Midas Venice F16 vs. Mackie Onyx 1640i (Comparing Consoles)

[Bcsteene]

Well, I just took the plunge and purchased a Midas Venice F32 firewire. I'll let everyone know what I think when I get it and do some mixing on it, and I will also post some mixes! FWIW I called Midas and talked to them about the mixers. To clear up confusion - they are now all manufactured in China. They said that the design and components have not changed. Just being built somewhere else now. I don't think quality will diminish, just look at Apple and a billion other products that are made in China.

[djmj]

Originally Posted by Ric4001

I'm always envious of the golden ears people on this board have. I hear no difference between these files. I listened on Grado SR80s through my mackbook pro headphone output. I even put the two files in Logic and switched back and forth between the tracks solo'd.

Yeah same here, sometimes I thought the Mackie had more air in the mids, but a little more of the harsh s- sound in her vocal.
I really tried to hear what everybody describes, and sometimes I forgett what console I was listening to. Ok maybe midas sounds better and have a tighter low end, then listening to the mackie, nah sounds similair. Only thing I can say I could hear is the more pronounced s- sound witch I hate.

They have both so mutch air. But Iam shure using 24 channels or more, then things will change in both consoles. Great quallity for the money though.

Cheers
Johan

[CarLofgren]

Hey all Midas users!

I've almost decided to go for a F24 and I'm pretty excited about it. For the longest time I was thinking of the A&H R16 but after reading about the Venice F - I feel it's a better choice for me. I just need to go check it out at the local music store and see if it behaves well.

My biggest fear has nothing to do with its equalizer or routing capabilities, but rather - the fan. I am an avid noise hunter and the first thing I did when I bought my Emu E4XT was to order the quietest fan in the bloody world and replace it. All my computers and fan-equipped SH gear have been treated the same.

How's the sound from the fan? I'm already planning to open it up and change the fan into something efficient and low-noise, but I would be happier if I didn't need to.

/C

[GYang]

Originally Posted by Bcsteene

....but add drums, bass, violin, cello, accordion, backups, and a piano, and they fall apart, it sounds like sludge no matter what you do...

Words of ultimate truth here
After spending countless hours in front of countless mixing solutions it became apparent why really pristine mixing console with 32 ch, 8 busses and 32 ch of EQ or compression easily and purposefully costs 100-120 k (talking about Rupert Neve 5088).
I still use several higher end summing boxes, Mackie Onyx, Speck 6ch line mixer for various submixing, submonitoring and similar purposes when main console is no point to turn on.
But, when pushing 32 ch via well populated rack of good processing and expect to get liveliness, resolution, ssense of space and stage in the mix, the one needs serious design very seriously implemented.
From 32 ch + busses/groups truth start to speak.
Saying all that, I like Onyx very much in daily's work with synths and pre-production. Well spent 1/4th of good console's one channel price.

[jovannyaulet]

love the way the midas souns with dry kicks, but i heard that the onyx makes low freq sounds deeper than the midas. very herlpful comparisons!

[Hokut]

Originally Posted by Bcsteene

Well, I just took the plunge and purchased a Midas Venice F32 firewire. I'll let everyone know what I think when I get it and do some mixing on it, and I will also post some mixes! FWIW I called Midas and talked to them about the mixers. To clear up confusion - they are now all manufactured in China. They said that the design and components have not changed. Just being built somewhere else now. I don't think quality will diminish, just look at Apple and a billion other products that are made in China.

Hi, how is the Venice going for you?
Thanks

[BushmasterM4]

Midas now = Behringer. Not meaning bad or good, time will tell.