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may need mixer reco, A&H MixWiz, Yamaha MG, or Mackie 1604


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Vinny - are you saying that the MG series sound bad when you clip the hell out of the mic pre's??? Am I mis-reading the post???


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I am saying that they sound bad even before they clip.

If you set the channel up so the channel clips and then back the preamp gain down to just under the clipping point, that should be a good starting point......but on the Yamaha it's not. I have found that the preamp level on the Yamaha has to be dialed down well before it would even think of clipping to keep the channel sounding as clean as possible. If the preamp setting is not set just right on the Yamaha board it is easy to have a vocal get distorted when they start belting out a part of the tune.

When you are mixing a live band you can correct it and work with it as the night progresses, but if you are mixing from stage while playing it's not that easy.

That is where the big difference comes in between the Yamaha & the MixWiz, I just feel the MixWiz is just a simpler board to use live in every application.

 

And like I said earlier, for the price it should be a better board.

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Andy - are you saying that underneath the plastic is a metal encasement?

 

 

Yes. There is a metal sub-frame, metal top and metal bottom. I haven't worked on all models, but the bigger ones I have worked on were builtthat way. That's what the plastic beauty trim screws to internally.

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I've been doing this stuff professionally for an awfully long time, both from an operation perspective as well as from a design perspective. Maybe I do have some insight that you haven't considered?

 

 

I don't doubt one bit that you have more insight, I am not a technical person when it comes to musical gear. I am just a bass player that owns way to much equipment.

So am I doing something wrong with the Yamaha board....I don't think so. Not when the A&H and the Mackie (when it worked) both setup easily and with no issues setting the preamp gain (again, when the Mackie was working).

 

I can setup any bass to be easily playable, I can get any bass rig to sound good.

I can't get a Yamaha mixer to be worth more to me then a paper weight:poke:

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Yes. There is a metal sub-frame, metal top and metal bottom. I haven't worked on all models, but the bigger ones I have worked on were builtthat way. That's what the plastic beauty trim screws to internally.

 

 

I really don't think the new MG series mixers have any metal in them at all, at least not the 16ch version. It's so light weight the cardboard box it came in weighs more then the mixer does.

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I really don't think the new MG series mixers have any metal in them at all, at least not the 16ch version. It's so light weight the cardboard box it came in weighs more then the mixer does.

 

 

if you mean the new ones with compressors on some channels, they are a lot lighter.

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The ones I have serviced did not have the one knob compression type feature. It's possible that there are additional differences I am not aware of, but it's unlike Yamaha to make such major changes in a lower end product while keeping cosmetics similar.

 

The way I evaluate these products is to look at the various signal on a scope under typical conditions to be sure I get what I expect. Sometimes the control taper makes a user believe something that is just not really happening.

 

I want to clarify that the Yamaha MG consoles are not a console I would consider a "great" console, merely adequate. The Mackie is not adequate due to a long and frustrating reliability problem, seemingly shared with the Behringer mixers. I have a pretty large sample size to base my opinions on, and the percentages are really awfully high IMO.

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The Aux. sends 1-4 are set to PRE EQ, Aux sends 5-6 are selectable by a push button pre/post. Plenty of options without the need to open the board up and move jumpers around.

 

 

Not correct.

 

Aux 5-6 are switchable for pre/post fader

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Not correct.


Aux 5-6 are switchable for pre/post
fader

 

 

 

Woooops, you are correct!

 

Aux 1&2 are set to pre EQ, 3&4 are selectable.

 

I haven't touched the settings on my Mixwiz since my original setup almost two years ago, just a little tweak of the channel EQ's and I pretty much have run that board exactly the same for the last two years. I like it when things are simple:)

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The mixwiz is a great little board sounds good good eqs and the effects are ok but for FOH I would use an external effects unit I use my mix wiz as a monitor board for my bands in ear monitor rig not for FOH but it sounds great and it has inserts and direct outs on every channel to hook up gates and compression I have all the live mics on stage gated to cut noise out of the in ears and it is very clean and warm sounding

 

I wouldn't buy anything with the mackie name on it I think I would buy behringer before mackie

 

the eqs on the yamaha aren't as nice as the mixwiz

 

It is my experience that it is best to keep your gain at about 0db maybe peaks of about +6db tops if you are bringing it to clip and then backing it down to just under clip then I would argue that you are not setting up your gain structure correctly

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Very informative thread,gentlemen! Thanx. One more question. Between the Mixwiz,and the Yamaha MG,which one has the better track record in terms of reliability? I have heard the the A & H s can be a little on the "fragile" side.Heard the same about the MG Yamaha. That is why I posted a thread on another Yamaha series mixer for information.

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Wait, aux 1 and 2 are pre-EQ on the MixWiz? Hmm. Learned something new today. Glad my monitors are Aux 3. haha

If 1 and 2 are pre-eq I think 3 is also. The MixWiz3 is default pre-eq and the older ones post I think? There are internal jumper to change it around (at least on the "3" model).

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seems to be some confusion about pre sends, Pre/post generally means they're pre or post fader.

 

I've no problems running the Yamaha input strip whatsoever. I find the pfl and meters do a fine job of telling me where and how to set the gain.

 

I also find the effects more than quite usable, of course I dont use a lot but the brain is the same, albeit stripped down, of their basic rack mount unit. The adjust control works just fine at modifying decay time in conjunction with the algorhythm chosen.

 

my 24/14 has a metal frame. the 166usb is plastic, I could care less, and actually welcome the light weight board. For a gig where I need 10 or less XLRs, it's perfect. The inputs on it are actually a bit cleaner than the 24/14s, confirmed by my buddies inside Yamaha's Prosound dept.

 

Yea, I like the MixWix too, it's EQ is better but like I mentioned above, there are times I prefer the 24/14fx. It's 4 prefade sends are plenty for as many monitor mixes as I'd want to do from foh anyhow. THe mix wiz works just fine

 

I've nowhere near the technical expertise that andy has(as evidenced by my boneheadedness on occaision) but I mix well over 100 events per year, from kids to grammy and R&R hall of fame members

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