Mackie DL32R 32 input rackmount iPad mixer

jimfist

jimfist

Fractal Fanatic
Mackie DL32R | 32-Channel Wireless Digital Mixer with iPad Control

Mackie DL32R 32-ch Digital Rackmounted Mixer | Sweetwater.com

DL32R-xlarge.jpg


Retail List price $2499, currently Sweetwater has a sell price at $1999...has 32 physical XLR digitally controlled mic preamps (8 areon combi XLR/qtr inch combi connectors), can do 32 track recordings direct to computer DAW or 24 track to external USB storage, VCA groups and routing to subgroups, fully assignable routing to 14 XLR outputs, 3 rack spaces tall, etc. etc. I still hate that you can only control the Macki digital boards with an Apple iPad/iPhone...no Android or laptop applications.

I don't know...this is the same price as the X32 Compact (which has physical moving faders and controls), or you can get a Behringer X32 Rack for $1199. If the price of this drops into the $1700 range, I can see this being a worthwhile deal, but until then, for most practical applications that don't require the full 32 XLR input capabilities, I'm not seeing how this is $900 better than the X32 Rack.

Thoughts?
 
Ipad is not included so you have to have one [I don't] which has to be with you with you all the time to able to make even just a slight adjustment. X32 rack has a built in large display and knobs. for half price.
 
funny, i just saw this this morning on sweetwater.

i feel this is for full-time sound guys. for the guy in a band doing multiple things - playing, singing, mixing, etc. - the x32 seems a better choice to me. as mentioned with this Mackie and the new Presonus Rack - almost the exact same thing and launched at the same time strangely - you MUST have your wireless control setup. that means router, ethernet, wait for the network to load, then ipad or whatever.

with almost zero control from the unit's front panel, if something goes wrong, you can't do a dang thing. in fact, in the Presonus launch video, the presenter mentions this worst-case scenario. OMG a monitor is feeding back! what does Presonus recommend? the "Kill All" button that mutes EVERYTHING, mains, monitors, hahaha.

on the x32 i can quickly turn down aux's or channels or the main. in fact, after everything is setup, i rarely have the ipad with me - i just tweak it from the front panel. i select the channel in the "most likely to need adjustment" and there is a full-time main output knob as well.

i think this Mackie and the Presonus are for the guys who do sound only - they have the time to setup their wireless and 3 ipads. me? i have time to move my stuff to the stage, plug in, and then i have to start playing. or if you have a larger production that has the time for load in and/or you need 32 inputs all the time.

the trade off though is 32 on board inputs and more outputs than the x32 rack. but 16 xlr + 6 1/4" inputs have been more than enough for everything i've done so far.

i do like the Presonus app from what i've seen. the x32 ipad app could use a refresh, but i'm sure it will come.

not to derail, but behringer is coming out with some cool stageboxes that have built in wireless. it's meant for more simple setups but with tons of control via ipad - similar concept, no controls on the unit itself. $700 for a 18 input box. amazing.

Behringer XR18 X-Air | Sweetwater.com
 
Mixing a band in a small local club with iPad control as the only means...that is one thing. But taking this idea to the "next level" of doing serious pro gigs and 32 inputs with just iPad as the only interface...meh. That's still a leap of faith I'm not willing to make yet. If I'm going to do a "real" show for 500+ audience paying $20 per head, I'm going to want to use something with hardware controls, and a dedicated FOH mix position AND the ability to have wireless iPad/iPhone control to boot. Mackie is throwing all their eggs in one basket with their marriage to Apple.

I dunno...Behringer got one thing right, in that they give you many different versions of the X32 depending on your budget and physical needs. Mackie totally missed the mark with the DL802 in terms of cost vs. features. The DL1602 was pretty cool if you already own an iPad, but IMO geared to the lower end of the market and the small club acts (I own one and use it a lot, but for bigger shows usually get hooked up to a Soundcraft Si Expression 24). Time will tell whether the DL32R hits a sweet spot as a tweener option to the X32 offerings. I'm not sure they have. For $1999, honestly, I'd be more inclined to look at the Allen & Heath Qu-16 or X32 Compact.
 
jimfist said:
Mackie totally missed the mark with the DL802 in terms of cost vs. features.
Click to expand...

worst. idea. ever. ooh let's save the customer $200 bucks or so and give them 1/2 the functionality.... i couldn't believe they took it to market.

and apparently an A&H q32 is coming out? too bad the 16 had zero expandability...
 
Chris@KatsuKuriMedia said:
worst. idea. ever. ooh let's save the customer $200 bucks or so and give them 1/2 the functionality.... i couldn't believe they took it to market.

and apparently an A&H q32 is coming out? too bad the 16 had zero expandability...
Click to expand...

The Allen & Heath Qu-24 seems to be a happy medium on all fronts, between the 16 input and 32 input versions. Has all the general features of the Qu32 (an upgrade from some of the limitations of the Qu16), and sells reasonably at $2799 compared to $3599 for the Qu32, and with a footprint of about 25" x 19"...not too bad. Amazing how well Behringer executed their strategy for the X32 series of products and related accessories. Love them or hate them, to date it seems they nailed their market down.
 
Chris@KatsuKuriMedia said:
worst. idea. ever. ooh let's save the customer $200 bucks or so and give them 1/2 the functionality.... i couldn't believe they took it to market.
Click to expand...

Man that's so funny. I said exactly that to the mackie rep at namm when the launched the 8 channel DL.
The rep said - lots of novice users are afraid of 16 channels, so this will be attractive.
I said - um, those novice guys that are scared of 16 channels are going to be WAY more of afraid of an iPad only mixer...and they're not going to want to spend $800 on a novice mixer! Those guys are looking to spend $200 and are going to buy a behringer xynex.
He was really mad at me....
 
It's so sad when reps or developers live in a cave and get shell shocked when the public tells them what they think.
 
I love where this technology is going. Every day another great advancement seems to be happening.
I use the xrack and love it....and I also have a DL1608 that I use for smaller gigs.
I think the xrack was really well thought out and so far, I haven't seen anything that I want to buy to replace it. I'm sure that another product is not far away though, and I buy something new...

I'm going to give myself some credit I don't deserve here.....
When mackie announced the DL1608 at NAMM 2012, I called them the next week and asked when they were going to make a rack mount version.
They said - there will be a rack mount kit for the DL.
I said - no no...I want a rack panel and no iPad Dock. Picture two of you onyx 8 channel rack pre units glued together....and run from an iPad.
They said - oh, cool idea.

I'm sure they didn't create this based off of my phone call....but in my head, it was my idea..haha.
 
before the x32 rack, i had a 3 space rack mount mixer. an alesis with 8 horrible preamps, a few line inputs, 10 faders on the front and a ton of empty space. i rarely used it, but it's so funny to put the x32 in that same 3 spaces and i can do 5 million times more things with such better quality.

i always said rack gear was returning when i met with my reps at namm, and they always told me no way, it'd never happen. people want consoles. well guess what...

so it was actually my idea :p
 
Chris@KatsuKuriMedia said:
before the x32 rack, i had a 3 space rack mount mixer. an alesis with 8 horrible preamps, a few line inputs, 10 faders on the front and a ton of empty space. i rarely used it, but it's so funny to put the x32 in that same 3 spaces and i can do 5 million times more things with such better quality.

i always said rack gear was returning when i met with my reps at namm, and they always told me no way, it'd never happen. people want consoles. well guess what...

so it was actually my idea :p
Click to expand...

Touché....
 
speaking of new offerings coming out this month (supposedly), Behringer has the XR18 X-Air mixer coming out for a street price of $699. On paper, an absolute DL1608 killer:

Check out the features: Behringer XR18 X-Air | Sweetwater.com

Key points that caught my eye:

- built in WiFi
- digitally programmable mic preamps
- control over the mixer's functions from tablet, laptop, or smart phone (iOS, Android, Mac, PC, or Linux)
- 6 XLR Aux outputs
- 4 stereo built in effects processors
- MIDI in/out
- USB bi-directional interface 18x18
- combination 1/4 - XLR on 16 preamp inputs
(looking for confirmation on whether it does anything special with respect to subgroups or VCA groups...I doubt it, but who knows?)

I can't find product owners manual on this thing yet (in fact, it isn't even referenced on the Behringer website that I could find), but based on what I see, if it's anywhere near as well thought out as the X32, it's goodbye for the DL1608.

routing.jpg
 
BBN said:
The rep said - lots of novice users are afraid of 16 channels, so this will be attractive.
Click to expand...
lmao, i just read this again. man, that is really funny.

like you said... omg i'm afraid of 16 channels! 8 i can handle! i can also handle ZERO PHYSICAL CONTROLS since i understand what the virtual controls are doing relative to an analog mixer!

haha. man, you and i could have saved them a TON of money. ;)

jimfist said:
speaking of new offerings coming out this month (supposedly), Behringer has the XR18 X-Air mixer coming out for a street price of $699.
Click to expand...

lmao didn't i say that earlier :)

if i wasn't so invested in the x32 and the complex things i'm using it for, i'd get an xr18 in a heart beat. in fact, i might still get one haha. built-in wifi? throw it in the middle of the stage and plug everything in? done.
 
Of course, it could be argued that people who buy iPhones and iPads are their target market, already accustomed to spending more for less functionality :lol
 
jimfist said:
speaking of new offerings coming out this month (supposedly), Behringer has the XR18 X-Air mixer coming out for a street price of $699. On paper, an absolute DL1608 killer:

Check out the features: Behringer XR18 X-Air | Sweetwater.com

Key points that caught my eye:

- built in WiFi
- digitally programmable mic preamps
- control over the mixer's functions from tablet, laptop, or smart phone (iOS, Android, Mac, PC, or Linux)
- 6 XLR Aux outputs
- 4 stereo built in effects processors
- MIDI in/out
- USB bi-directional interface 18x18
- combination 1/4 - XLR on 16 preamp inputs
(looking for confirmation on whether it does anything special with respect to subgroups or VCA groups...I doubt it, but who knows?)

I can't find product owners manual on this thing yet (in fact, it isn't even referenced on the Behringer website that I could find), but based on what I see, if it's anywhere near as well thought out as the X32, it's goodbye for the DL1608.

routing.jpg
Click to expand...

this gave me wood, exactly what I want / need for monitors... small compact, exactly what I need.
 
Chris@KatsuKuriMedia said:
lmao didn't i say that earlier :)

if i wasn't so invested in the x32 and the complex things i'm using it for, i'd get an xr18 in a heart beat. in fact, i might still get one haha. built-in wifi? throw it in the middle of the stage and plug everything in? done.
Click to expand...

Yes, you did!!! I missed it in your earlier post. Doh! The XR18 X-Air looks very promising. I'm on the Sweetwater alert list to let me know when they are shipping.
 
jimfist said:
Yes, you did!!! I missed it in your earlier post. Doh! The XR18 X-Air looks very promising. I'm on the Sweetwater alert list to let me know when they are shipping.
Click to expand...

I downloaded the app, and it seems 'ok'. It's not as flexible as the X32 App.
I'm thinking about the X-air.....the only negative for me so far is that the outputs do not have X-over capabilities.
This is a big feature for me as the X-Rack has allowed me to eliminate the DBX Driverack from my rig.
That's one plus for the DL1608....they added X-over capabilities. Looks like a new version of Master Fader is coming, and will have Subgroups. That's a feature I'm happy will be there as well.
 
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