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Sound:
Sound is very good. Microphone preamps are very quiet. The only thing about the mixer is you can't use dynamic microphones with a 1/4inch connector due to the lack of preamps on the line imputs. If you do its VERY noisy. I have run sound thru the mixers several times in a loop using Aux and ALT3/4 channels and did not notice any degradation of the sound.
Feature:
The compression feature really killed the mixer. The one knob compressors do very little. They do raise the noise floor considerable while reducing loud noises very little. Another complaint I have is the first 4 channels have inserts but 5/6 7/8 do not. I think this sucks because they give you plenty of stereo inputs without having to take up your XLR jacks. I can't use an external compressor on mics 5-6 because of this. One way I worked around this is by using the Aux channel for mic 5 only allowing me to run that thru a compressor. One last note about the features, the board offers a record out with RCA connectors. This is the same output as stereo mix. The impedance is at -10 for consumer equipment.
Ease of Use:
I love the on/off switch. This is uncommon for most mixer brands. Usually they have a mute/Alt 3-4 button which is useless. The purpose of having a alternate sub mix is so that you can have a live monitoring output as well as a final recording mix. Yamaha allows you to do this. Other brands only allow you to use a microphone on one or the other mix but not both. The turn knobs have a nice nitch in them at the zero mark so its easy to find.
Quality:
Quality is very good. The housing is plastic but its high impact plastic. Not cheap junk. The sliders are smooth but not so loose that they move accidentally. The led level indicator works great and displays the mix you are monitoring.
Value:
This is a very good value. However after purchasing this mixer I am disappointed that I didn't spend just a little more money on the FX version. And for just a little more than that the FX with USB version. Both of these feature would be nice to have for a little extra money.
Manufacturer Support:
Never needed it.
The Wow Factor:
I would by the MG124 with USB and FX in a heart beat if this one broke.
Overall:
Great product overall. Hate the compressors. Invest in the FX and USB version. Quiet preamps. Very good alternate 3/4 channeling. Excellent design by Yamaha.
7 of 7 people
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Sound:
The sound quality of this board is great. I was running a broadcast with it and was able to dial in very good mic sounds using Audio Technica AT 2035's and Shure SM58's. The stereo channels also gave a very clean signal for running my "phones" (Skype) and music library from two separate computers. The output was very clean as well and had practically no distortion when running back out to the broadcast server.
Feature:
I messed with the compression, yet didn't notice too much of a difference, and without much explanation except for a line graph in the owners manual, ended up not using it all. What won me over to this board was the option of a Main Mix and a Sub Group, as well as all the different input/output options that were available. I was able to have control over many different sound sources from mics to line level equipment, and be able to adjust them on the fly as needed. If my mic was too hot to the callers, I could bring down the mic level using just the Sub Mix fader and not affect the broadcast levels.
I really liked the ability to use my mics "off-air" while music was playing and talk to my co-host (piped in via Skype) and setup a caller while music was going out to the broadcast audience.
The additional 2 AUX's channels were great to have for in-studio performances as I could give design separate mixes for up to two performers using a head phone amp and splitter. Singer wants more of them, no problem. Guitarist wanted more of him, less of the singer (who doesn't ha!) not a problem either.
The other input/output options of the 2 TRK out, Main Outs were great for setting up an H2 for recording the show and for sending out to the audience.
Getting 6 channels of phantom power was also a MAJOR point to this board, as I was running AT2035's. Using Condenser mics was a huge improvement over basic dynamics and helped add a very high quality to the broadcast.
Again, messed with the compression, didn't really get what I wanted out of it, and never used it again. Still, the connectivity options and phantom power were what sold me on it.
Ease of Use:
Aside from lack of information on how the dynamic compression control worked, very easy board to use. Everything is right there and easy to decipher if you have some experience with mixing consoles that have sub grouping built in.
Took me all of just a day to get the operation setup to our broadcast's needs and practice teching the show with a few test broadcasts.
Quality:
Very solid construction. Never had a problem. It maybe a plastic chassis, but it didn't feel like a toy. Even loaded it back into the box to transport 90 miles away for an on-location broadcast. No problems.
Value:
Paid $220 new at a music retailer (only because I bundled a package of other gear), got all my moneys worth. Would have kept it if I could, barring my financial situation at the time.
Goes for $240 practically everywhere, worth every penny.
Manufacturer Support:
Never needed them. I bet they are nice folks though.
The Wow Factor:
For what I had to do, I will be buying this board again in the near future when I get back into broadcasting. It's not anything to woo the chicks, let's face it, internet broadcasting is for geeks like me, but the ability to get a very similar operation out of it like a professional broadcast console is all the reasons why this board is at the top of my gear priority list.
Overall:
I really, really want this board again. Make no doubt about it, if something happened to my first one, I would buy the same model again in a heartbeat to replace it. Only other board I would consider is it's bigger brother the mg166c, but only if I need the extra mics and connectivity options.
Although most would read these reviews for the sake of live music production, I think Yamaha has inadvertently made a very high quality Internet Broadcast board.
7 of 7 people
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