#Liveprofessor 2 xr18 with xr19 install#
#Liveprofessor 2 xr18 with xr19 plus#

If the XR18 had sidechaining, It might have put the XR18 over the top. I think both were highly useful but I’d trade the config options pretty much any day for something that sounded better overall. The Mackie compressors I think sound better than the others but the Behringer had more features. It does sound really nice and musical and configurable enough to be highly useful.ĭynamics Winner: Mackie, though it was close. The compressor I think is one of this unit’s strong points. The auto compression is surprisingly good. There is also a hard limiter build it but its not adjustable, just either on off. It does not have a separate attack and release control but does have a control called Response which adjust both of these parameters. The Compressor can be auto set, has a threshold control, ration make up gain control. The StudioLive has a one knob gate which is just a threshold control for the gate. They do sound good, have a ton of configure options and features. There is also a Wet/Dry control for the compressor like the old DBX 160s.

#Liveprofessor 2 xr18 with xr19 plus#

The compressor also has the same controls plus an adjustable knee setting, Linear or log volues for the attack/Release and Peak or RMS setting. There is also an attack, hold and release control plus a selectable key filter. You can choose either gate or ducker and select an expander to get the desired gate effect. The 3 expanders have different knees on them. The XR18 has 5 gate modes, Gate, Ducker and 3 expanders. Both compressor and gate sound good, and are totally usable.

The vintage setting has a bit of color where the transparent is totally clean. Both have quite a few configuration options such as Threashold, Attack and release times with a hold open on the gate and a ratio and knee control (Hard or soft) on the Compressor. The Mackie has 2 modes of operation, Transparent and Vintage. I felt they were a bit too tinny, shrill and easily fed back.Īll 3 have separate gates and compressors. There were a little different from each other but I dont think this made one better than the other, just different. The pres on the Mackie and the Behringer both sound pretty good. As a gigging musician who takes this PA everywhere I end up playing, the addition of the gear needed to make Ultranet work is why I don’t think I will ever use it hence why the Studiolive got the nod here.

#Liveprofessor 2 xr18 with xr19 install#

In a recording situation or perma install situation, it might push it over the top here. The XR18 with Ultranet made it a very close 2nd but ultimately, the need for external hardware to utilize Ultranet makes it more of a pain to use in a live situation. StudioLive for its straight forward and robust IO.

The separate mono out and stereo outs both with a trimmer control was a very nice touch. Mic Pres (with inserts on the 1st 8 channels) on every channel plus on the stereo channels, 1 mic pre feeds both L and R and on the last 2 inputs, there are RCA inputs along with the Mic pre and a pair of 1/4' ins. Taking the channel count into consideration here since the Mackie and Behringer have 16 Mic pres while the Studiolive only has 12, I think the StudioLive had the best set of IO options. The XR18 also has Ultranet which could give everyone in your band their on monitor mix with total control over the 16 channels they are hearing. On the Mackie, having the ability to play music off the Ipad while docked without taking up Inputs was nice though the Behringer does have an addition set of 1/4' in that are stereo bound and would serve well to hang a 1/8' stereo to 2x 1/4' mono cable off and connect to your music source plus the ability to use those inputs to be fed by a submixer without taking up Mic Pre channels is nice.

The Studiolive is large and rather bulky by comparison.Īll 3 had a nice array of IO. Its only marginally bigger than my tiny Yamaha MG10C. The Behringer was the smallest form factor with the Mackie a close 2nd. Note that this doesn't discuss the recording benefits or detriments in any detail as this is more of a live sound review and not so much a recording rig review.Īll 3 seem fairly well built. I have had the Mackie for about a year and a half and I only recently got the XR18 just so you know where Im coming from. I actually own a Mackie DL1608, a Behringer XR18 and a StudioLive 1602 (though a more fair comparison would be with the 16.4.2 but Im only comparing those I have actually used and owned) I've had the Studiolive the longest at a few years.