Carvin PA1200R

Very easy to use. Adjust your settings, you're ready to go.

I use this with a couple of Carvin power amps: a 2000W and a 600W for PA applications. The 600 drove our four stage monitors, and the 2000 pushed two EV Eliminator 18" subs, and a couple Yamaha S1-IV 15s. Out of the box, it all sounded great. Got the effects sound I needed, would set it and forget it.

Then, the hissing began in two channels. I worked around it. Then another three channels have joined in hissing, badly, unusable.

Can I depend on it? Absolutely not. I'm waiting for additional channels to go out every time I turn it on. This mixer was two years old, with very light "basement practice use". First time out on a gig, new band, two channels suddenly go HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. Several months later, three more go.

My 12-channel mixer is now a SEVEN-channel mixer. I have big pieces of tape over the bad inputs to remember which channels are fubar.

Unfortunately, it's even too light to use as a boat anchor.

So I called Carvin, to see if if they could repair it. Absolutely not. "We've gone to a new type of circuit board technology"...(I'm thinking, `One that works? Good idea.') ..."so we don't fix our old junk anymore." Can I get replacement pots for these hissers? "Absolutely not, we don't stock old parts."

I mean, I'm sorry, but I hit the floor. Carvin has NO - ZERO - POOPOO - support or care for their past sales. Equipment that's three or four years old becomes obsolete, they consider it unfixable, don't even ask.

What they DID offer was to sell me a new unit. Thanks a lot. I'd rather eat a dirt sandwich than give them more of my money.

I went onto the Carvin Forum, and posted a couple rants about their lousy service -- and I was instantly expelled, blackballed.

I'll give it one rating point for each year it worked.

Oddly, I'm very happy with my two Carvin power amps. They still turn on... but I now have ZERO confidence in them. Buy one of these unpowered mixers, and in my opinion, you're a numbskull, like I was.

I've never experienced worse cutomer service/support. Shame on them.

What I really like about this unit is what Carvin is famous for. What the knob or button says is what it does. There is nothing confusing about this mixer.

I'm not using Carvin power amps because I got a great deal on some Crest VS1100s, so thats what I'm using. Clean ,crisp, and punchy.
The effects portion of this mixer is pretty good. You get two, so you can have different settings and different effects on different channels. The Delays and verbs are digital and sound fine (they are lacking the analog warm feeling), the chorus is acceptable, and the Flange is useless. This is a mixer, not a guitar players stompbox, so I'm satisfied with the effects from a P.A.standpoint. The EQ is clean and does what its suppose to. I'm givivg a 9 in this area only because there are these clip lights for L-R-monitor outputs, I drove my power amps into clip and these lights on the mixer did nothing. The owners manual did not volunteer enough information on these lights.

If it works, thats good, if not, I roll up my cables and go home. There is no backup. I run sound for religious/praise bands for free so I cannot afford to carry around two of everthing. I've owned enough Carvin stuff that I've found if you don't abuse it, it will last awhile.

Customer support is good, they sent a call tag for a bass amp that malfunctioned the day I got it. Most companys make you pay for the return.

I have a giant soundcraft board and all the expensive toys to go with it, bit sometimes that's too much. This unit offers what I need and is organized nicley in a little box. I only wanted one monitor mix with XLR outs. I didn't want to bring a rack of effects and a 31 band stereo EQ, but this unit packed in enough for what I needed it for. Carvin gives alot of bang for the buck. If you want to play sound man and don't want to spend thousands for your gear, Carvin works.