My 2pc band is moving to digital - finally - and this Ui12 was one of the options. From what I have read about it across several honest reviews, I think we'll give it a miss. Thanks for your hard work in revealing the problems. I always believed Soundcraft to be unbreakable, but it seems they dropped the ball with this one - yet, it is still available in 2024.
I have the ui12. And i have never experienced any of these issues. In the previous firmware version, i had some bad connection issues. With new firmware, no issues. Works great for me
I got my UI12 just over a year ago, and LOVE the Unit. Anyone who says you can't get a good mix with this unit, should maybe get their ears checked. My band uses this mixer three times a week, sometimes more. The effects and other features of the unit is outstanding, and I have compared it to other similar products on the market. The Soundcraft wins in my opinion. Will be upgrading to the UI16 or the UI24R in the near future.
Thanks for the balanced perspective, it is very valuable. I bought the UI-12 regardless because my local StoreDJ offers no questions asked return within 30 days, so I figured I had 30 days to test and return if I got a noisy interface. My first show with the UI-12 (acoustic guitar, vocals, some backing tracks via the Player) was awesome, I loved the sound and functionality. Then I got the UI-12 home and played around some more. I got some noise on Channel 1! I was worried, I loved the live sound (couldn't hear the noise at all, very noisy restaurant) and the features so much that I didn't want to believe that the input was noisy. I switched guitar leads. The noise was still there. Then I switched input channels from 1 to 2, and the noise was still there, identical on the RTA, with no effects turned on. I was more worried. I turned up the noise gate - the noise was still visible on RTA, but no longer audible. I played the guitar for a while, the noise gate didn't interfere with my sound. Then I switched guitars - it was the guitar output plug on my main live guitar that was noisy!!!! Phew. I've tested all the ports/inputs on the mixer, it seems golden at this stage. I'll get a couple more shows in before the 30 days are up, to make sure of it, but I'm feeling fortunate. Sorry that you weren't also fortunate with your unit.
The band that I’ve been playing in for the last 2 years has a ui 16 the only problem is the internal WiFi we changed to a external router never had anymore problems. We play at least 4 gigs a week inside and outside. I myself have just bought a ui16 and really like the sound of the mixer.
I have the same unit. Firmware up to date, and use external router. None of the issues you are experiencing. Warranty time. Rock solid performance for me. Also, I am going to purchase the Ui24 next month. IEC with earth ground, VCA, Matrix mixing. 20 xlr inputs, 8 aux outs, Studer Revox pre amps. 2.4ghz and 5ghz internal wifi. HDMI out for monitor/usb keyboard and usb mouse all direct connect.
Stuart McDoniel I'm glad to hear it's working out for you, it's a really awesome little tool. I'd love to hear your thoughts after you've had the Ui24 for a while! Stay in touch.
I took a hard look at the X32 rack and it appears I can do the same with the Ui24 with routing inputs and outputs. I love the Soundcraft interface. Heads up if you apply the latest firmware you will be able to use the front USB port to directly record the show in 32bit or 24bit on the Ui12. I had a lot of the issues you talk of before I upgraded the firmware, I never did see the noise issue you have. I assume you re-terminated all the connectors inside of your unit? Also, for me the Ui12 does NOT hand out a dhcp ip address to the laptop terminated in the ethernet ports. I had to configure the internal nic in the laptop manually to connect to the Ui12. Just plugging in a laptop and expecting it to connect is a no go.
Been using my XR18 for a year and I love it. Very reliable and easy to use. I have used it with an android phone, android tablet, a macbook pro, windows 7 laptop, windows 8 PC and an ipad, all working great!!! Really no complains. For better wireless experience use an external router or an acces point. I use a cheap one from TPlink and it works amazing for the price
I sold my XR18 to a friend who ended up getting a lot more use out of it, but that was before several large firmware updates. I liked it, and I'm looking at buying two XR12s soon.
The Ui12 & Ui16 are completely different under the hood. Good to hear yours is working well, the 16 & 24 seem to be universally liked by the folks who own them.
@@DcSoundOp Thanks for the clarification there. I also have a Xr18 and an older presonus Rm32ai with the Cs18ai control surface. I like all 3 but they all have there own deals.
I use a U16 in a live venue. I have very mixed feelings about it. Initially like you it was brilliant and impressive sounding. After that we had multiple problems, mainly with the connection. Dropouts and software freezes were frequent and sometimes even the Ethernet was unreliable. Since then we have upgraded the aerial (that really helped) and a firmware update and things have been good. As you say the functionality is attractive. Luckily we have had no noise issues so maybe it is a quality control issue but I have to say I would never go out with one without an analogue back-up. Unlike some others I found your video reasonable and balanced and a valuable contribution to the use and development of these products.
Got my Ui24 really recently, and it seems extremely reliable so far. I've used it every day since I got it, and even been using it for stuff like watching youtube, just to test it and wait to see if any problems do come up before I use it in a live or studio situation. Had absolutely no issues so far, haven't even had the hotspot go down or had any connection problems. It seems that everything under the ui24 like the ui16 and ui12 are just quite bad, but the ui24 is much better. It shows how it is better in the price, being much more expensive. I got mine for $1600AU.
Thank you, your two videos just saved my working money. i Will spend them on something else. Your review is balanced enough and your tone is always civil
USB devices with separate floating ground, like battery operated laptops, have difficult ground loop EMI issues that are related to USB power. If devices have their own power the ground loops can to be broken with a device, for instance the iFi iDefender3.0. The problem will vary depending on the EMI environment. The second thing is unused inputs. They need to be off or turned completely down, or they can pick up EMI. This is an easy thing to test.
First of all, if you going to rely on precision there is only one device touch sensitive enough with the built in Wi-Fi range that will allow the mixer not to crash, and that is the I-Pad Pro. I took off the supplied Arial and fitted a larger one … No issues in over 50 gigs. PS: Firmware update makes a big difference.
I had a Ui 16 that I really wanted to like, but after struggling for 2 weeks to keep the WiFi connected I returned it. It's like driving a car that could lose it's brakes at any time - and it does. There is no way that I would use it in a live setting where reliability is a MUST. That being said, if (when) they come out with the 16 channel version that is redesigned in the new spec, I would definitely consider purchasing again.
I love the ease and compactness of these digital mixers. But then, there are still some frustrations to our digital world when something internal goes haywire. This is why I still keep around my analog 16 channel rackable mixer with some processing units all in one rack case. When I have enough space in the audience- I would still use my good-old, faithful setup!
wow... I have a UI 28 still havent unpack still virgen. as you said we can tolerate problems like no connection or lost connection from the wiereless, but... noise on channels is something you can tolerate... great content...
The Ui-24 and this Ui-12 are fundamentally a different design. Lots of people are very happy with their Ui-24 mixers and you shouldn't let this video affect your opinion before you try the one you have. Thanks for watching!
I have a brand new Sound Craft UI16 digital mixer that I just connected for the first time. Problems right out of the box include channel 12 DOA with a little red X on the channel. Also, all the 12 input channels have hiss when using mics at a volume that can be heard. I will have to return this one.
David O'Donnell same with mine. I even never update the firmware.. yes the connection sometimes is not stable. But its fine after you re enter or refresh the browser.. so in this price range this mixer is beast and can’t go wrong with it. Hands down
Rob Smith Absolutely, I really wanted it to be a good mixer. It seems like a mixed bag, many people contact me and say they’ve had a great experience, and many say they had the same issues I had. There is a Facebook group of almost 400 people who have had issues, and then another group of people who love it... go figure. I’m glad your mixer is working well for you, as I said in the video, it’s a really awesome concept and I genuinely do appreciate what they were trying to create. Thanks for watching & thanks for the message!
I've used mine with zero issues for over 200 hundred wedding ceremonies and having video companies patch in and get high regards from clients and videographers. No channel 3 issues for me
Ui16 user. I just figured the problem out with noise. Has to have balanced xlr. I had several channels showing large levels of noise even with nothing hooked up. I used xlr main outs and noise is completely gone. I would bet money that the 1/4" main outs would be good to if your using TRS cables. If your using other rack mount equipment I would assume the whole chain needs balanced cables all the way to the amp. Soundcraft uses external power supply with no ground. Is this the issue? Who knows but I am very happy now. Glad I didn't return but disappointed I spent weeks working on a solution. If your going to use xlr to 1/4" make sure 1/4" side is balanced TRS and not TS.
This goes for everything, not anything exlcusive to this mixing desk (or box, whatever). Unbalanced cables don't cancel out the noise picked up along the cable so you'll pretty much always have added noise with them.
@@snakeface5652 I agree, although I did an experiment. Used unbalanced cables at different places and the noise varied greatly from one place to another. Ranging from non-existent to so loud it was unusable. Bottom line just use balanced cables.
Just saw this video. I have 3 UI series mixers, a Si 32 and an Expression 1. We replaced those with Behringer xAir units and the Midas M32. I haven't had the noise issues on the UI but I do notice frequent control and display lags using the built in hot-spot Seems like every 60 seconds or so on a iOS device, the GUI will freeze for a second. My biggest user gripe is that the units can not operate in a installed environment as you lose the ability to connect after a day or so, having to power cycle the unit to re-establish a connection, even when wired. My biggest owner complaint is Harman's disinterest in supporting their products. I was told "that's just the way it is!" one too many times by their support dept regarding my issues. The last straw was when we added the overrated "Blu Link" module when we upgraded to IEM and basically had to set the console up from scratch with a firmware update where the config backups could not be applied, thus the Music Group products now in use.
I'm glad I stuck with my Behringer X-Air mixer. Just over a year old, I finally had my first trouble with it. The last venue I was at had way too much wifi interference and kept having lost connections. Finally decided to go wired. Pleased to see that iPad ethernet adapter works flawlessly with the X-Air.
Have 2 ui16 never had issues. I do have a external modem in the flight case with it for 5G and wired connection as I do find the built in WiFi very weak
I have had mine for 3 years. and I will be honest it works great. I did the update as directed. I don't understand how yours is so messed up. I use mine every day for shows. SO I got a good one. Of course I would like a QSC but until then this is working fine for me.
I'm happy to hear you've had good success with your Lazarus. I really really did want this to be a more reliable product. FIY, Harman (i.e. Samsung) just recently disbanded the team that designed, developed and supported the Ui Series mixers... I'm watching to see how this affects future support & firmware releases. Thanks for the message, I hope your Ui keeps working well for you, they are really cool little boxes when they work.
There are tons of folks with great things to say about the Ui-24 & Ui-16. If you’re really into these, it might be worth checking those forums and see what people are saying about the current versions etc. I haven’t kept up with them super close honestly, but folks do like them. All the best!
@@DcSoundOp totally agree! The only negative and repetitive comment is the random noise appearing on different channels. I'm just waiting for that to get fixed so I can grab a unit of my own actually 😜
You are not alone with your problems, my mixer (Ui12) just started to generate some noise on channel 6 (especially when phantom power is turned on - the noise reaches without anything attached -6db on moderate gain). Hopefully a replacement unit won't have this problem...
My Ui16 completely hung me out last night during a live auction fund raiser event. As soon As the auction started I lost connection to the mixer and was forced to listen to an auctioneer speak through a wireless mic that was not eq ‘d the way I would have liked. Thank god it was on! Every gig I have used this for which is smaller stuff I’ve had to restart the mixer in order to reconnect. I have used my Mackie DL32 for my big band for 4 years now and it has been marvelous. Rock solid! I’m now researching ways to make this more reliable. Bigger antenna, external router, direct connection to my iPad? Any and all opinions are welcome. Thanks
All of the brands associated with Harmon Audio now (JBL,Sound Craft, DBX, Digi Tech, Harmon Kardon, Lexicon, plus more) seem to disappoint. Harmon bought them all and is simply putting those logos on crap products. Those names used to mean so much, but not any longer. As a rule if it reads "by Harmon" I stay far away.
I do understand that this product wasn't designed by soundcraft, but they have their name on it as well as dbx, lexicon, and digitech, which makes it seem like a solid unit. After having it fail multiple times, Im not a fan of replacing a console with an iPad or laptop. I run a Si Expression which does have a remote app, but if I loose connection, I still have the console. For $300 it's a great toy, but if your out doing real gigs, look at a compact digital desk. Maybe great for a one time install, but out on the road-no.
Buy the MIDAS MR18, and you will have a stagebox mixer with fantastic sounding preamps (MIDAS PRO preamps). A very good WiFi connection. I used it in several LIVE conditions, and it is just amazing. So if you want to try/buy good digital stagebox mixing, buy the MIDAS MR18 :)
I wish you'd done the sound at the festival I played at this week-end. What a mess - the sound-man must have been stoned or deaf. If you've made music for awhile, and I have, you know the soundman can make you or break you. As for your video review, thank you so much - I was tempted to buy one of these units for our small band, until I saw your video and read the comments. Guess I'll stick with my old Alesis analog mixer.
Your Review Is Spot On!! I have Lock Wifi unit presently .. 35 years in the business.. can't figure it out... What a Joke!! 2015 Model. 130hrs of use.. Very Sad Product!!
Everything about Ui is good...Except the fact you need a web browser to use it (control it). Where you can run into issues (with that idea) is when Firefox , Chrome , Edge , etc , update/patch their browser(s) , and those updates or patches are not compatible with the Ui (Firmware-wise).
I just accepted a small remote podcast gig for a friend. He sent photos of all the equipment in the local rack and there was the Ui12, which I've never used. I looked it up and found this video. Now I'm thinking I'll bring a spare mixer. 😐
Some comments: (not withstanding you have a faulty unit that should be replaced) 1. Web Browser control has nothing to do with how solid your connection would be, you either have a connection or not. Apps controlling any device would fail just the same if you don't have a connection. 2. If I would have this type of noise on a channel, then it's a faulty channel, you should get your unit changed/repaired/looked at 3. Obviously the company the unit was loaned to did not know how to use it properly (not getting a connection at all via LAN means it was not setup correctly), if you can get it connected via CHROME BOOK it means the unit is working perfectly right (it cannot detect if it's a PC/Chrome Book /MAC etc connected to it... right? 4. Nothing Plugged INTO the mixer into a channel (or maybe just a cable)if you increase your GAIN to the MAX, it's going to amplify any RF in the area as it's not terminated (basically cable and electronics act as an antenna), it still would not PICK UP RADIO. A/ Why would you have a channel up with nothing connected to it. B/ I don't believe it picked up any radio station, sorry, electronically nothing inside that can do that unless they had audio coming from another source. 5. Again mentioning the BROWSER based mixed has nothing to do with the unit working OR NOT!! This shows a lack of understanding of the technology. Please also always mention which firmware version you are on. Besides this, I totally agree with you on many points but still it's obviously a faulty mixer as far as the channel noises you experienced and you should have it replaced.
Danny, I realize you work for Harman / Soundcraft, so I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment here. I know you have put in a lot of effort on Facebook answering users questions and helping with issues, and I know everyone appreciates that too. I would like to address your comments briefly though. 1. You are correct in that web control should be irrelevant to connection issues, but it's the ONLY way to control this mixer. When it crashes etc on this mixer, that's an issue. I think browser based mixing is an incredible idea & I would LOVE to see you put it on the Si series mixers in the future. I bought this mixer to see what you were doing with the browser & I praised the browser interface itself highly in the video. 2. I completely agree, but as I had only had it out on one gig at that point, I wanted to review it further. I assumed the bad channel was an anomaly and uncharacteristic at the time, and pressed on before sending it in. 3. The company I loaned it to is actually an Authorized Soundcraft dealer... so they kinda know a bit about working with your products. You are right of course, that if one computer will connect, so should another... but I can't tell a customer their computer 'should' connect, it needs to be as easy as opening up an app or browser and connecting. If you need an advanced class in networking to sort it out, it shouldn't be on a $300 mixer. (All of the people involved with this issue that day are WELL experienced with networked show control of other Harman products, and routinely use your Si series consoles, DBX driverack, JBL Vertec and Crown amplifiers on advanced show control networks. Oh...and we use that PC that wouldn't connect to the Ui - ALL THE TIME with these networks. 4. When I get a call from someone asking if it is normal to be hearing radio stations from the mixer with nothing plugged in, I believe them. They got to having channels up with nothing plugged in, by setting up their gig, powering up, realizing they have unpredicted noise, and working their way back to the mixer... unplugging things as they go, to find the fault. I have not been able to reproduce the radio stations here (in a different city then where the fault happened) but boy are those channels noisy now, metering random RF pops and noise consistently. You seem to be suggesting in one sentence that the console (will) amplify RF if not terminated, with the gain up etc... but then in the next suggest that you don't believe it because the unit is not electronically capable of amplifying a radio signal. I'm not following you there. Ultimately, I cannot tell (my) customers that I don't believe them when they have issues... a small mixer should work every time you plug it in. Soundcraft used to make the little Folio mixers, not the best or most expensive mixer, but man you could rely on it to work everyday. That's the kind of warm feeling we're looking for generally. 5. Again, the browser is the ONLY way to interact with this mixer... it is HUGELY tied in to weather the unit works or not. This shows a lack of understanding of what your customers have come to expect from your brand in terms of quality and reliability. Again, I appreciate your time in commenting here, it's is great to get to speak with you and I appreciate the knowledge and experience you bring to the table. I just received a message from Tom D. and I will be following up with him as well. Thanks again! S.
I am, as you know a very passionate person when it comes to anything technical so putting issues aside for a moment. In regards to connectivity we need to be very clear that all the mixers that use only an APP or HTML5 for connection and control are relying on a similar aspect. It would not make any difference if the control was via an APP or a HTML5 browser, that is my point. Focusing on the WEB BASED control is not right in my view. You can concentrate on it being a surface-less mixer, that's OK. I don't think it has anything to do with what customers expect, they just expect it to WORK (that I agree with you as well) but HTML5 web browser based application or a stand alone app, makes no difference at all. I would love to get a hold of the PC that had the issues connecting :-) If it has a current up to date browser installed and is of a newer generation (where a Xover cable would not be required for a direct connection to the Ui) then I could safely say it's a setting issue. Personally I have never heard of anyone having an issue connecting to a LAN connection. (I am not talking about losing connection but the initial setup and seeing the browser page). In regards to the RF point, to explain this clearly. With nothing connected to a MIC preamp (or just a cable) you have no termination and you create an antenna. When you add gain, you are basically amplifying noise, RF noise as well as the inherent noise in the electronics of the device. That's why when you measure a mic preamp you always terminate it with 150ohm (or so) resistors at the input. To the picking up of RADIO station, this is possible if they had unshielded cables or faulty cables as well. It's happened before (as I read many reports and forums) . It's to do with Ground Loops/Incorrect pins on XLR/TRS. I'll point to the recording.org Forum here: recording.org/threads/my-mixer-magically-picks-up-radio-help.38669/ Show less
Danny, I'm interning for an accredited test lab where I perform radiated emissions and immunity testing. Most companies don't provide the test results/reports for specific products from their testing; however, I would like to ask, what level of testing did this device go through, or do you know if there is a plan to have it tested for RI? There's got to be a way to design around having radio energy coupled onto the inputs such that it doesn't cause issue for the device. Curious on your thoughts.
Well it being a Harman product, Every test under the sun was done. If you understand Wifi certification processes it is different in many regions, we can't just do one test for RF and use it internationally. You have FCC(and several parts of it), R&TTE, JAPAN, KOREA, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil Anatel, etc etc etc. They all have different categories and different ways to test. We need a single version of firmware to work for all. (that's besides every other possible test for EMC, EMI etc). We cannot release a product to market before completing these tests and I am pretty sure that many other companies do not certify product to this level. Having said that, Certification of a product does not guaranty operation, it just means it's safe and allowed to be sold. These are very different things.
Well you just never know as you are aware of but I will say the Behringer Xair system has been very impressive for the money! Not a browser based mixer. But the app is free and easy to use! This is a concern in the industry as we have gone to cheap digital mixers!
Donald Fair The Behringer stuff is high on my list to test and review properly. I've used the x32 & x32rack and had positive experiences for their price points. My baseline for a cheap mixer is the old Mackie 1202 - I've known musicians who've all but destroyed those and still use them at gigs just fine. Reliability is huge at any price though.
I hear that! The XAir 12 will be in that similar $300.00 range that you are looking at. While the 18 will gegt you closer to the $600.00 area but all in all a really impressive unit for the price tag!. If you want I have one if you want to take a look anytime Im not that far from you here in Bedford, PA! Let me know!
Hey Donald, thanks for the offer. I've got a friend here in town who has one he'll loan me for a few days. I'm also keeping an eye out on eBay for one at a good price. Hopefully I'll be able to do a video soon!
2023! I wish I would't listen all this critics and buy one back in 2016 when it apear on a market. I use it for more than a year without problems (except wifi dropout) There is no competitor at this price/size/functionality
Ok, we are a pro audio and have the 12 and 16, if this twit had his gains up fine, but we have used these for hundreds of gigs, rentals and the boss's bands and other late night gigs. I could not get past the first minutes, these are dead silent if you set up the connection properly. These units have faults, i.e. digital delays not available (told from the company).
Great videos bro!! well.. i was really looking for someone like you who got some damn good experience with real pro-audio stuff at this level!! Glad I found you:) u just got another real subscriber!! Well, speaking about Soundcraft UI series i go 16 & ui24r and as you mentioned.. though i have very few challenges with them but they are a true digital mixer if you really know how these little smart beast works u know:). I know most of the people have problem with the built-in hotspot on this product and not being reliable; but i think its not really the product issue cause the product does have other ways to connect like wifi, ethernet which even Soundcraft have recommended in live scenario so, u need to know how to configure them. As i mentioned, i had ui 16 and now ui24r and i have both them configured with my wireless router (wifi) and have no signal issue whatsoever. I have used them in a live scenario at a medium size venue without a single second of signal drop! Other than, these boxes picking up some statics/noises when i hook-up an external audio (like a dj console, or laptop) or box they are just as good as Soundcraft SI Expression 3 (that we also have for bigger gig).
Hi, thanks for the message, I'm glad you're enjoying the videos! While I appreciate your comment, I'm going to have to disagree with you on the Ui series. They are in NO way in the same class of professional usability as the Si series mixers. The amount of issues with networking, audio, USB playback, random noises, random lockups & lack of feature implementation (HDMI) that these mixers have had is STAGGERING. I have never before seen a manufacturer banning people from their Facebook user groups with the frequency that takes place on the Ui groups. I have never before seen a manufacturer offering BETA firmware as the ONLY possibly fix for major issues for months and months on end. I have never seen a product so overwhelmingly unreliable be defended so vigorously on the public support pages by a single employee who also seems to have been the original designer whom Soundcraft purchased the mixer design from in the first place. I think it is incredible to watch the facbook groups (one of which I was banned from simply because someone else shared this video there). Every single day, there are more and more folks having major, show-stopping, reputation ruining issues with these mixers at live events... yet everyday there are fans of the product posting incredibly detailed accounts of how they've used the mixer at an event without getting screwed by it, celebrating the fact that it miraculously survived another gig without catastrophe. I'm sorry, I expect a mixer to work. If you have to write to the manufacturer to tell them how excited you are that their product didn't blow up in your face, how it kind of did what it was supposed to do without ruining your night, you've got some serious issues. Thanks again for the message, good luck with your Ui24.
My friend.. I am sorry i didnt mean to hurt your feelings;) or go against your feedback about this product i am sure you are lot more experienced than me in pro-audio productions.. what i was trying to share is my experience with them in my little world of live music for corporates. I am not disagreeing the point that they cannot be compared with my UI Expression 3 or similar professional digital board; but one thing really bothers me when people criticize (not you!!) such intelligent 4 generation smart equipment without the proper knowledge and ability. Well.. you may be the unlucky one to receive one of their incorrect manufactured one and i am sure all their certified dealer across the globe are very professional to replace it for you in no time. This is a 21st century and we are in pick of our innovations... think about a digital mixer can be hidden back of the stage and you can be anywhere in a venue ringing every bit of the sound + NO SNAKE or cat box with freaking cabling issue; well on top of it.. almost every musician on stage can have access to ring their monitors using their personal smart IOS or Android phone - is killing man. I dont think you get that anywhere!! BTW.. i am talking about small and medium live venues; for larger live concert ofcourse it has to be SI Expression or Performance. As mr. Stuart McDoniel also shared his experience about this product I am kinda agreed with him and with no offense bro.. a little misleading feedback about such intelligent equipment can really set the manufacturing company down for no reason and we are talking about Soundcraft here. But as i said, I am really glad i found you and besides UI;) series I am really excited to get in touch with you to learn more about pro-audio.. You doing an excellent job out there my friend.. keep posting your Videos.
I've used the 12ui almost every weekend with my band for over a year. I am the sound engineer. I run it through a power conditioner, and use my own router. I have never experienced any of these problems. I run mix from an Ipad, and the musicians run their monitor mix from their cell phone browser. Everything works flawlessly. Nothing but great reviews on my end... can't be beat for the price.
I was so contemplating this mixer for a while but after watching this I have to commend music group and the berhinger-midas bastard child that is the x32. I've used the x32 in an install environment with s16s for the past 4 years after our old Soundcraft GB8 blew its power supply, and what you said about it is spot on about behringer being on the ball about issues... Behringer gets a bad rep but that x32 has till this day been super reliable, so much so that I bought a x32 producer for my self for side gigs... def gunna be looking for something other than the soundcraft now..
If I was shopping for a small setup, I'd be seriously looking at an x32 Core and two of their 8Ch digi snake boxes. One box for local inputs and one for stage i/O and a single rack unit seems pretty damn impressive for the low cost.
That's awesome Victor, I've heard a LOT of positive reports about the Ui24, as they are built on a different foundation and architecture. Hope yours continues to rock for years to come, they are really cool little boxes. Thanks for the message & for watching!
Thanks for the message Caleb. Can you share any sources for these fixes, or even the acknowledgement of any specific issues by the manufacturer? Appreciate the info, thanks again!
I wonder if you were as disappointed as I was that the Ui24 got Automix capability while Expressions we're left in the dark ages... Behringer/Midas is really killing them on that feature at the mid range price point right now imho.
Yeah, I'm disappointed on the whole with how little consistency there is across the SoundCraft mixers these days... it's almost like they weren't designed by the same company.
well said, i got one also........ the basic audio quality suffers to me....... think of this as a learning device to get into digi mixers.... better ones :)
Ok question. In a church setting have 6 mics. Want the operator to be able to control from anywhere. What do you recommend? Recording capability old be good.
Hi Dr. Hughes... what kind of budget are you working with for this. How experienced is the operator (or are you looking for something church employees can all use?) and how large (physically and capacity) is the space *anywhere* you'd like to be able to have the operator roam. This quickly moves into coordinating with your iT department and deciding how much of that network they want to own vs. the media team being solely responsible. There are solutions for everything though, not to worry.
@@DcSoundOp my background aside from being a minister is as a Broadcast Engineer. Our church is acapella no bands no instruments just vocal. We rely on volunteers. I’m waiting on a Soundcraft ui-12. I move the sound equipment out of the furnace room to an unused classroom. So we can began to get past the complaints “ I can’t hear the announcements.” Building would probably seat 300 only around 50 dispersed in different areas. So not much budget. The current PA amps with 5 inputs I want to use as a PA amp only once I get the ui-12. Hope once get web browser control can add some eq and compression. I remember once adding an old CBS volumax to a church sound system it made a difference. If I could find an old Dourough (sp?) might help.
What model router are you using? Typically the WAN port would be used for bringing the internet into the network or connecting to a wider network, and individual clients like a laptop or mixer would be connected to the LAN ports or over WiFi. Let me know where you're stuck though, maybe I am misunderstanding the question. All the best.
I've heard a lot of people having problems with the UI12 and UI16, but again the new UI24r have been getting a lot of possitive respons. My band bought the UI24r and have been gigging with it for 3 months now, we use it in the practise room to record new songs and ideas, and it really shines. I was very concerned with buying the UI24r after reading the bad reviews on UI12/16 but my fears are gone now. The format of stagebox consoles have a ton of great uses for us and we are really happy with it. Hopes are that Soundcraft makes a UI12r and UI16r updates to the series. Beeing a tech user and IT professional/teacher at my day job i have seen new technology fail over and over again, but usualy the next generation fixes a lot. So I really encourage people to look at the UI24r, maybe you don't need 20 bal/unbal channels, USB 2 track and RCA 2 track, but the unit is great to work with and hopefully, we will see the smaller boxes get an "r" update soon :-)
Simon Møbjerg Nielsen Hey Simon, great to hear your Ui24 has been working for you! I'm curious to hear if you've been following the Ui24 user group on Facebook though? I've been watching since its release & the problems folks have reported are identical & just as frequent as the issues with the Ui12 & 16.
I am in the group yeah. But mostly i see people making mistakes, rather than the device gets faulty. Luckily they are quick to exchange the units. In my line of work i get a lot of bad reviews of different products, but it's more and more rare people are sharing their good experiences. I bought a lot of items that had bad reviews because they did for me what i should use them for, and as a result i have had to return around 5-6 % that was faulty. It is becoming more and more frequent to get faulty items. Our technology are on a fast track, and sometimes too fast for some, which in many cases lead to faults made by the user. I know the UI series have had a percent wise bigger fault rate than any other series in the Soundcraft brand, but so far i have been lucky and 2 of my coworkers have bought it for their bands as well, and they had both faulty units, or so the thought ;-) I used a couple of hours with them, setting it up, explaining Digital "Gain" vs analogue gain and levels, output at much lower level through Aux to EIM and they got very well working units. One of the bad reviews i read was a guy putting it in a flightcase with heat-producing stuff around it with no active ventilation, and the unit got digital crackle on 2 channels after a month, but reading the manual, you really need to let it breath and even at some settings add fans to the mix. So i believe around 20-40% of faults are user based, people don't reading the manual, and people don't reading up on digital mixers vs analogue mixers :-) But that's just my opinion, that i base on a 15 years as a sound engineer / IT technician ;-)
I bought this mixer last week, and I followed directions to update the firmware, by downloading the zip file do not unzip leave as a zip file on a thumb drive. place the thumb drive into the player input for a thumb drive. already be logged in. Then the unit says it has found a firmware update do you want to install, click yes, and it installs. Maybe your thumb drive is not up to pare? I would try that, I updated the firmware with no problem. The only time I hear any noise is when the levels are set too high at some point. when running the sound in the green part of the VU meters no noise when it goes high into the yellow you can get digital clipping very easy. I hope you get the bugs worked out.
You're such a detailed oriented person, kudos kudos kudos!!! Thank you for all the details!! Btw, Dbx doesn't consider extremely high quality company... Mediocre at best.
I just picked up two Ui12 for install. Chose the Ui12 because it's simple to use and has functionability no other brand currently has and price. I'm aware there may be a possibility with issues in the networking, one of the main reasons I chose this model, but my initial testing shown no issue. If there is an issue with networking I'll simply install and direct wire a wireless router. As for noise and receiving radio stations I would suspect the unit in question was used in a difficult and noisy environment. And the engineer or tech should have been able to remedy it. Should I experience any of these issues related directly to the mixer I might post an update. I am thinking about installing fans within the mixers prior to install. Feel free to chime in on this.
Sounds like you’ve got a textbook case of choice-supportive bias: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice-supportive_bias - I’m not sure a fan would do much, I have not experienced or heard of these getting hot.
The Behringer is a better device as the routing, the ability to tweak the effects to death, and the fact that it has no limits in what you can do with it makes it a no brainer. Unfortunately Behringer is not available anywhere due to chip shortage, also the price went up considerably so the only option in this price range is the Ui12. I used it for 3 or 4 months last year and it is good really, no problems at all, however the limitations they baked into it are really annoying. As for the preamp noise, I measured it and compared with the XAir12, the noise is the same. Not an issue really.
We had to quit our gig last night. Our Soundcraft Ui16 just didn't create a hotspot just blinking all lights perpetually. It was initially working but lost connection at the middle of the gig and couldn't connect again. Tried power off power on multiple times. Tried resetting the device. We also tried to connect to it with a LAN cable but the computer gave Network Cable unplugged message. Any ideas?
Wow, rough night! I don’t think these units are up to the task of being relied upon personally. Loads of people report good results with the X-Air series from behringer if you want to stay with the same type. An external router is recommended with any device that has one built in, they are almost never reliable in real world use. All the best Tomi, let us know how it goes!
that's what Warranty is for... a friend of mine purchased a $60k Digico and it died after 3 weeks! anything mass produced has the possibility of failing. it's. proper branded product (not Behringer trash) and it's incredibly well priced. just get it replaced :)
great video agree with all comments. I've had a ui 16 for 18 months. worked perfectly every weekend for months then out of the blue the issues started, noisey preamps, lock outs, output channel dropouts. never constant but just to unreliable to use for its purpose. real shame as I loved this product initially and bought it because it was soundcraft not because of price point.
From the overwhelming amount of positive feedback I’ve heard from others, the xAir seems like a very safe bet for the money. I don’t have enough experience with them myself to give a personal recommendation. All the best!
Hi, nice video, thanks. Does this mixer will need an app connected to play if everyday I switch the unit on/off for the same setting and same input and output connected. Suppose for a fixed installation for prayer. Will the mixer play from last setup without app? Thanks
S.A.M Sound system Yes, the UI series should boot up to the last used settings each time power is cycled. I have not tested this thoroughly though, perhaps someone else here has experience with that type of use case. Thanks for the message!
good vid......... i fell for it also...... btw, do u know if this mixer will do gated snares? thats my goal 2day.... huge snare w/ the UI12 !!!!!! u are right, do not trust these....
I have heard this happening on the Ui12 and Ui16 as far as the router issues. A friend of mine bought the Ui24 years ago and he decided to use a external router on the safe side and had no issues with the the mixer in all areas including noisy mic preamps. Now I have heard of power supply issues on the 12 and 16. My question is when you made this video and you felt Soundcraft wasn't addressing the issues, was that during the time Samsung had bought Harmon and things were kinda crazy during the transition. Has Soundcraft fixed these problems since making this video? I'm just curious.
This video is only about the Ui-12. The Ui-16 and 24 are completely different designs from the 12 & we never tested those models. From what folks have said, they are quite good. This video was made a year after the Samsung purchase was announced, but I'll leave speculating about what was going on internally to those who were there. Thanks for watching Dave.
Mine was working fine till Google updated their browser and then it started having issues, I tried a few different browsers and some things worked and some things didn't. I spoke to Soundcraft and they just said try another browser... After a few emails back and forth and telling them I was running the most up to date PC and browsers, they said try a Mac... Basically they weren't interested or willing to except that there was a problem. They sell this on the fact it works with every browser, but it doesn't...
+Micah Muth I don't have any contacts at Soundcraft unfortunately and purchased this unit retail. I'll be going through the warranty process next to see if they can shed some light on the issues. I'll do another update as things progress. Thanks for watching!
Soundcraft Ui24R If this comment is in response to my saying I don't have any contacts at Soundcraft, you might note that it was posted prior to Danny and subsequently Tom reaching out to me. I responded to Danny publicly here in the comments for everyone to see our conversation in real time...
You have to take onboard that Danny is not only a Harman employee but the Owner of SMProAudio the original designers of the UI series. So he is quite protective of his product.
Man, your review is just worth GOLD!!! Loving it, being so correct and precise! I also like that you took the time and dismounted this crap, showing the shame inside! (looks like half of the components were stolen during production line ) I wish all other reviewers would learn from you. I should also mention, that every bloody money hungry crap selling compan should be put to shame (and poverty) by reviews like yours! Thank you!
Does anyone know if ui series can actually control independently the amount of reverb (FX) send to buses specifically to channel so that for example we don't listen enormous amounts of vocal channel one going to bus two setup of vocalist number two?
Christian Kuziara No doubt, lots of folks had good experiences with the Ui, lots of folks had the same experience I did. I think both are relevant to anyone interested in the whole story down the line. I’m happy it worked for folks & believe the Ui16 & 24 which were different designs to this one were much better all around. Like I said numerous times in this video, I really did like this mixer, but I stand by my review. Certainly didn’t drop it though.
Do you think they fixed this problem? I'm a mobile DJ and I run everything through a Behringer xneyx 2222 mixing board. It's big and cumbersome. It works well, but I put it under the table, which means any adjustment has me climbing on the floor in the middle of the gig. I'm considering this or the X-Air 12 from Behringer. For my purpose I don't need a ton of features just the bare minimum. What would you recommend that I can control through an Ipad? Thanks
Hi Barry, from what I understand the Ui-16 & Ui-24 are quite popular with the folks who own them and don't have these issues. The Ui-12 as far as I know is the same today as it was back when this video was made, with the last firmware update being back in 2018. There is a public beta firmware for the ui-12 & 16 & I'm not sure how old that is or if it solved any issues. The X-air and the rest of that series do seem to be very popular with the folks that own them. We have not had one here yet to look at on the channel, as they are really pricey here in North America & have been on back-order for a while now. So I think it will be down to what you're more comfortable with & what you can get a hold of in your time-frame as so much stuff is out of stock in the industry.
Hey Geoff, yes I did reset the unit a number of times (both network & factory reset) to no avail. This unit, to date, still refuses to attempt/complete the firmware update process... which as I'm sure you are thinking, may be a contributing factor to the issues. I'm going to follow through and see what Soundcraft can do under warranty, hopefully they can take it in and shed some light on the issues and if they are related. I'll report back as I go, thanks for watching!
You can individually reset a channel... It's different to resetting the whole unit or cycling the power. Long click on the channel label at the botton and then select "Reset Channel" and click on OK. It clears all the settings on that particular channel. With regards to updating the firmware It sounds like an issue with your particular unit. I've used a UI16 without any of these problems. I'm presuming that you have done a full reset using a fullreset.txt file I'm using the UI24R now. Its wonderful. Clean sound and easy management.
+Geoff Hurst I have done both the full reset & network reset & the channel reset now a number of times. Each time you reset or power cycle the unit, it starts off clean for a few seconds and the noise immediately come back in.
Thanks for your experience and I hope you will give me the right answer I’m looking for new digital mixer at the moment I got analog mixer Soundcraft GB2R 16 with Lexicon MX300 and Dbx DriveRacKPA it is to heavy to move round I don’t know which digital mixer to buy . Thanks again
Hi, I'll try to help if I can. What type of work are you going to be using it for (live music? corporate? house of worship?) and how much money are you looking to spend upgrading? Let me know & I'll try to help :)
Hi Halid, I have not had the chance to review the Behringer stuff yet. I have used them a handful of time and regularly hear LOTS of positive opinions from other people. I've been planning to buy one for review for a while now, but just haven't had the time to fit it in yet.
i have reset and reset my ui16 4 times and still cant connect to the unit. soundcraft has been helpfull but its time to send it back to the company. the ui16 ran great at first but after 3 or so months problems started not connecting to the wyfi, limited use of functions. i stopped using my tablet and bought a dell laptop. in all i have spent more money on tablets and laptops then the unit it self im hopeing it will get fixed if not im getting a berhinger
I found that if it doesn't connect to the mxer through the Wifi I can simply wait 3 minutes and it will say . Mixer needs connection and it will connect quickly if you have other links to the wifi like your home link it will over ride the Soundcraft. best to use a dedicated device with no other saved Wifi spots. It was tricky at first you an also set up the ethernet cable and skip all that stuff.
@@DcSoundOp yes! I got in to panic but I didnt touch anything, the sound was still there so I kept on playing and a couple of songs later i looked over and the faders had come back again.
Hi, I've watch this video of yours #55 - Soundcraft Ui-12 Letdown, I would like to buy one and would like to know you have any idea if this issue has been sorted out? Thanks
I'd recommend taking a look at the Facebook user groups, there are a number of active groups there, where many people are reporting their current experiences with the Ui mixers.
i've been a live musician for a long time.. professionally for over 35 years.. and also a certified audio and lighting tech, studio engineer and producer.. and.. i JUST used this on a cruise ship contract and a full installation gig here in my home town...the boats: 4 months, every night.. ethernet AND wireless router connection.. NOT ONE FAILURE.. worked exactly as advertied.. and embarrassed the cruise line's techs and 20,000$ full rack of control/ outboard (yamaha, lexicon.. Shure etc.. ) .. if you use a PC or android based product for live music.. , you get what you deserve IMHO...(i have both systems too.. i'm not a fan of spending an hour working on finding drivers.. updating service paks.. etc.. to get 10 min of work done.. ) for $300 bucks.. AGAIN, you said it: . 'what did you expect'... if you gig a lot.. ... buy THREE, buy 3 routers and 3 sets of cables and older ipads ( i use a 3rd gen ipad that can't be updated past ios10!) have one ipad hard wired to a router (50$ d link and an apple ethernet to lighting connector), have one taking the WIRELESS from that router bypassing the only under achiever in the chain, the 'hotspot'... (for all the BRANDS you name, the ONE that i thought might be suspicious is SOUNDCRAFT as a provider of wirelss tech.. so.. as a pro in the know.. skip it!.. easy, you have 2 other ways to connect to ANY browser!!) . and YOU STILL haven't spent a PORTION of what i've spent on Yamaha, Tascam, Mackie/Allen Heath consoles or Lexicon, DBX, Klark.. etc.. etc.. i have a studio full of Tascam dig, O1v's.. whatever.. .. all have 1000th of the functionality and ease of use, particularly if you're sitting on stage mixing in real time by yourself!... and you can't for moment tell me that anyone would trade back to having to figure out a way to get 2 full mon. mixes... full control on EVERY channel.. comps.. eqs.. usb recording of INDIVIDUAL TRACKS to a thumb drive.. and on and on...all controllable on a browser on a frikin' IPAD! why tf would i care what trolls on the internet have to say?? most of these people are hobbyists at best who lack either computer skills, network chops or basic live mixing experience... If you're touring with Beyonce.. you aren't using this stuff.. or even CARE to hear about it... so.. we're not talking about that LEVEL of quality.. but DAMN if we aren't getting close to the FUNCTIONALITY of the Venue console!... problems i've had have turned out to be 'operator' error.. and i was fully expecting, at this price point.. for this stuff to be 'disposable'.. buy a new one every year.. even if i bought 3 a year.. i would still not be anywhere CLOSE to what my mountain of used consoles and outboard stuff cost me over the years and you can't take your Mackie 1604 VLZ and rack of compressors, gates, reverbs etc on a plane to a gig without spending more than that crap is worth per pound now.. .. ... i would 'suggest' that you are on someone's payroll... i'm thinking Behringer.. that stuff, for all the forums and discussion groups filled with 'comic book guy' opinions... is absolute GARBAGE.. it's NOT Midas quality, no matter the proximity.. . i've NEVER had a gig where an X 32 has worked properly for the whole night OR sounded 'transparent'... or didn't have to stop a show for a 'restart'... so... when spec'ing a show.. i SPECIFICALLY mention that there should be NO BEHRINGER product anywhere in the audio chain... so.. come on man... at least be straight up about your agenda here..
Dude, wow! I'm happy you've had such a great experience with the Ui series. I'm really sorry to hear you've taken my review so personally, that obviously wasn't my intent at all. I appreciate your opinion & love that you're willing to add your voice to the conversation. The goal here is for folks looking for info in the future to not only find my review, but more importantly, the discussion from a wide range of audio folks like yourself in the comments. That's the only agenda. I'm interested to know how you've decided I must be on Behringer's payroll? That's a pretty serious charge to throw out in public. For the record, I'm not. I've never communicated directly with Music Group, although I would love to review their mixers on the channel if I have the chance in the future. You might be surprised to know that one of the few paid writing gigs I've taken in the years since this video was published, was for Harman Intl. (Soundcraft). Not a product review, but a system summary of the Audio System used for New Years Eve in Times Square for their blog. They saw this video when it first came out. You could have found this easily by googling, before taking a shot at my reputation & ethics, in what looks like an attempt to white knight for a global tech company. You've taken a bit of a wrong turn here & I hope everything is going okay for you right now. I worry when I see folks write these draw out walls of text, reaching for something to be angry about on a multiple year old video. If you need to talk, feel free to reach out directly to info@dcsoundop.com. I'm here & I appreciate & respect your opinion.
I watched your video and I kept waiting to hear what Soundcraft Support advised you. If they wanted you to box it up and send it to them so they could check it out. Stuff does happen and through the comments below many Soundcraft Ui owners have had zero issues. Only God does not need a Warranty for all others imperfections do occur and is the reasons for Warranty and Support. How about another Follow up that includes the Manufacturer: Soundcraft. Until I hear that Soundcraft offered you absolutely no resolve I will continue to add the UI series to my mixer choices. It has also been 3 years since your complaints..I am sure that in that time if it was a Ui issue Soundcraft has addressed it and resolved it.
Dude, I was in contact with them throughout. Since this video... they disbanded the team that made these consoles, let the guy who designed them originally go & went through a years long pattern of banning people from their Facebook support group if they reported issues or asked negative questions. (Those groups were run by SC staff). Keep doing what makes you happy my guy, I’ve got no agenda or dog in the fight.
I will be returning it under warranty, but I am FAR from the only person experiencing these and many other issues. Glad to hear you're enjoying both of yours and they are working reliably for you. I really do like this mixer and want very much for them to be a reliable product.
Hey there!! We've been using this unit since January, anywhere from 15-20 shows a month.... no issues. Not sure if yours is maybe bad cables, dirty power, gain set to high, inputs ran too hot etc etc.... we run 4pcs band with 3k watts of FOH and 1000 watts of monitors and no issues.... perhaps you got a bad one?
I think I and dozens of other folks absolutely got 'bad ones' for sure. The issue is not so much the individual problems, but more that if you read up on the Facebook groups, there are LOTS of folks like you, who have had 'no issues' until they have a major show stopping issue out of the blue. These consoles simply are not up to the standard you would expect buying a product from any one of the MANY companies who's logo's are stamped it... of course, that's just my personal opinion. Thanks for the message & for watching the channel!
Around 140 shows later.... Hmmmmmm...... Comparing it to a Behringer Air 18.... this unit stomps it. The Behringer distorts.... I think it being used incorrectly is the BIGGEST problem. Overdriving any audio source will cause noise.
Hey there, sorry that you've had such a bad go of it. It most likely comes down to it being a Monday Morning or Friday afternoon quality issue when it was built. Like You, I bought mine because of the Soundcraft name. I've had a number of their mixers over the years. In fact, I had a Spirit Folio SX20 (that I really liked) go down on a gig. I finished the night using a backup mixer. I then bought the UI16, and before I went out and did anything with it, I updated the firmware and then, thankfully I haven't had an issue with it. That's been 2 years now. Its still quiet, the Wireless works well. I hope that you were able to get it replaced under warranty. Cheers.
My 2pc band is moving to digital - finally - and this Ui12 was one of the options. From what I have read about it across several honest reviews, I think we'll give it a miss. Thanks for your hard work in revealing the problems. I always believed Soundcraft to be unbreakable, but it seems they dropped the ball with this one - yet, it is still available in 2024.
I have the ui12. And i have never experienced any of these issues. In the previous firmware version, i had some bad connection issues. With new firmware, no issues. Works great for me
Awesome, thanks for the update! It seems like the new Firmware is working well for many folks.
Hey do you still have de ui12?? How is working so far? I’m planning to getting it, but not sure yet.
I got my UI12 just over a year ago, and LOVE the Unit. Anyone who says you can't get a good mix with this unit, should maybe get their ears checked. My band uses this mixer three times a week, sometimes more. The effects and other features of the unit is outstanding, and I have compared it to other similar products on the market. The Soundcraft wins in my opinion. Will be upgrading to the UI16 or the UI24R in the near future.
Nobody's saying you can't get a good mix using the Ui12. They're saying that it's unreliable.
Thanks for the balanced perspective, it is very valuable. I bought the UI-12 regardless because my local StoreDJ offers no questions asked return within 30 days, so I figured I had 30 days to test and return if I got a noisy interface. My first show with the UI-12 (acoustic guitar, vocals, some backing tracks via the Player) was awesome, I loved the sound and functionality. Then I got the UI-12 home and played around some more. I got some noise on Channel 1! I was worried, I loved the live sound (couldn't hear the noise at all, very noisy restaurant) and the features so much that I didn't want to believe that the input was noisy. I switched guitar leads. The noise was still there. Then I switched input channels from 1 to 2, and the noise was still there, identical on the RTA, with no effects turned on. I was more worried. I turned up the noise gate - the noise was still visible on RTA, but no longer audible. I played the guitar for a while, the noise gate didn't interfere with my sound. Then I switched guitars - it was the guitar output plug on my main live guitar that was noisy!!!! Phew. I've tested all the ports/inputs on the mixer, it seems golden at this stage. I'll get a couple more shows in before the 30 days are up, to make sure of it, but I'm feeling fortunate. Sorry that you weren't also fortunate with your unit.
The band that I’ve been playing in for the last 2 years has a ui 16 the only problem is the internal WiFi we changed to a external router never had anymore problems. We play at least 4 gigs a week inside and outside. I myself have just bought a ui16 and really like the sound of the mixer.
I have the same unit. Firmware up to date, and use external router. None of the issues you are experiencing. Warranty time.
Rock solid performance for me. Also, I am going to purchase the Ui24 next month. IEC with earth ground, VCA, Matrix mixing. 20 xlr inputs, 8 aux outs, Studer Revox pre amps. 2.4ghz and 5ghz internal wifi. HDMI out for monitor/usb keyboard and usb mouse all direct connect.
Stuart McDoniel I'm glad to hear it's working out for you, it's a really awesome little tool. I'd love to hear your thoughts after you've had the Ui24 for a while! Stay in touch.
I took a hard look at the X32 rack and it appears I can do the same with the Ui24 with routing inputs and outputs. I love the Soundcraft interface. Heads up if you apply the latest firmware you will be able to use the front USB port to directly record the show in 32bit or 24bit on the Ui12. I had a lot of the issues you talk of before I upgraded the firmware, I never did see the noise issue you have. I assume you re-terminated all the connectors inside of your unit? Also, for me the Ui12 does NOT hand out a dhcp ip address to the laptop terminated in the ethernet ports. I had to configure the internal nic in the laptop manually to
connect to the Ui12. Just plugging in a laptop and expecting it to connect is a no go.
same here, external router and updates cured all the issues for me too
Wow, this is the complete opposite to the experience with my Behringer XR18. Nothing short of amazed with that little box.
Been using my XR18 for a year and I love it. Very reliable and easy to use. I have used it with an android phone, android tablet, a macbook pro, windows 7 laptop, windows 8 PC and an ipad, all working great!!! Really no complains. For better wireless experience use an external router or an acces point. I use a cheap one from TPlink and it works amazing for the price
René Sánchez seconded. They did a great job with software, well organized and reliable!
I sold my XR18 to a friend who ended up getting a lot more use out of it, but that was before several large firmware updates. I liked it, and I'm looking at buying two XR12s soon.
I have the UI16 and have never had a problem. Been using it weekly for 6 months and not one problem.
The Ui12 & Ui16 are completely different under the hood. Good to hear yours is working well, the 16 & 24 seem to be universally liked by the folks who own them.
@@DcSoundOp Thanks for the clarification there. I also have a Xr18 and an older presonus Rm32ai with the Cs18ai control surface. I like all 3 but they all have there own deals.
I use a U16 in a live venue. I have very mixed feelings about it. Initially like you it was brilliant and impressive sounding. After that we had multiple problems, mainly with the connection. Dropouts and software freezes were frequent and sometimes even the Ethernet was unreliable. Since then we have upgraded the aerial (that really helped) and a firmware update and things have been good. As you say the functionality is attractive.
Luckily we have had no noise issues so maybe it is a quality control issue but I have to say I would never go out with one without an analogue back-up.
Unlike some others I found your video reasonable and balanced and a valuable contribution to the use and development of these products.
Got my Ui24 really recently, and it seems extremely reliable so far. I've used it every day since I got it, and even been using it for stuff like watching youtube, just to test it and wait to see if any problems do come up before I use it in a live or studio situation. Had absolutely no issues so far, haven't even had the hotspot go down or had any connection problems. It seems that everything under the ui24 like the ui16 and ui12 are just quite bad, but the ui24 is much better. It shows how it is better in the price, being much more expensive. I got mine for $1600AU.
The ui24 is a completely different animal - happy to hear you’re having success with it!
I want ui 24 can I ?
Thank you for the video! I was about to buy this mixer the next month to replace my mackie dfx6 but after having watched your video I won't.
Thank you, your two videos just saved my working money. i Will spend them on something else. Your review is balanced enough and your tone is always civil
USB devices with separate floating ground, like battery operated laptops, have difficult ground loop EMI issues that are related to USB power. If devices have their own power the ground loops can to be broken with a device, for instance the iFi iDefender3.0. The problem will vary depending on the EMI environment.
The second thing is unused inputs. They need to be off or turned completely down, or they can pick up EMI. This is an easy thing to test.
First of all, if you going to rely on precision there is only one device touch sensitive enough with the built in Wi-Fi range that will allow the mixer not to crash, and that is the I-Pad Pro. I took off the supplied Arial and fitted a larger one … No issues in over 50 gigs. PS: Firmware update makes a big difference.
+William Blackrose facebook.com/groups/SoundcraftUi16Users/permalink/1892644447442923/
Had 2 soundcraft consoles with noisy inputs and outputs as well, a&h zed fx noisy outputs too. So far been liking the A&H Qu series.
I had a Ui 16 that I really wanted to like, but after struggling for 2 weeks to keep the WiFi connected I returned it. It's like driving a car that could lose it's brakes at any time - and it does. There is no way that I would use it in a live setting where reliability is a MUST. That being said, if (when) they come out with the 16 channel version that is redesigned in the new spec, I would definitely consider purchasing again.
Thank you for the time you put into this . Really appreciate it.
Thanks for the message!
I love the ease and compactness of these digital mixers. But then, there are still some frustrations to our digital world when something internal goes haywire. This is why I still keep around my analog 16 channel rackable mixer with some processing units all in one rack case. When I have enough space in the audience- I would still use my good-old, faithful setup!
Always good to be prepared & it is hard to beat analog gear for reliability! Thanks for watching & for the nice message!
wow... I have a UI 28 still havent unpack still virgen.
as you said we can tolerate problems like no connection or lost connection from the wiereless, but... noise on channels is something you can tolerate...
great content...
The Ui-24 and this Ui-12 are fundamentally a different design. Lots of people are very happy with their Ui-24 mixers and you shouldn't let this video affect your opinion before you try the one you have. Thanks for watching!
I love the ui12. It could use a dhcp server option on the lan port though. Like the Behringers.
I have a brand new Sound Craft UI16 digital mixer that I just connected for the first time. Problems right out of the box include channel 12 DOA with a little red X on the channel. Also, all the 12 input channels have hiss when using mics at a volume that can be heard. I will have to return this one.
A dozen gigs so far with the Ui16, not one issue yet.
David O'Donnell same with mine. I even never update the firmware.. yes the connection sometimes is not stable. But its fine after you re enter or refresh the browser.. so in this price range this mixer is beast and can’t go wrong with it. Hands down
Agreed, I hope everyone sees this before buying the stupid box. The only thing I can use this for is DJ's, even then the headaches never end.
Too bad you feel that way...I bought a UI 16 and love it...never had a problem with it
Rob Smith Absolutely, I really wanted it to be a good mixer. It seems like a mixed bag, many people contact me and say they’ve had a great experience, and many say they had the same issues I had. There is a Facebook group of almost 400 people who have had issues, and then another group of people who love it... go figure.
I’m glad your mixer is working well for you, as I said in the video, it’s a really awesome concept and I genuinely do appreciate what they were trying to create.
Thanks for watching & thanks for the message!
I've used mine with zero issues for over 200 hundred wedding ceremonies and having video companies patch in and get high regards from clients and videographers. No channel 3 issues for me
Nice, great to hear it has worked well for you! Thanks for watching & for the message.
I have Soundcraft Ui-12 for 4 years no problems at all,only for better tablet connection using router
Great to hear yours has worked for you. They’re really cool mixers 👍🏼
Ui16 user. I just figured the problem out with noise. Has to have balanced xlr. I had several channels showing large levels of noise even with nothing hooked up. I used xlr main outs and noise is completely gone. I would bet money that the 1/4" main outs would be good to if your using TRS cables. If your using other rack mount equipment I would assume the whole chain needs balanced cables all the way to the amp. Soundcraft uses external power supply with no ground. Is this the issue? Who knows but I am very happy now. Glad I didn't return but disappointed I spent weeks working on a solution. If your going to use xlr to 1/4" make sure 1/4" side is balanced TRS and not TS.
This goes for everything, not anything exlcusive to this mixing desk (or box, whatever). Unbalanced cables don't cancel out the noise picked up along the cable so you'll pretty much always have added noise with them.
@@snakeface5652 I agree, although I did an experiment. Used unbalanced cables at different places and the noise varied greatly from one place to another. Ranging from non-existent to so loud it was unusable. Bottom line just use balanced cables.
@@qualitybuilders5028 And if you have to use unbalanced cables, finding a spot with the least noise is good.
Just saw this video. I have 3 UI series mixers, a Si 32 and an Expression 1. We replaced those with Behringer xAir units and the Midas M32. I haven't had the noise issues on the UI but I do notice frequent control and display lags using the built in hot-spot Seems like every 60 seconds or so on a iOS device, the GUI will freeze for a second. My biggest user gripe is that the units can not operate in a installed environment as you lose the ability to connect after a day or so, having to power cycle the unit to re-establish a connection, even when wired. My biggest owner complaint is Harman's disinterest in supporting their products. I was told "that's just the way it is!" one too many times by their support dept regarding my issues. The last straw was when we added the overrated "Blu Link" module when we upgraded to IEM and basically had to set the console up from scratch with a firmware update where the config backups could not be applied, thus the Music Group products now in use.
Great insight from your experience, thank you for sharing & watching!
I'm glad I stuck with my Behringer X-Air mixer. Just over a year old, I finally had my first trouble with it. The last venue I was at had way too much wifi interference and kept having lost connections. Finally decided to go wired. Pleased to see that iPad ethernet adapter works flawlessly with the X-Air.
Have 2 ui16 never had issues. I do have a external modem in the flight case with it for 5G and wired connection as I do find the built in WiFi very weak
I have had mine for 3 years. and I will be honest it works great. I did the update as directed. I don't understand how yours is so messed up. I use mine every day for shows. SO I got a good one. Of course I would like a QSC but until then this is working fine for me.
I'm happy to hear you've had good success with your Lazarus. I really really did want this to be a more reliable product. FIY, Harman (i.e. Samsung) just recently disbanded the team that designed, developed and supported the Ui Series mixers... I'm watching to see how this affects future support & firmware releases. Thanks for the message, I hope your Ui keeps working well for you, they are really cool little boxes when they work.
Not the first time I hear the same thing about these mixers. Am waiting for Soundcraft to get it together so I can get me a revised working version
There are tons of folks with great things to say about the Ui-24 & Ui-16. If you’re really into these, it might be worth checking those forums and see what people are saying about the current versions etc. I haven’t kept up with them super close honestly, but folks do like them. All the best!
@@DcSoundOp totally agree! The only negative and repetitive comment is the random noise appearing on different channels. I'm just waiting for that to get fixed so I can grab a unit of my own actually 😜
You are not alone with your problems, my mixer (Ui12) just started to generate some noise on channel 6 (especially when phantom power is turned on - the noise reaches without anything attached -6db on moderate gain). Hopefully a replacement unit won't have this problem...
My Ui16 completely hung me out last night during a live auction fund raiser event. As soon As the auction started I lost connection to the mixer and was forced to listen to an auctioneer speak through a wireless mic that was not eq ‘d the way I would have liked. Thank god it was on! Every gig I have used this for which is smaller stuff I’ve had to restart the mixer in order to reconnect. I have used my Mackie DL32 for my big band for 4 years now and it has been marvelous. Rock solid! I’m now researching ways to make this more reliable. Bigger antenna, external router, direct connection to my iPad? Any and all opinions are welcome. Thanks
All of the brands associated with Harmon Audio now (JBL,Sound Craft, DBX, Digi Tech, Harmon Kardon, Lexicon, plus more) seem to disappoint. Harmon bought them all and is simply putting those logos on crap products. Those names used to mean so much, but not any longer. As a rule if it reads "by Harmon" I stay far away.
I would buy a new one and return the defective one. Thanks Soundcraft.
I do understand that this product wasn't designed by soundcraft, but they have their name on it as well as dbx, lexicon, and digitech, which makes it seem like a solid unit. After having it fail multiple times, Im not a fan of replacing a console with an iPad or laptop. I run a Si Expression which does have a remote app, but if I loose connection, I still have the console. For $300 it's a great toy, but if your out doing real gigs, look at a compact digital desk. Maybe great for a one time install, but out on the road-no.
I was almost to buy it. I can see this is most like a toy :D
Buy the MIDAS MR18, and you will have a stagebox mixer with fantastic sounding preamps (MIDAS PRO preamps). A very good WiFi connection. I used it in several LIVE conditions, and it is just amazing. So if you want to try/buy good digital stagebox mixing, buy the MIDAS MR18 :)
I wish you'd done the sound at the festival I played at this week-end. What a mess - the sound-man must have been stoned or deaf. If you've made music for awhile, and I have, you know the soundman can make you or break you. As for your video review, thank you so much - I was tempted to buy one of these units for our small band, until I saw your video and read the comments. Guess I'll stick with my old Alesis analog mixer.
Thanks for the update great info
Your Review Is Spot On!! I have Lock Wifi unit presently .. 35 years in the business.. can't figure it out... What a Joke!! 2015 Model. 130hrs of use.. Very Sad Product!!
Everything about Ui is good...Except the fact you need a web browser to use it (control it). Where you can run into issues (with that idea) is when Firefox , Chrome , Edge , etc , update/patch their browser(s) , and those updates or patches are not compatible with the Ui (Firmware-wise).
I own a Ui16 (amongst other higher grade consoles) not experiences any issues you mention, I've had it for 12 months and used it 100's of times.
+Matthewdymond facebook.com/groups/SoundcraftUi16Users/permalink/1892644447442923/
I just accepted a small remote podcast gig for a friend. He sent photos of all the equipment in the local rack and there was the Ui12, which I've never used. I looked it up and found this video. Now I'm thinking I'll bring a spare mixer. 😐
Thanks for making a follow up video! Keep up the good work! Give Allen & Heath a try 😉
Some comments: (not withstanding you have a faulty unit that should be replaced)
1. Web Browser control has nothing to do with how solid your connection would be, you either have a connection or not. Apps controlling any device would fail just the same if you don't have a connection.
2. If I would have this type of noise on a channel, then it's a faulty channel, you should get your unit changed/repaired/looked at
3. Obviously the company the unit was loaned to did not know how to use it properly (not getting a connection at all via LAN means it was not setup correctly), if you can get it connected via CHROME BOOK it means the unit is working perfectly right (it cannot detect if it's a PC/Chrome Book /MAC etc connected to it... right?
4. Nothing Plugged INTO the mixer into a channel (or maybe just a cable)if you increase your GAIN to the MAX, it's going to amplify any RF in the area as it's not terminated (basically cable and electronics act as an antenna), it still would not PICK UP RADIO. A/ Why would you have a channel up with nothing connected to it. B/ I don't believe it picked up any radio station, sorry, electronically nothing inside that can do that unless they had audio coming from another source.
5. Again mentioning the BROWSER based mixed has nothing to do with the unit working OR NOT!! This shows a lack of understanding of the technology.
Please also always mention which firmware version you are on. Besides this, I totally agree with you on many points but still it's obviously a faulty mixer as far as the channel noises you experienced and you should have it replaced.
Danny,
I realize you work for Harman / Soundcraft, so I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment here. I know you have put in a lot of effort on Facebook answering users questions and helping with issues, and I know everyone appreciates that too. I would like to address your comments briefly though.
1. You are correct in that web control should be irrelevant to connection issues, but it's the ONLY way to control this mixer. When it crashes etc on this mixer, that's an issue. I think browser based mixing is an incredible idea & I would LOVE to see you put it on the Si series mixers in the future. I bought this mixer to see what you were doing with the browser & I praised the browser interface itself highly in the video.
2. I completely agree, but as I had only had it out on one gig at that point, I wanted to review it further. I assumed the bad channel was an anomaly and uncharacteristic at the time, and pressed on before sending it in.
3. The company I loaned it to is actually an Authorized Soundcraft dealer... so they kinda know a bit about working with your products. You are right of course, that if one computer will connect, so should another... but I can't tell a customer their computer 'should' connect, it needs to be as easy as opening up an app or browser and connecting. If you need an advanced class in networking to sort it out, it shouldn't be on a $300 mixer.
(All of the people involved with this issue that day are WELL experienced with networked show control of other Harman products, and routinely use your Si series consoles, DBX driverack, JBL Vertec and Crown amplifiers on advanced show control networks. Oh...and we use that PC that wouldn't connect to the Ui - ALL THE TIME with these networks.
4. When I get a call from someone asking if it is normal to be hearing radio stations from the mixer with nothing plugged in, I believe them. They got to having channels up with nothing plugged in, by setting up their gig, powering up, realizing they have unpredicted noise, and working their way back to the mixer... unplugging things as they go, to find the fault. I have not been able to reproduce the radio stations here (in a different city then where the fault happened) but boy are those channels noisy now, metering random RF pops and noise consistently.
You seem to be suggesting in one sentence that the console (will) amplify RF if not terminated, with the gain up etc... but then in the next suggest that you don't believe it because the unit is not electronically capable of amplifying a radio signal. I'm not following you there.
Ultimately, I cannot tell (my) customers that I don't believe them when they have issues... a small mixer should work every time you plug it in. Soundcraft used to make the little Folio mixers, not the best or most expensive mixer, but man you could rely on it to work everyday. That's the kind of warm feeling we're looking for generally.
5. Again, the browser is the ONLY way to interact with this mixer... it is HUGELY tied in to weather the unit works or not. This shows a lack of understanding of what your customers have come to expect from your brand in terms of quality and reliability.
Again, I appreciate your time in commenting here, it's is great to get to speak with you and I appreciate the knowledge and experience you bring to the table. I just received a message from Tom D. and I will be following up with him as well.
Thanks again!
S.
I am, as you know a very passionate person when it comes to anything technical so putting issues aside for a moment. In regards to connectivity we need to be very clear that all the mixers that use only an APP or HTML5 for connection and control are relying on a similar aspect. It would not make any difference if the control was via an APP or a HTML5 browser, that is my point. Focusing on the WEB BASED control is not right in my view. You can concentrate on it being a surface-less mixer, that's OK. I don't think it has anything to do with what customers expect, they just expect it to WORK (that I agree with you as well) but HTML5 web browser based application or a stand alone app, makes no difference at all.
I would love to get a hold of the PC that had the issues connecting :-) If it has a current up to date browser installed and is of a newer generation (where a Xover cable would not be required for a direct connection to the Ui) then I could safely say it's a setting issue. Personally I have never heard of anyone having an issue connecting to a LAN connection. (I am not talking about losing connection but the initial setup and seeing the browser page).
In regards to the RF point, to explain this clearly. With nothing connected to a MIC preamp (or just a cable) you have no termination and you create an antenna. When you add gain, you are basically amplifying noise, RF noise as well as the inherent noise in the electronics of the device. That's why when you measure a mic preamp you always terminate it with 150ohm (or so) resistors at the input. To the picking up of RADIO station, this is possible if they had unshielded cables or faulty cables as well. It's happened before (as I read many reports and forums) . It's to do with Ground Loops/Incorrect pins on XLR/TRS. I'll point to the recording.org Forum here: recording.org/threads/my-mixer-magically-picks-up-radio-help.38669/
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Danny, I'm interning for an accredited test lab where I perform radiated emissions and immunity testing. Most companies don't provide the test results/reports for specific products from their testing; however, I would like to ask, what level of testing did this device go through, or do you know if there is a plan to have it tested for RI? There's got to be a way to design around having radio energy coupled onto the inputs such that it doesn't cause issue for the device. Curious on your thoughts.
Well it being a Harman product, Every test under the sun was done. If you understand Wifi certification processes it is different in many regions, we can't just do one test for RF and use it internationally. You have FCC(and several parts of it), R&TTE, JAPAN, KOREA, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil Anatel, etc etc etc. They all have different categories and different ways to test. We need a single version of firmware to work for all. (that's besides every other possible test for EMC, EMI etc). We cannot release a product to market before completing these tests and I am pretty sure that many other companies do not certify product to this level. Having said that, Certification of a product does not guaranty operation, it just means it's safe and allowed to be sold. These are very different things.
Well you just never know as you are aware of but I will say the Behringer Xair system has been very impressive for the money! Not a browser based mixer. But the app is free and easy to use! This is a concern in the industry as we have gone to cheap digital mixers!
Donald Fair The Behringer stuff is high on my list to test and review properly. I've used the x32 & x32rack and had positive experiences for their price points.
My baseline for a cheap mixer is the old Mackie 1202 - I've known musicians who've all but destroyed those and still use them at gigs just fine. Reliability is huge at any price though.
I hear that! The XAir 12 will be in that similar $300.00 range that you are looking at. While the 18 will gegt you closer to the $600.00 area but all in all a really impressive unit for the price tag!. If you want I have one if you want to take a look anytime Im not that far from you here in Bedford, PA! Let me know!
Hey Donald, thanks for the offer. I've got a friend here in town who has one he'll loan me for a few days. I'm also keeping an eye out on eBay for one at a good price. Hopefully I'll be able to do a video soon!
2023! I wish I would't listen all this critics and buy one back in 2016 when it apear on a market.
I use it for more than a year without problems (except wifi dropout)
There is no competitor at this price/size/functionality
So you’ve had problems with the Wi-Fi... but you've been using for a year without problems? Glad it's working out for you 👍
I heard if you disable the hotspot and wifi, then only use the lan with an external router, it works
Great review! I'm planning to buy a Midas MR 18.
Thank you I was just going to buy one, not anymore
Ok, we are a pro audio and have the 12 and 16, if this twit had his gains up fine, but we have used these for hundreds of gigs, rentals and the boss's bands and other late night gigs. I could not get past the first minutes, these are dead silent if you set up the connection properly. These units have faults, i.e. digital delays not available (told from the company).
Go on...
Great videos bro!! well.. i was really looking for someone like you who got some damn good experience with real pro-audio stuff at this level!! Glad I found you:) u just got another real subscriber!!
Well, speaking about Soundcraft UI series i go 16 & ui24r and as you mentioned.. though i have very few challenges with them but they are a true digital mixer if you really know how these little smart beast works u know:). I know most of the people have problem with the built-in hotspot on this product and not being reliable; but i think its not really the product issue cause the product does have other ways to connect like wifi, ethernet which even Soundcraft have recommended in live scenario so, u need to know how to configure them.
As i mentioned, i had ui 16 and now ui24r and i have both them configured with my wireless router (wifi) and have no signal issue whatsoever. I have used them in a live scenario at a medium size venue without a single second of signal drop! Other than, these boxes picking up some statics/noises when i hook-up an external audio (like a dj console, or laptop) or box they are just as good as Soundcraft SI Expression 3 (that we also have for bigger gig).
Hi, thanks for the message, I'm glad you're enjoying the videos! While I appreciate your comment, I'm going to have to disagree with you on the Ui series. They are in NO way in the same class of professional usability as the Si series mixers. The amount of issues with networking, audio, USB playback, random noises, random lockups & lack of feature implementation (HDMI) that these mixers have had is STAGGERING.
I have never before seen a manufacturer banning people from their Facebook user groups with the frequency that takes place on the Ui groups. I have never before seen a manufacturer offering BETA firmware as the ONLY possibly fix for major issues for months and months on end. I have never seen a product so overwhelmingly unreliable be defended so vigorously on the public support pages by a single employee who also seems to have been the original designer whom Soundcraft purchased the mixer design from in the first place.
I think it is incredible to watch the facbook groups (one of which I was banned from simply because someone else shared this video there). Every single day, there are more and more folks having major, show-stopping, reputation ruining issues with these mixers at live events... yet everyday there are fans of the product posting incredibly detailed accounts of how they've used the mixer at an event without getting screwed by it, celebrating the fact that it miraculously survived another gig without catastrophe.
I'm sorry, I expect a mixer to work. If you have to write to the manufacturer to tell them how excited you are that their product didn't blow up in your face, how it kind of did what it was supposed to do without ruining your night, you've got some serious issues.
Thanks again for the message, good luck with your Ui24.
My friend.. I am sorry i didnt mean to hurt your feelings;) or go against your feedback about this product i am sure you are lot more experienced than me in pro-audio productions.. what i was trying to share is my experience with them in my little world of live music for corporates. I am not disagreeing the point that they cannot be compared with my UI Expression 3 or similar professional digital board; but one thing really bothers me when people criticize (not you!!) such intelligent 4 generation smart equipment without the proper knowledge and ability. Well.. you may be the unlucky one to receive one of their incorrect manufactured one and i am sure all their certified dealer across the globe are very professional to replace it for you in no time.
This is a 21st century and we are in pick of our innovations... think about a digital mixer can be hidden back of the stage and you can be anywhere in a venue ringing every bit of the sound + NO SNAKE or cat box with freaking cabling issue; well on top of it.. almost every musician on stage can have access to ring their monitors using their personal smart IOS or Android phone - is killing man. I dont think you get that anywhere!! BTW.. i am talking about small and medium live venues; for larger live concert ofcourse it has to be SI Expression or Performance.
As mr. Stuart McDoniel also shared his experience about this product I am kinda agreed with him and with no offense bro.. a little misleading feedback about such intelligent equipment can really set the manufacturing company down for no reason and we are talking about Soundcraft here.
But as i said, I am really glad i found you and besides UI;) series I am really excited to get in touch with you to learn more about pro-audio.. You doing an excellent job out there my friend.. keep posting your Videos.
I've used the 12ui almost every weekend with my band for over a year. I am the sound engineer. I run it through a power conditioner, and use my own router. I have never experienced any of these problems. I run mix from an Ipad, and the musicians run their monitor mix from their cell phone browser. Everything works flawlessly. Nothing but great reviews on my end... can't be beat for the price.
+Gilbert Ramirez facebook.com/groups/SoundcraftUi16Users/permalink/1892644447442923/
I was so contemplating this mixer for a while but after watching this I have to commend music group and the berhinger-midas bastard child that is the x32. I've used the x32 in an install environment with s16s for the past 4 years after our old Soundcraft GB8 blew its power supply, and what you said about it is spot on about behringer being on the ball about issues... Behringer gets a bad rep but that x32 has till this day been super reliable, so much so that I bought a x32 producer for my self for side gigs... def gunna be looking for something other than the soundcraft now..
If I was shopping for a small setup, I'd be seriously looking at an x32 Core and two of their 8Ch digi snake boxes. One box for local inputs and one for stage i/O and a single rack unit seems pretty damn impressive for the low cost.
exactly how i feel too ... im contemplating x32 core/rack in future, might even look at the midas counter part if anything
I run a a Ui24r... rock solid.
That's awesome Victor, I've heard a LOT of positive reports about the Ui24, as they are built on a different foundation and architecture. Hope yours continues to rock for years to come, they are really cool little boxes. Thanks for the message & for watching!
The Ui12 and 16 had some issues. Soundcraft supposedly fixed them.
Thanks for the message Caleb. Can you share any sources for these fixes, or even the acknowledgement of any specific issues by the manufacturer? Appreciate the info, thanks again!
I wonder if you were as disappointed as I was that the Ui24 got Automix capability while Expressions we're left in the dark ages... Behringer/Midas is really killing them on that feature at the mid range price point right now imho.
Yeah, I'm disappointed on the whole with how little consistency there is across the SoundCraft mixers these days... it's almost like they weren't designed by the same company.
well said, i got one also........ the basic audio quality suffers to me....... think of this as a learning device to get into digi mixers.... better ones :)
Ok question. In a church setting have 6 mics. Want the operator to be able to control from anywhere. What do you recommend? Recording capability old be good.
Hi Dr. Hughes... what kind of budget are you working with for this. How experienced is the operator (or are you looking for something church employees can all use?) and how large (physically and capacity) is the space *anywhere* you'd like to be able to have the operator roam. This quickly moves into coordinating with your iT department and deciding how much of that network they want to own vs. the media team being solely responsible. There are solutions for everything though, not to worry.
@@DcSoundOp my background aside from being a minister is as a Broadcast Engineer. Our church is acapella no bands no instruments just vocal. We rely on volunteers. I’m waiting on a Soundcraft ui-12. I move the sound equipment out of the furnace room to an unused classroom. So we can began to get past the complaints “ I can’t hear the announcements.” Building would probably seat 300 only around 50 dispersed in different areas. So not much budget. The current PA amps with 5 inputs I want to use as a PA amp only once I get the ui-12. Hope once get web browser control can add some eq and compression. I remember once adding an old CBS volumax to a church sound system it made a difference. If I could find an old Dourough (sp?) might help.
Am I right in thinking that when I have done this i connect both desk and laptop to the router WAN ports for it to work
What model router are you using? Typically the WAN port would be used for bringing the internet into the network or connecting to a wider network, and individual clients like a laptop or mixer would be connected to the LAN ports or over WiFi. Let me know where you're stuck though, maybe I am misunderstanding the question. All the best.
so i get midas 12 beter right ??
I've heard a lot of people having problems with the UI12 and UI16, but again the new UI24r have been getting a lot of possitive respons. My band bought the UI24r and have been gigging with it for 3 months now, we use it in the practise room to record new songs and ideas, and it really shines. I was very concerned with buying the UI24r after reading the bad reviews on UI12/16 but my fears are gone now. The format of stagebox consoles have a ton of great uses for us and we are really happy with it. Hopes are that Soundcraft makes a UI12r and UI16r updates to the series. Beeing a tech user and IT professional/teacher at my day job i have seen new technology fail over and over again, but usualy the next generation fixes a lot. So I really encourage people to look at the UI24r, maybe you don't need 20 bal/unbal channels, USB 2 track and RCA 2 track, but the unit is great to work with and hopefully, we will see the smaller boxes get an "r" update soon :-)
Simon Møbjerg Nielsen Hey Simon, great to hear your Ui24 has been working for you! I'm curious to hear if you've been following the Ui24 user group on Facebook though? I've been watching since its release & the problems folks have reported are identical & just as frequent as the issues with the Ui12 & 16.
I am in the group yeah. But mostly i see people making mistakes, rather than the device gets faulty. Luckily they are quick to exchange the units. In my line of work i get a lot of bad reviews of different products, but it's more and more rare people are sharing their good experiences. I bought a lot of items that had bad reviews because they did for me what i should use them for, and as a result i have had to return around 5-6 % that was faulty. It is becoming more and more frequent to get faulty items. Our technology are on a fast track, and sometimes too fast for some, which in many cases lead to faults made by the user. I know the UI series have had a percent wise bigger fault rate than any other series in the Soundcraft brand, but so far i have been lucky and 2 of my coworkers have bought it for their bands as well, and they had both faulty units, or so the thought ;-) I used a couple of hours with them, setting it up, explaining Digital "Gain" vs analogue gain and levels, output at much lower level through Aux to EIM and they got very well working units. One of the bad reviews i read was a guy putting it in a flightcase with heat-producing stuff around it with no active ventilation, and the unit got digital crackle on 2 channels after a month, but reading the manual, you really need to let it breath and even at some settings add fans to the mix. So i believe around 20-40% of faults are user based, people don't reading the manual, and people don't reading up on digital mixers vs analogue mixers :-) But that's just my opinion, that i base on a 15 years as a sound engineer / IT technician ;-)
I bought this mixer last week, and I followed directions to update the firmware, by downloading the zip file do not unzip leave as a zip file on a thumb drive. place the thumb drive into the player input for a thumb drive. already be logged in. Then the unit says it has found a firmware update do you want to install, click yes, and it installs. Maybe your thumb drive is not up to pare? I would try that, I updated the firmware with no problem. The only time I hear any noise is when the levels are set too high at some point. when running the sound in the green part of the VU meters no noise when it goes high into the yellow you can get digital clipping very easy. I hope you get the bugs worked out.
Excellent professionally done review. Thank you
You're such a detailed oriented person, kudos kudos kudos!!!
Thank you for all the details!!
Btw, Dbx doesn't consider extremely high quality company... Mediocre at best.
Thanks for the message! DBX used to be a high quality name... it is their willingness to be mediocre that is disappointing.
I just picked up two Ui12 for install. Chose the Ui12 because it's simple to use and has functionability no other brand currently has and price. I'm aware there may be a possibility with issues in the networking, one of the main reasons I chose this model, but my initial testing shown no issue. If there is an issue with networking I'll simply install and direct wire a wireless router. As for noise and receiving radio stations I would suspect the unit in question was used in a difficult and noisy environment. And the engineer or tech should have been able to remedy it. Should I experience any of these issues related directly to the mixer I might post an update. I am thinking about installing fans within the mixers prior to install. Feel free to chime in on this.
Sounds like you’ve got a textbook case of choice-supportive bias: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choice-supportive_bias - I’m not sure a fan would do much, I have not experienced or heard of these getting hot.
The Behringer is a better device as the routing, the ability to tweak the effects to death, and the fact that it has no limits in what you can do with it makes it a no brainer. Unfortunately Behringer is not available anywhere due to chip shortage, also the price went up considerably so the only option in this price range is the Ui12.
I used it for 3 or 4 months last year and it is good really, no problems at all, however the limitations they baked into it are really annoying.
As for the preamp noise, I measured it and compared with the XAir12, the noise is the same. Not an issue really.
We had to quit our gig last night. Our Soundcraft Ui16 just didn't create a hotspot just blinking all lights perpetually. It was initially working but lost connection at the middle of the gig and couldn't connect again. Tried power off power on multiple times. Tried resetting the device. We also tried to connect to it with a LAN cable but the computer gave Network Cable unplugged message. Any ideas?
Wow, rough night! I don’t think these units are up to the task of being relied upon personally. Loads of people report good results with the X-Air series from behringer if you want to stay with the same type. An external router is recommended with any device that has one built in, they are almost never reliable in real world use. All the best Tomi, let us know how it goes!
that's what Warranty is for... a friend of mine purchased a $60k Digico and it died after 3 weeks! anything mass produced has the possibility of failing. it's. proper branded product (not Behringer trash) and it's incredibly well priced. just get it replaced :)
great video agree with all comments. I've had a ui 16 for 18 months. worked perfectly every weekend for months then out of the blue the issues started, noisey preamps, lock outs, output channel dropouts. never constant but just to unreliable to use for its purpose. real shame as I loved this product initially and bought it because it was soundcraft not because of price point.
Thanks For the Info.. Would You Recommend The Xair Series..
From the overwhelming amount of positive feedback I’ve heard from others, the xAir seems like a very safe bet for the money. I don’t have enough experience with them myself to give a personal recommendation. All the best!
Hi, nice video, thanks.
Does this mixer will need an app connected to play if everyday I switch the unit on/off for the same setting and same input and output connected. Suppose for a fixed installation for prayer. Will the mixer play from last setup without app? Thanks
S.A.M Sound system Yes, the UI series should boot up to the last used settings each time power is cycled. I have not tested this thoroughly though, perhaps someone else here has experience with that type of use case. Thanks for the message!
good vid......... i fell for it also...... btw, do u know if this mixer will do gated snares? thats my goal 2day.... huge snare w/ the UI12 !!!!!! u are right, do not trust these....
I have heard this happening on the Ui12 and Ui16 as far as the router issues. A friend of mine bought the Ui24 years ago and he decided to use a external router on the safe side and had no issues with the the mixer in all areas including noisy mic preamps. Now I have heard of power supply issues on the 12 and 16. My question is when you made this video and you felt Soundcraft wasn't addressing the issues, was that during the time Samsung had bought Harmon and things were kinda crazy during the transition. Has Soundcraft fixed these problems since making this video? I'm just curious.
This video is only about the Ui-12. The Ui-16 and 24 are completely different designs from the 12 & we never tested those models. From what folks have said, they are quite good. This video was made a year after the Samsung purchase was announced, but I'll leave speculating about what was going on internally to those who were there. Thanks for watching Dave.
Mine was working fine till Google updated their browser and then it started having issues, I tried a few different browsers and some things worked and some things didn't. I spoke to Soundcraft and they just said try another browser... After a few emails back and forth and telling them I was running the most up to date PC and browsers, they said try a Mac... Basically they weren't interested or willing to except that there was a problem. They sell this on the fact it works with every browser, but it doesn't...
Via Soundcraft tech support...Use an External router. And noise? Watch your gain levels.
have you reached out to Soundcraft about the issues? If so, what was their response?
+Micah Muth I don't have any contacts at Soundcraft unfortunately and purchased this unit retail. I'll be going through the warranty process next to see if they can shed some light on the issues. I'll do another update as things progress. Thanks for watching!
thanks for posting, that really sucks...good luck
Happy to hear you were contacted. Thanks for the reply.
Soundcraft Ui24R If this comment is in response to my saying I don't have any contacts at Soundcraft, you might note that it was posted prior to Danny and subsequently Tom reaching out to me. I responded to Danny publicly here in the comments for everyone to see our conversation in real time...
You have to take onboard that Danny is not only a Harman employee but the Owner of SMProAudio the original designers of the UI series. So he is quite protective of his product.
Thanks i nearly bought one!
Man, your review is just worth GOLD!!!
Loving it, being so correct and precise!
I also like that you took the time and dismounted this crap, showing the shame inside! (looks like half of the components were stolen during production line )
I wish all other reviewers would learn from you.
I should also mention, that every bloody money hungry crap selling compan should be put to shame (and poverty) by reviews like yours!
Thank you!
Does anyone know if ui series can actually control independently the amount of reverb (FX) send to buses specifically to channel so that for example we don't listen enormous amounts of vocal channel one going to bus two setup of vocalist number two?
I have the ui12 no problem for a while, but now problem with chrome on my tablet, not responding......
Dude. You just dropped it.
Christian Kuziara Dude
@@DcSoundOp :D I've got one and its fine. I think you got unlucky. You should request a replacement!
Christian Kuziara No doubt, lots of folks had good experiences with the Ui, lots of folks had the same experience I did. I think both are relevant to anyone interested in the whole story down the line.
I’m happy it worked for folks & believe the Ui16 & 24 which were different designs to this one were much better all around.
Like I said numerous times in this video, I really did like this mixer, but I stand by my review. Certainly didn’t drop it though.
Do you think they fixed this problem? I'm a mobile DJ and I run everything through a Behringer xneyx 2222 mixing board. It's big and cumbersome. It works well, but I put it under the table, which means any adjustment has me climbing on the floor in the middle of the gig. I'm considering this or the X-Air 12 from Behringer. For my purpose I don't need a ton of features just the bare minimum. What would you recommend that I can control through an Ipad? Thanks
Hi Barry, from what I understand the Ui-16 & Ui-24 are quite popular with the folks who own them and don't have these issues. The Ui-12 as far as I know is the same today as it was back when this video was made, with the last firmware update being back in 2018. There is a public beta firmware for the ui-12 & 16 & I'm not sure how old that is or if it solved any issues. The X-air and the rest of that series do seem to be very popular with the folks that own them. We have not had one here yet to look at on the channel, as they are really pricey here in North America & have been on back-order for a while now. So I think it will be down to what you're more comfortable with & what you can get a hold of in your time-frame as so much stuff is out of stock in the industry.
So... you reset the channels? Did you get the firmware updated?
Hey Geoff, yes I did reset the unit a number of times (both network & factory reset) to no avail. This unit, to date, still refuses to attempt/complete the firmware update process... which as I'm sure you are thinking, may be a contributing factor to the issues. I'm going to follow through and see what Soundcraft can do under warranty, hopefully they can take it in and shed some light on the issues and if they are related.
I'll report back as I go, thanks for watching!
You can individually reset a channel... It's different to resetting the whole unit or cycling the power.
Long click on the channel label at the botton and then select "Reset Channel" and click on OK.
It clears all the settings on that particular channel.
With regards to updating the firmware It sounds like an issue with your particular unit. I've used a UI16 without any of these problems.
I'm presuming that you have done a full reset using a fullreset.txt file
I'm using the UI24R now. Its wonderful. Clean sound and easy management.
+Geoff Hurst I have done both the full reset & network reset & the channel reset now a number of times. Each time you reset or power cycle the unit, it starts off clean for a few seconds and the noise immediately come back in.
Definite non compliant behaviour. It's broken. Has soundcraft responded to you yet?
Thanks for your experience and I hope you will give me the right answer
I’m looking for new digital mixer at the moment I got analog mixer Soundcraft GB2R 16 with Lexicon MX300 and Dbx DriveRacKPA it is to heavy to move round
I don’t know which digital mixer to buy . Thanks again
Hi, I'll try to help if I can. What type of work are you going to be using it for (live music? corporate? house of worship?) and how much money are you looking to spend upgrading? Let me know & I'll try to help :)
I’m going to use it for live music/services and I would like spend around $5,000. Thanks
helo sir, Have you try behringer XR series ??
Hi Halid, I have not had the chance to review the Behringer stuff yet. I have used them a handful of time and regularly hear LOTS of positive opinions from other people. I've been planning to buy one for review for a while now, but just haven't had the time to fit it in yet.
i have reset and reset my ui16 4 times and still cant connect to the unit. soundcraft has been helpfull but its time to send it back to the company. the ui16 ran great at first but after 3 or so months problems started not connecting to the wyfi, limited use of functions. i stopped using my tablet and bought a dell laptop. in all i have spent more money on tablets and laptops then the unit it self im hopeing it will get fixed if not im getting a berhinger
I found that if it doesn't connect to the mxer through the Wifi I can simply wait 3 minutes and it will say . Mixer needs connection and it will connect quickly if you have other links to the wifi like your home link it will over ride the Soundcraft. best to use a dedicated device with no other saved Wifi spots. It was tricky at first you an also set up the ethernet cable and skip all that stuff.
So, based on this, what do you recommend?
I too have issues with mine, high essing when I up my Mic outputs. Perfect for CD player or with laptop, but a letdown for me with microphone.
Me too. I thought I was doing something wrong. How did you correct this issue???
@@AJtheDJEntertainment get quality microphones and mic cables.
My last concert the faders disappeared from the screen.
Oh no! That's no good. Were you able to get it back online?
@@DcSoundOp yes! I got in to panic but I didnt touch anything, the sound was still there so I kept on playing and a couple of songs later i looked over and the faders had come back again.
Hi, I've watch this video of yours #55 - Soundcraft Ui-12 Letdown, I would like to buy one and would like to know you have any idea if this issue has been sorted out? Thanks
I'd recommend taking a look at the Facebook user groups, there are a number of active groups there, where many people are reporting their current experiences with the Ui mixers.
i've been a live musician for a long time.. professionally for over 35 years.. and also a certified audio and lighting tech, studio engineer and producer.. and.. i JUST used this on a cruise ship contract and a full installation gig here in my home town...the boats: 4 months, every night.. ethernet AND wireless router connection.. NOT ONE FAILURE.. worked exactly as advertied.. and embarrassed the cruise line's techs and 20,000$ full rack of control/ outboard (yamaha, lexicon.. Shure etc.. ) .. if you use a PC or android based product for live music.. , you get what you deserve IMHO...(i have both systems too.. i'm not a fan of spending an hour working on finding drivers.. updating service paks.. etc.. to get 10 min of work done.. ) for $300 bucks.. AGAIN, you said it: . 'what did you expect'... if you gig a lot.. ... buy THREE, buy 3 routers and 3 sets of cables and older ipads ( i use a 3rd gen ipad that can't be updated past ios10!) have one ipad hard wired to a router (50$ d link and an apple ethernet to lighting connector), have one taking the WIRELESS from that router bypassing the only under achiever in the chain, the 'hotspot'... (for all the BRANDS you name, the ONE that i thought might be suspicious is SOUNDCRAFT as a provider of wirelss tech.. so.. as a pro in the know.. skip it!.. easy, you have 2 other ways to connect to ANY browser!!) . and YOU STILL haven't spent a PORTION of what i've spent on Yamaha, Tascam, Mackie/Allen Heath consoles or Lexicon, DBX, Klark.. etc.. etc.. i have a studio full of Tascam dig, O1v's.. whatever.. .. all have 1000th of the functionality and ease of use, particularly if you're sitting on stage mixing in real time by yourself!... and you can't for moment tell me that anyone would trade back to having to figure out a way to get 2 full mon. mixes... full control on EVERY channel.. comps.. eqs.. usb recording of INDIVIDUAL TRACKS to a thumb drive.. and on and on...all controllable on a browser on a frikin' IPAD! why tf would i care what trolls on the internet have to say?? most of these people are hobbyists at best who lack either computer skills, network chops or basic live mixing experience... If you're touring with Beyonce.. you aren't using this stuff.. or even CARE to hear about it... so.. we're not talking about that LEVEL of quality.. but DAMN if we aren't getting close to the FUNCTIONALITY of the Venue console!... problems i've had have turned out to be 'operator' error.. and i was fully expecting, at this price point.. for this stuff to be 'disposable'.. buy a new one every year.. even if i bought 3 a year.. i would still not be anywhere CLOSE to what my mountain of used consoles and outboard stuff cost me over the years and you can't take your Mackie 1604 VLZ and rack of compressors, gates, reverbs etc on a plane to a gig without spending more than that crap is worth per pound now.. .. ... i would 'suggest' that you are on someone's payroll... i'm thinking Behringer.. that stuff, for all the forums and discussion groups filled with 'comic book guy' opinions... is absolute GARBAGE.. it's NOT Midas quality, no matter the proximity.. . i've NEVER had a gig where an X 32 has worked properly for the whole night OR sounded 'transparent'... or didn't have to stop a show for a 'restart'... so... when spec'ing a show.. i SPECIFICALLY mention that there should be NO BEHRINGER product anywhere in the audio chain... so.. come on man... at least be straight up about your agenda here..
Dude, wow! I'm happy you've had such a great experience with the Ui series. I'm really sorry to hear you've taken my review so personally, that obviously wasn't my intent at all.
I appreciate your opinion & love that you're willing to add your voice to the conversation. The goal here is for folks looking for info in the future to not only find my review, but more importantly, the discussion from a wide range of audio folks like yourself in the comments. That's the only agenda.
I'm interested to know how you've decided I must be on Behringer's payroll? That's a pretty serious charge to throw out in public. For the record, I'm not. I've never communicated directly with Music Group, although I would love to review their mixers on the channel if I have the chance in the future.
You might be surprised to know that one of the few paid writing gigs I've taken in the years since this video was published, was for Harman Intl. (Soundcraft). Not a product review, but a system summary of the Audio System used for New Years Eve in Times Square for their blog. They saw this video when it first came out.
You could have found this easily by googling, before taking a shot at my reputation & ethics, in what looks like an attempt to white knight for a global tech company. You've taken a bit of a wrong turn here & I hope everything is going okay for you right now. I worry when I see folks write these draw out walls of text, reaching for something to be angry about on a multiple year old video.
If you need to talk, feel free to reach out directly to info@dcsoundop.com. I'm here & I appreciate & respect your opinion.
I watched your video and I kept waiting to hear what Soundcraft Support advised you.
If they wanted you to box it up and send it to them so they could check it out.
Stuff does happen and through the comments below many Soundcraft Ui owners have had zero issues.
Only God does not need a Warranty for all others imperfections do occur and is the reasons for Warranty and Support.
How about another Follow up that includes the Manufacturer: Soundcraft.
Until I hear that Soundcraft offered you absolutely no resolve I will continue to add the UI series to my mixer choices.
It has also been 3 years since your complaints..I am sure that in that time if it was a Ui issue Soundcraft has addressed it and resolved it.
Dude, I was in contact with them throughout. Since this video... they disbanded the team that made these consoles, let the guy who designed them originally go & went through a years long pattern of banning people from their Facebook support group if they reported issues or asked negative questions. (Those groups were run by SC staff). Keep doing what makes you happy my guy, I’ve got no agenda or dog in the fight.
Strange, I never had any problems with my ui12 or ui16. I think you had just a bad one on channel 3. In that case I should return it in garanty.
I will be returning it under warranty, but I am FAR from the only person experiencing these and many other issues. Glad to hear you're enjoying both of yours and they are working reliably for you. I really do like this mixer and want very much for them to be a reliable product.
Hey there!! We've been using this unit since January, anywhere from 15-20 shows a month.... no issues. Not sure if yours is maybe bad cables, dirty power, gain set to high, inputs ran too hot etc etc.... we run 4pcs band with 3k watts of FOH and 1000 watts of monitors and no issues.... perhaps you got a bad one?
I think I and dozens of other folks absolutely got 'bad ones' for sure. The issue is not so much the individual problems, but more that if you read up on the Facebook groups, there are LOTS of folks like you, who have had 'no issues' until they have a major show stopping issue out of the blue. These consoles simply are not up to the standard you would expect buying a product from any one of the MANY companies who's logo's are stamped it... of course, that's just my personal opinion.
Thanks for the message & for watching the channel!
Around 140 shows later.... Hmmmmmm...... Comparing it to a Behringer Air 18.... this unit stomps it. The Behringer
distorts.... I think it being used incorrectly is the BIGGEST problem. Overdriving any audio source will cause noise.
+Spotlight Entertainment facebook.com/groups/SoundcraftUi16Users/permalink/1892644447442923/
Hey there, sorry that you've had such a bad go of it. It most likely comes down to it being a Monday Morning or Friday afternoon quality issue when it was built.
Like You, I bought mine because of the Soundcraft name. I've had a number of their mixers over the years. In fact, I had a Spirit Folio SX20 (that I really liked) go down on a gig. I finished the night using a backup mixer. I then bought the UI16, and before I went out and did anything with it, I updated the firmware and then, thankfully I haven't had an issue with it. That's been 2 years now. Its still quiet, the Wireless works well.
I hope that you were able to get it replaced under warranty.
Cheers.
+Dennis Hunt facebook.com/groups/SoundcraftUi16Users/permalink/1892644447442923/