Allen and Heath ZED10FX

I'm looking at getting a small but quality desk for recording and monitoring. Just wondering how this sounds, are the Mic pre's nice for recording?

I used to use a TLA audio FAT valve front end, stupidly sold it and small mixers always sounded a bit poor in comparison, albeit I'm thinking of the real cheapies like Behringer and peavey etc. I'll be recording into an M Audio delta 44 although for laptop recording I'd like to know how the A&H USB capture sounds.

The other option would be to get a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and buy something like a small behringer mixer just for monitoring. Would the scarlett and A&H pre's be on a par?

Guess I'm after the nicest, cleanest budget mic pre's and will set up everything around those.

Used my ZED10 fx monday to record an open mic using the USB and NCH software on a dell laptop if you send me your email can let you have a raw track. In my opinion pre's are comparable to my octopre and streets ahead of behringer and alessis pre's. However have a read of this months Sound on sound for an article on the different preamps and how they affect the sound!

Love my Zed 22fx:cool:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bobsbobbackwards

I'm looking at getting a small but quality desk for recording and monitoring. Just wondering how this sounds, are the Mic pre's nice for recording?

I used to use a TLA audio FAT valve front end, stupidly sold it and small mixers always sounded a bit poor in comparison, albeit I'm thinking of the real cheapies like Behringer and peavey etc. I'll be recording into an M Audio delta 44 although for laptop recording I'd like to know how the A&H USB capture sounds.

The other option would be to get a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and buy something like a small behringer mixer just for monitoring. Would the scarlett and A&H pre's be on a par?

Guess I'm after the nicest, cleanest budget mic pre's and will set up everything around those.

---

You will not do better in the price range. I am doing almost exactly as you intend except my ZED10FX goes into a 2496 not a 44. (there is a small metering issue here which you can fix or just ignore. Indicate if you want more info)

I have only used the usb connection briefly but it was very good, at the limit of 16bit operation. For live recording the noise floor will almost certainly be determined by the venue so 16bits is quite good enough. The combination of the ZED and modest laptop such as my HP i3 would make a very portable and cost effective "band grabber".

Re the Sound on Sound pre amp tests "Zummerzet"!
The key and list has now been posted in the forum and, as has been intimated all along, there is no winner. No doubt certain people will pick over the results to try to prove a point but it is very clear that so long as a pre amp is "quiet enough" you just can't bloody tell IF you don't know beforehand....I see many correlations with claims for valves in amps.

Dave.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ecc83

Re the Sound on Sound pre amp tests "Zummerzet"!
The key and list has now been posted in the forum and, as has been intimated all along, there is no winner. No doubt certain people will pick over the results to try to prove a point but it is very clear that so long as a pre amp is "quiet enough" you just can't bloody tell IF you don't know beforehand....I see many correlations with claims for valves in amps.

Dave.

---

Dave that was exactly my point but I was going to let Bobs read it for himself ! That said my point about the alessis and behringer pre's versus the AH still stand (and it is probably due to construction over design). In my job I use a lot of different desks and do find quite a marked difference in the way they sound initially but you just eq against the difference to come up with a nice sound, very much the same with valve amps for guitar. I always sound like me whatever amp I plug into!

Doug

Re the ZED 10 FX - any using it for live performance? We have EV powered speakers and are currntly using our Behringer PMP 3000(as a mixer only). Would the ZED do a better job?

Yes it works well for my acoustic duo two vox and one guitar, only drawback is no channnel mutes ZED60 10 fx better solution for live, has channel faders and mutes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by maltingsaudio

Yes it works well for my acoustic duo two vox and one guitar, only drawback is no channnel mutes ZED60 10 fx better solution for live, has channel faders and mutes.

---

The lack of channel mutes was one of the few things about the Ten that bugged me (and the lack of channel inserts). I got around the former problem by building a breakout box with switches and LEDs. This also allows the mic leads to be re routed and not trail over the front of the desk.

One of the things that pushed me into the ZED 10 apart from the reputation for solid build quality and first class sound was the inclusion of high Z inputs, so rare on mixers. This was wanted because Son does a lot of DI recording and having the inputs on the desk meant he could do without another of dad's infernal external boxes!

Note too that the inputs are TEN megOhms and thus well suited to passive peizo acoustics.