more Behringer gear (was: Observed as a tagline on another board...)

["Rainer Thelonius Balthasar Straschill" <rs@moinlabs.de>]

ok, my list of Behringer stuff (warning: there's TONS!)

consoles:
DDX3216 digital console with ADAT interface
MX2642A rackmount analogue console (2)

outboard:
ADA8000         micpre/ADAT interface (2)
DSP2048         Virtualizer effector
MDX????         Composer dynamic processor
DSP1400P        Ultramizer end-of-chain dynamics
DEQ2496         Ultracurve digital graphic/parametric EQ/FBD/end-of-chain
dynamics
                Ultra-Q parametric EQ
DI800           DI
HA4700  Powerplay headphone preamp
                Ultrapatch symmetric patchbay (2)

other stuff:
ECM8000 measurement microphone (2)
B1              large-diaphragm condenser
XM????  SM58 clone (4)
DI20            DI
FCB1010 Foot Controller (2)
BCR2000 Faderbox
?????           cheap closed cans (4 or 5)

Failure/quality problems:
The DDX3216 failed to boot up about the fourth time I turned it on. The
dealer replaced it - no problems since.

The second FCB1010 had a serious (acoustic) hum problem from the moment I
got it. I got it exchanged twice - same problem. That was when I took the
damn think apart, unscrewed the transformer from the case and put some duct
tape between the transformer and the case - problem fixed.


There are a few things which I got because they are extremely cool. Read up
on the crazy people forums e.g. on the ADA8000 - the best implementation of
the Alesis chipset and as an A/D on top level if you clock it externally.
Same is for the DIs, which will be surpassed by some of those which cost
more than ten times as much. The FCB1010 and the MX2642A are without
competition (meaning there are no other devices with that functionality,
which is a functionality I do need). Or the ECM8000 (a very good 
measurement
mike which you can also use for A/B miking if you want a very neutral
sound). Then there's the digital console, which wile lacking more than 
48kHz
of sampling frequency offers a lot of functionality for the buck. Also a
nice one is the headphone preamp. And the DEQ2496 offers a vast amount of
functionality and is somewhat hindered by converters which are not
acceptable for most for a 2bus device (but then I go in and out of it via
AES/EBU).

There are things which are (or were) just extremely cheap and for that
really fine for specific jobs or when you really want to save money. And
some of them aren't even that bad. Count the SM58 clones, the headphones or
the Ultramizer here.

There are things which I'd advise against. You can getter mics for the same
or less money from some Chinese companies when it comes to large-diaphragm
condensers. All of the "tube compressor", "distortion" etc. stuff of the
Virtualizer is simply useless...get a Zoom 1201 for less. The only thing 
you
might get it for are the surreal reverb/delay spaces (but then you got 
those
from a Zoom 1201 as well) and some crazy stuff (but 100 bucks only for
that?)...


So much for my Behringer story ;)