The working band's PA!
If you plan to play your music in front of an audience, you'll probably be plugging into a PA system. Some of the more established live-music venues have fancy mixers and racks full of power amps, but most clubs don't. Roll up to the local dive-bar or the nearest VFW hall, and you'll be lucky if they even have a stage. In many cases, you'll have to unplug some neon beer signs just to have enough power outlets for the guitar amps. Modular PA systems with individual components are often too bulky and expensive for working bands, but powered mixers offer compact audio control at an affordable price. Packed with features, Behringer's PMH880S powered mixer is the perfect way to take your show on the road.
10 Input channels
With ten input channels, the PMH880S gives you complete control over your music. You can easily push the whole band through the board for lower stage-volume, reduced feedback, and a tighter mix. Six mono-channels handle instrument- and microphone-sources with dedicated high- and low-impedance jacks per channel. Run lead-vocals, two guitars, and a bass, with inputs left over to mic the drums when needed. Larger bands with keyboards, DJ gear, or stereo guitar effects can take advantage of the two stereo input channels. Mix everything to perfection and send it all through the mains, making tweaks on the fly. You won't have to wiggle your eyebrows and bob your head at the bass player in the middle of the tune, knowing he has no idea what you mean. Just walk over to the mixer and adjust the lows yourself.
Tone-shaping controls
Dedicated gain knobs, clip LED's, and -30dB pads provide strong, clean signals on every channel. You can also create a custom monitor mix with the "Mon" knobs. Boost the vocals to keep everyone on the melody, or bump up the bass guitar to lock-in with the groove. Onboard phantom power lets you use condenser microphones for pro-quality sound. You can further enhance the mix with individual pan and 3-band EQ controls. Shape the frequencies to make each input sound its best, then spread them all out across the stereo field. When instruments and vocals all have room to breathe like this, your songs will really come to life. Intricate riffs, subtle dynamics, and delicate textures are no longer squashed together, letting the audience hear all the details you work so hard to create.
Onboard digital effects
External effects racks add to your sonic options, but they can be bulky and expensive. The PMH880S has two integrated digital processors to customize your mix without the added weight or cost. These 24-bit/46kHz effects can add reverb, delay, vocal harmonies, and more to any input, just by boosting the FX level on the desired channels. You can even turn the processors on or off during a song with an optional footswitch. Dial up a creamy phaser for the verse, then switch to a spaced-out multi-tap delay when the chorus kicks in. If you've already got rack effects, an insert loop lets you blend them into individual channels with the same FX knobs the onboard processors use.
Master control section
Once you've got each channel dialed-in, Behringer's master control section lets you smooth out any rough spots for a pristine final mix. First, the stereo Aux insert routs global effects straight to the mains. A little compression can go a long way, adding punchy tightness to the overall groove. Next, a seven-band graphic EQ shapes your tone to perfection. It also includes Behringer's FBQ circuitry to help control feedback. LED's on each fader automatically light-up when feedback is detected in that frequency range. Just cut the level until the light goes out, and the squeal is history. A second seven-band EQ with FBQ is available for the monitor mix. Master level controls for the mains and the monitors let you set the volume to match the room. Keep it down in more intimate settings, or crank it up to fill any venue. The standby button instantly mutes all ten channels between sets.
2-track input with voice canceller
The master section also contains a two-track RCA input to add more music to the mix. This input is independent of channels 1-10, so you can play CD's while the band is on a break without having to unplug and re-EQ. If your timing is good, you can add horn parts or other samples to your tunes by jamming along with pre-recorded tracks on your iPod or other digital audio device. Have the band practice with a click-track, and you'll be hitting the perfect tempo in no time. You can also invite some fans up for instant karaoke. The two-track input's voice canceller feature automatically removes the lead vocals from a stereo recording, leaving the backing tracks for accompaniment.
CoolAudio power amp
Behringer's CoolAudio power section gives you plenty of wattage without all the weight. In stereo mode, you get 400 Watts per side at four ohms. Bridged mono, that's 800 Watts at 8 ohms. CoolAudio amps are extremely efficient, giving you all the power you want without excess heat. This eliminates the need for heavy heatsinks found on most powered mixers, making for a lighter, smaller box nearly half the size and weight of similar devices. At around twenty pounds, you'll want to take your PMH880S everywhere. It's only 12" high, 18" wide, and 8.5" deep, so your storage options are unlimited.
Output connections
Versatile connections make it easy to add this powered mixer to any speaker setup. Industry-standard Speakon connectors on the back panel match up with any of the latest passive speaker enclosures on the market today. Additional 1/4-inch jacks on the front panel work well with any loudspeakers that haven't adopted the Speakon standard. In stereo mode, the two rear connections feed each half of the stereo mix. When bridged mono, one side feeds the mains, and the other side feeds the monitors. If you want to record the live show, a two-track RCA output sends the whole mix to a video camera, cassette deck, laptop audio interface, or similar recording device. You'll get an accurate representation of your latest gig, just as you mixed it. Burn CD's, then pass them out to build your fan base, or use them to learn which parts of your set are working and which parts still need work.
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