Behringer Eurodesk

After a lengthy wait, Behringer's 48/24 dual input recording mixer is finally here. We take the wraps off this seductively priced 8‑bus console.

Judging by the number of phone calls we have received about this desk since it was first announced at the Frankfurt Musik Messe some 18 months ago, it is possibly the most eagerly‑awaited new recording product since the Alesis ADAT. Why? Doesn't the world already have enough mixers, especially ones without automation or MIDI muting? Perhaps it's because the music shops have been advertising Eurodesks for months, even though stocks have only just arrived, but what does seem to really intrigue the potential buyer is the fact that the Eurodesk is styled to look almost exactly like a Mackie 8‑bus console. Eurodesk's control layout differs from Mackie's in a couple of key areas, but the overall feature set, styling, colour scheme and layout is disturbingly similar — I don't think that even an infinite number of monkeys armed with an infinite number of CAD machines could have come up with two such similar designs without making a conscious decision to copy.

Currently, the Eurodesk is available in a 24:8:2 format with the usual in‑line monitoring and split grouping arrangement that has become the norm for small studio consoles. All the audio connections, other than the mic inputs, are on jacks, and all the main line inputs, group outputs, and stereo mix outputs are electronically balanced. The remaining aux send/return and insert connections are unbalanced — as is the control room monitor feed, the channel direct outs, and the studio outputs. Insert points are fitted to all the main channels, groups, and the main stereo output.

The Eurodesk is non‑modular in construction and the entire front panel is fabricated from a single piece of heavy sheet steel. Plastic end‑cheeks help soften the utilitarian styling while the familiar 'non‑stick pan' metallic paintwork, grey buttons, and Mackie‑like knobs lend the desk a cool, purposeful air. All 24 channels have balanced mic inputs on XLRs and these may be phantom‑powered in blocks of eight, via switches on the top panel, though no phantom power warning LEDs are provided, which I find just a touch unsettling.

No channel expander is currently available, though connections are provided which, apparently, enable the Eurodesk to be used with expanders from other manufacturers or, indeed, with a second Eurodesk. There's no meter bridge available as yet either, but meter bridge connectors are installed in readiness. Now I wonder where you might find a meter bridge that would fit? Hmm!

Like most multitrack consoles, the Eurodesk is powered from an external PSU; in this case, a generous 3U, fan‑cooled unit connected to the desk via a substantial, locking connector. Though the fan was reasonably quiet, the transformer in the review model was rather noisy which, although it doesn't affect the audio quality in any way, does constitute an irritating source of acoustic hum.

Channel Design

The Eurodesk channel has three input sources: Mic, Line, and Mix B — the latter referring to the secondary channel path, sometimes called the Monitor channel on other desks. Mix B is normally connected to the corresponding multitrack output for monitoring while track‑laying, but at mixdown it may be used as an additional line input for sequenced instruments and such‑like.

Unlike the Mackie 8‑bus console, which has one fully parametric EQ section, Behringer has taken the more conventional route of providing a 4‑band EQ with sweep mids, but they've also fitted a basic 2‑band EQ to the Mix B channel path, so you don't have the hassle of splitting the EQ when you undertake a complex mix. Still, you do have to share the aux sends between the Main and Mix B channel paths which is, I feel, one of the major limitations of the in‑line concept in general. Even so, you get four physical aux send controls, which are routable to six aux send buses, and the second pair of sends may be switched into either the Main or Mix B channel paths.

An input Flip switch means that the Main and Mix B inputs may be swapped without the need to repatch, and an additional neat twist is that if you don't need the Mix B channels to provide additional inputs at mixdown, you can switch them to accept a post‑fade feed from the Main channel. This enables them to function instead as additional, EQ'able effects sends. A switch in the master section disconnects the Mix B outputs from the stereo bus, allowing the signal to be taken to the outside world via the Mix B output jacks. Both the Main channel and Mix B paths are fitted with Mute buttons, though only the main channel has a Solo facility.

The rest of the channel is pretty conventional with a standard Pan and routing button system for directing the channel signal to either the stereo bus or to the groups. Both the Mute and Solo buttons have warning LEDs, but since these are located to the extreme right of the channel strip, I found myself mentally associating them with the buttons in the next channel along — very confusing.

Long‑throw, 100mm, carbon faders control the channel signal level with the routing buttons spaced down the right‑hand side of the fader. As usual, there is almost no visual distinction between a routing button that's up and one that's down, so you spend the first few minutes of every session with your head on one side sighting down the mixer to check the routing. The Main channels are clearly numbered 1‑24 while the Mix B sections are numbered 25‑48. A small thing, but very helpful nevertheless.

Top panel jack sockets handle the Mic, Line, Direct Channel Out and Inserts, while the rear panel provides the Input B Tape Return jacks. There are also two BNC sockets fitted, which accept standard goose‑neck lights. The tape return levels may be switched from ‑10dBv to +4dBu in blocks of eight, by means of rear panel buttons, but notable by its absence from this desk is a channel phase switch.

Master Section

Like most recording consoles, the Master section is pretty busy, but everything is split into neatly boxed‑off areas to make navigation simple. For example, all six Aux Send Master level controls are grouped together above the Mix B level control and the associated button that assigns Mix B to the main stereo mix. All six sends have Solo buttons but there is only one Solo LED for the whole section, rather than one per switch.

Eurodesk's I/O, meters and Master section.

The Eurodesk also has six stereo returns, the first two of which have both level and balance controls as well as full routing to either the main mix or groups. The second pair of returns have only a level control and may be routed to either of the two headphone outputs or to the main mix. This arrangement provides an easy way of placing effects in the performer's headphone mix without having to record the effects to tape. The third and final pair of returns route only to the stereo bus and have only level controls. All six stereo returns have Solo buttons but there are only two Solo LEDs, one for all the odd‑numbered returns and one for all the even‑numbered returns.

Unusually for a desk of this size, there are two independent headphone outputs, each of which may be fed from a different source or mix of sources. The possible sources in each case are: Control Room, Mix B, Aux 3‑4, Aux 5‑6, and External. There's also a Solo button to help you check what's going to the headphones if you happen not to be the one wearing them, and each headphone outlet has its own level control.

The main studio monitor outputs may also be fed from a choice of sources: Main Mix, Mix B, 2‑Track Return or External (which could be another 2‑track return or indeed any other stereo line source). There's also a Mono button for checking that the mix sounds fine in mono, without affecting the main stereo mix outputs. If a Solo button is pressed, the solo'd signal overrides the control room source selection; in PFL mode, the pre‑fade solo'd signal level is shown on the main stereo meters. Separate level controls are provided for feeding the control room and studio; as with the headphones, several source buttons may be selected simultaneously.

...the Eurodesk incorporates many really good features and the audio performance compares well with other 8‑bus consoles...

I've already mentioned that the console can work in PFL or Solo mode, the difference being that in Solo mode all non‑solo'd signals are muted in the control room mix, leaving the solo'd signal in isolation at its original level and pan position. In PFL mode, however, the solo'd signal is monitored before the channel fader (so the channel fader has no effect on its level), and the signal is heard in mono. This can be useful for checking the quality of a signal prior to switching it into the main mix, but is more commonly used to optimise the input mic and line levels. A Solo Level control is provided, with a centre detent at the unity gain position, and a main Solo LED indicates that one or more Solo buttons is pressed down somewhere on the console.

Unless you're operating a one‑room studio, you'll need talkback, and the Eurodesk includes a built‑in mic capsule that can be used to talk directly into the Aux 1, Aux 2, Groups, or Studio and Phones output. You wouldn't normally use talkback during a mix, but it can be useful to record the song title or other notes on the multitrack tape prior to the song start, hence the inclusion of Group talkback amongst the destination options. Engaging the Talkback button dims the control room monitors by 20dB to minimise the risk of feedback, and as usual the Talkback buttons have a momentary action, preventing you from leaving them on by mistake.

The Eurodesk has 10 bargraph meters mounted behind a single perspex panel, eight for the group outputs and two for the main stereo output levels. Directly below these are the group faders and the single stereo mix fader. Above each group fader is a button to route it into the stereo mix, the nominal system being that odd groups are routed left while even groups are routed right. However, a further Mono button allows any group to be positioned centrally in a mix which, short of going the whole hog and fitting Pan pots, is a pretty good compromise. All eight groups have Solo buttons, but again, these all share one Solo LED.

Behringer Eurodesk rear panel connectivity.

Euro Performance

A glance through the spec sheet shows noise and distortion figures that compare well with other mid‑priced 8‑bus consoles, and indeed noise was never a problem during use provided that the input gains were set up properly — something that some users still neglect to do, regardless of what mixer they own. Even the mic inputs are very quiet unless the gain is turned fully up, in which case a little noise is in evidence if you listen for it.

I found the signal path to be generally clean with no subjective difference in sound quality whether the EQ was set to neutral or switched out, and if the signal is routed to the stereo bus via a group rather than directly, the sound again remains consistent. It's worth noting that the Eurodesk has a very wide frequency response, which is now generally accepted as helping maintain a transparent sound.

One highly subjective area of any mixer is the EQ, and here I'm glad to say that you get both quality and quantity. The Eurodesk's shelving controls behave much like any well designed shelving filters, and the frequencies chosen are typical of those used on many other desks. However, the mid controls have far more range than you'd expect from a non‑splittable EQ, which leads me to believe that the original design was intended to be part of a split system. Because the high mid can be tuned up to 20kHz, it's quite possible to add a hump between 12 and 18kHz to crispen up a mix without making it sound edgy — a nice alternative to using the shelving High control sometimes. Both the low and lower mid EQ sections also work perfectly well and the bass end has a nice, warm, rounded feel to it while still remaining reasonably tight. Having a lower mid control that goes right down to 50Hz is, however, a real bonus and provides far more control over the bass end than a lower mid that stops at around 250Hz (which some do).

Functionally, the Eurodesk is pretty conventional and the fact that the aux sends are centre‑detented at unity gain, with 15dB of extra gain in hand, can be useful on some occasions — though the idea of centre‑detented gain pots is not exactly original. Being able to use Mix B as an additional stereo aux send is a nice option, as is the provision of two separately‑sourced headphone outputs, but I rather miss not having a Mute LED on the Mix B channels, and the lack of a phase invert switch can be an irritation if you're trying to sort out a multi‑mic setup or would like to experiment with M&S mic techniques.

Plus points include the six stereo aux returns, which takes the total number of available inputs up to 54. Since expander inputs are provided for everything bar the Solo bus, you can use a submixer with the Eurodesk without having to give up any of your channel inputs or aux returns — you can even have the aux buses linked so that both mixers can make use of the same effects units without complications.

Vote Of Confidence?

It would appear that very few corners have been cut to bring this console to market at such an attractive price and the Eurodesk incorporates many really good features. The audio performance compares well with other 8‑bus consoles, most of which cost rather more, but I really can't understand why the manufacturers felt the need to take the controversial step of hi‑jacking another manufacturer's styling. I know that in the world of guitars it happens all the time, but when it comes to mixers, it just seems out of place and may even engender mistrust amongst some potential buyers.

That said, the build quality seems fine; the EQ facilities haven't been compromised to provide enough aux sends, or vice versa; and the EQ really sounds very good indeed. So, what's the bottom line for all those viewers at home awaiting a verdict?

At the asking price (£2299), the Eurodesk has better facilities than you might reasonably expect, the audio path is clean with plenty of headroom, the EQ is good both tonally and in range, and you get plenty aux sends, all of which can be switched to post‑fade for use as effects sends. The facilities provided are in the main sensible rather than gratuitous 'bells and whistles', and the styling is excellent (if not entirely original). Though there is plenty of competition in this price range, the Eurodesk would seem to have been worth the long wait. I take my hat off to the designers — whoever they are.