Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Just got the ZED-10FX. So far, I have only tested it and done 1 gig but wanted to get a quick review in for those of you shopping as vigorously as I was. My goal was to find something that had high quality audio but a low channel count and small footprint (I'm a solo musician). It has thus far met my needs.
My first priority was finding quality mic preamps, I've found this to be as important as the microphone that's used. These apparently use the same design as the ones A&H puts in their acclaimed MixWizard series. I can only compare them to the Mackie CFX series preamps that I'm used to and LOVE. The ZED's are just as good or better- really clear, warm, and responsive. I also use a stereo channel to run a loop station with beats, electronic phrases, and live guitars. The overall output of the mixer just sounds great- clean, punchy, musical. The EQ is killer as well, very legit and impactful as you adjust. Knobs instead of faders was initially a turn-off for me but I must say I am really happy with these. They are very well mounted and have a heavy, super smooth movement to them. The gradual and fluid change in the levels as you turn the knobs is far superior to what I'm used to with Mackie. They are also very brightly colored and contrasted for low light identification of everything. I would actually take these knobs over a cheap 60mm fader any day.
I have not done any USB recording so can't say much on that (although it's a little disappointing not to have channel separation as you would get with the cheaper Alesis Multimix). However, the analog recording and signal routing flexibility of the ZED is impressive and sold me. Personally I am running my stage monitor out of the "monitor out" and saving the aux send as well as the assignable "record out" for sub mixing and live recording to a digital 4-track. Also, the circuitry and switching of everything is really clever and illustrated well on the mixer surface with helpful connecting lines.
Construction seems pretty solid short of some barely noticeable stressing on the seams of the red plastic sides (Made in China, par for the course) and the rubber feet are not perfectly level with each other. Neither issue represents any malfunction as far as I can tell but I'll admit its aesthetically annoying.
As far as the FX go, I think they are easy enough to control and the basics are there (reverbs, delays, etc.) However they didn't blow me away sonically at least for recording- just a hair on the cheapy sounding side. I've been fine with them in live application though and they are certainly adequate for this price point.
Overall, this is a great sounding mixer that's the size of a bulky laptop and weighs 8 lbs.! Combine it with some nice active loudspeakers (I use QSC K10s) and you've got a powerful system that fits in your trunk.
Click Here to see more reviews about: Allen & Heath ZED-10FX Four Mono Mic/Lines with 2 Active D.I., 3 Stereo Line Inputs and Onboard Effects
Built by Allen & Heath, ZED-10FX is an amazing little desk for small band mixing, complete with onboard effects. It is ultra portable for carrying to the gig, and can be used for recording live or in the studio. Guitars can be plugged in directly to the mixer using the specially designed high-impedance inputs, while the mixer has two stereo inputs for MP3/CD players or keyboards. Equipped with professional XLR stereo outputs and a flexible monitoring section with headphone and speaker feed outputs. ZED-10FX is bundled with IK Multimedia's AmpliTube X-GEAR software, giving access to superbly modelled amps and effects. Class A FET (Field Effect Transistor) inputs deliver the warmth associated with valve tube preamplifiers and a 26dB gain boost switch provides gain needed for instruments with very low output pickups. In addition to all of this, a USB port enables direct connection to a PC or Mac for direct recording and stereo playback with your DAW software of choice. Allen & Heath is known for building high quality mixers for the last 40+ years. At any time of day or night, across the globe, there is an Allen & Heath mixer out there working hard, sounding great and making life a little easier for the person at the controls. Back in the early 70s Allen & Heath hand-built consoles in a tiny factory in London for elite bands like Pink Floyd and The Who. These days Allen & Heath customers are spread across almost every environment imaginable, including touring, theatres, churches, nightclubs, TV and radio stations, recording studios and countless other places where great sound matters.
