PG Music Home Forums General Discussion Off-Topic Questions about Behringer Eurorack Pro RX1202FX

I need a new, 12 channel, rack mountable mixer. My old Samson MPL1204 mixers are giving up the ghost. I have multiples so that if one is in the shop, the show goes on. But it seems having them in the shop takes longer and longer, the last one took over 6 months to fix, and it's the only shop within 75 miles that will touch them.

Looking for a new mixer, it seems the only candidate is the Behringer Eurorack Pro RX1202FX.

This concerns me, because I've heard bad things about Behringer products. So I'm asking here, does anyone know how reliable these? I'll be moving the rack in and out up to 6 days per week. One-nighters are notoriously hard on gear.

Why this one?

I require 11 inputs, and they all have to be in the rear. It has to be rack mountable with a small footprint.

I can't find anything else out there. It seems most of the mixers are optimized for desktop. Inputs on the face, long sliders for balancing, and so on.

Leilani and I both sing. We both play guitar through amp sims. She plays a tactile MIDI controller and I play a wind MIDI controller, and between the two we use four synth modules. I have two channels of backing tracks that I make myself, and one extra mic in case someone else needs one. (Sorry you can't use our mic, if you are coming down with a cold and don't know it, it might jeopardize a future gig for us). I also play sax & flute but use my vocal mic.

I can probably make the Behringer work, even if it is reliable enough.

RELIABILITY — That's the most important question.

Thanks.

This is my present gig, I'm needing to replace the mixer.....

I suspect this is unsuitable, but I mention it as "may be worth a look".

I've been quite pleased with my SoundCraft Ui24R. It's a quite different arrangement, surfaceless with a web browser interface (I use a touch screen), but I certainly don't put it through one-nighters. Ui16R is also rack mountable. (so, technically, is the Ui12, but it has mounts only at one end, so would not be good thrown around.)

The browser interface might be a killer as the screen would need to be visible in bright light.
I've found the networking a puzzle, but have settled on permanently set to Wi-Fi hot-spot plus Ethernet and its default IP addresses, otherwise it seems to need some 'Net infrastructure support ... DHCP or some such.

Nice. I have used several pieces in that rig, including the Yamaha, Roland and the TC optical compressor. All tanks. My limited experience with two pieces of Behringer equipment did not go well because of the inherent noice in the signal path. Does Mackie make a suitable sized mountable mixer?

You get mixed reviews about almost everything, but my experience with Behringer has always been positive.

I've been running two USB interfaces with the superb Midas preamps every day for almost ten years without a single problem. I've also got a variety of other Behringer products which seem to be well built and have never had a fault. Also on the plus side - their products aren't on the expensive side. I would think that the mixer is likely to be as reliable as anything else.

My experience with Behringer is quite a few years ago, ten or more, so that doesn’t mean much now unless you buy used. The equipment never failed; it was just noisy so I replaced it.

Thanks y'all.

For live performance, minimal noise is acceptable. After all, the crowd is not going to be silent.

If I buy one, I'll probably buy 4. One for the rack, one for a spare, a third for another spare if the first one tanks, and one for my MIDI studio so I can get a similar mix for any new backing tracks I create.

There is an Alesis MulitiMix 12R that seems to do the same thing, costs $100 more, but Alesis has a better reputation. The problem with that unit is it's hard to find. I suspect it's at the end of its life cycle.

My main concern it reliability.

Notes ♫

Notes, FWIW I have had a Behringer Eurorack MX602A for a number of years now. All 6 inputs are being used, there is very little noise at high volumes and none at low volumes but that could be coming from one of the inputs, and it has been very reliable. Note that I rarely use it at high volumes.

I say FWIW as my unit has been sitting on my desk for the entire time I have owned it, thus very little moving.

Bob I ran a behringer mixer in my system for around 6 years and it was rock solid and reliable. I enjoyed using it. I replaced it with a Yamaha 12 and it was pretty cool deal but i can't say it was really a lot better.

The folks behind the Samson that gives you grief make the Behringer. Specs are made up by marketing departments, build quality is flimsy and support is useless.

I have some recent Behringer gear but I go in eyes wide open, know that it’s cheap, write it off and when it’s time to get rid of it, I do—usually to eWaste recycling because it can’t be sold. I last bought a PA system brand new in 2022 that was half the price of a similar JBL and got some good use out of it but it’s already noisy. I can probably sell the speakers but not the head.

If you let us know your exact needs, chances are good that one or more of us can steer you towards something better. Anything made by Mackie or Yamaha where roadworthy reliability is a reality and people answer phones if you need support will be much, much better.

Have had a Behringer 32 channel for over 20 years
gets abuse moving around, stays in a garage (mounted to wall) most of the time, which is 'semi climate maintained'.
The piano in that rooms constantly needs tuning (buddies dad does it) .. but the mixer still works.
EuroDesk 3282

It is a bit of a pain to move due to the power supply, but the board itself has seen a lot of years, sessions and locations.
Just my experience fwiw.

Haven't had much experience with the newer models ..

Thanks again y'all.

Thinking about abandoning something that has been tried and true since the late 1980s is difficult. Your input and experience is helpful.


Thanks. At the price point, I figure the Behringer can't be too rugged, and I would prefer 3 tone controls instead of 2. The FX isn't necessary as long as the mixer has an aux loop.

Plus, since it's only a 10 channel mixer, it's not ideal. Just the closest I can find. I'll have to build a passive mixer to mix the synth module outputs. Which means I'll have to build two.

If I could find something better, I'd go for it.

Needs.

• 4 rack spaces or fewer
• 11 channels (ok, 12)
• Knobs - no touch screen - no necessary remotes - no battery requirements
• All inputs/outputs (except headphone) connections in the rear of the unit
• Ability to use my FX unit (preferred) or internal FX
• Rugged design - one-nighters are notoriously hard on gear

Of course, it needs to sound good.

I've had Peavey and Yamaha mixers in the past, and especially the Yamaha was bulletproof. Mackie has a good reputation, but I can'f find anything to fit the bill. Alesis made an 8 channel (two stereo) that was $100 more than the Behringer, but I believe it's been discontinued.

I wrote to Alesis today, and they haven't written back yet.

I had my new rep at Sweetwater search, (my old rep retired) and he can't find anything else, and told me he wasn't comfortable with the Behringer doing one-nighters. He's missing a 3 mixer commission by telling me he doesn't think it will fit my needs. That's the sign of a good sales person.

I e-mailed Samson, and they gave me a list of authorized Florida repair shops, and of the 7, two are about 100 miles away, in opposite directions. I'll be giving them a call to see what they think the future repair-abiity of the MPL1204 is.

The Samson is a nice unit. I've been using them for decades, but they are old, and I get about a year or so between repair jobs. That's really not too bad for their age. I think they went over 10 years before the first failure. The problems haven't been catastrophic, currently one channel is peaking the Right channel and distorting, even when the trimmer is almost off. Old, analog, 3 tone pots, knobs, etc., are perfect for gigging.

Keith at Sweetwater said the trend in small mixers is digital. To me, digital with a touch screen is fine, except for live performance unless it's a FOH guy/gal who has nothing more to do.

If I hear some PA ringing while I'm singing, a microsecond glance is all I need for my hand to finish finding the knob, and in less than a second, it's turned down. If it were a touch screen, I have to wake up the screen, look at the screen because I can't feel it, and then turn it down. By then, the PA could be in full feedback, or I've missed the next line of the song. And what if there is glare on the screen or it's at one of those blind angles?

Here is an equivalent. Guitar is my 7th instrument, so I know it the least. If I need to turn it up, turn it down, change the tone, or switch the pickups, my hand knows where these controls are I don't have to look and in most cases, even miss a note. What if it were a touch screen instead? You have to look at the touch screen. It's the same reason why I wouldn't want essential controls in my car on a touch screen.

Some things are better digital, some things are better with a touch screen, but a mixer for a live performance musician is not better with a touch screen.

Sorry about the rant.

So the search is still on.
To Behringer, or not to Behringer?
To repair Samson, or not to repair Samson?
To replace with something else, or not to replace?

Those are the questions.

Bites ♫

To retire or not to retire.

That one is easy — not to retire.

Gigging is the most fun I can have with my clothes on.

------

Update, Alesis confirmed their 10 channel, 3 rack space mixer is discontinued.

I got a response from one of the shops 100 miles away, and they say that for old gear, they charge a flat $350 plus parts. Obviously, they prefer not to work with old gear.

I'm starting to think about looking for more, good condition Samsons, so I can have enough spares that 6 months in the shop won't make me apprehensive.

Nothing has to happen in a hurry, so I have time to consider all the options, and perhaps a completely different solution.

The good thing about modern technology is that we can do so many wonderful things that were impossible in the past.

The bad thing is that it moves so fast, some things you depend on are no longer available. My 1925 King Alto Sax still works fine and can be repaired by any competent woodwind tech. It will cost no more than my newest sax.

I'll call the other 100-mile away Samson authorized repair shop today.

Necessity is the mother of invention—but—indecision is the father of flexibility

Behringer v Samson for new was always easy. Though the gear is from the same company, Samson is Sam Ash. Now that the stores are closed and Sam Ash has moved online, I have no idea what that means for their private branded gear.

The musictribe.com web site is horrible. To ask a question, you must first create an account (ok...) then fill out page after page after page of a marketing survey and then pick a tribe to belong to before you're done. I am not kidding. Here are all the current MusicTribe brands.

Aston Microphones
Midas
Lab Gruppen
Tannoy
Turbosound
TC Electronic
TC Helicon
Behringer
Klark Teknik
Bugera
Lake
Coolaudio

It's too bad that Carvin is out of business as they had rack mounted powered and non-powered mixers up to 16 channels. 5 rack spaces, not 4, however.

I have a box full of Behringer Xenix mixers, preamps and Behringer headphone amps. Not one is usable due to the noise from the aging crap components. My wife discovered it the other day—I thought it had been sent to recycling years ago.


For what you want, the pickings are so slim these days that you may have no choice but the $199 Eurorack Pro RX1202FX. Just go in eyes wide open so that, when it goes bad, you write off the 2 bills.

That may just be realistic based on experience. Older gear quite possibly needs. e.g., several electrolytic capacitors replaced. Getting hold of the correct or good substitute components isn't always so easy ... nor, sadly, cheap. If a part is obsolete, one may have to trawl the after-market suppliers, whose business model is getting and selling hard to find components. That said, in most electronic equipment, most of the parts that wear out and fail are usually fairly easy to substitute.

During Covid I did quite a lot of work redesigning existing products to use alternative components that were available, when the original design components were on "52 week delivery", i.e., "we'll probably get some eventually, but who knows when?".

I can see both sides. It's not unreasonable for a technician to take a full day to disassemble, diagnose, fault trace, test, replace parts, test again and reassemble. Plus the overheads of running a shop, staff costs and more. They might fix one repair in a few hours. Others might take them days. $350 might sound like 'ouch' but at least there's no added surprise when the equipment is repaired.

However, if that old gear has served you well, and it doesn't owe you anything, then new gear is always nice to have (especially since you're still only warming up and have no signs of slowing down ).

Go new, deep inside you know you really want it.

I liked Carvin gear. Through the years I had 2 passive speaker pairs and one active. I was in a band with a guy who had a Carvin guitar and amp.

The products were nothing spectacular but, good, solid, working musician's gear.

A few posts here, on another forum, the low price (with FX) and reading a lot of user reviews has made me shy about the Behringer. I really prefer 3 tone controls, too.

Off topic: I had a Peavy mixer back in the early1970s that had 4 tone controls. The lower midrange was nice, as it took the mud out of a channel.

OK. I just bought a Samson on eBay, supposedly in perfect working condition, from a company that refurbishes gear and has a 99.8% reputation.

This will definitely stall my need for a replacement. I'll keep my eyes open and hope somebody realizes the touch screen model on small mixers is not best for everybody.

I wrote a letter to a couple of companies that I trust explaining why they need to make at least one product for gigging musicians, telling them what we require. Perhaps one will come along.

If not, I can still get the old gear repaired, even if the price is steep. I'll just consider it the price of doing business.

Too bad, I really wanted something new, but if it isn't an improvement, it's really not worth it.

BTW, I didn't know Samson was a Sam Ash brand. Too bad they went belly-up, they used to have a local store in Miami when I was working on the cruise ships, and the people working there knew their stuff. We bought our first Parker Guitar there.

Notes ♫