The pros & cons of the new Behringer line.
Hello!
I have accomplished a bit of beta testing with the newest line of Behringer gear. My first purchase early last year was the Behringer X-32 console. Last week I purchased the newest console/stage box called the Behringer X-Air 18 or “XR-18” for short. Along with that purchase I figured “why not!” as I was ordering the new iNuke 4-channel 6000-watt amp from Behringer. Here is my comparison toward the new XR-18.
As we all know, Behringer has no bragging rights on their track record up until the big merge a couple of years back. The equipment didn’t last at all and was really crappy. About the only thing they had going for them was the HA-4000 headphone mixer/amp. Now they have merged with Midas, Audio Technica and a few others, forming what is now known as “The Music Group”. Thus said, Midas preamps are in the very products I purchased. Between the two consoles, the X-32 is far more user friendly. The faders are right on the console, and the knobs and a handy little screen. You can control your mix with an iPhone or iPad, with newly added Android support; anyone can control his or her own stage mix. The Midas preamps in this unit are amazing. They thump my system like no other. I am finding myself using this board and all of its features in the studio more often now. As for the new XR-18, it is surprisingly cool, but not so much a replacement for the X-32. However, it does come with its own built in networked router to access the console wirelessly. Its preamps are not as hot as the X-32, but with the addition of a Drive Rack PA+, it levels out the compression and the audio volume levels and equalization perfectly. The XR-18 is actually a great unit, and small too. It has the same built in effects and sends, but does not have matrix-mixing capabilities like its competition. This XR-18 comes as a stage box with handles and nice rubber edging, but it also has the optional rack wings for mounting. It only takes up three spaces on in a rack, and looks good on stage.
NO MORE 100ft SNAKES!
Would I use this unit at one of my shows or running sound for someone else? You can bet on it! Would I use this unit in the studio as much as my X-32? Probably not. It seems as though that even with the USB 2.0 recording interface capabilities, it is no match for FireWire 800. The preamps are not as warm and stunning as its daddy sized X-32. I will say though, Behringer has stepped it up quite a bit, making this system sound pretty stunning with one single 4-channel 6000-watt amp that only weighs 12 lbs. Amazing job Behringer, keep up the good work! For those of you who want to check it out, you will have 30 days to return it, so “why not?”.
What do you think?
-Trey
