Behringer VMX1000 DJ Mixer

[MadGutts 0]

Hi guys...

 

I am a Behringer fan... I have been using a DEQ2490, Feedback destroyer, 3 way Stereo X-over, Graphic, bass enhancers, gate and lots more...

 

Because of the reliability and features of the kit, i thought i would go the full 9 yards (or meters to the younger members here http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif ) and buy the VMX1000.

 

I unpacked it, installed it into my rack, tested it in my living room and was generally happy. It is a nice bit of kit, with some loverly extras and super smooth sliders...

 

But... I have noticed recently cross-talk from channel 1... and i'm not too sure about the o/p quality compared to my old Gemini mixer...

 

Has anyone else got one of these mixers?

What have you heard about them?

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thanks.gif

 

Edited = cos i'm a crap typist !

Edited November 24, 2004 by MadGutts

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

I use there mixers too and have found no problems at all, output from my DX1000 is real nice almost as good as my SM650 but no were near as nice as my D-Mix 1000.

 

reason for this is cost.......

 

the behringer goes on the road with me and the others stay home. if my behringer was to suffer an accident i would not lose too much sleep over it.

 

Cross talk from channels can only be heard if you listen to my DX1000 through about 4kw of sound cranked right up. and is so faint that its not worth getting upset about.

 

maybe getting the fader changed on that channel would help !

[transeurope 0]

In general, the world is divided into those who love or hate Behringer.

 

I love Behringer, let me make that clear from the start, I am not in the Behringer-bashing camp.

 

I think the DX1000 was a legend of a mixer.

 

I think the VMX1000 is EXTREMELY well-built. However, I too dispute whether its sound quality is up to the usual Behringer standard.

 

In DJ mixers, I think that the American makes and Reloop have an edge in the cheaper/mass market category. Put it this way, if Behringer were as good as making DJ mixers as they were at other kit, why would Reloop (a German brand) have found a niche in Behringer's home country?

 

Reloop mixers are upto US standards btw.

 

In the segment above that the Japanese makes are good also, before a Pioneer/Denon/Vestax fan posts, I have no argument with them there. I use a PPD9000 because I value its sound quality, but think it is really slick to use.

 

Sadly, I think that the DX1000 and DJX700 were the only DJ mixer Behringer made that deserved the Behringer name. Their other DJ mixers are OK, but beaten in price/value by the US makes.

 

I think the VMX1000 sounds pretty poor (although it is better made than comparably priced American makes).

 

PS: wrt crosstalk, I would investigate the cross-fader. Make sure it is connected tight, and make sure some shop employee didn't "borrow" the crossfader fitted and "returned" a used/damaged one. More common than you might think and I actually witnessed a similar phenomenon the other day in a computer store where an employee brazenly substituted a non-working item for a friend with one from a display machine.

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (transeurope @ Nov 24 2004, 11:28 PM)

make sure some shop employee didn't "borrow" the crossfader fitted and "returned" a used/damaged one.

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/nono.gif

 

Onto Important matters....Behringer! TE is right when he mentioned a couple of recent Behringer mixers having very good sound quality - their DJX-700 actually has a better audio path and better audio specs than the mixer it visually copies/clones - benefitting from audio components which are more upto date, rather than 6 years old - ok, the effects are a little "dirtier" when introduced into the mix, but effects are only occasional.

 

The VMX-1000 was a logical step up for Behringer...they had a 2 channel, and a 3 channel mixer already, with the VMX-200 and VMX-300 (reviewed here), but the only 4 channel mixer that they had was the older DX-1000, which sounds great, but looks like it was designed by the same person that designs those "above the bed, hospital radios", and Milkfloats.

 

I've spent around 2 hours on a VMX-1000 and found it to be "OK", I found the sound from the Phono outputs to be slightly cleaner/crisper than the main outputs, which is a little unusual. Feature wise though - difficult to beat any behringer product at anywhere near the same price.

Edited February 17, 2005 by Gary

[DJTREV 0]

I have one and I am not that impressed.It isnt a patch on my old Citronic.It only has 3band EQ on all outputs whereas the Citronic had a very good 8band EQ.The Mic overide is too sensitive-either all or nothing-the BPM takes too long to kick in,there is not enough adjustment on the volune-on a scale of 1-10,between 1-7 sound increases gradually but between 7-10 boy! watch out.Mind you ,perhaps I am not using it properly;I wouldn't be surprised.

[MadGutts 0]

QUOTE

PS: wrt crosstalk, I would investigate the cross-fader. Make sure it is connected tight, and make sure some shop employee didn't "borrow" the crossfader fitted and "returned" a used/damaged one. More common than you might think and I actually witnessed a similar phenomenon the other day in a computer store where an employee brazenly substituted a non-working item for a friend with one from a display machine.

The cross talk is there all the time, whether the cross fader is assigned to the channel or not.

 

QUOTE

there is not enough adjustment on the volune-on a scale of 1-10,between 1-7 sound increases gradually but between 7-10 boy

This is because the slides are logarhymic, not linear - suprised me too! i run mine about 8 and use the master to get the o/p up.

 

QUOTE

I found the sound from the Phono outputs to be slightly cleaner/crisper than the main outputs

Really? i will try this... i think the output of the mixer is quite "noisey" too. Plus the mic volumes are internally boosted - so much, i can't plug in a "normal" mic. I use my SM58 radio mic, turned right down on the mixer and on the receiver! there is way too much gain here!

 

I will give it a go again this weekend, and then change back to my gemini if i'm not happy...

[RobbieD 0]

I’ve used Behringer limiters, crossovers, and GEQ’s in the past, and found most of them to be very good for the money.

 

But I’m not sure if I would feel confident purchasing a mixer from a company that feels it has to make products that look like other peoples products.

 

Comparire these two:

http://www.behringer.com/djx400/index.cfm?lang=ENG

http://www.pioneer.co.uk/uk/product_detail...xonomy_id=44-74

 

or these two

http://www.behringer.com/djx700/index.cfm?lang=ENG

http://www.djsounds.com/sitegraphics/produ...00S_blowup1.jpg

[MadGutts 0]

I can see a sort of simularity there, but if you were to look at other manufacturers, no doubt there would be some more that look the same.

 

But its not the layout that is the problem..... its the sound and build quality... Are Behringer moving to taiwan or somewhere! because the build quality of this mixer is not as good as the earlier equipment i have...

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/sad.gif

[transeurope 0]

I would just like to clarify something about this issue of "copying".

 

Asia is still very much a manufacturing continent and is full of small companies that are linked into larger "chaebol" (word may vary by country). These chaebol all compete for business from the "master company". So for example when Pioneer design a mixer case they would speculatively pass the word around absolutely loads of smaller manufacturers about what their specs are. Often they would not even lay down a complete specification, they will see what those further down the chain come up with.

 

It is the same for circuit boards and buttons and anything else really.

 

The result of this is that a lot of companies put a lot of effort into manufacturing really similar designs, but only one gets picked. Additionally, sometimes in order to make a product cheaply enough a manufacturer will set up a supply chain which is ramped up to take advantage of economies of scale and then has an onus to find customers for the excess.

 

I think it is very unfair the way that people accuse Behringer of copying gear. On several occasions they have taken people to court for saying this and won almost all the cases. Those that they lost or withdrew from were not lost because a court ruled that a product was a copy, but the cases collapsed for reasons to do with the workings of the legal system.

 

No court, to my knowledge, has ever ruled that Behringer has copied a product. Plenty have ruled that they have not. They had a dodgy result in one case where it may be said that the judge was not convinced they did not copy an algorithm, but big companies are prone to this kind of ruling in minute technical matters all the time.

 

MadGutts, Behringer have always to my knowledge manufactured in China, since they became a large company in the 90s. I just think that something went horribly wrong in the whole VMX1000 project. I would not think that there are overall lessons to be drawn for the future.

 

I do know that the withdrawl of the DX1000 was controversial within Behringer. Someone on their helpline told me that. I won't say anymore lest I get that person into trouble. Behringer are famous for trawling the net and forums.

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

if any one wants a spare mixer or a decent but non costly mixer you can do worse than a DX1000 and you can still pick them up new....

 

 

[WOODYO 0]

Bought one of these mixers . Must say its very good value for the money and has a good deal of features found only on more expensive mixers. I would agree with one previous post on the level's issue , not a lot of poke until you get virtually to the top of the faders reach , then suddenly Wam!!. I have used a number of mixers recently and I must admit if I could afford a Formula Sound mixer I would buy one of these.

[Dynamicdiscos 0]

I haven't had a chance to play with a VMX1000 (It's a little over kill for what I do) but I do own a VMX100 which I have been very happy with. One thing I must say is Behringer seem to make pretty sturdy equipment.

 

However...

Does anybody find that the crossfaders on these mixers are a little odd? Even when they are on the option for "soft fade" the changeover seems to happen very sudenly at one particular point.

 

Now don't laugh... My first ever mixer was a Radio Shack! ANYthing has got to be better than that.

 

[MadGutts 0]

We all had to start somewhere! LOL i too had a Tandy mixer...

 

But i have had various mixers, and when i visited Behringer at Plasa this year, i had a play with the VMX1000. That is some of the reason i bought one...

 

I have still got to try the phono o/p instead of the balanced lines tho...

[DJ SPARKO 0]

I to own a VMX1000 and i find the mixer to be quiet adequate for the gigs i do although many previous posts state that the level meter dont kick in/out alot of sound till the 9-10 level i agree. therefore for club installations a would not recommend it, then again in most clubs dance music is played and the nature of the music is to krank the sound with heavy beats etc.

 

On a personal note the feature of the beat light under the BPM counter (not the output level light meters situated on the far right of the mixer) is one of the reasons why a bought the mixer and like it as my right ear is particially deaf, begs the question WHY/HOW THE HELL AR YOU/CAN BE A DJ??? http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/533.gif well jus took me anohther method of mixing a had to adopt. ne way this these light are quiet accurate (not the BMP counter unfortuantly) so it helps me a great deal.

[DJ_Ajay 0]

i didn't like the crossfader or its ajustment and theres not much headroom in the volume on the faders, either up or down, no half way.

 

But for price, its good, just make sure you do the warranty card...... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

[joe 0]

The first ever mixer I got was a Behringer http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

 

And I have to say that they make extremely sturdy, well built mixers!!

 

The second mixer that I got after my Behringer (DX100!) was a SoundLAB MRT60-R. From that, I progressed to a Numark DM1235, which I still use, along with a Stanton RM-100 http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

 

But yeah, in my opinion, Behringer equipment is extremely well made and has features/build quality normally only found on product with a higher price tag. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/thumbup.gif

 

Joe

[Kingy 0]

I have one of these mixers floating around, still in its cardboard box. Only been used once and its our "Get out of Jail free" back up mixer.

 

Good for the £150 I paid for it! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

hi, guys its my first post so please be patient. I have a vmx1000 and find the mic is to loud. I have the master vol on 3/4 but have to have my mic vol on O and it is still to loud. Every time I speak on my mic I have to turn my main Vol down. Can anybody help please?

 

Ste http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/sad.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thanks.gif

[brianmole 0]

QUOTE

hi, guys its my first post so please be patient. I have a vmx1000 and find the mic is to loud. I have the master vol on 3/4 but have to have my mic vol on O and it is still to loud. Every time I speak on my mic I have to turn my main Vol down. Can anybody help please?

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/042.gif 1st, Weclome to the forum.

 

OK, I think this may be due to a mis-match between your mic and you mic input on the mixer. There are high and low impedance mics around, and they offer different signal levels. What mic are you using?

[John Kidd 0]

I had one of these mixers for 3 weeks, i found that the output didn't give enough drive for my amps, the mic was always low and the only way i got the volome and drive from it was to run the output full and adjust the amp down. The problem with this was the mixer was at its limits and therefore lost sound quality.

 

I went back to my DX1000 which i love and have just ordered another new one that should be arriving tomorrow!

 

Welcome to the forum aswell, http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/Welcome.gif

[Steve_Mitchell 0]

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/wallbash.gif Cheerrs gents. Bri I used an sm58 switched.

[brianmole 0]

QUOTE

hi, guys its my first post so please be patient. I have a vmx1000 and find the mic is to loud. I have the master vol on 3/4 but have to have my mic vol on O and it is still to loud. Every time I speak on my mic I have to turn my main Vol down. Can anybody help please? Ste sad.gif thanks.gif

Steve pm'd me he is using an SM58...

 

VMX1000 specs and manuals

Unfortunately, there is no hint in the above what the input impedance is for the Mic channel http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/sad.gif

 

 

The Shure SM58 switched you are using is rated at 150 Ohms (300 Ohms actual) impedance for microphone connections rated at low impedance. See SM58 pdf

 

 

 

D'OH

 

Does anyone else have this issue with an SM58 on a VMX1000?

[jackcu 0]

I found the pdf with the input specs:

 

 

http://www.behringerdownload.de/VMX1000/VM...SPECS_Rev_A.pdf

 

 

Mic input 40dB gain balanced

Phono input 40dB gain unbalanced

Line in -17 to +4 db gain unbalanced

 

The SM58 is low impedence but so are all dynamic mics (to the best of my knowledge) so I can't see what the problem is.

 

We seem to be answering this on 2 separate threads LOL.

 

Anyone able to take this further?

 

Cheers,

 

Jack.

[John Kidd 0]

I have spoken to Steve, he has tried 2 mixers and 2 mics, but only one cable, this is a strange problem and to my knowledge not a known problem with the behringer mixer, even though i dont like it, (but that doen't matter). I have suggested to try a quality cable as there could be a problem here, maybe a balance issue????, could this cause this problem?

[jackcu 0]

I'm no expert, but if he were to use an unbalanced cable the only problem would be increased noise over a balanced one. It shouldn't do anything to the gain AFAIK.

 

I could check with one of the techie gurus on the sound recording forums.

 

I'm sure I've used an SM57 (not quite the same but close enough) on a Behringer mixer with no problems.

 

Cheers,

 

Jack.