Allen & Heath GL-2200

Incredibly easy to set up anywhere, mostly better for live shows though (excellent durability and smooth sliding faders). Very basic, and easily usable with external sends. Obviously heavy...I would love to be able to carry it around, but then again, who wouldn't.

I love how multi-functional this thing is, I change set-ups often so its great for all instruments...though when it does give feedback, it's hard to locate the source (LEDs aren't very responsive). Effects are always great, great recording capability if you have a set-up like I do.

This has never had any serious problems, but i get it serviced to keep it that way. Definetly does not need a backup, incredibly reliable...but again, it is far to heavy to take to multiple gigs.

Never really had to deal with the company, I lost the manual once (very, very bad) but the allen and heath website has tons of pdfs from cue sheets to manuals for all their products for free.

This is a great addition to the hall I work at, we play all sorts of music from classical choirs and bands to heavy metal and pop, great all-around performance, bought this thing like a gajillion years ago and STILL works great...seriously, this will serve you for an eternity, we have 6 amplifiers with 6 mains and 4 moitors, and a bunch of effects from reverb to 3 graphic equalizers. I dont think you will have a hard time keeping this in one spot, say, if it were stolen...I really just love the look of it, it makes me feel powerful with all those blinky lights and long chanel strips. I kinda dont like how the possibility for the high power LED lamp is an extra $100, but I just use a desk lamp. I couldn't survive without this thing.

The GL-2200 can be configured as a FOH mixer or a monitor mixer. The mixer features are familiar to any experienced soundman, while the "reverse" recessed switches sent me to that rare trip to the manual as I didn't grasp it from the block diagram. The "reverse" switches swaps the aux busses and group/LR busses between the pots and faders; using the GL-2200 as a monitor console, you use the six auxes as monitor sends and the faders as monitor master controls, as a FOH console the faders are groups/LR. Very flexible. If you're going to use the GL-2200 as a complete monitor mixer you'll need splitters for each channel.

All the channels have 100mm faders, four level LED meter to dial in the optimum preamp gain, phase reverse, switchable 48V phantom power, bypassible EQ, six aux sends, PFL, mute, and group/LR assign switches with pan (or balance). The PFL and mute switches have LEDs so you can find muted or PFL'd channels at a quick glance. The PFL signal appears on the headphone jack and the L/R Monitor LED level meter for checking your signals. PFL signals can be routed to the Mono output.

One dislike about Mackie boards is that the mute also kills the send to the monitor - OK for theater (you want wireless mics muted when actors are in the dressing room), but not a desireable feature for live performance.

The GL-2200 comes configured for theater but unlike the Mackie you can change internal jumpers so that monitor sends are pre-mute. I also changed jumpers so that the direct outs are pre-fader so when I record a show using the direct outputs the recorder will get optimum levels.

Each mic channel has a balanced XLR and line input, insert, balanced direct output, 20dB pad for line level inputs, 100hz rumble filter, and four band EQ with high/low shelving and two sweepable lo/hi mid.

Each stereo channel can function as a mono mic preamp or a stereo line preamp and has a four band EQ. The mono mic input is balanced, the stereo line inputs are unbalanced.

Many mixing consoles boast of six aux sends but only give you four pots per channel with two pots assigned to one of two busses. That is a limitation if you are running two or more monitor mixes. The GL-2200 gives you a dedicated pot for all the busses, and a pre/post switch is provided for auxes 1-4 and another for auxes 5-6. That gives me flexibility in how I use the auxes for FX or monitors.

The stereo returns have 60mm faders, two band EQ, aux 1-2 sends, PFL, mute, and group/LR assign switches with pan (or balance). A 2-track I/O system is provided with level pots, and the return can be routed to LR buss for playback.

Groups 1-4 and LR master channels have 100mm faders, four level LED meters, AFL, and mutes. *VERY* nice option to mute groups. The groups can be routed to LR and panned; with LR routing disabled each group signal appears at the rear panel output, which is nice for multiple PA subsystems. Mono output level is on a single pot above the LR masters, and a level pot is provided for the headphone which can monitor P/AFL and LR or 2-track. Auxes 1-6 have associated level pots and AFL.

The four groups and LR have inserts, which is a big plus. Having inserts on groups lets me use a processor on submixes, and I can use EQ or a limiter on the LR inserts. You'd be surprised how many boards do not include inserts on the groups.

There are balanced outputs for mono, stereo LR, and the four groups. The 1/4" aux outputs are unbalanced but there is an option available from A&H to convert them to balanced outputs. When the "reverse" switches are used to put the GL-2200 in monitor mode, the group/LR outputs become the outputs for auxes 1-6 and vice versa. This also makes the inserts available on auxes 1-6.

Rounding out the GL-2200 is a 1Khz sinewave/pink noise test tone system with level pot and assign switches for LR, group 1-4, aux 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, and a disable switch. My one minor complaint is that the level p

A&H are renowned for their preamps and their EQs.

The preamps are very clean and pristine at high gains. I have overhead mics on the drums to pick up cymbals and the high end sparkles. The EQs are very musical when use as boost, and are effective correction tools when used as cut. This is a true british EQ which has remained elusive to most other brands.

The summing busses are clean and quiet, with plenty of headroom. The aux sends are equally clean, I've never had any complaints about the monitors.

No problem so far. Each channel strip is an independent PC board so it will be more reliable than consoles with all channels on a single PC board.

I did a lot of research on consoles before deciding on the A&H. I had gotten excellent results from my old A&H SR-416, but when my band added a sax/percussion player we outgrew that 16 channel board and it was time for a bigger console.

I bought the 32 channel version of this mixer because my band has shared the stage with other bands at some festivals. For a little more money, I got spare channels for a guest band which meant I didn't have to reset our own channels.

I reviewed Mackie, Behringer, Soundcraft, Midas, and A&H consoles. Mackie and Behringer cut corners that I would not have been happy with, and their EQs aren't the greatest. You get what you pay for. Midas has a Venice line with their excellent mic preamps but way too much $$$ for 60mm faders and their largest board only had 28 mono mic channels, not enough for my needs. After elimination that left Soundcraft and A&H, and the A&H won on sound and bang for the buck.

I would've preferred eight subgroups but those consoles were out of my budget and were getting too heavy. There are studio boards with eight subgroups but they are not optimized for FOH live consoles. The GL-2200 is a relatively complete FOH console with no corners cut and I have been very happy with my purchase.