I do live bands also while djing so the touchmix 16 is perfect for me.

My debate was between the Studio Live boards and the QSC TOUCHMIX16. The QSC TOUCHMIX16 won for 2 reasons.....
1. Size: Its very small and portable for the mobile dj while the PreSonus StudioLive 16.0.2 is twice the size.

2. Tablet Remote: QSC TOUCHMIX has internal wifi network VS. PreSonus StudioLive 16.0.2 requires an additional router/laptop for remote too ipad/tablet.

So the QSC TOUCHMIX wins ease of remote use and portability. But its a trade off because the PreSonus StudioLive 16.0.2 is cheaper with more traditional layout with physical faders.

The Studiolive 16.4.2 is a more even comparison to the Touchmix 16, but costs more than the QSC.

www.harmonycentral.com

Some other mixers to compare to the Touchmix 16 would be...

Behringer XR18 $699 plus tablet cost
Mackie DL1608 $599 plus iPad cost
Soundcraft Ui16 $399 plus tablet cost
Presonus RM16ai $999 plus iPad cost
Allen & Heath Qu-Pac $1499 plus tablet cost
RCF M18 $899 plus iPad cost

I am pretty much down to the Studio Live and the Touch Mix.

Man, I Love having physical faders. I can do multiple adjustments at once, on the fly, which isn't a huge factor with band work because most of the major adjustments take place before the show, but for karaoke, it is almost a must because you are swapping out singers every 3 to 4 minutes, some are quiet, some are loud, few have any real understanding of mic control.

It is when I have two singers up at once that concerns me with the TM... adjusting two microphones and the playback tracks at once, on the fly.

That, and I really dislike that propriety, line lumped power cable on the TM... but still, for the most flexibility over my various gigs, ease of use, and smaller footprint, I am heavily leaving towards the TM.

It seems the the better choice for an "all in one" mixer for all of my different functions.

If I did a lot more band work I'd probably go with one of the newer "digital stage box" type mixers... but for now, I'm looking for an "all in one" solution.

I feel like I could hit the ground running with the TM... I suspect that Fat Channel on the Studio Live comes with a bit more of a learning curve.

Thanks for making this thread, btw... I Love hearing everyone's experience with this and other mixers.

If you need to adjust multiple faders or parameters at the same time then the TM is definitely not for you. it is not multi-touch and there is a slight amount of lag when you use the built-in touch screen.

If you want a somewhat all-in-one unit then why not look into the Mackie dl1608. You can mount an ipad into the unit but also remove it if you want to walk the room to adjust levels. If you have an ipad already you are set but even if you don't it's still cheaper then the TM. It also does multi-touch as well.

Hi guys. Just passing through and found this thread. FWIW, the TouchMix Control App for iOS and Android tablets does support multi-touch. TM also supports 8 DCA and 8 Mute Groups so for purposes of controlling channels together, this is also available.

Thanks for this discussion

This is true but the poster I was responding to was looking for an all-in-one solution without having to use an external iPad.

fyi, Ray van Straten is www.fohonline.com

More currently: www.linkedin.com
If there's anything I or any of the QSC team can add to your QSC-related discussions, please let me know.

I stopped into GC today and played around with a TM16... I was toggling through the channel strips by using the two lower User Buttons on either side of the Big Knob/Jog Wheel.

Although I wasn't adjusting multiple channels at once, I could get through 3 of them fairly quickly using this method. After playing around for a few minutes, It was quicker than using one hand on the touch screen, and one hand on the dial.

I haven't really considered the Mackie board... I kind of gave up on them a long time ago, but that board does look nice. I especially like the Slant Back for the in's and outs.

I'll have investigate those a little further. I do not like when companies isolate to Apple only.

I appreciate everyone chiming in to help me navigate the upcoming purchase.

Happy TM16 user here. That being said I actually prefer a cheap analogue Mackie 1202 for mobile DJ / wedding work but for bands / complex set ups / rooms that require a lot of EQ to keep feedback from being a problem, the TM is IMO the best all in one mini digital mixer.

Once I set up the user buttons to toggle back and forth through the channels I don't ever really find myself touching the faders on the screen. One tip to keep in mind is that there is also a digital gain setting - which can really help with gain structure. The iphone / ipad use is very easy and the faiders work infinitely better (multi touch) than the built in screen but you don't need one at all. The DCAs and physical gain pots also make keeping levels in check easier than you would think.

Bluetooth dropouts due to distance are a problem if you're having to walk far from the TM to make adjustments.

For anyone considering the Touchmix this is one of the most informative videos too watch Watchwww.youtube.com

After much debate and research I just ordered a Touch Mix 16 today.

Man, there are a lot of great options out there right now. But I think that the TM16 suits my need for the moment.

So was there anything in particular that sold you on the TM16 ?

Yes, there were two main factors:

1) Size/Portability/Table Top Footprint.

And...

2) Simple Mode and Presets

I will expand upon both and various other factors tomorrow when I have more time.

Ok, how I got here.

Firstly, I am not a DJ "DJ" like most of the forum members here, scratch, beatmix, etc. I am a band/guitar guy transitioned into being a glorified jukebox type DJ who does bars, some karaoke, weddings, parties, etc. ***Not A Club DJ***

I started this whole thing out of boredom when my bands lead singer moved to FLA to go to school. This gave e too much down time, and apparently a compulsion to continue buying sound and lighting gear even though I had no actual practical use for it at the time.

Finally it got to the point that I told myself that this gear has to at least start to help pay for itself, and I did not want to be bound to other people (band mates) for it to do so... DJ'n seemed to fit the bill.

I did a couple of dozen gigs the first year, 100+ the following year, and then 3 years solid of 170+ gigs a year.

About 12 months ago I backed it way down to about 60 to 70 gigs annually because I took a more demanding and time consuming day job that keeps me very busy.

Fast forward to today... it has been a lot of fun, and I have met some great people, but I find that I am not really enjoying most of the gigs that I am currently doing anymore, and I keep feeling a strong pull to get back involved with live music again. But this time behind the mixer and sound system, not on the stage.

So, it is the live music component that has me wanting to upgrade mixers and go digital.

Ideally, for band work, I want to eventually pick up an X32 Compact, a couple of S16 Digital Snakes, and some Cat5e to bridge them all. But, I do not want to lug a board that size around for DJ or karaoke gigs, So I though the TM16 might be a good in between mixer for dual purpose usage for the time being.

Also, another benefit I see to the TM16, is that I think I can actually learn more about band mixing with this mixer by toggling between simple and advanced mode as well as utilizing and understanding the "how and why" of the modes and presets.

So I figured this would be a solid investment for where I am today. As of now, I still intend to get a larger, more advance board next year, but the TM should still be handy for smaller events when that time comes.

I really came close to pulling the trigger on the 32 Compact, but finally just decided it is too big to start with for this transition.

I heavily considered the XR18 as well as the X Air 18, downloaded there apps, played around, etc, etc. I don't know... I just got a better vibe off of the workflow of the TM.

The TM, to me, seems much friendlier stepping away from hardware oriented mixers, and entering the digital realm.

I guess we'll see...

I would have suggested the X32 rack. You still get some non-tablet access off the front panel and when you upgrade to the X32 you can use it as a stagebox as well.

+1

I own one and love it so far. I was wanting either the X32 Rack, the TM16, or the A&H QuPac, but settled on the Rack. After using all 3, I will say that the QuPac has better onboard mixing functionality than the Rack thanks to the soft keys and the touch screen, but the X32 feels sturdier, has a superior app, has loads and loads of features that the TM16 can't touch, and is part of such a large and widely available ecosystem that is so hard to beat in regards to bang for the buck and performance. Another plus for the Rack in my situation is that one of the only good rental places around me rents out the S16 stage snakes for $35 so I can very cheaply and easily scale up my system to accommodate much bigger events.

I agree, I think the X Series is really hard to beat overall price vs performance, and definitely trumps the TM.

I love how they are designing entire stage systems that work together.

But... for me, personally, I feel that the TM will make a good stepping stone into digital that I can hit the ground running out of the box day one.

Question for Rebel and Sully-

I am having a hard time understanding something about the S16 and the XR18... couldn't the XR do what the S16 does if you ran aCat5 from the stage to an X32? And then still be able to be used stand alone when needed (at a much lower price)?

In theory I am sure the hardware is capable but Behringer has specific software installed on each that prevents that. The only lines which are somewhat interchangeable are the X32 and the Midas M32 line.

As far as your reasoning for choosing the TM16, it is totally understandable. It's a solid mixer that sounds pretty good. My comment was. Asked on the fact that you said you would be looking into an X32 and stagebox down the line. The X32 rack would be a solid investment strategy if that's the route you were going.

I was looking to buy a TM16, but when you (Rebel and Scully) suggested the X32 I looked into it and it completely changed my mind in terms of buying the TM16.

I was also really liking the TM16 until I discovered the Rack. After buying, I know I've made the right choice. It has seemingly endless functionality and I will never need more I/O or features than what it provides. I highly recommend it.

It only made me happier too, because I was looking at buying the X32 Compact for live bands, shows, galas and everything inbetween, but the rack is everything but in a smaller size. I can even use it for DJ work and weddings, where i'll need a setup as simple as 3 mics and my controller.

Totally. It is super compact and its easy to have it out of the way for small gigs which is a big plus. While mixing a band off of a real console is preferable due to it being easier to do alot of stuff very quick and efficiently, it isn't too bad mixing off of an iPad. I use an old iPad Mini and I've been able to mix a full 4 piece band in several venues without pulling my hair out or anything.

Also, if you grab the Rack, I highly recommend getting a little 6U case for it. I managed to find a nice Gator lightweight 6U on Craigslist for $100 and it houses the board, a router, 2 wireless units, and a power strip, though I will soon replace it with a rack-mount power conditioner unit. By having it all cable managed in a case, my setup time has significantly decreased due to me not having to connect router to board, board to power, mics, to board, etc.

I'll try to post a pic of it tomorrow

Another option to use with the X32 rack when you need faders is the X-Touch. Bring it when you need it and put it away when you don't.

@Rebelguy Have you ever used a Rack with an XTouch? It seems cool, but I wonder how well it works

I've used it with and XR16 which worked well. Your can see it in action with the X32 in this video.

youtu.be

Just some input on the Studio live stuff. It is some good stuff. Yes the mixers does take some time to learn especially with something like effects which you would think be really intuitive. Originally wasnt even in the market for a mixer (16.4.2 non AI version) but some guy was selling his locally for $375 bucks which I could not pass up knowing that it was worth more than that and had previous experience with it. Also has a built in 31 band GEQ which is nice as well as plentiful selection of different delays and reverbs.

The TouchMix-30 Pro just dropped

They added all these new features but still didn't address the main issue that everyone had with the Touchmix Line...the lack of recallable gains. At least they got rid of the proprietary power plug. Hopefully the touch screen lag is gone as well.

Thanks, didnt know that. www.qsc.com

recallable gains, yep that would have been nice.
proprietary power plug gone, great idea.
touch screen lag, I never had that issue but you had one a year before me.

Its overkill for my personal usage but still cool.

So how does it work for replacing your driverack? Can you apply EQ to the main out and filter out the lows and do the same with an aux send and send those to the subs?

yes, im already doing that with the QSC TOUCHMIX16. but for my big gigs when im pushing the system HARD near its limits, i prefer to use my dbx driverack pa2 because its easier and faster to tweak wirelessly with my ipad.

Now you can work the touchmix with your DAW with this actuallization

www.audiomusicadigital.com

new update for the QSC TOUCHMIX 8 &16 coming soon and it looks great !
www.facebook.com

Mang!!! it looks like you won't need the DBX DriveRack anymore. Delays, Paremetric Eqs, Graphic Eqs and hella more output options. I think I may sell my Venu 360 and pick this bad boy up.

YOU AINT LYIN !
I freaking love Paremetric Eqs for its ease of use visually, the knob eqs it currently has are far more complicated or slower. The mp3 playback is great also as a backup or for early breakdown. I could literally leave my driverack pa2 home and not miss it....lol

Bump.

Hey guys, is the QSC Touchmix 8 still a good buy or are there other better options now?
Needing an outboard mixer for extra mic inputs, feedback eliminator, and reading from this thread that it can replace a driverack.

Thanks for any input!

IM NOT AWARE of any new gear that competes with it yet.

Got the QSC Touchmix8 from www.agiprodj.com :)

The power supply is so bulky.
i62.servimg.com
i62.servimg.com

DJ_X_Trodinaire, yes an internal power supply would have been perfect.

The Soundcraft Ui24r is another option. You would need to supply a tablet also though. It does everything the Touchmix can and more. My recommendation is for the Ui24r. I do not recommend the Ui12 or Ui16.