I love this idea

[buzzardwhiskey]

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/Xr16.aspx/

It's the new Behringer XR16. It looks like a tough little stage snake connector. But it's really a full featured digital mixer THAT YOU LEAVE ON STAGE. It's then controlled via a wireless tablet.

Any comments?

[BilliBob]

Presonus already done something similar.

http://www.presonus.com/products/StudioLive-RM-Series


Certainly looks like the way of the future.

[buzzardwhiskey]

Very cool!

[jcmccorm]

I think Yamaha has something similar as well.

I like Behringer unit you linked to though. Very clean. Nice idea being able to drop it right on stage and put the whole interface on a mobile device.

Cary

[Villamarzia]

...I wish it had phantom power...

[buzzardwhiskey]

Originally Posted by Villamarzia

...I wish it had phantom power...

Apparently it does. A comment on Sweetwater's reviews page reports the following... "Download the X-Air App and you'll find the Phantom Power toggle option @ the Input page".

[varmonter]

Not to sound negative but I would buy any comparable unit over berringer any day.I just find their products sub par.

[pieterh]

Behringer aren't the first, as noted above. Mackie have had their DL series for a couple of years now and until recently had an 8 and a 16 channel version, with variants to accept the old style iPad 2 connector or the new iPad 4 or Air lightening connector for placement on the mixer itself. They need a separate router for wireless operation, Apple's airport express is a great option as you can then stream music direct from the iPad in the interval for example.

We are so enamoured of them in fact that yesterday I ordered the new version, a rack mounted 32 channel mixer. It's so new that we are not getting it before next week (We usually get professional audio shipped the next day) when the Swedish supplier gets the delivery from the manufacturer. Apparently since our order they now only have two left of their original consignment! One feature that we are very excited about is the facility to record 24 channels (wave) direct to a hard disc (soon to be upgraded to all 32), or 32 to a PC's or Mac's DAW.

[Bobby1note]

Originally Posted by varmonter

Not to sound negative but I would buy any comparable unit over berringer any day.I just find their products sub par.

That seemed to be conventional wisdom a few years ago, until Uli Behringer bought out Midas.(and a bunch of other hi-end pro-audio companies/ TurboSound, Klark-Technik, etc).

I certainly wouldn't touch any of their low-end gear, but they're also producing some very interesting pro-audio gear these days. To my eyes, the biggest change at Behringer, seems to be a new attitude toward product support. Sound engineers were pretty skeptical when Uli himself, started posting on some of the largest pro-audio websites, indicating his company's new direction, but with the advent of the Midas-designed X-32 console, a lot has changed.

[buzzardwhiskey]

So far, the only manufacturer that I see in the $300 - $700 arena doing "remote mixers" is Behringer. Maybe it doesn't sound good. I'll wait for some reviews.

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Originally Posted by buzzardwhiskey

So far, the only manufacturer that I see in the $300 - $700 arena doing "remote mixers" is Behringer. Maybe it doesn't sound good. I'll wait for some reviews.

That was my thought. Just because it can do 10 million things doesn't mean it sounds that good

[lschwart]

I've heard nothing but good things about the sound and design of the X32, which was their first entry in this series, and these new units have basically the same guts. I don't think that the usual Behringer caveats apply in this case.

If I were looking for a compact digital mixer right now, I'd give these some serious thought. The XR12 is a very attractive looking choice for a small acoustic act. And for larger ensembles the XR16 and XR18. I've been helping with sound at a local Contra Dance over the past few months (I ran sound myself for a dance there a few weeks back). They use a Mackie DL1608 to control a system for a variety of different acoustic folk/dance ensembles and a caller, including an aux fed sub and a pair of speakers on a delay (courtesy of the Mackie) halfway up the hall. Everything is controlled from an iPad. The Mackie is a very impressive little unit for its price, and these new Behringers offer a number of advantages over it. I especially like the fact that the router is internal, and that you can use any kind of tablet device, computer, or smartphone.

Worth some thought.

Louis