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Topic: Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502 (Read 19547 times) previous topic - next topic
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Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Which micro mixer is better? I currently own the Behringer and like it a lot, but I need to replace it because it suffered a static electric jolt which took out one of the the headphone channels. Would the Mackie be an upgrade, or are they about the same?

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #1 –
Quote from: toronado455 on
Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Which micro mixer is better? I currently own the Behringer and like it a lot, but I need to replace it because it suffered a static electric jolt which took out one of the the headphone channels. Would the Mackie be an upgrade, or are they about the same?


What you see is probably what you will get.

If memory serves, you get more inputs and features for the same money with the comparably-priced  Behringer.

I've done bench tests on some of the cheap Behringer mixers, and the mic preasmps and etc. measure out to be just fine.  Usually the *price* you pay for low-cost audio production hardware in exactly the sort of thing that killed yours - absence of resistance to casualty losses, and potentiometers and jacks that don't always last so well. The basic cirucitry iis usually OK. Problem is that you can't actually know these things until you have owned the thing for a few years. And, just ecause you pay the bigger bucks is no guarantee that you'll get them.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #2 –
Hey there! New here.

I've never worked with those specific mixers, but I find personally that the Mackies have better build quality and that the preamps sound better. Not to mention, that between the two you are looking at, the Mackie has more features such as Low Cut (high pass filter) and impedance matching (acts similarly to a DI box). It also offers phantom power, if ever you wish to use condenser microphones on it. The VU/Peak meter also has more LEDs so setting gain levels on your microphones would be a bit easier.

The Behringer on the other hand, is like 50 dollars cheaper and has one more stereo line input than the Mackie.

Depends on what you are looking for and what you need, really. If you are only using it to mix stereo or mono line inputs, but not microphones, the Behringer will be a good cheap option for you.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #3 –
Quote from: tropicalfish on
Hey there! New here.

I've never worked with those specific mixers, but I find personally that the Mackies have better build quality and that the preamps sound better.


Looks like a TOS 8 violation!

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Quote from: tropicalfish on
Hey there! New here.

I've never worked with those specific mixers, but I find personally that the Mackies have better build quality and that the preamps sound better.


Looks like a TOS 8 violation!

Quite difficult to ABX two different brands of mixers when you usually find them at completely different locations, and when working with live audio with different setups makes it nearly impossibly to play test samples.

Not to be offending or anything, but I'm just offering what I've experienced when working with those particular brands.

Sorry if my post has violated TOS 8, though. I would edit it out if possible, but evidently I am edit time-limited.

Overall, I'll offer you this much, though: You get what you pay for. Behringer of course is a good deal, but low prices always take cuts, including durability and quality.

And another correction to what I said earlier: The Behringer apparently has phantom power. Don't see where the switch is on the mixer, but the feature listing says it has phantom power.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #5 –
Quote from: tropicalfish on
Hey there! New here.

I've never worked with those specific mixers, but I find personally that the Mackies have better build quality and that the preamps sound better. Not to mention, that between the two you are looking at, the Mackie has more features such as Low Cut (high pass filter) and impedance matching (acts similarly to a DI box). It also offers phantom power, if ever you wish to use condenser microphones on it. The VU/Peak meter also has more LEDs so setting gain levels on your microphones would be a bit easier.

The Behringer on the other hand, is like 50 dollars cheaper and has one more stereo line input than the Mackie.

Depends on what you are looking for and what you need, really. If you are only using it to mix stereo or mono line inputs, but not microphones, the Behringer will be a good cheap option for you.



Yeah, I like the fact that the Mackie has more LEDs on the level meter. All other things being equal, that might be a good reason for spending the extra $ right there. The four LEDs on the Behringer are very minimal. I also would gladly trade one stereo line input for an additional mic input. The phantom power thing is also a plus.

Like I said, I've had the Behringer for a while (I'm on my second XENYX 502 actually since the first one suffered the same fate but was replaced under warranty), and I like it a lot. Especially for the price.

I suppose I could just upgrade to a XENYX 802 or 1002 if I just wanted that extra mic input and I'd still end up spending about $40 less than the Mackie. But I don't really need all those extra stereo line inputs on those and I prefer the ultra compact footprint of the XENYX 502 and the Mackie 402.

Decisions... decisions...

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #6 –
How do you know it was a static electric jolt that took it out?
If the same problem repeated twice, it would seem to be a flaw of that particular model? o.O

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #7 –
Quote from: tropicalfish on
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Quote from: tropicalfish on
Hey there! New here.

I've never worked with those specific mixers, but I find personally that the Mackies have better build quality and that the preamps sound better.


Looks like a TOS 8 violation!

Quite difficult to ABX two different brands of mixers when you usually find them at completely different locations, and when working with live audio with different setups makes it nearly impossibly to play test samples.


I'm not buying any of that. These mini-mixers are audio components that are highly portable. cost under $100 each and literally fit on the hand.  They are among the easiest to ABX of all electronic components that I can think of.

Now if you were talking about the classic 50 channel mixers of the days of old that filled most of a control room, then you'd have a point.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #8 –
Quote from: tropicalfish on
The Behringer apparently has phantom power. Don't see where the switch is on the mixer, but the feature listing says it has phantom power.


Yeah that's weird. It says so here: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/502.aspx but there is no switch on the unit in the photos.

But it also says it's a "new addition". Maybe the new ones have the switch for phantom power and the photos are outdated. Mine certainly doesn't have a switch, but mine is a couple years old. Is this something that could "auto-sense" and switch itself on without a physical switch on the unit?

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #9 –
Quote from: tropicalfish on
How do you know it was a static electric jolt that took it out?
If the same problem repeated twice, it would seem to be a flaw of that particular model? o.O


Well, I felt the shock go right into my ear and it was painful. I think it is a flaw in the ground wiring in my apartment, not a flaw in the mixer. Varying degrees of static electrical shocks are something that happen frequently in my apartment. It just took a particularly bad shock to fry the mixer both times. I've just switched to wireless headphones as a work around until I move.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #10 –
Does it really matter what you'll get since it seems the like the problem is not the mixer but rather your wiring?  You're just as likely to have the Mackie die a premature death.  Get a good power filter. Plus, can't you save the mixer and and just split the line out to a headphone amp?  It would save a few bucks.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Quote from: tropicalfish on
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Quote from: tropicalfish on
Hey there! New here.

I've never worked with those specific mixers, but I find personally that the Mackies have better build quality and that the preamps sound better.


Looks like a TOS 8 violation!

Quite difficult to ABX two different brands of mixers when you usually find them at completely different locations, and when working with live audio with different setups makes it nearly impossibly to play test samples.


I'm not buying any of that. These mini-mixers are audio components that are highly portable. cost under $100 each and literally fit on the hand.  They are among the easiest to ABX of all electronic components that I can think of.

Now if you were talking about the classic 50 channel mixers of the days of old that filled most of a control room, then you'd have a point.

I was talking about the particular brands in general, which use similar preamps across the scale of products that the respective brands offer.

But I see your point. I'll have to be more careful with this TOS 8 thing.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #12 –
Quote from: toronado455 on
Quote from: tropicalfish on
The Behringer apparently has phantom power. Don't see where the switch is on the mixer, but the feature listing says it has phantom power.


Yeah that's weird. It says so here: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/502.aspx but there is no switch on the unit in the photos.

But it also says it's a "new addition". Maybe the new ones have the switch for phantom power and the photos are outdated. Mine certainly doesn't have a switch, but mine is a couple years old. Is this something that could "auto-sense" and switch itself on without a physical switch on the unit?


Auto-sensing the need for phantom power could be possible, but I've never seen an implementation of it.

More likely would be to simply provide phantom power all the time, as it generally causes no problems if not needed.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #13 –
Quote from: dreamliner77 on
Does it really matter what you'll get since it seems the like the problem is not the mixer but rather your wiring?  You're just as likely to have the Mackie die a premature death.  Get a good power filter. Plus, can't you save the mixer and and just split the line out to a headphone amp?  It would save a few bucks.


Power filtering and damage from electro static discharges (ESD) are worlds apart. Resistance to ESD is also different from power line surges.

So neither a power line noise filter nor a power line surge absorber can add ESD resistance to a piece of equipment. ESD can destroy equipment that isn't even close to a power line.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Quote from: dreamliner77 on
Does it really matter what you'll get since it seems the like the problem is not the mixer but rather your wiring?  You're just as likely to have the Mackie die a premature death.  Get a good power filter. Plus, can't you save the mixer and and just split the line out to a headphone amp?  It would save a few bucks.


Power filtering and damage from electro static discharges (ESD) are worlds apart. Resistance to ESD is also different from power line surges.

So neither a power line noise filter nor a power line surge absorber can add ESD resistance to a piece of equipment. ESD can destroy equipment that isn't even close to a power line.


This is what I'm thinking too. I've already got surge suppression on my equipment. I don't see how adding power filtering is going to protect against ESD. My landlord isn't going to fix the grounding in the building either, so I simply need to relocate.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #15 –
Quote from: dreamliner77 on
Does it really matter what you'll get since it seems the like the problem is not the mixer but rather your wiring?  You're just as likely to have the Mackie die a premature death.


Good point. I should probably not risk spending the extra $ on equipment until I after I relocate to a place with better grounding.

OTOH, I've got <1 year left on my lease, and if the warranty on the Mackie is at least 1 year, should it suffer the same fate I could always get a replacement, right?

Quote from: dreamliner77 on
Get a good power filter. Plus, can't you save the mixer and and just split the line out to a headphone amp?  It would save a few bucks.


Re: splitting the line out... the cost of a separate headphone amp defeats the purpose. My mixer IS my headphone amp.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #16 –
I thought the lower end Behringers weren't grounded anyway? It shouldn't make a difference then.

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #17 –
Quote from: toronado455 on
Quote from: dreamliner77 on
Does it really matter what you'll get since it seems the like the problem is not the mixer but rather your wiring?  You're just as likely to have the Mackie die a premature death.


Good point. I should probably not risk spending the extra $ on equipment until I after I relocate to a place with better grounding.

OTOH, I've got <1 year left on my lease, and if the warranty on the Mackie is at least 1 year, should it suffer the same fate I could always get a replacement, right?

Quote from: dreamliner77 on
Get a good power filter. Plus, can't you save the mixer and and just split the line out to a headphone amp?  It would save a few bucks.


Re: splitting the line out... the cost of a separate headphone amp defeats the purpose. My mixer IS my headphone amp.



Headphone amp:
http://www.amazon.com/Fiio-E3-Headphone-Am...1885&sr=8-2

You could also try grounding the chassis of the mixer to help with ESD problems.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

Mackie 402-VLZ3 vs. Behringer XENYX 502

Reply #18 –
Quote from: toronado455 on
Quote from: tropicalfish on
The Behringer apparently has phantom power. Don't see where the switch is on the mixer, but the feature listing says it has phantom power.

Yeah that's weird. It says so here: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/502.aspx but there is no switch on the unit in the photos.
But it also says it's a "new addition"...

It's possible that my own recently arrived 502 is an older model, but there absolutely isn't an option for phantom power on mine- it's not shown in the wiring diagram, and there isn't a switch for it. A lot of their documentation, including the "user manual", tries to cover the entire family of models in a single document (i.e. 502, 802, 1002, and 1202), so I'll SWAG that it's probably missing an asterisk about "feature not included in model 502". (BTW, the option to run via batteries isn't present in the 502, either.)

In any case, there has to be a switch for this: these lower-end Mixers are often used with unbalanced microphones, and sending +v8V phantom power down a cable where pin 1 (ground) and pin 3 (-ve) have been bridged leads to catastrophe, VERY quickly.