List Price: $1,166.99
Sale Price: $399.99
Today's Bonus: 66% Off
- 16 Mono Input channels with Gold Plated XLR Balanced Inputs - Ultra-Low Noise Discrete MIC Preamps with +48 V Phantom Power - 0/2 Stereo Input Channels with Balanced TRS Jacks - Extremely High Headroom Offering More Dynamic Range
- Balanced Inputs for Highest Signal Integrity - Ultra-Musical 3-Band EQ+FREQ on all Mono Channels and 4-band EQ on all Stereo Channels - Peak LED's all Mono and Stereo Channels
- 2 AUX Send per Channel for External Effect and Monitoring - Digital Effect System Inside - Separate Master Mix/Control Room and Headphone Outputs
- 2 Track Inputs Assignable to Master Mix/ Control/ Headphone Output - Highly Accurate 10 Segment Bargraph Meters - Power Amplifier Output Impedance: 2 x 800 Watts @ 4 Ohm
- 110 Volt/ 220 Volt Switchable - Dimensions: 29"(H) x 19"(W) x 7"(D)
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Thank gwad this delicate albeit tank weighted electronic device came double-boxed -because the outside box had been UPS'd to death -to include several large tears and gaps! Even so, the unit was unscathed. About that: you will need two men and a boy to safely extricate this beast from its box as held in place by its Styrofoam restraints. My doctor's scale says it weighs 40lbs. And that's what real wattage is all about.Having said that...
If you got an amp that's claiming anything over 250 watts rated at 2 ohms (which is never the final output because, and again, they're talking peak at a measly 2 ohms whereas all stereo systems in use today use 8 ohms, where (250 peak divided by 8 ohms = about 30 watts continuous average per speaker,) yet weighs the same as a paperweight... Well, you get the picture. Real watts have real heft, end of story. And I know a commercial DJ who bought a 3000-watt amp that only weighed 6 lbs. who found out for himself during a live gig just what real heft means, as his light-weight amp went up in a literal ball of acrid smoke sending people scurrying for the exits to include me.
So why rate a stereo in ohms? The simple answer is to tell you that it's because ohms define electrical bandwidth within sound: the more bandwidth you have, the richer and fuller the sound. Therefore, the more copper required to deliver it. Rating something peak at 2 ohms is nothing more than using a one second in-house tone burst test. It's like taking today's high-speed Internet connection rated at 100 MBS (8 ohms,) and comparing it to the old 56k modem (2 ohms.) Better yet, a half inch garden hose at 50 PSI, to a fire hydrant with a 5.25" opening rated at 400 PSI. Again, you get the picture.
Let us now talk about the unit itself: the Pyle-Pro PMXL amp/mixer. Mine is of the 16-channel variety, with a stated output of 1600 watts peak rated at 4 ohms by Pyle, where (2 speakers or channels x 800 = 1600 watts peak [and not the much ballyhooed 2 ohms in order to increase marketing claims. Otherwise, they could boast 3200 watts peak at 2 ohms!) Using the real world standard of 8 ohms as required for the richness of music and depth of vocals gives us 400 watts peak per speaker or channel, which means we are safely driving anywhere from 300 to 350 watts per speaker at any given time at full volume. In order to double the loudness of 350 watts, as defined in decibels, you would have to take 350 and multiply it by 10 for a total continuous output of 3500 watts and no such amp exists: at least not that I am aware of.
The PMXL does everything you could ask for regarding an amp/mixer, except for compression; and that will cost you more -a lot more. That said: everything on the unit tested out just fine, and does what it's supposed to do, which is shape sound. With the built-in digital effects, all 256 of them, there isn't much you will be lacking when it comes to a semi-pro/home-karaoke setup. The PMXL allows you to shape, independent of each other, the vocals, to include any mic'd up or plugged in instrument or other electronic device(s,) to include all music produced internally, and then blend them together in order to define the final sound through a left/right 7-channel EQ. The Pyle-Pro PMXL does all these things, and probably more that I have yet to discover.
My big complaint is that this system only offers you one type of speaker connection, which is of the larger headphone plug-in type. So if your speaker setup uses a two-wire terminal like mine, then you will be doing some splicing and soldering in order to get everything connected up. I have yet to find an adapter for this online. That doesn't mean they're not out there, it's just that I couldn't find any, so heads up on that. My other complaint is that all sliders and knobs work on something like a 20/80 percent rule, meaning: they don't start maxing out until near the end of their travel, but they do get there. And yes. Everything is visually monitored through a three-segment 10 L E D left/right lighted bar graph as controlled through the Master output.
The unit has a 3" cooling fan located at the left-rear, that is ported through two sets of vents located up front, also situated left and right. When fired up, the fan does make noise because it's moving a lot of air. And, all amps produce some kind of speaker hum: it's the nature of the beast. The hum on this one, however, is barely audible. Your ear has to be right at the speaker and everything real quite in order to hear it. Add music and it's like it, and the fan, aren't even there. As far as the manual goes, forget about it. Although it points things out, it makes no reference on how to hook anything up. In fact, under the section titled "Installation," it says, "Experience tells us that the cables in a studio environment get tangled very quickly (inviting mistakes.") No kidding. That's all it says.
All control knobs have a center detente for denoting what's called "unity gain." All additional quarter inch plug-ins seem solid, and have a tight feel when it comes to plugging them in and pulling them out (the latter, of which, takes effort.) However, all knobs and sliders ARE a bit on the wobbly side. They could be better, but seem adequate enough. I have seen more expensive units suffer from this same affliction, whether of the 60mm variety or not.
Another thing you should know is that my unit, when first plugged in, would light up but not work. After careful examination, I found that the unit shipped with it voltage setting switched to 230 volts. After taking a small, thin-bladed screwdriver and flipping the switch to the American standard of 115 volts, everything came to life, as it should. In the end, experimentation coupled with a little experience, will go a long way in sorting these things out to include what works and what doesn't. Don't let the fact that this thing looks like the cockpit of 757 throw you when it comes to all its plug-ins, buttons, knobs and sliders. These are all just bells and whistles allowing you to paint your musical canvas anyway you see fit. There's no "right" way to shape a sound. Remember this, when it comes to that: if it sounds right, then it is.
Well, that's everything I can share with you at this time. I hope it helped. Do your due diligence when it comes to the various brands and offerings, and then buy the one that is right for you, according to what you can afford. And oh yeah! The seller on Amazon offered me an additional three-year warranty for only $25.00 more, so you can bet I ate that one up.
Addendum: it has now been more than a few months that I have been using this beast of an EQ, and have to say that I absolutely love it! It does everything I ever wanted, and makes singing a lot of fun. I have get-togethers where as many as seven of us are chiming in with harmony, backup vocals, and of course lead. I even got my sax mic'd up! No regrets here!
Chow!
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