X32 Rack Alternative?

[RoadRanger]

DL1608 mk2, 1U rack mount, USB port

i don't think there's any way to get 24+ connectors in 1U, here's a berry S16 which is 2U:

[sam.spoons]

I was thinking inputs on the front and outs on the back 

[Wynnd]

The outputs being on the back works great if your amps are in the same stack.  Might be better if the outputs were a separate rack and could be mounted on the back or front with only a single cable connecting the units.   Being that outputs don't have as many connectors as the inputs, that would be the right place to put a WiFi unit.  Most of the processing should be with the input portion.  Pretty good suggestions for possible future products.  Think any of the R&D departments read these?

[sam.spoons]

It'd be easy to have a breakout panel if you had it in a rack case, I probably wouldn't do that so both front and back would be relatively easily accessible, the idea of a standard rack enclosure is just to give it a bit of versatility.

[Wynnd]

I like the idea of browser based controls.  I don't like 15 band EQs.  No gates.  Need to know how to update the firmware before considering a purchase. 

[sam.spoons]

I looked at the web based app and it was very unresponsive, obviously a P2P network should have lower latency.

[WK154]

X32 Rack alternative not for a long long time. SM Audio software demo very responsive but it helps to have a high speed network. As to the DL being "way ahead of the opposition" not going to happen, the best is to keep parity if possible with the competition such as SM Audio, X18, or QSC.
Yes frustrating when you know what's under the hood and the software is crippling the potential. DL must stand for Dumb & Loud. If you want a Tascam 25pin for external connections you're probably looking at $999 Mackie add-on special. HUI, they lost the code and the programmer.

[Jerrylee]

It'd be less frustrating too if the DL wasn't very good but it is and it would take very little to take it way ahead of the opposition 

My new DL Range :-

DL806 mk2, very small box, no dock just a USB port. Would need to be sub £500/$500.
DL1608 mk2, 1U rack mount, USB port
DL2412, 2U rack mount, USB port

And, the masterstroke.....

DL Control 9, a 9 fader control surface which connects to an iPad and controls Master Fader.

All would have recallable/remote gains, a choice of reverb, delay or other fx for each fx engine (and Lexicon or TC reverbs). DL-C9 would have a high capacity LiIon battery built in and an iPad dock so it would be a totally wire free control surface for the DL range of mixers. (actually I'd settle for HUI to be built into MF and buy a Berry BCF2000).

Huh??? Very little? So I guess a total redesign, adding recallable gains, making a control surface, and everything else you mentions is very little. Dude...that was just stupid. The dl is a good mixer, so are a lot of mixers. Even cheap ones. But the dl is not nearly in the class of its behringer competition. And now a few others. If by little you actually meant a lot then I understand. Maybe that was a typo.

[sam.spoons]

OK Jerry, I should have made two different posts, first one :- the "very little" needed to take it ahead of the competition, better reverbs and some kind of midi protocol for MF to allow a hardware controller to talk to Master Fader (remembering it's 25% cheaper than the X32 Rack and X18/QSC TouchMix etc. are still vapourware). It also has the best iPad app by a good margin (I'm going to have to live with the Berry app if I buy an X32 but IMHO it's nowhere near as nice to use as MF)

Second post :-

My suggestions for second generation DL1608 range.....

[Jerrylee]

the "very little" needed to take it ahead of the competition, better reverbs and some kind of midi protocol for MF to allow a hardware controller to talk to Master Fader

Yes, that may be a very little. But still doesn't put it close to the competition.

I did like the master fader app. It is somewhat well designed. But it does have some huge flaws. You will find out soon enough how much better tabbed app control is. No more wondering about which layer you are on. I can't tell you how many times I was adjusting a wrong layer. Don't get me wrong. I have found issues in the x32 mix app too. Some things are buried in places you may forget about. I had set my drummers monitor this past weekend. He kept telling me he couldn't hear his vocals. I told them they were on. But apparently I muted his vocals only in the monitor. It was buried in that channel sends page.

Whether you like one app or the other is all opinion. Some like the berry app over mackie and vice versa. I like them both but, as I have said many times, the x32 has sooooo many more features. This is why the app may have a larger learning curve. And because of the soooo many features mackie will never be ahead of the competition.

And please do some math. The dl1608 is not 25% cheaper. It's actually 16.68% cheaper. Give or take a 1 thousandth of a percent.

[sam.spoons]

At the price so far there is nothing which does what the DL1608 does, UK price is indeed around 16.4% cheaper than an X32 Rack, my mistake. However that still represents nearly £200 difference and, for whatever reason, the DL does seem to be holding it's price over here.

I do get where you're coming from though, while the DL is a very good mixer, the X32 Rack is another very good mixer with a lot more facilities but at a higher price. If I was buying now I probably would buy the X32 Rack but the cost of selling my DL and buying an X32 Rack to replace it doesn't add up at present (and I don't need the extras the X32 has).

[Jerrylee]

Curious if you don't need the extras then why are you buying an x32 compact?

Also if the dl1608 is holding its price over there then now is a good time to sell. I just realized I sold my dl for $725 US and paid only only a difference of $234 for the rack. That's a small difference considering the dl was 1&1/2 years old. For $234 I made a huge upgrade.

[sam.spoons]

Sorry, the X32 Compact is in addition to my DL and for larger gigs where the Rack's lack of faders would also be an issue. The Rack could only be a replacement for the DL1608 and, at present the DL is sufficient for my needs on 80% of gigs. I intend to use the Compact as my studio desk between gigs so can justify the expense that way 

Correction to UK price differentials (Thomann prices BTW), DL1608 - £914, X32 Rack - £1166 which makes the Rack 27.5% more expensive than the DL (but conversely makes the DL 21.6% cheaper than the X32....)

[Jerrylee]

Sam I forgot your in the uk. Curious how that translates to US dollars.

[Wynnd]

Weight was one reason for going with the DL1608 for me.  I dropped 22 pounds off my stack and replaced it with about 9 pounds.  (Including the rack mount.)  At no point do I see any of the Behringer products saving me any weight.  16 full mic channels is enough for me.  And if it wasn't, I have an additional 8 full mic channels and 4 stereo 1/4" channels on a separate mixer that I already own.  I can live with that.  (And pocket the savings.)  Did I mention that I also own a 10 channel stereo keyboard mixer single rack space unit too?  OK, I already own too much stuff.  Don't know what I'll do with my 100' 16 channel 4 return snake.  I don't see a use for it in my life anymore.