Is this mixer all its cracked up to be?

Anybody that owns one....why should I buy this mixer above others in the same price range?

From what I hear it's one of the best mixers available. I had the xone 62, it's pretty much the same with more channels. You have to have a relly good sound system if you want the full quality to be shown up. I used it on my hi-fi and it sounded like any other mixer, but when I hooked it up to an amp and some jbl speakers and it was incredible. The xone 32 is used in a lot of clubs as well.

i've used the 464 and it's utterly amazing!
if i had the cash, i would love to get one for myself

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the whole xone line is straight up killer!

I have an xone:32, had it for almost a year now.

the EQ's are silky smooth on this box. you can juggle basslines very easily on the EQs. if the awesome EQ's aren't enough to shape the frequency, you have TONS of power to shape the spectrum as you please with the VCF filters, which is incredible if used properly (and sounds like a toy if used incorrectly)

I should also add, the VCF are *not digital* -- you got it, analog high-q gangable filters built right into the box! i'm a opponent of anything digital in the signal path, unless the analog->digital conversion is of the utmost quality and it nevers come back to analog after that conversion... if I wanted digital i'd get a set of CD decks :P

this box has an large factor of headroom before you distort... 21 db on the channel paths and 23db on the main output! you can play it well into the red before distorion is noticable... read: the audio circutry in this mixer seems to be uber-high-quality. The audio section in any of the xone series is right up to par with thier pro mixing consoles...

mix out, booth out, and aux out are all on 1/4" TRS balanced jacks. definite plus for connectivity to pro-audio equiptment. I use the booth output to record off, because I can control the level from the face and my DAT deck has a balanced in... makes for some nice sounding recordings

my only gripe about actual use of the box is that the level controls are on the BACK FACE of the unit.. not the top. so you cant see where they exactly are.. but you can still access them easily. it's kinda funky if your not used to it.. but now, it doesnt bother me.. it's almost kinda good.. you dont touch them unless you know you need to.

I could say more about the xone32, i really dig 'em ... I'd like to upgrade to a 62, but i'm so used to the 32 and it's SO easy to take with me that I just havnt bothered... it weighs only 9lb and is fairly small, so it's a great box for on-the-go.

on a negative note: the stock crossfader isnt very durable. it's your typical ALPS unit that every other (inexpensive) box has. factor in a ~$130 crossfader upgrade to a pennes & giles unit after the stock one gives out. atleast you can upgrade! My stock fader lasted 3 months.. then I upgraded to a P&G and havnt had a crackle, bleed, or any other problem since I got it. the P&g fader is standard on the 62 and 464... but not the 32.

if you've got any questions about the 32, ask away...

shoot..you convinced me to buy one...lol
couple of questions:
What does the VCF filters do?
and
Is it only worth getting a Xone 32 if you have a nice stereo sysem (i.e. amp with some nice speakers)?

thanx

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damn. we got some big ballers in here.

i think the a&h's go for like a lil over a g to 3. depending on where you buy

and you wont hear a significant difference in sound unless you've got a quality set up. like youre playing out in a club or rave. you can push them hella hard without hearing any signs of distortion, as you would with the djm-500 or 600.

but the a&h is priced like that for a reason. undoubtedly, imo the highest quality mixer out there.

Me and my buddy patt, we both have the xone 62 and on top of that great sound system with a effects processor. We have nothing to say but buy the heath man.

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ok, this baby is SO good, that I didn't even bother reading your post!

If you're considering getting this mixer, or if you are in a position to get it, I say GET it!!!

quote:

Originally posted by pinoying i think the a&h's go for like a lil over a g to 3. depending on where you buy and you wont hear a significant difference in sound unless you've got a quality set up. like youre playing out in a club or rave. you can push them hella hard without hearing any signs of distortion, as you would with the djm-500 or 600. but the a&h is priced like that for a reason. undoubtedly, imo the highest quality mixer out there.

I paid $640 for my xone:32, brand new. the xone62's are a around a grand, sometimes you can find them for 850-900, new. I've seen them go used around the $800 mark.

and yea.. they rock!!

as far as VCF's...
VCF's on the xone32 are just like on a synth.

you get highpass, bandpass, and lowpass, with resonance and a slider to control the frequency. the names of the filters are exactly what they do.. pass only the highs or lows above a cutoff frequency you set.. with resonance at the cutoff.

it also has a VCO that will vary the cutoff frequency in time with a tapped-in tempo.

Check out the xone32 site under www.allen-heath.com for all the details - I think they have a manual online so you can read all the gory details on how they work... but all in all, it's just like a synth VCF's, if that helps you understand...

I could post a few samples of the VCFs in action if you want ... when I get home, later tonight... i'm stuck at work far away from my allen & heath

quote:

Originally posted by MERiDiAN5i2 I paid $640 for my xone:32, brand new. the xone62's are a around a grand, sometimes you can find them for 850-900, new. I've seen them go used around the $800 mark.

Where did you find them for $640? Thats a very good price. Yea..samples would be greatly appreciated.

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Xones kicks ass


all of them.
ive used a 464(omg) a 62 (holy shit) and a 32(very nice)

its so much better than a 500 or 600, if you really want, but a 32 and a sampler, you will be better off.

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Retired TA.

Ive been using the 464 at this club i spin at and I have grown to like it alot. On most bigger systems if your using a pioneer 600 or pretty much any mixer and you red line it youll get distortion. This bad boy is crystal clear and pretty much no distortion even when red lining it. I could go on and on about the effects but I'll just say I like the mixer alot.