Agreed - after reading a lot of Soundcraft, Allen & Heath and Mackie manuals hunting for the block diagrams, I still can’t find anything as flexible as a Mackie 1604 for the size - sixteen channels, six aux, two stereo busses and super flexible switching between them all. The Soundcraft LX7ii has the same channel, aux and bus count, similar switching and two sweepable mids but is much bigger. I guess there’s a good reason Mackie have been churning out versions of the same mixer design for almost 30 years…
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it’s what i have concluded as well after a lot is research. But maybe the 1642 is better for me to use with external stereo effects and juts a lot of stereo gear? It’s this or the SSL Big six which is really expensive.
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Ecler just sent mail saying their classic NUO 4.0 mixer is getting a 20th anniversary re-release. As a longtime Ecler fan, I’m going to be upgrading my NUO 3.0 to this new model if the price isnt too crazy.
The re-issued 4.0F will feature two analogue filters and master insert. Faceplate will either be their classic black, or a silver one, they have a poll about the colour going on ATM
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I might go for the Mackie Onyx 1640. It is even better specced than the 1604.
Mackie rocks for features and routing options. Sucks for quality. Have used multiple vlz4’s.
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If their EQs where half as good as an SSL, this would be perfect mixers.
I bought a 1604 when it first came out. Used it for a few years with no problems at all.
Now I own a 14 channels vlz4, and the build/sonic quality is so bad I’m seriously thinking of going back to previous models. The 1640 seems a pretty good option.
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I’m curious what happened to your device?
My 1604VLZ4 was build like a tank and never had any issue with any channel, fader or pot.
Clean sound, but yeah eq sucks, but that’s a design flaw, not a defect. (edit, see response further below)
Wow what news! I was one of these persons who wrote them emails asking why on earth they stopped making it, cause they were being known for pure sound and quality and loved by a lot of DJs and PA-System-owner/renting-companys. I still got my good old Nuo4 (not .0) which got a lot storys to tell (was years my home DJ-mixer and also sometimes the main mixer on a public rave) still going strong in the living room of my girlfriend.
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A+H GL 2200 is also nice and is existing with a 16 channel version, btw the last A+H which is made in UK. The newer ZED series is more or like the same, every spec you are looking for, even with more individual outs for routing cause it got these matrix-outs (which are lacking at the GL 2200 series, matrix-outs were introduced in the series after the GL 2200. → the GL 2400) but without 4 LEDs per Channel.
You can find used GLs online if you are lucky, sound and money wise its a great option.
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Haven’t ordered a Elara, but did order a Union Audio Orbit.LE to the EU (to Germany specifically). I didn’t have to pay any tariffs, just VAT. Should be the same for Elara, I guess,
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Yes, perhaps you are correct in that they are similar in functionality. I also would like more EQ ability, such as being able to control multiple channel EQ’s at once.
Union Audio has said they are working on getting their products to EU retailers. In fact they already have because it’s possible to order from a Swedish retailer. The Elata.6 is very expensive but probably my dream mixer atm.
Djservice in Stockholm list all their products so it’s probably because a distributor has them now available for EU.
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Just remember that the 1640 only has 4 auxes, not 6 like the 1604. Stereo sends gobble up auxes! And the stereo channels (like most mixers) don’t have parametric EQ.
What’s the design flaw (apart from the fact that there’s no bypass)? The original had a wide Q (0.64) but got good reviews in SOS for its EQ when it came out. The VLZ3 introduced a narrower Q (1) to make it a bit more precise. A second band would be great but it’s got a decent range.
Yeah - that (or a GL2400) would be my preferred choice but they’re really rare here in Australia. There are plenty of 24 channel versions, and I was really tempted by a used GL2400 but it didn’t fit the space I have available and I don’t need 24 channels. It’s a thing of beauty though.
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You’re right. It’s not a design flaw. It’s a subjective opinion on my behalf. I found it difficult to get useful results with (1604 vlz4), but I wholeheartedly admit that that could be user error, and not a problem inherent to the product itself.
More precisely I found the low boost was not giving my kicks the oomph I was looking for. Later with the SSL BiG SiX I found that it provided it exactly as I had hoped for.
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I see them as well with a German shop
It just hurts seeing the price being so much higher than on their website. (Which I understand is without VAT)…
When adding VAT it’s about the same. At least in Sweden I got the same calculation if I would buy it from Union Audio and add Swedish VAT of 25%. Very expensive mixers but seems really good… hard to motivate when I’m juts doing shitty jams at home 
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If you look at my original reply, I was referring to the Onyx 1640.
6 Aux sends.
2 semi parametric mid bands.
16 mono channels.
Onyx preamps and Perkins EQ.
Firewire connectivity as well, if you have a compatible computer/OS.
Badly calibrated from the beginning (channel level/gain not perfectly matching).
Really annoying flimsy faders (compared to the previous models).
It developed a low level ringing tone at 8k and 16k (probably not audible but it’s definitely there).
I think the german website just orders directly from Union Audio. It says 30 days delivery, and if you add German VAT (19%) to the price stated at Union’s website (1727,95 eur, when accessed from within EU) you end up at a little above 2K eur. So my bet is they P.A.T don’t have a distributor deal, but just buys it from them like everyone else and add VAT and their own margin. The latter which I can totally not blame them for, but as a customer you end up paying a lot more.