Now for some things I like/love about the Onyx 8 when compared to the 1202, which I suspect applies to all of them, but it’s the only one I have (now two, as I’ve decided to keep the other for the living room setup instead of using the 1202 VLZ4 there):
- It does NOT appear to suffer the same right-justified line-level channel strip output the 1202 has. Meaning: I don’t have to pan each channel to the left slightly to get it balanced, which was frankly driving me nuts and inexcusable on their part.
- The main outputs are quieter when I applied the rather unscientific but audible ‘hiss test’ on them. The method is rather simplistic: connect monitors directly to the mixer’s main outs and set the channel strips to off, then set to mid-level, then connect equipment to the mixer inputs and repeat, but not playing anything. In each case, crank the main output to full and listen to the hiss. There is some; there always is some… but it’s a LOT less audibly than the 1202 was, which may be related to:
- The Onyx isn’t as ‘hot’ on its outputs. In the same conditions, with the same inputs used with the same gear, I can set the channel strip levels (with no gain) to middle position and then still be able to use the main output to 1/3 - 1/2 depending on how loud I want it to be. On the 1202, I had to set the input channels to less than 1/3 and the main out to less than 1/4 or it would be painfully, ear-damagingly loud, so I always hung a little volume controller in between the mixer and the monitors, which increases cables, and further introduces noise. (note that this was NOT included in the hiss testing above).
- The 'MUTE" buttons are more satisfying
→ clickiness matters.
In short, just slotting it in and using it exactly the way the 1202 was used, it’s MUCH cleaner for my use.
FWIW: these are going new for 329 in the states now, and for that money I think it’s a wonderful deal. 500 I would consider overpriced.
The stereo recording is all I was looking for personally, even though the Mackie site literally says otherwise under Product Features (Onyx8 8-Channel Premium Analog USB Mixer - MACKIE | MACKIE):
Multitrack Recording via USB or SD card
Wonder if multitrack SD is in a firmware somewhere, or it’s just a typo?