X18, has the true DL killer finally arrived?

[Greg C.]

http://www.behringer.com/EN/products/X18.aspx

Says "Buy Now" on the page. Wonder if it's really ready to ship though the link doesn't really take you anywhere yet...

[RoadRanger]

Note: There is still no mention of any ability to connect the iPad wired.

[Jerrylee]

http://www.behringer.com/assets/X18_PID.pdf

[WK154]

Note: There is still no mention of any ability to connect the iPad wired.

It has a USB B type connector which implies that the X18 will be the traditional slave in a USB environment. I would expect control from the tablet/laptop master. I hope they have 5GB frequency capability in their build-in WiFi. Then there is also the Ethernet connector another wired path which pretty well covers all bases. As always the devil is in the details as we all have found out with the DL.

[WK154]

And what be these X-Touch (Mixers ?):
http://www.behringer.com/NAMM/index.aspx

Finally a replacement for their BCF2000's control surface for DAW's and possible other uses. Can you say x32 rack etc. for those that want physical faders.

[RoadRanger]

All the new 'ringer crap:
http://www.behringer.com/landing/beh_namm_landing.html

[WK154]

Someone on SoundForums.net posted a map of $799 for the X18. If that's in fact the price that Mackie will have to respond to once their sales are impacted. My prediction is quite simple and I've stated this before the Dl1608 should be $699 and the DL806 should be at $499. The follow on in the present price range should be the DL1608/806 Pro with the following very real possibilities with the current hardware. 24/96-192 processing with 16/8+ channel recording but only using the new Thunderbolt connection (upgradeable). That by the way would be playing catchup with an 11yr. old product known to some of you as the Yamaha O1V96. That's a real technology improvement  at a new price point. Of course the software would still have to catch up with the rest of their competition as best they can. They can also choose to go the way they've done with the last 3 digital mixers and call it a day.
I'm selling mine before the price drop so I won't get hit to bad.

[WK154]

http://www.behringer.com/EN/products/X18.aspx

Says "Buy Now" on the page. Wonder if it's really ready to ship though the link doesn't really take you anywhere yet...

I think by now we know that any of the announced product won't see shipment until his new factory in China is up and running and that at best is August 2014. That means most of this stuff won't be here until shortly before Christmas 2014.

[Wynnd]

Let's stop using the term DL killer.  I plan to use mine until I stop doing this stuff.  (I'm 60 and 15 years looks about as far out as I would consider likely.)   The X18 looks interesting, but I'm not buying one.  I still don't trust anything with that brand on it.  Maybe someday, but not now or anytime soon.  (And my DL1608 has been working just fine.)   I also can't afford to be cavalier about upgrades.  Someday this stuff will be easily affordable.  It was a pretty large expenditure for me.  (With retirement looming and two cars that are more than 15 years old and have more than 400,000 miles between them.  At least the house is paid off now.) 

[diggo]

The X18 looks interesting, but I'm not buying one.  I still don't trust anything with that brand on it.

Yet you trust Mackie???

I'm guessing thousands of X32 owners might disagree with you....

[Wynnd]

Trusting Mackie?  Yea that was a bit of a hurdle for me before I decided to purchase it.  I had had a CFX-12 that Aux 2 went out on.  Inconvenient, but not a show killer.  The MixWiz has never been anything except perfect.  (Had that for nearly 6 years.)   This is part of my problem with items made in China.  The Apple products have been great.  The MixWiz great.  My trailer, not so much.   Its better than my first experience with Japanese products.  Japan has really gotten their act together and I haven't had anything less than great from them in a couple of decades.  Every car I've purchased new built in the USA has had something wrong with it.  (Even my Toyota built in Kentucky.  Fixed under warranty, but it's inconvenient.)  Every car I've purchased built in Japan has been perfect well through it's warranty.  (And then some.)

[diggo]

Mackie's powered speakers have a bad rep with the guys in repair shops. "Much worse than Behringer's powered speakers" was the 'whispered' statement I was given by the guy who does all warranty work for the two brands in my state. I had a Behringer 812NEO which needed a minor warranty repair.

Lately I've been using Turbosound Milan M15s as mains for the DL1608 gigs. I like them a lot - great for music where sound quality is the goal, rather than raw SPL. Nothing like Nexo or other high end systems of course, but amazing value and (therefore) easier to quote competitively and easier to trade profitably.

[WK154]

Here is an overview of the x18 and a source of the pricing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFavQZYvB9g

[abzurd]

Here is an overview of the x18 and a source of the pricing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFavQZYvB9g

Notice the interviewer asks if there is any way to power the ipad from the mixer and the guy gets all squirrely and says "no, not as of now, we just have it sitting right here".... then doesn't take a breath before moving on to "additional features".


So can't power the ipad, can't dock the ipad (if you could they'd be sure to mention it). So super, they have built in wi-fi, but you have to drag along a PC and connect via ethernet to be sure you can mix. And I will bet money it's 2.4 Ghz only. Again, they'd mention it if it did 5 Ghz.

So no, not a Mackie killer in my eyes. .... I just wish the DL could multi-track. (and didn't have the bugs it does).

[robbocurry]

...no Greg, it hasn't arrived and I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it either!