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I'm quite aware of how drastically opinions seem to differ regarding Behringer products. This appears to be the case on ALL boards I've read...Some will say "Great bang for buck",  while other's say, "You couldn't give me one of their products".

I'm NOT a KJ,  don't need pro sound equipment at this stage in life.

As someone who is learning about audio computer interfacing, and might play around with this stuff twice per week for a bit, likely eventually even less.. I'd appreciate some input on whether some of you that love Mackie, and some of the more costly equipment would still feel making such a purchase is really advantageous for a small home hobbyist, considering the fact that although better equipment exists..It might be superfluous for the home starter in computer music..


I recognise opinions on equipment are individual, come from personal experience, and I have no desire to challenge anyone's opinion.. My inquiry is regarding occassional home use, for myself...Might there be reasons I would still not want to purchase Berhinger, yet perhaps a different brand ?  PA systems  and mixing boards aren't an area I know about anymore... Been along time Since Altec, and Electrovoice bins, and the old A&H monster consoles.

Thanks,  I'll shutup and listen...  I couldn't find a question in the archives regarding occasional home hobbyist use and Behringer vs. other makes... (not saying something doesn't exist)

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

For a home system with occasional use & minor recording for like the SS, I might consider a Behringer, but for pro use, not a chance.  Yes they are great bang for the buck, but the quality is just not there & as some (even here) have termed them as "disposable" meaning they are cheap enough that if one dies, they'll just get another.  Sometimes paying for quality pays off in the long run.

Look into other low cost options as well such as Yamaha.

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Thank you.. Will do.


This isn't a bad price.. I like Carvin. I wonder if they have an 8 channel version of this, that'd be nice (I think), and even less than $200

http://www.carvin.com/products/single.p ... mber=sm162

This is pretty big



ADDED  IN:

Looking in AMS, and notice there's a Mackie DFX6 for $200...  Is ALL Mackie a step up in quality ?  or do they also have lower end ? $200 isn't an unreasonable  amount assuming this is a better quality mixer for my individual use

Yet Yamaha MG10/2 under $100.....

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

You know all my life if something wasnt doing what I wanted I would put in a bigger engine reload and put more powder in the casing etc... Forty years in electonics we suped up everything from cb's to wireless phones... I have thrown away mixers that most of the knobs were broke and the faders felt like running a shovel down a dry ditch...   In my tradings I had one of those ber things 4 or 6 channel .. Fllor noise was excessive no head room what soever.. Now I could get a ber... and put in better faders I havnt priced them lately they are prob about $10 a pop and I could beef up the power supply and a bunch of other things...

The reason I use JBL is shematics are readily availible they are American made if you email them you will get a phone call fronm tech support in 24 hours... I was on the Mackie forum the other day and a response was to get schematics call 1 800 258 6883 for tech support...  So I dialed the number was on hold for 3 or 4 min. Now I have been on both ends of tech support either asking or giving.  But anyway a guy comes on Tech support.... Hey how are ya doin?  I got a dfx12 couple of quick questions I asked him about the mic pres where they should run and some other stuff  He was in Seattle but from a small colorado town about 50 mi from me.. We discssed the Broncos goin to the super bowl  Then I asked him about shematics Give me an email addy We excahanged short pleasantrys I dialed up the isp went to hotmail and was downloding schems in 15 minutes... I dfont care if a store charges more if I can go in as a real individual and make friends I will go back...

Steve according to previous posts you are interested in midi and doing music creation stuff I would spend the money and get a mixer with all the i/o s that you will need later on....

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The extra channels may come in handy.  Downfall on this is the lack of sliders over the rotary pots.  May or may not be a big deal, home use probably not.  It also doesn't have any built in effects - may be a factor?  I do like Carvin stuf - THIS is great bang for the buck WITH quality.





Yes the DFX is the lowend for Mackie, a good board but it does lack a couple features such as midrange control on the channel eq's.  Pro's is it has decent built in effects.
The Yamahas are pretty decent boards for the price as well.  Might take a look at the Alesis boards too, no on hands experience with them but the new ones are USB compatible for connecting to the computer.  http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Live/Sound/Mixers?sku=630167
They also have a new model out (more $$ though) that is Firewire capable.

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Steven......... You couldn't POSSIBLY have started this thread BEFORE I bought a Behringer for home use?!?!? (since ya know, I think YOU got my other one deleted, that I started right before buying my stuff) This is scaring me, reading all this.

I'm confused a bit now. I know next to nothing about mixers, I mean, REALLY next to nothing.  So I bought mine strictly on someone's advice. But that's the only advice I took. Now it seems alot of people have had trouble with them. Maybe I should have asked a bit more, read more forums or something.......????

Or maybe I should just use the company's "45 day no questions asked" return policy and get something more people agree with.  Cause you guys say they go out fast........what's fast? A year?? Two?? Ten??

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I have owned 4 of them over the years (3 before I really knew anything about their quality & the last one upon high praise from here - big mistake on my part, should've waited & got something reliable) & they ALL started having problems as soon as 3 months of use.  Most of them lasted about a year, one still works but has 4 bad channels.
Jam had to go through 3 (if I recall) before he got one that worked out of the box.  Matt said his effects went out fairly quick.
I know several personally that would never get another Behringer product me included.  Although I do know a couple people personally & the handful of people that praise them here, that swear by them as well.

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Charmin,  Like Lonman,  I've heard people that love them, and other's that loathe them.. I'm just asking questions regarding my particular use in hopes of allaying concerns...Sorry to bring up something that makes you question your new purchase...For all I know, you did really really well....and as for your RSQ Karaoke player....I'm ordering that same one....That was unquestionably a fabulous pick...Mixer's I don't know about.. I'm learning about what's on the market, and what other's feel regarding current product as well...I'd have asked this question a month ago,  yet I saw the Behringer name come up so much, I didn't want to ask an overlapping question....After searching online, and trying to find out what other's interested in home studio stuff feel, I became even more confused....Some do love Behringer....Yet since I'm not looking for a powered mixer, but just something unpowered and small for audio computer interfacing, IN MY particular case, if spending another $100 will get me a higher end product, I'm willing to do that.... Now if I wanted to get a powered mixer like the one you got.....They can run considerably more money......several hundred more for higher end....Assuming I had about 400-600 to spend for a powered mixer.... I'd be researching differently....Where I'm at now, is seeing many names that have small unpowered mixer's I can use for computer spanning from about $50-$350 bucks.. I'd like to know what my best choice would be I suppose.... Do I spend less for a decent mixer that will suffice ?  or spring 100-200 more for a much better product in the 200-300 range.... I'm sort've looking in a different area, planning on spending less than you did.... yet trying to find what the best I can do in my price range is....

Again, Sorry if my question stirred up concerns.... I certainly didn't intend to...Yet I realize that what some think is personal choice too....

, as to the other thread,  Not sure I did get it deleted...what I said the night before it disappeared (and I have no idea just why it did disappear or what else was said in the thread) was suggesting three mail order companies with big names...and how to lowball to get the lowest possible price..as to whether that was why it was deleted, not sure, it would be logical to assume naming companies and suggesting how to play one company against another might be frowned on, yet my intent was to help, not be my usually wise-ass self.  I just mentioned Ash, MF, and AMS, and how "price matching" can work to your advantage..  Not sure what actually happened, I didn't see what following posts said, assuming there were following posts. (The next morning the thread was gone). I know one of your concerns at that time, was that you were reticent regarding a smaller business you weren't familiar with... which is why I mentioned larger companies I've dealt with (as have many in here) that'd have free S&H, and no tax in your state (at least to my awareness, yet Musicians Friend is in Medford so you might pay Tax. Not sure considering -at least I thought- MF was Guitar Center's mail order division at least as of a few years back, and isn't GC corp in California ?)   Anyway, dunno....

Thing is, It appears I have alot of options for unpowered small computer interfacing mixers that fall within a close price margin... Assuming I was spending 400 tops for powered mixer, I'd be more limited.... Next price range might put me into $700+ for a name some might feel I don't need.... Yet I'm also not a pro or KJ.... For home occassional SS type use preferences also vary...

Like you,  this is all new to me too...(not about to hook a tube PA head up to my computer)

Put quite simply, I'd love to read something and hear reputable opinions and "shoot-outs" among the unpowered mixers under around $250 or-so for audio interface purposes with computer for home non-pro use... Lonman and Karyoker offered some great advice...

Of course I will likely be wanting to put keyboards and guitar into this mixer more than actual microphone... another consideration...needless to say, I'm pretty confused with all that's out there....

Anyway, I promised to keep my mouth shut and listen, Notice the fabulous job I'm doing  Sorry all....

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

We have a Behringer M2004A being use in 4-5 hour shows at least 6  times a week, 52 weeks a year for 5 years in a mobile unit and it still going strong and sounding great and never a repair.

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Well, Steven, let me now give you my EXPERIENCED advice.  :(

I'm pi-ossed big time. My RSQ is awesome, I played it (with no mixer) and really liked it.

My mixer....... was DOA. Seriously. I hooked it all up- AFTER paying $52 more for the proper connectors & cable for my speakers. (You have to have this kind of locking Speakon Neutrik blah-blah stuff..... not sold at alot of stores.....found mine on sale in Portland though)  I was trying to figure all the EQ settings and all that, and all of a sudden after about 15 minutes- it shuts off.  It was plugged into the same outlet as my karaoke and it stayed on. I unhooked it all, hooked it back up, it came back on- then shut right back off again after a few minutes. (not even playing any music, just sitting there watching it)  It continued to do that on again, off again thing for about 20 minutes (and it really started shutting down about 3-5 minutes after coming back on....still with nothing playing, I even turned the karaoke player off).

I thought MAYBE the fuse in it coulda been a faulty one, but then...surely not if it's coming back on at all. So I went online & dug through every forum I could find that had "Behringer" in it, and it seems this is a problem with them. One person- took it back and exchanged, then found out  the new one had a FAN in it to keep it cool, the first one hadn't had the fan in at all. (there's a safety switch thingee that shuts it off apparently if it gets too hot??). Anyhow, another guy had his repaired, and it was a badly soldered power cord connector.

So, I'm thinking they don't pay their laborers in their factory's enough $$$ to make them work efficiently. And  I wouldn't buy another one now if that were the only mixer left in the USA to buy.......I'd do without.

Mine's going back monday, I had to call the company I bought from. It's a $70 upgrade to buy the Yamaha I think I want, but I'm sure not getting another Behringer. I just wanted to share this with ya......hope I didn't say enough to get your thread yanked. I don't think so, I've heard worse said about them.  I sure wish I would have gotten MORE opinions and taken them into account before I bought. Live and learn though, sometimes the hard way.  :wink:

Oh, and Lonman, I beat ya on time........ MINE LASTED ONLY FIFTEEN MINUTES!!  LMAO  LMAO

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

On the flip side Steven, now that Charmin is paying attention to what you're talking about and all that.

I have a small non-powered Behringer mixer lined in to my comp. (that's what I record all my songs with) And it works great. (really) I came real close to stomping it along with the other one today, I was SO mad, but this mixer really has been perfect for computer use.

Thought I'd throw that in since that's what you REALLY were talking about- for computer use. And you'll really like the RSQ also.  :D

EDIT:: Okay , reading more now & seeing I missed the last half of your post (WHY do I DO that???) Steven....... I was totally kidding about YOU getting that thread deleted. For all I know, it was done out of spite. Heck, I dunno who all the mods are here.  Mighta been someone who doesn't like me. Ya never know.  But that last post you're talking about........I read that one, cause I answered you regarding using that comparison method at auto parts stores too. So I don't know if something came after or what. I don't really care, threads get pulled sometimes. I even had one pulled on purpose once. Not a biggie to me, I only said that cause you joked about YOU being the fault in another thread.  Good luck shopping for your new stuff!!

(oh, and yeah, MF is in Medford, about 4 hours from me, but my stuff actually shipped from Missouri, go figure that one, haha) I was pretty mad. But then I tend to get that way often, don't I? Okay, Charmin is off to bed, g'nite everyone.

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

I had a power supply fail on a UB1832 FXPRO during a bad lighting storm...It was also noisy when using FX send cranked to unity.....

I bought one of their UB1222 FXPRO mixers for even less money and was very surprized at the improvements Behringer had made with it.....It uses Alps sliders and twistys now....Absolutely silent with everything cranked to max...It gets daily use...Has great metering, switching, and lots of other features.

Is it best for the guy who wants to do computer recording?....No.

Like the other guys suggested, I would look for one with USB, midi, and/or firewire support if I planned to go full DAW.

There is a bar here in town that uses a small older Berhinger 6 nights a week for several years now...They are so confident with it they built it into a desk and patched it into their karaoke computer...It sounds great.

If I had a live band that had to tour would I use a Behringer mixer?...No....I would spend lots more and expect top reliability, maybe even carry a spare....But home use is another story.

Besides, all the inexpensive mixers made by anyone today are actually made in China or other places in Asia....Alllllll of them.

OK Charmin,  Well this thread can be a learning experience for both of us now, sorry about your headache.. Even though it's great to have the option of an easy return policy, noone buy's hoping their product ends up going back (at least few I know of)..  I do know of a few that ordered items with intent of using them for a huge gig, and returning them... Not talking about "That type" buyer of course...  Anyway, There are many makes out there....  BUT, under $300 for a decent wattage powered mixer is truly an amazing buy, and for THAT reason, one of my questions would be..If this is a sufficient product, why are many paying 2-3X more for different makes ?  Are they overspending ?   or are those paying 300 under spending ?  and for what applications must you spend more, and how much more ????  I dunno. SOMETIMES if it appears to be too affordable, it might be worth doing more research into it prior to ordering it, as the old adage goes... Not saying it always means "Too affordable to be, necessarily means it's too good to be true in all cases", that would also be a foolish generalization, since there ARE always exceptions.. Sometimes people pay more than they need to be paying... My question is, why do many knowledgeable buy Behringer, while others as knowledgeable spring a couple hundred more for Mackie ? and since stuff like this need not be Black and White, what is decent in between for the home hobbyist ?  Anyway, we can both learn about this stuff now.. As Lonman suggested Yamaha is certainly a consideration, but I'm learning in *MY* particular case, Mackie also has lower end too... So MY question is basically

"What's the best non-powered mixer for audio computer interface under $250" ? WITH features of course...

Good luck in whatever your next purchase is, I'm one who might take a little more time to purchase, but I like to research and leave chance out've my purchase. Know what's out there BEFORE I purchase, so I have few or no regrets.  Sometimes, I've found that even if the least costly item will serve a purpose, it's still wise to go one or two steps up in grade, other times not.. Sometimes a person needs to pay more... Yet in our cases for a home mixer,  non-pro (at least in my case) my question is...


"What would smart buyer purchase in MY case, assuming the ball park area is a few hundred give or take a little".... and of course ideally "take" a few bucks, and spend the extra bucks on software that'll be more important...etc.. or decent patch cords that make a big difference in sound conductivity, etc...

I seldom buy without trying to research....Just how I am... Yet I'm lucky to have the time to do-so...

Yet like you say,  for home use computer mixing, Behringer might be fine for many, I like what a few mentioned earlier, especially when a line or two up in grade (in my case of the non-powered interfacing mixer) isn't much more money... All depends on what a person is willing to spend for their given application, and how flexible their spending range is....IMHO... I like to know I got best bang for buck... Yet we can't always know that...



See Keith,  This is ANOTHER thing I want to avoid... Let's assume I figure I won't go with the Behringer, I'll spend up $100 for a grade up... LAST thing I want to find out, is the grade up mixer is the exact same componentry as the lesser mixer, and I was the idiot who payed more for another name, and got the identicle cheaper quality..  I've learned what you are saying with Guitar makes... Why buy the brand, if for 1/3 the cost I am getting the same guitar with the name Samick on the Headstock rather than Fender reissue import  assembled at Samick plant with IDENTICLE componentry... Especially considering little intricacies, such as the Samick custom pro line bought affordably and used, was assembled during the Samick USA Silicon "Valley Arts' period of guitar makes, It's essentially a USA assembled guitar with same parts as the Valley Arts higher end guitars, just pickups might be different, and I can always add after-market pickups. Assuming I know what to ask, and look for, I'm getting a Valley Art's assembled, and made guitar... that can be had for $150 vs other name brand.... $400.... SAME EXACT guitar different signing on the headstock. Thing is, SOME pay ALOT for a name; ALOT more than they need to, or should be paying SOME of the time.... I also wonder this about Televisions Keith.... Years ago, you'd never find Samsung, and Sanyo's ratings so high in consumer reports... Now I know Sony is supposedly a different make, with that heavy lead encased picture tube.. Yet how about other makes ?   are they really that much better than Zenith or Sylvania ?   Which of course were once respected names in TV sets ?  Is the Sharp Linytron really that much worse than the Sony Trinitron, or Toshiba contrast features ?   Etc ?  

Are these really ALL the same TV set roughly ?   in terms of standard NON-high definition sets, or standard plain TV makes ?  I bought a Sony set for 500 back in 95.. Bought a Zenith at Sears for $230 at Sears for the Bedroom 6 months later. (BOTH 27" sets) Only one is still working, and that's the Zenith, (which was used ALOT more too). And for picture quality with cable on standard sets ?  Everybit as good with some contrast, brightness, and setting tweaking... Only difference is, Audio quality is less elaborate on the Zenith, and there aren't as many outputs on the Zenith set either... Thing is, FOR MY PURPOSES, I don't care, it's mechanical quality in some cases In question.... We don't always need the bells and whistles. yet othertimes they are nice to have.....  Yet your point is well taken.... When are we paying more, for the same ?  How do we find out these things ?  Noone wants to be taken for a fool... Yet markets do this all the time to the consumer, "Hoodwink with name and aesthetics", quality, same old junk... In the audiophile rooms many of the techs joke around saying stuff such as.... For digital cable music, and decent CD's, do you really think "Boutique" speakers make a hell of alot of difference on moderate and low volumes ?   You don't need HIGH END for cable radio listening to get as good a sound in many cases.. Nor do you need even Onkyo higher end receivers if all you really want to listen to is cable music, and CD's... For some purposes Pioneer and generic makes will give you the same result with halfway decent speakers...Yet of course not for other purposes.. Many factors one must consider when buying in a new area.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Steven, again, SORRY to get on here & use your thread to rant. You have NO idea what kind of a mood that put me in last night. I'm not a violent person, but that Behringer really almost felt the end of my baseball bat. It's just....... to be so excited about getting my stuff,  to wait that time (not that it was overly long of a wait), to have such big hopes....... just to hook it up and have a problem right off the bat. I guess I was (still am) more mad at myself for not having "really" got more input than I did before buying.



I'm not a "name brand" person either. I have never purchased anything because it has a more expensive label attached to it. If I can buy less expensive (get more bang for my buck) that's what I always do.  Because it usually makes sense, you normally get the same product- just with a lesser name attached to it.  I really beleived I was making the smart choice in getting this. Maybe I'm one of the unlucky ones that happened to have gotten a faulty one, but it's left a really bad taste in my mouth. (and no..... it's not the left over beer breath from last night ......I brushed my teeth  LMAO )




Ya see, we do think along the same lines. I WISH I could go spend $1500 on the new Gibson accoustic cutaway I've wanted for eons..... but I have an Applause, and I have a Samick. (It's actually my sons guitar) I have recorded with it, songs for SS, and I have had people ask me what brand of guitar I'm playing (and I'm not even too grand of a guitar player) I've had people ask when I'm singing live at Fiddling events too, it really has a great, deep tone to it. I wouldn't get rid of that guitar for nothing, and it was pennies compared to a Gibson or other expensive brand.  I never buy a guitar without playing it first, and while yes- I look at the brand, cause I'm familiar with most brands to some degree, I don't let the name make the final decision, I go by the sound...... and the neck structure (I like smaller necks) and well, you know what is usually checked on a guitar. Point is- I don't go strictly by brand either.

Okay, I'm rambling again. But I applaud you for being a bit picky about what you buy. I'd much rather still be waiting to make a decision, than to have gotten my stuff so quickly & had this happen. Cause this was reallllyyyy depressing for me.

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

[highlight=crimson]Quoted from another thread....[/highlight]
http://www.karaoke-forum.com/viewtopic.php?t=6143


A lot of people here are slamming Behringer, but no one has shown numbers that I have asked.  It is all opinion.

Bluestainedshoes....I am sorry for your problems, but you could have had the same problem with any manufacture.  I have that exact powered mixer you got problems with, been usinging about 3 nites a week for almost 2 years, and have NEVER had a problem with it.  It's been rained on, snowed on, been in 90deg heat of summer outdoor gigs, and in smoke filled bars, with never one glitch.

And as far as PROS not using Behringer????  Check this out....
http://www.behringer.com/04_ultranet/poweruser.cfm?lang=ENG

Just my

Here is kinda what happens with most electronic equipment made overseas.....

First, a company based somewhere decides they want a new product, so they either design it or hire the design done......Then they go look for someone to actually manufacture it..........Right now, the cheapest place to get something electronic manufactured is China or other points East.

It's in the manufacturer shopping phase where they might make a few changes based on the manufacturer and their engineers ideas and abilities....Either way, the end product carries the name of the company that had it made for them...Yeah, you can believe each company has certain requirements...One might specify a certain brand of component or certain class of circuitry, but in the end, they all are made in the same place.

So if you want any China-asian mixer, then look for the features, quality of components, esign, and warrany/service offered by selling company.

I'm not in here to 'slam' the company. I already said- the one hooked to my comp is perfect.  Granted, it was sent to me 'used'..... for free. So it was already tested & tried, the person who sent it would have known before hand if it was faulty. This is my first- one & only- expereince buying a Behringer product new.

I've heard others speak of how reliable they are. I just had a few qualms about it after reading some stuff here, then danged if MY mixer wasn't a bad apple. I'm too scared to have them just 'replace it' with another of the same model. The reason being...... I have 45 days to return it. Suppose I get another one, it doesn't have the SAME problem and seems to work fine, but has another little issue that wont crop up for say- 60 days. Then I' m sh*t out of luck for returning it.

I've been on the phone with local Audio retailers this morning, and haven't heard any of them praise this company yet. Alot of them no longer sell them, cause they've had too many bad customer experiences with them. I'm gonna go back to my insurance training, haha, use the "law of large numbers" theory. I've simply heard more BAD than GOOD.

Not knocking anyone else who uses them...... as I said...... I use my little non-powered one all the time, and have no intention of replacing it yet. But I simply will not get another product from them- this incident has just firmly made up my mind. I do like to take others' advice- as I did in even buying a Behringer- because I have no experience at all with ANY powered mixer. But now I have had one expereince- and not a good one at all. It makes all these "stay away from Behringer" people make sense to me. I wish I could say different- I REALLY wanted THIS mixer. But I gotta think of my pocket book, which is not very thick.  I can't afford to replace this thing anytime soon, so I gotta KNOW I am getting something more people would stand behind.

I was hoping to be in here this week praising the company, but now I'm just screaming "Why ME??"

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥

Sweetheart,

My advise to you is:

"Stay away from ALL powered mixers."

So let the sreaming begin! I am sure lots of folks will say a powered mixer is ok....So let them say it.

From my experience, the best $$ value and flex is from individual components.

I hate all powered mixers.....I have my reasons and they are based on years of experience with many brands of mixers both powered and unpowered.

Powered mixers suck....You will someday see that they all suck.

I agree Keith.  I much prefer a non-powered board with amp or passives or board with powered as we have now.  We have better sownd with the Behringer and the YorkvilleNX520s than another guy who has a Mackie cfx 16  board and 450s.

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So.......educate me. I have no experience at all with knowing what I need. I have been 'around' music equipment all my life, but  I was never in a position to need/want to be the person to purchase or setup the stuff.

I was told (maybe I should say 'advised') to get a powered mixer along with the karaoke- so I did. And I think I'll be happy with it.......because....... I also play live music. Instruments are played such as banjo, mandolin, & fiddle that can not be "plugged in" to their own amps. So I need something that has enough mic inputs to handle the vocals & the instruments. I woulnd't be playing live with instruments such as electric guitar, drum machine, keyboard- that kind of stuff. So the powered mixer & my speaks should be all I need for that, right? If not a powered mixer, then what? What 'individual components' would I use?

I've just never had reason to buy this stuff- or know this stuff- before now. My family did start playing live again this summer. On our own, not with one of the music organizations we play with. So I was scrambling for stuff to use to have sound. As I said, I have ALL accoustic instruments, we play bluegrass music. Luckily, my friend Don bailed me out with all this stuff. But I can't borrow every time we go to play, and we plan on doing alot more playing in the coming year. That's why I would like to have something more than JUST the karaoke player.  I don't want this stuff strictly for karaoke. I'm new at it, but I have to learn it all.

And I appreciate you giving your advice, cause I need to hear all different views on this stuff. TY

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♥ Laugh your heart out, dance in the rain. Cherish the memories, ignore the pain. Love and learn, forget and forgive. Because you only have one life to live. ♥