All user reviews for the Soundcraft Compact 4

Everything you need with XLR combos, a Phantom power supply, a Hi-Z input, RCA connectors for input decks but also main mix output and especially a well thought out routing to two independent headphone outputs and balanced outputs for sound card and monitor speakers.

If we wanted chippoter (and pay the little beast more expensive ....) it seems that nowadays it lacks a USB port.

UTILIZATION

Everything is under your fingers and if I write this review is to emphasize the hyper-practical side of this small console!

In two years she has already served me repeatedly:

- Save a musician with independent returns headphones for him and me
- Add two preamp inputs to an already full console
- Serve as backup preamp for recording guitar and voice via microphone static with its not great preamp but not ugly at all, the three-band EQ nicely colored and quite efficient and low-cut well placed
- Connecting my turntable without noise and with the right level of a Hi-Fi amplifier with only line inputs
- Serve as a controller for my studio monitors
- Serve my drummer Controller for his headphone and mixer return to his pad and click-station and all at once
- Serve as DI for my bass on stage when the quality of those who offered me was poor ....

In short you have understood this little thing has its place in a bag with your set-up and should never leave you!
And if I had known I would probably opted for the 10 entries ....

SOUNDS

This is a Soundcraft low-end but certainly a Soundcraft still hear and it immediately to your light colored Class A preamps and wide rather hot band EQ and ear has not fear of settings (not too much) extremes.
And elsewhere in this price level it is not impossible that it is hard to beat ....

OVERALL OPINION

I put my fingers on many small mixers "Chinese" of all brands like Behringer, Phonic and the best Yamaha and Mackie me but none has appeared sound as well as effective and most technically this little Soundcraft and this price!

Black spot, because unfortunately there is one: the knobs eventually crachotter with time even if the console is properly protected ... a blow bomb contact is not enough unfortunately always solve the problem.

Nevertheless a great choice as console to do all the home-studio owner / musician ....

already described on Audiofanzine

UTILIZATION

The general configuration is simple?
simple configuration in the limited buttons but without knowing the basic operation of a mixer, it takes a little searching and this is normal.
The manual is clear and sufficient?
yes but sufficient and clear English
Common functions are they easily accessible?
everything is on the front and easily accessible except the connection of the transformer on the side in the hollow. I still doubt if I pushed the cable.

SOUNDS

Its transparent but slightly colored, not breathing except when you push really into the preamps are great for condenser microphones. I have no experience with monitors.

OVERALL OPINION

How long you use it?
6 years
Did you tried many other models before buying it?
No, councils Audiofanzine
What is so special that you love the most, least?
The +
sound and convenience
The -
I saw how to use RAS
How would you rate the quality / price?
excellent
With experience, you do again this choice?
Quality yes (then I think it was better), to use my current minimalist, no. Besides, if I invest in monitors, I'll use it to plug it.

Comprehensive for the price 99E at the moment.
(RIAA on the 2 stereo line inputs, 2 mono inputs: class A preamp, 48V phantom power supply).
Each input is switchable to record or monitor.
See detailed manufacturer.

UTILIZATION

What she is beautiful!! the retro / futuristic it's terrible ..

super nice and easy to use, flexible in terms of possibilities.

This table is thought to be the focus of the home studio computer record / play / monitors.

Manuel very well done, very clear.

SOUNDS

At the sound, nothing to say, the quality is there. no color, no breath.

The preamp is correct, although a bit "cold" compared to my preamp tube.
No breath if you abuse it for gain.

Headphone not unpleasant.

EQ, personal touch I especially not!

OVERALL OPINION

I love everything about this console.

Everything is connected to it: sound card input / output, my monitors, my headphone, my phono + table mix,
my microphone static. it manages all!

Quality / price ratio excellent!

The same choice, ouiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Nice, you can connect a lot of things DIFFERENT, it lacks a little on the edges to dpart micro but the price is good dj trs. For more switches for connecting turntables directly without plug (RIAA) and the DI intgre.

UTILIZATION

Nothing to say the operation is very simple (fortunately for a console of this size!).

SOUNDS

On this point the compact is dfend plutt not bad. By comparing a pramps Digi002 and those of the compact, the digi is rolled. From the top of my small ear I find quite transparent to Listen to and record everything.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought 99E 1 month ago or two and I'm happy if I had the choice again I Rasht. It rpond many needs of home-studio owners through (especially if you have powered speakers and nothing to connect both CD players, vinyl etc.) and is very practical use with a sound card (elimination latency thanks to the bus "rec").

2 slices mono Mic / Line switchable input with combo (XLR / Jack Sym) and phantom power supply coupled to the two + Insert. One button has a high pass, the other is switchable high impedance.
Two slices stereo line level switchable phono stage .....
The equalizer is a low frequency shelf for bass and treble, but is not set to the middle, it is graphic.

UTILIZATION

Simple configuration
No Mute and Solo, you tell me with 4 slices démerder we can not .... just close down every concern of the Bus .....
For the rest impeccable!

SOUNDS

Console transparent! false stops messing around. Just compare - a level equivalent in nominal level of the slices or playback directly on entry and non-s and we perceive that even when you lose in the end. You lose grain and also at the harmonics, the content is much less rich.
Well, I know I'm a little hard, for 100 euros c pretty good but we must tell the truth. Because "force read reviews that say transparent c you end up believing it. Should stop using the word all is transparency!
Personally, I regret the purchase dj!

PS: Not to be used with professional equipment!

OVERALL OPINION

With experience, I do firai that my senses and not the other when I read the word "transparency" and I'd no illusions about the fact that capacity to find a lower price .... .

It is not rack but it is very small and is placed in one hand and dplace
4 lanes in (2RCA, 2jack/xlr) / 1 master out jack / 1 monitor out jack / headphone out 2 / 1 record -> sound card out (jack or unbalanced RCA) / 1 line in for sound card (ditto)
2 inserts

It makes for great service including home studio Copyright INTERPRETATION, routing is excellent, it was a very good monitor for work ing his / 1 or 2 musicians, IDAL is when the gnral singing + guitar + sampler external compounds, is the stuff of the home studio of late and lonely hours including
be noted that not-dsagrable the vintage look is very nice

UTILIZATION

Config simple, visually enjoyable, ergonomics is great at this level think RAS
Ditto for manual

Everything is done to make something intuitive to death, trs pragmatic (one way lets be optimized for a low one for a song track e) to possibly a home studio mobile and versatile

SOUNDS

Transparency is average but trs correct, no breath, ok equalizer

OVERALL OPINION

Q / p excellent
with exprience ... I need something else but I already regret his cot "pod's home studio"

No rack, no internal effects, no EQ paramtrique .. just delicious 3-band EQ sympthiques.

Slice 2 mono, 2 Stereo (6 channels so despite the name).

2 pramp micro which I do not use (I have an external pramp ART TPS I prfre because I know better).
I am using does not switch the hi-Z or the high pass.

The slices can be switches in Stereo RIAA for turntables.

The slices have a single insert effects.
No Send / Aux.

Connetable Combo Jack / XLR for tranches mono RCA to Stereo.

1 Stereo output bus' main mix ", a" monitoring "and a" record ".

With the between "playback" and output "Record", it has everything to connect a computer audio interface.

2 headphone circuit "Artist" and "Ing.son" .., not bad.

In short, the simple and thoughtful config for a basic computer.
I regret some of the scrub assistant.
But I use it mainly for monitoring the decision and the possibility of routing switch and make life enjoyable in the home studio.

UTILIZATION

The ergonomics are excellent. The manual is simple and clear as the operation of the mixer.

SOUNDS

The EQ is effective but I use them except for a few trs config "rptition / jam session."
That do not really pramps micro prfre I say nothing about their quality.

EDIT: see below.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it every day for two months.
What I like most: the possibility of routing entries (with the possibility to switch from one circuit to the "monitoring" and the circuit "Recording" indpendamment circuit "main mix" ). The simplicity of use. The look and feel-General for the machine. The ergonomics well thought out and enjoyable. The robustness of the production (although I do not play punk on the knobs).
It does damn well thought out for a home-studio computer into a central monitoring recording.

T have the top output spares but hey, I ask the moon for the price.

I tried small mixers like the equivalent Yam MG 10 / 2 or Tapco. It is mainly the possibility of routing that made me choose it.

With exprience, I would do this choice unless I have more budget to buy a Mackie Onyx with Firewire interface.
EDIT: APRS over a year, the volume knob "monitoring" is HS. It creaks, I have the time that output instead of the short stro ... .. dception on the reliability and the perennial (and no I am not a savage, it has not moved from my home studio). In addition, I use it for monitoring for the purchase of a new sound card (Line 6 Toneport) and frankly, it is far from being neutral level.
So I drop and I note the ledge of my home studio. Both exit "Mix" standard still works, I keep it for rptitions.

EDIT 2: if you read the prior notice of AFiens the big sister was the same phnomne. I was also able to observe it with a friend on the Compact 4: This table is nice but aging fast trs badly. It spits everywhere, it's a horror!! Too bad.

Hello,

it is a small console very practical especially for smaller configuration including through the RCA inputs (but there are also XLR) and has two output hp, artist mix / monitor, headphones artist / ingnieur sound. 2 preamp. it is non-rack and there is no effect

UTILIZATION

The manual is very clear and the layout of the console is perfect for me

SOUNDS

The equalizer has shown some concern (cracking) and the balance is not very precise,

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a year, the advantage is the wealth of connectivity and ease of use, this is my first console, the price and quality report quite correctly being given the versatility.
With exprience, I should have put a little extra for the yamaha and more of everything depends on what you want to do.

Using the SOMA

UTILIZATION

Simple and for the hard comprennette Manual is here (one pot Portuguese musician)
everything is within reach and accessible except when you go to the cabin ds choirs singing (but hey, y'en that the long arm)
even at 100 € a switch-off would head (not a lot of juice) but welcome

SOUNDS

No, the console is not transparent, you can not see any circuit by its ugly against the (the mine) is!!
except that no breath of the singer who is often short
efficient equalizer

OVERALL OPINION

Used for 1.5 years
most: one of the few consoles with 2 headphone outputs, strength: dipstick fell 2 times the poor thing, nothing has unsoldered
quality / price ratio: incredible is given and it is unbeatable
Yeah I would do this choice unless grandma gives me in for a slice of SSL or NEVE

2 slices mono (between TRS combo jack / XLR NEUTRIK) with micro pramp, insert, switchable 48V phantom on two slices of time, a low pass on Ch1, a high impedance adapter spcial on Ch2 (to use a live bass / guitar)
2 slices in stereo RCA / cinch asymtrique (with damage) with RIAA for turntables vynyle
Classic 3 band equalizer (high and low shelf, adjustable midrange frequency of bandpass), not to / bus, routing a résumé is a monitor button and a button Reccords)
in / out Reccords: TRS symtrique accommodating the asymmetry. Ditto for or monitor mix and out.
good config for the price, to a lack MRIT to 10

Adapter function extremely useful when high impdance bassist forgets his ID ...

UTILIZATION

Archi-simple to use, no problem of this ct l. .. English manual trs prvu complete and for someone who has never touch a mixer in his life, with explanations of the basic functions, standard wiring configurations and types ...

SOUNDS

Class A-Pramplis trs leve of quality for their price ... color typical Soundcraft (Pitit the hump in the high mids) ... Only default: the knobs are not great quality when they are pushing their end strength should be completely zero, a fact that hair prs amplification and the breath that goes with a blow up (APRS but few cases where you put the gain full fill)

-EQ rather effective.

No breath-note ... just a bit if you push the pramp over 40 dB

OVERALL OPINION

Trs a good console to start the home studio, compared to the same MODELS Yamaha / Behringer is a damn bit better and better sound ... This is replaceable in Notepad Russia.
just missing a bus and on the edges between symtrique Stereo, but with prices like we will not bog is excellent dj.
I do it again this election, or possibly I'll invest in the format above type E8, E12, 8 spirit ...

No rack, 2 mono channels with inserts with a Hi-Z switch, two stereo asymmetrical, Shipping and return types (sound card), routing to clap, or monitor mix, two headphone outputs, monitor output and mix Two LED VU-Maître.

UTILIZATION

Using ultra simple, think this console is for beginner home studio. was similar to the Trio caratristique mindprintmais with duplicate entries. I use it for direct monitoring when recording the practical tips on being able to grate artist and engineer for a headphone with electric junk levels and mixes. Routing extremely simple but very effective. Manage routing rec / monitor well thought out. The default that I could blame him: phantom power for simultaneous two entrances, hi-Z switch only between the two, low-cut only about 1 to, among Stros asymmetrical. Not switch it off (I resolutely the problem by connecting a multi socket with switch)

SOUNDS

The sound does not seem too transparent. I would say even that there is some staining but is apprciable. The sound emerges dynamis. Certainly raise thanks / pramplis fault to give a good heat to the transistor. You can plug a guitar or bass above rang! Souuffle's there if you push to the limit e Pramper is rarely ncessaire unless you like the saturated ... The equalizers are very effective pan type is volume balance. By plugging in a stereo pair I noticed that there was a remarkable gain diffrence between the two channels which is a can Gnant for this application.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 3-4 years. I love the sound of pramplis and his home studio in ddi ct. What I like least is the sudden switches of hi-z and low pass are not on each entry. Currently few knobs grsillent when I turn. I had not tried other models but I'm rfractaire Berhinger. For that price I think the era there was no better, so I would do this choice. I'm used to the noise pramplis and I think my next table will also be a soundcraft