability, then I'd have to question why you'd consider the Presonus to be an "upgrade".

I have to agree with you. I was thinking about buying one, but after reading all of the reviews on the Presonus mixers I think I will just stick with my Mixwizard. It sucks to have to take photos of each band's mixer settings with my iPhone, but at least I know it won't mute on me in the middle of a gig!

[Dookietwo]

I don't own a Studiolive so no first hand information here. What does bother me is sometimes its not the answer to the question that matters but the need for question to be asked in the first place that says the most.
Why is there a need for a "Presonus Reliability Poll" to beguin with?
There must be enough problems out there that people are starting to ask if they should trust them.

A few mixers that are "around" the same price would be, Yamaha 10v96, Tascam DM48,Tascam Dm-3200, the new Line 6 mixer-Stage scape I believe its called, behringers new X-32. I'm sure if I googled there is a few more. Yes some are new but I'm sure I've missed a few as well.
I haven't ever seen a "Is a 01v96 reliable" poll ever. I've had mine for 10 years this March-2013.

Just for me of course but seeing a poll like this out brings a Red Flag in my mind. Why the need for a poll like this at all?

Dookietwo

[VanHalen]

Why is there a need for a "Presonus Reliability Poll" to beguin with? There must be enough problems out there that people are starting to ask if they should trust them.

 

 

You just answered your own question.

[SoundMan]

 

In fact, I don't know a single person whose 360 died on them.

 

 

Really? I must have gotten all the bum ones then. My original died, then the 3 subsequent replacements all died. So for one purchase, I had 4 failures.

[MFlanagan]

I think the reason you see a question like this is that it is a new product from a company at a price point that made a big splash. I don't know what the sales numbers are for all of the digital boards that you mention but I am willing to bet that the StudioLive has possibly outsold all of them combined. When you get that many boards out there you are going to hear about issues. I have mentioned before that people tend to post about problems they have - not about a product just working the way it is intended to.

 

If every StudioLive owner posted in this thread that they have had no issues and it has worked flawlessly since purchase I dare say you would be hard pressed to find the "issues" posts. This doesn't discount the problems that people have with a particular board. A failure of any sort is at best inconvenient and at worst can cost you work. I just try and keep things in perspective. Listen to what people say about their experiences, weigh the pros and cons and then make an informed decision. This board is not for everyone - especially those that are shy about new technologies. If having to backup a board before you do a firmware upgrade concerns you, then this is not the board for you. No question - there is more effort required when you own this board. Anytime there is a firmware release I have to pull the board out, backup the board, install the firmware and them Test, Test, Test. Never had to do that with my analog boards but then again my analog boards never added new features to themselves after I purchased them.

 

Some of the problems people have are really due to operator error or just not understanding how to do something. Some, like the disconnection of the firewire cable causing a momentary loss of audio, I don't even consider an issue. If I were to say that I consider it a "flaw" that if someone accidently unplugs my analog mixer and the audio drops out, everyone here would laugh me out and say "make sure no one unplugs your mixer!"

 

So I guess the end result of this is as it always is - Go somewhere where you can see, hear and touch the equipment and let that be your final step in the process.

[6Imzadi]

While I have had some problems with my Presonus, I can attribute them all to user malfunction/not knowing some particular item. Other than that, the hardware has performed flawlessly since I got it in August of 2009. I have been using it almost every weekend. I lives in the trailer outside.
Maybe the reason a poll exists is to discredit it or maybe someone is genuinely interested in finding out what others think about it. I see no ulterior motive in the question.

[MFlanagan]

I don't think that there is an intention to discredit the board. I think it is smart to ask a group of professionals about their experiences with a product before you make a purchase. I do have a bit of an issue with people that are offering "advise and critique" on a board that they don't own or use regularly. To say that you had a walkon gig that had a SL and you had a problem - and now advise someone that they shouldn't purchase the board based on that experience - is not fair to the board or the person considering it.

 

For me the decision was based on the feature set of the board, the ability to leave the outboard rack at home and being able to adjust monitors while standing next to the performer. Mixing from the iPad and having the board just off stage took a bit of getting used to but now I just can't imagine doing it any other way. The musicians love their monitor mixes (and just recently the ability to adjust them themselves via their iPhones using the QMix app) since I am standing next to them and hearing what they hear as we EQ them. I LOVE not running 100' of snake to the back of the venue. And finally the club owners appreciate that I am not taking space away from their dining area or dance floor to setup my gear.

 

All of this would go out the window if I couldn't count on the board performing each night. So far - no issues. So for me it was the right decision and one that I would make again given the experience I have had over the past few years.

[6Imzadi]

I have the same experience with monitors, space, etc as above. I also agree with the mixer performing night after night and counting on it to keep up the good work. I plan to add another to my arsenal soon.

[BlueGreene]

^^^^^ MFlanagan

 

Bingo!

 

Just as a 20k+ paragon desk isn't going to be used for monitors in a bar, the presonus isn't meant for a huge venue where reliability is worth a million bucks. I will most likely pick one up soon largely to reduce bar type gig setup times and gear needed. On the reliability point, you can rely on a beer not be spilled on your gear when it's up on stage more than out in the dining area.