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Electro-Voice Long-time audio electronics manufacturer Electro-Voice (EV) has been effective at bringing good performance and a full feature set to the lower end of the pro audio price range. Continuing in this tradition are the low-cost M4 mixers, which are available in 16-channel (M4/16, $2,418) and 24-channel (M4/24, $2,840) versions. We tested out the 16-channel version for this month’s issue. M4, Plus Four Unlike manufacturers that count stereo inputs as two channels in their overall tally, EV gives their M4 mixers an additional four stereo inputs on top of the 16 (or 24) mono channels. These stereo inputs are stacked two per strip between the mono inputs and master section on the mixer. More on the M4’s stereo inputs later. Mono inputs on the M4 have both XLR and balanced 1/4-inch jacks, as well as an insert point and direct output. At the top of each input strip sits the channel’s gain knob, a mic/line switch and a switchable 12-dB/octave high-pass filter at 80 Hz. This filter reduces stage rumble, wind noise and breath pops, and can also help tame the bassy nature of close-miked sounds. A red LED lights up when the input is within 3 dB of clipping. I have a serious concern with the M4’s mic input stage—its 44-dB gain range is set up for quieter sounds, and it doesn’t have a switchable pad. Put a sensitive condenser mic on a loud instrument (drum set or guitar amp, for example), and you’ll likely clip the EV’s input with the gain knob all the way down. Unless your mic has a built-in pad to compensate, you’re sunk. Each mono input has a three-band EQ with high and low shelf and sweepable midrange band. There’s no switch to remove the EQ entirely from the signal path. From there, it’s on to the mixer’s six aux sends. Aux sends 1 and 2 are always pre-fader and pre-EQ, while aux sends 3 through 6 are either pre or post. Because the M4’s mono input channels only have four send knobs, the latter two do double-duty for aux pairs 3/4 or 5/6. A switch selects which sends these knobs control, as well as whether the sends are pre- or post-fader and EQ. This “distributed features” approach usually nets you more power for the money, but you don’t get everything on every channel (you can’t send to aux 4 and aux 5 from the same input, for example). The M4’s stereo inputs have a peak indicator but no gain knob—instead, you change the input sensitivity between –10 dBv and +4 dBu by flipping a small switch inside the mixer. You have to take the bottom off to access the switch, though, which means you’ll only want to do this once. The stereo inputs offer high- and low-frequency shelving EQ with no mid band. The aux send scheme gets changed up a little at the stereo inputs, which
only have two send knobs per stereo pair. Turns out that stereo inputs
1 and 3 can send into aux 1 and 2 only (pre-fader and EQ), while stereo
inputs 2 and 4 only have post-fader access to aux sends 3 and 4. This
limits the flexibility of the stereo inputs somewhat, and requires that
you think ahead regarding what signals you need to go where. The M4 has a few other features worth noting. The board offers record output and tape/CD return jacks, both with RCA jacks and level control. A talkback mic input with level control can be routed to groups, aux sends or the stereo output. A powered flexible light jack sits at the upper-right corner of the board, near the main power and universal phantom power switches. The mixer’s group and stereo outputs each have balanced XLR jacks, plus an insert point for adding external processing. All six outputs also have a “Sub In” jack that drops right to the corresponding bus. Provided you have level control on whatever signal you’re routing to them, these six Sub In jacks function almost like additional inputs. Hands On While it may not be as attractive visually, having all signal connectors on the top panel of a mixer is extremely convenient. You can make cabling changes quickly, without crawling the floor of a sound booth or turning on a flashlight. Smaller mixers can often get away with the luxury of top-mounted jacks, and I’m glad the M4 took advantage of it. Metering offers crucial information about the health of your signals, and the M4 is a bit skimpy in this department. Six meters show levels for the four groups and stereo output; you can switch the latter to follow mono output level instead. Whereas most mixers will send any soloed signal to an LED meter for checking input levels, the M4 does not. This feature would have been more useful to include than the mono output meter switch, especially considering that the mono signal is just a sum of the stereo output. Each 10-segment LED meters is topped with a red LED at a low +6 dB signal
level. Red LED’s usually imply clipping, but the M4’s output
won’t actually clip until about +20 dB. That’s 14 dB of headroom
you can’t monitor or effectively use if you need it. The M4 would
be better served by a true clip LED up around +20 dB, with at least one
more indicator between it and the +6 dB indicator (which should be yellow).
Sonically, the M4 is on par with other mixers in this price range. It doesn’t offer the openness or transparency of some high-dollar mixers, nor will it ransack your audio. The board’s EQ offers good sound-sculpting control, though with some minor artifacts. The board does a good job of maintaining signal purity from input section to final output, though I would have liked to see an EQ bypass switch on each channel. In summary, the EV M4/16 has several laudable features and a few notable
omissions. Four additional stereo inputs are a nice bonus, for example,
but the board’s metering falls short. With ample competition in the
under-$3,000 mixer market, EV may want to address some of the M4’s
shortcomings. Contact: Mackie Over the past ten years or so, Mackie has distinguished itself as a builder
of reliable, good-sounding and very affordable mixers. These three characteristics
are exactly what most churches are looking for, making Mackie mixers a
staple in small to medium-sized sanctuaries across The SR24·4-VLZ PRO ($1,599) and larger SR32·4-VLZ PRO ($1,999) are two of Mackie’s most-popular church sound mixers, due largely to their impressive bang-for-the-buck. Though these four-bus mixers have been around for several years, they recently received an upgrade in the form of Mackie’s XDR (Extended Dynamic Range) preamps. This month, Church Production Magazine puts the Mackie SR24-4-VLZ PRO—new preamps and all—through its paces. Big Features, Small Footprint Such a high density of knobs, buttons and faders does have some drawbacks. The SR24-4-VLZ PRO’s knobs are set quite close to one another, and it’s relatively easy to bump one while turning another. Also, all faders on the Mackie are the 60-mm variety instead of the 100-mm faders commonly found on larger mixers. The Mackie’s 24 inputs are made up of 20 mic/line inputs and two pairs of stereo inputs. The mono inputs have a three-band EQ with sweepable midrange (fixed bandwidth); stereo inputs have four bands with fixed high- and low-mid controls. All inputs can tap into the SR24-4-VLZ PRO’s generous six aux sends. These are configured in a clever, effective way that will meet the needs of most smaller sound systems. Instead of putting pre-/post-fader buttons on every send (or pair of sends), Mackie added just one such button for aux sends 3 and 4. Aux sends 1 and 2 are fixed pre-fader (for monitors sends), while aux sends 5 and 6 are post-fader only (for effects). Each aux send has a master send level control and solo button. The SR24-4-VLZ PRO has four stereo effects returns, each with a return level knob. Two knobs allow aux returns 1 and 2 to be sent back into the aux 1 and 2 sends respectively, effectively returning these effects into the two monitor mixes. A global aux Solo button gives the engineer an up-close listen to a sum of all the effects returns. Aux return 4 can be routed to subgroup pairs 1/2 or 3/4, which takes it out of the stereo mix. This allows vocal effects, for example, to properly follow changes in level of the corresponding vocal subgroup. This is a must-have feature, and I would have liked to have seen at least one other aux return offer it. The “-4” part of the SR24-4-VLZ PRO’s name refers to its four subgroups, to which all input channels and one aux return can be routed. The SR24-4-VLZ PRO’s subgroups are bare-bones, with no aux sends or traditional EQ. What they do offer, however, is direct sub outputs, an insert point for patching in external effects (a compressor or EQ, for example) and a unique “air” EQ control. This high-frequency EQ is centered at 16 kHz, and is designed to add openness and high-end sparkle to subgroup signals. Guess what—it works. Adding a few dB of boost with this knob can really open up a drum, rhythm section or vocal submix. Metering on the SR24-4-VLZ PRO is Spartan but functional. Each of the 24 input channels has a green “signal present” LED (at –20 dB) and a red overload LED. A 13-LED ladder tracks the stereo output level during normal operation, or the level of any individual signal when its Solo button is pushed. When it comes to audibly checking in on your signals, the SR24-4-VLZ PRO’s flexibility is commendable. You can solo channels, busses, aux sends and the global aux return (and view their levels on the LED ladder). The mixer offers both pre-fader and solo-in-place modes, the latter being useful for hearing a channel as it sits in the mix. Two headphone outputs are provided, and the mixer’s headphone outputs have plenty of power to drive all but the most sluggish headphones. A stereo control room output can be used for studio monitors or mixing position speakers. The SR24-4-VLZ PRO offers a few other niceties largely unexpected at this price point. A balanced mono output with trim control will come in handy for a mono sound system, mono recorder or center speaker cluster. A tape return input with level control can be routed to the stereo outputs, muting the mixer’s channels. The Mackie also boasts a genuine talkback circuit, powered BNC socket for a gooseneck lamp and a brutal flashing solo LED. Listening In Mackie uses the term “studio quality” when referring to their new XDR preamps, though there’s no common reference for what that really means. Do the Mackie’s mic preamps sound as good as a dedicated studio preamp? Not the two affordable outboard preamps I compared it to. But considering the price point of the SR24-4-VLZ PRO, its preamps sound very good. The XDR circuit really is an improvement over the Mackie preamps of old, giving a more open and less-brittle sound. Once past the mic preamps, the SR24-4-VLZ PRO does a great job preserving the integrity of the signal and the transparency of its sound. Audio passing through the mixer’s EQ, bus and main output section sounds identical to audio tapped right after the preamp. Mixes through the Mackie remain clean even as the track count climbs, which can ‘t be said of some affordable mixers. The SR24-4-VLZ PRO’s specs are impressive, with a high-frequency response down just 3 dB at 100 kHz and very low noise. Ruggedness is nearly as important as sound quality in church installations, and Mackie has a reputation for building bulletproof mixers. The company stands behind their products, too—sending in the SR24-4-VLZ PRO’s registration card extends warranty coverage to a generous three years. All this adds up to a little mixer with the potential to improve the quality and flexibility of sound in thousands of smaller churches across the country. With excellent sound quality, a comprehensive feature set and sturdy design, the SR24-4-VLZ PRO is well worth a closer look if you’re in the market for an affordable small-format mixer. Contact: Soundcraft European manufacturer Soundcraft has been making quality live sound mixers for nearly 30 years, and now boasts a product line that spans from low-cost eight-input mixers to 100-channel touring consoles with 6-figure price tags. Recognizing that there’s a lot of market between these two extremes (especially on the lower end), Soundcraft has introduced several mixer lines suitable for small- to medium-sized churches and other permanent applications. One of these affordable mixers is the Series TWO, which bring many of the features of their popular K2 mixer to the under-$10,000 price point. The Series Two is available in three configurations: 24 mono inputs for $6,395, 32 mono inputs for $7,695 and 40 mono inputs for $9,395. Split Personality From there, each of the board’s eight subgroups, stereo output and
mono output hits a 11x2 matrix. Useful for sending a special mix to a
recorder, distribution system, special zone speakers or any other alternate
feed, a matrix output is becoming a common feature on better live and
fixed-installation consoles. As with many larger-format mixers, the Series Two splits its inputs into two banks with the master and subgroup sections near the middle. This gives the engineer easier access to the mission-critical controls found in the master section. The physically larger a mixer becomes, the more practical this split design becomes. Which isn’t to say the 24-channel Series Two console is overly large. At just over 40-inches wide by 28-inches deep by 10-inches tall, it will be a rare church that can’t make room for the Soundcraft. The mixer’s 10-inch height is capped off by a fixed meter bridge section that sits above an angled knob surface and flat fader area. A desire to keep the Series Tw- chassis compact is apparent in the density of the controls—knobs and buttons are pretty cozy on the Soundcraft, requiring a little extra care in their operation. All faders in the main fader area are of the long-throw, 100-mm variety. These faders are not the premium highly damped type, but they are quite smooth in operation. The mixer’s four stereo returns each have a smaller 60-mm fader positioned near the middle of the master section. All of the board’s jacks sit on its back panel, including two powered connectors for gooseneck lamps and the large multi-pin socket for the Soundcraft’s external power supply. Unfortunately, all phantom power buttons are also located on the back panel—this makes changes between dynamic and condenser mics rather inconvenient. Input to Output All input channels have a four-band EQ that can be bypassed with the push of a button. Mono inputs have high shelf, low shelf and two sweepable mid bands; stereo inputs have two fixed-frequency mid bands. The Soundcraft’s EQ section sounds excellent, allowing subtle to radical tonal adjustment without undue smearing or phase shift. The EQ gain knobs are very responsive, with audible changes occurring quickly as the knob leaves its center detent. The Series Two offers a generous eight aux sends, switchable in groups of two between pre and post fader. A fifth switch near the aux send section toggles that channel’s pre-fader sends to be pre-EQ as well. If you’re applying a radical EQ that you don’t want sent to the monitors, this is a handy feature. All eight aux sends have a master send level control and solo button. Mono and stereo inputs can be routed and panned (or balanced, in the case of the stereo inputs) across the four subgroup pairs or main mix output. Mono inputs can also be assigned directly to the mono output; stereo inputs have to reach the mono output by way of a subgroup. Finally, mono inputs have a direct pre button that taps their direct output jack after the EQ and upstream of the fader and mute system. Churches doing multi-track recording with the Series Two will appreciate this feature. The Series Two offers four stereo returns for effects or other stereo sources. Unlike stereo returns with little more than a level knob, these offer nearly as much flexibility and control as the two stereo inputs. A unique “tilt” EQ knob allows emphasis of either bass or treble frequencies. Four send knobs are switchable in groups of two to reach all eight aux sends (i.e. the first two knobs can send to aux 1 and 2 or aux 3 and 4). Returns can be assigned to subgroups or main mix, but have no balance knob. A 60-mm fader controls levels, and each return has a solo and mute button. In addition to eight standard mute groups, the Series Two boasts a scene-based mute system with MIDI support and 128 mute scenes. Mute scenes send and respond to MIDI program change messages, while each mute button will generate (or respond to) MIDI note on messages. The power this MIDI system offers to switch lighting scenes, change effects or trigger samples is staggering, not to mention its ability to respond to a MIDI sequencer. You can even configure the Series Two so that its scene system controls external equipment only. That its mute system is simple and intuitive to operate just makes it all the better. English Accent Soundcraft has created a flexible, affordable and great-sounding console with the Series Two, and any church shopping the top of the sub-$10,000 price range should definitely give this mixer a listen. Contact: |
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