Xenyx X1204 USB : Behringer Xenyx X1204 USB

I bought the Behringer Xenyx X1204 USB as an upgrade from my Behringer 1202fx. One of the first things that makes it better is the power input. The 1202fx had a multipin, low voltage connection for power that seemed very fragile. The X1204 has an IEC style connection, which straight away makes it feel more robust.

One of the features that were really impressive with the X1204 are the compressors on each of the XLR mic channels. These are really useful for instrument mics, especially for me as I play in a pub/bar band and we often mic the kick drum as well as the vocals, to give the sound more punch. The on board FX are really nice for vocals and have a range of reverbs and delays to suit all situations. Having a separate aux send for on-stage monitors was is also a great feature for such a small format mixer, especially for bands and singers.

The overall build quality of the mixer is very nice, with smooth fader movements, colour coding on control sections for "at a glance" alteration and having a USB mix output that can be sent to a laptop is great. It means you can record your performance cleanly onto your computer and edit it later using the audio editing software that comes free with the mixer.

For the price, I can't really fault this unit. I would recommend it for small home studios, pub/bar band PA systems and singers.