Mackie ProFX12

If you are looking to make some really good mixes and need 12 channels, than the Mackie Pro FX12 will work wonders for you. I have always been a fan of this line of mixers from Mackie because they are all built great and will last you a long time. All of the sliders are well made and not cheap, this goes for the smaller FX models too. There is a 3 band active EQ on each individual channel and also 6 microphone preamps with LED lights for monitoring.

UTILIZATION

Setting up this mixer is simple, no matter how you use it; studio or live use it is still easy to operate and set up. You can’t rack this mixer but it does have some cool effects right out of the box; so I would not mind having it as a desktop mixer. You can connect the FX12 to your computer via USB connection. All of the main functions are easy to operate and understand. If you have ever used any of Mackie’s mixers than you have used this one, they have kept the same flow and functions with almost all of the mixers they have come out with.

SOUNDS

This mixer is very quiet; it does not generate any hissing. The EQ is decent for it to be an analog mixer; I have had way better EQ out of some higher end boards. But for this to only be 250 bucks what do you expect to get.

OVERALL OPINION

I prefer to use the FX12 for live use because in the studio we already have a mixer set up. We use this for some smaller places that we perform at because it is light and easy to move around. Also we really are not too worried if it gets damaged because it was so inexpensive and if anything ever happened to it we could afford to replace it right away. You can never go wrong with a Mackie mixer.

The Mackie ProFX12 is a compact, 12 track desktop mixer module. It comes with more than enough features for the average user. It boasts a 32-bit effects processor, with 16 effects (ten of these are reverbs), a 7 band eq for tuning either the mains or monitors, USB I/O for recording shows and music playback via Mac or PC, four full stereo channels plus extra stereo return for keyboards, external effects, or stereo playback devices, 60mm faders for input channels, returns and Main/Monitor masters, 3-band active EQ (80Hz, 2.5kHz and 12kHz) on all channels, hi-Z input for direct connection of guitar, bass and other instruments, Insert, 100Hz low cut filter, and 48V phantom power on all mic channels, Stereo RCA tape I/O with input level control, headphone output with separate rotary level control, balanced XLR and balanced/unbalanced 1/4-inch Main outputs, FX mute with remote control via footswitch and more. The thing is PACKED with features, for such a low price it is a steal. Great for small ensembles who do both home recording and gigs.

UTILIZATION

Setup is really a breeze. Provide it with some power and outputs and start hooking up your instruments, mics etc. Couldn't be simpler. The usb interface works great, and is super useful. Great for recording live shows on the fly. Very responsive mixer with a good compact feel. Things are spaced well enough that it doesn't feel cramped. One complaint I have, however is the eq's high range is too high. Causes some hisses and such. Simple enough fix, however: lay off the eq. There are only 6 XLR inputs, so this is better for smaller, acoustic type ensembles. Or if you are recording in a studio you could use one of these for a whole drumset.

SOUNDS

The sound quality is fine, rather natural with little coloration. The EQ is good, except for the high range issue I mentioned above. There's no latency through the USB interface, which is really nice.

OVERALL OPINION

Overall I think this is a great product. It's economical, packed with features,and built like a freakin tank. I've dropped mine in puddles and on concrete with only minor scratches. Still works perfect after a year. I really recommend one of these to anyone who needs something like this, as it's really a good deal.

I purchased this 12 channel mixer so that I can have all of my instruments and mics plugged in all at the same time to eliminate removing certain cords just to switch them with different ones so much. Because we have so much gear we wanted a mixer that we could just have and keep all of our gear plugged in at the same time and never have to switch out anything. This is a great interface that hooks up USB to your computer and depending on which daw you are using you can synch it with your daw and use it to control your virtual mixer right on this hardware device. Setting this up was a tough task at first and required a lot of reading of the manual and a little research on my daw but after a few hours I got it all to work and now when I slide the mixer knobs the knobs in my software slide to. With just a slight millisecond of a delay but they still synch up great.


UTILIZATION

The sound quality is great, and now have been using this as our interface for a while now. My friend as even went out and purchased one of these so he can have all of his stuff hooked up at the same time. His reaction seeing this when I was using it was great, he couldn’t believe for this price he could do all of this. The price of this is righ around 200 dollars or so which is unreal and a must buy if you ask me.


SOUNDS

The sound is clean, you cant ask for any more better of a sound for this price.


OVERALL OPINION

Great device, the Macki pro FX 12 has built in effects and 4 stereo channels. The actual mixer doesn’t seem really well built though, I wouldn’t want to drop it I would be scared that knobs and sliders would start popping off of it really fast if I dropped it so I take extra care of it, and for 80 dollars I found a mixer stand that keeps it tight so it doesn’t fall and hit the hard floor in my basement because that would just be a disaster. It is a great mixer for the home musician with a lot of different gear.