I am trying to finalize a decision for a mixer for a podcast. I have narrowed it down to Alto 802 vs Allen & Heath Zed 10 vs Yamaha MG12XU. I have ruled out Behringer, Mackie, and Alesis because of numerous negative reviews about their reliability, and feedback from forum responses. My primary concerns are sound quality, functionality, and reliability. I don’t think that effects are too important because I will be working primarily with vocals. The podcast will have up to 4 people at one time. USB in and out is essential. I also need aux ports for mix minus for Skype calls.
Anyone with experiences with these three mixers or similar? Which one would you select and why?
Thank you very much for your help. I am new to this type of audio equipment, and could really use some insights about these brands and particular models.
For Allen & Heath, i’ve only really got experience of their big desks (such as the GL2400), which are really nice desks. The Z-series are much cheaper than the GL series and are designed home / semi-professional use whereas the GL series are professional quality desks. I’d guess that the Zed 10 is still pretty good for the price.
Behringer are often maligned because they produce mostly for the home / semi-professional market, and as such many of their budget products do not match the quality of much more expensive “professional” gear. Having said that, I have found that they offer great value for money, and provide lots of features. As long as they are handled with a reasonable amount of care they should provide good service for years (though they may not stand up to the rigours of touring). I have 2 Behringer desks that are well over 5 years old and still provide great service. One has had its power supply changed after being damaged by a surge on the mains supply (running off a generator in a field at the time).