Jumbo Sunshade, Music Gear Review - Soundcraft EPM6, EPM8, EPM12 Channel Mixer

Jumbo Sunshade - Ezine

Music Gear Review - Soundcraft EPM6 EPM8 EPM12 Mixer
[6-channel, 8-channel & 12-channel studio/live mixers]

        
            I can easily sum up 
            Soundcraft's EPM series mixers: good mic pres; simplicity/lack of 
            features; price is great value for the preamps.Overall Design

            The EPM mixers look and feel well-built with fairly heavy-gauge 
            metal.  Things are definitely geared toward

        utility, not flash.  All controls and I/O are on the top with power 
        cord going in underneath.  Not very much room for labeling tape and 
        the desk is not designed to have you sitting there with your wrists 
        resting during hours-long mix sessions.  Color-coded 

        
          
            controls are easily 
            recognizable with the exception of Gain (red is always hard to see 
            in the dark).  I/O layout is perfect.  There is no 
            power switch, which is really annoying. 
Simplicity

            The EPM mixers couldn't be any more straight-forward.  It's not 
            like Soundcraft came up with some super clever new way of doing 
            anything here; it's that they've left out much of what other mixers 
            would include (let alone some of the new features that have come out 
            recently).  I'll write more on this below, but here's what 
            they've got going on:
Signal hits the channel and goes down the line just like on any 
            mixer - controls are all color-coded with detents on EQ.  Two 
            auxes, each with a master switch for either pre or post fader 
            operation.  Two aux outs (no return and therefore no aux master 
            levels); monitor and main out; tape in/out.  Mix, monitor and 
            headphone levels.  That's it!  Seriously, there's a few 
            other buttons (tape route, phantom power) but that's all there is.
 
Microphone Preamps

        The EPM6, EPM8, and EPM12 have 6, 8, & 12 mono mic/line channels 
        that use the GB30 preamp.  These are the preamps

            
            
            
          

        

used on Soundcraft's LX7ii and 
        GB series mixers.  The GB30 pres are clean and quiet enough, with 
        plenty of headroom for me personally (live or in the studio).
Those who use a mixer strictly for live rock band stuff probably 
        wouldn't care about the difference in preamp transparency  

        
            between this board and 
            something like a Behringer.  On the other hand; those who use a 
            mixer for acoustic guitar or recording that singer who whispers into 
            a large dual diaphragm on omni would definitely appreciate 
            the preamps on the Soundcraft EPM boards!Although these pres 
            certainly are great considering the low price of

        these boards, the truth is that they'd be great to have with any 
        mixer that isn't some large bulky desk. 
Price

        
                As of July 2010, you can find these boards for around:

        EPM6 $260, EPM8 $300, EPM12 $410

        Ok so, eight great-sounding preamps for $300 - do i really need to 
        explain that this is totally worth it?  For a small home studio this kind of board is 
        nearly 
        ideal (if/where clean, uncolored sound is paramount).

Equalization [see below for info on low cut "issue"]
Channel EQ

        On the mono mic/line channels it's three band EQ.  High EQ is shelf 
        @ 12kHz, +/- 15db.  Low is shelf @ 60Hz, +/- 15db.

        Mid is variable (unknown Q) from 140Hz to 3kHz, +/- 15db.
All three of these EPM mixers have two stereo/line channels, which have 
        2 band shelving EQ.  High @ 12kHz and low at 60Hz, both +/- 15db.

 

        
            There isn't much to say about EPM channel EQ - it's very basic.  I love paragraphic EQ (variable Mid) on XLR 
        channels; i think that every mixer should have this.One thing i 
            definitely don't dig about the EPM mixers is the lack of Mid EQ on 
            the stereo/line channels.  If these channels had come 
            with standard Mid

equalization, that would've been fine; but 
        Soundcraft went with just two bands on the EPM's stereo/line 
        channels because (i believe) they see these channels as returns for the 
        Auxes, in which case Mid EQ wouldn't be missed.Like their LX7ii, the EPM EQ must have increased slope.  In 
        trying to EQ house music on the stereo/line channels, you're definitely 
        confronted with this hole in the middle of your sound.  It's more 
        noticeable through a PA than through studio monitors because of the PA's 
        exaggerated low and high end (subs and horns).
Main Graphic EQ

        Unlike most mixers of this size/type, the EPM boards do not have 
        a main/mix graphic EQ.  For live loud rock material you're always 
        gonna have multi-band GEQ across the mains (and a couple

        
            more across monitor mixes) 
            for feedback and room treatment.But even with those outboard EQ's; if you've got a situation where 
        you're running house music through the PA between sets (like most cover 
        bands do), you'd really want the convenience and utility of a built-in 5 
        or 7 band GEQ on the mixer.

        [let alone you're going without Mid EQ on the stereo/line 
        channels]
Inserting outboard EQ across the mains is easy enough via the 
            Main Inserts that Soundcraft so thoughtfully provided.

In a home or small studio setting where your mixer is literally used 
        for everything (like blasting Stevie Wonder while you setup 
        microphones on a drum kit), you're again gonna miss that built-in 
        graphic EQ.  
        Who wants to worry about inserting an EQ in a home/small studio just to 
        blast music? 
Auxes

        The Soundcraft EPM6, EPM8 & EPM12 mixers each have two auxes, handling routing in the most basic way.  
        For this review i'll assume that the reader knows very little about how 
        auxes work, and compare these Soundcraft boards to other typical mixers.
With other small live/studio boards, what you're 
        typically used 
        to dealing with are two auxes assigned, one each, for Monitor and FX.  
        The Mon aux is pre-fader (front-of-house and monitor mixes 
        are independent); FX aux is post-fader (your FX level 
        follows your signal level).

        With some boards you might have the option of flipping your FX aux to 
        prefade, which would give you two (useful) monitor mixes.
The EPM boards' auxes are assignable as either pre or 
        post fader across all channels.  This obviously gives you the most
        output options: 2 pre-fader auxes; 2 post-fader auxes; or one of each.
And with most other small mixers of this type, you'd 
        have Aux Return inputs and aux master controls (master send 
        level, master return level, mute) for each aux.

        Those Aux Returns do give you some more options when it comes to 
        creative routing (whether you need it or not depends on what your live 
        and/or studio needs are), but those extra layers of signal level control 
        can sometimes be a pain to deal with.
The EPM mixers don't have aux returns; only sends.  
        Because of this, the only aux control is channel (send) level.  No 
        master

        
            aux send, return, or mute.

        The absence of a master Aux Send is going to be inconvenient for those 
        who crank their poweramps and adjust monitor levels at the board.  
        I think this was a mistake on Soundcraft's part.Whether or not the 
            EPM aux implementation is "better" or "worse" than that of other 
            standard

        small mixers depends on the end user.  Four less board 
        inputs is something to be 
        aware of if you're considering buying one of these mixers.  For me personally, 
        the EPM's auxes are pretty close to what i want/need.

        Remember you can still patch in external FX without aux 
        returns, it's just a different process [that gives you less 
        flexibility and uses up one or more additional channels].

 

        
            Mute and Pre Fader Listen

            Channel mute is something most of us use as much as we use level 
            control, and it makes sense to have a mute light to let us know if 
            and what has been muted, especially at a glance live.  
        This is such a basic and useful thing it's hard for me to believe that 
        Soundcraft chose to not include this on these boards.  You 
            just REALLY want mute indicators on

        a mixer; even the lowest-end Behringer boards have these.The EPM boards have Pre Fader Listen switches, but like the Mute 
        switch there is no per-channel indicator.  Instead what you get is 
        a PFL active light below the Mix LED tree - it's up to you to (hopefully 
        quickly) figure out which channel's PFL is enabled.  Now this won't 
        negatively affect everybody, but depending on how you route 
        signal (Mix/Monitor) this could be fairly annoying in a live/dark 
        environment.
 
And The Rest

        * Phantom power.  Across all mono/XLR channels (obviously).
* Inserts across the Main/XLR output.  Functions just like 
        channel insert.  Could put EQ, feedback destroyer, limiter, or 
        other processor in line to the front-of-house mix.  Could be used as an 
        alternate 1/4" output option.  Definitely a cool thing to have!
* Peak indicator LEDs on all channels.  Located right where you 
        can see them, above the fader.
* Monitor.  This is a 2nd main mix send with 1/4" balanced 
        outputs.  Has it's own level control that is independent of the 
        Main L/R MIX level.  Can be used for various route configurations 
        in the studio, or in a situation where you'd need/want to use a 2nd set 
        of 1/4" Main outputs instead of the XLR outputs.  Note: Inserts 
        only across the Main/XLR outputs; not across 
        the Monitor outputs.
* RCA "record out".  RCA output of main mix; could go to a 
        2-track recording device, or be used for some other alternate route of 
        main mix.
* RCA "2 track".  RCA input that can be routed via switches (no 
        level controls) to the Main output, and/or to the Monitor/headphone 
        output.
 
What's Not Here

 

        
            Many of the standard things you 
            would expect to see on a small live/studio 
        mixer are missing on the Soundcraft EPM6, EPM8, & EPM12 mixers.  This is 
            all totally by (their) design of 
        course,

        but in order to write a useful review i have to address most of 
        this stuff, especially because i can't think of another mixer this size 
        that i can reasonably make a direct comparison to!LCF/HPF.  There is no low cut (high pass) filter on the 
        EPM channels.  Low cut is something that most people use live for 
        vocals and electric guitars to get rid of unwanted boominess.  [We 
        all know that unwanted low end just muddies up the mix and also wastes 
        power amp wattage!]
You can use the Low EQ on the EPM to get rid of some of that, but you 
        need to be aware that the EPM's Low EQ shelf is 60Hz, which is below 
        the
        standard 80Hz low cut frequency.  If you're used to EQing based 
        on what you'd normally get with a low cut filter engaged then you have 
        to pay close attention with the EPM mixers and your situation might 
        still require outboard graphic EQ (if you've got it).
As a reference, here are some other Low Cut (not low channel EQ) 
        frequency points:

        Mackie 75Hz

        Allen & Heath 80Hz

        Behringer 80Hz

        Tascam 80Hz

        Yamaha 80Hz

        Rolls 100Hz

 

        
            No balanced/XLR on stereo/line channels.  I'm including 
        this because there's alot of gear out there  that uses 
        balanced XLR outputs.  The EPM stereo/line channels have only 
        1/4" inputs.  If balanced XLR into stereo/line channel is something 
        you deal with then you'd obviously miss it here.

No Mid EQ on stereo/line channels; no graphic EQ across the main 
        output.  I covered this above (Equalization).
No Aux Returns; no Master Aux Sends.  I mentioned this above.  
        What normally happens in a live situation with Aux sends for monitors 
        is:

        Each source (vocal, guitar, etc) is placed in the monitor mix via 
        channel Aux Level controls.  This is your monitor mix.  
        Aux signal is sent to your poweramp, which is turned up louder than you 
        might need it (most people i know crank 'em).  Then to adjust 
        monitor level, you would turn the entire mix up/down at the mixer
        using some master aux control.  Since these boards don't have a 
        Master Aux control, you'd have to make any further adjustments to 
        monitor level at the poweramp itself, which might or might not be a pain 
        in the ass depending on where it's located (hopefully close to whomever 
        is running sound at this point).
No on-board Graphic EQ.  Covered above.
No Mute, limited PFL indicator LEDs.  Covered above.
No on-board digital FX.  All anybody really uses 
        (globally) is reverb anyway; compression is signal/program-dependent as 
        is most EQ.  I personally don't see a problem with omitting DSP 
        on these particular (EPM) boards.
 

        
 
How does it sound?

        Soundcraft's GB30 microphone preamps are clean with plenty of 
        headroom and excellent gain before distortion (for this price range).
As far as adding its own color to the sound, the GB30 pres have a 
        fairly small footprint.  This can be a good thing or a bad thing 
        depending on what your mic drawer looks like.

        Good-sounding microphones will sound good through these Soundcraft 
        mixers, but your shitty microphones will STILL sound like shit; maybe 
        even more-so to your ears if you're used to hearing things through a 
        Mackie VLZ (for example).

        To be clear: this board will definitely NOT have your $150 Behringer B2 
        (somehow magically) sounding like a $750 Charter Oak E700.
Drums & percussion (live & studio).  Dynamic mics sound 
        great on kick, snare & toms.  Dynamic kick drum microphones (Beta 
        52A, etc.) sound great.
Hats and overheads can be tricky.  Dynamic mics and small diaphragm 
        condensers sound good but...

        Out live you have to be aware (as stated previously) of your use of 
        on-board EQ.  With no Low Cut on these mixers, you're going to be 
        using the channel's Low EQ, which is set 20Hz below standard.

        In the studio you're still confronted with no Low Cut option, but 
        additionally you lose the board's channel EQ (remember, you'll be 
        coming from the EPM's Channel Inserts when using a mixer like 
        this to record).
With the few small doumbeks and small-to-large djembes i've mic'd 
        using dynamic, small diaphragm condenser, and large diaphragm condenser: 
        everything sounded great.  The frequency range on my 18" Remo 
        djembe is amazing with just a pair of SM57s; totally solid low end.  
        Congas with LDC sounded great.

 

        
          
            
            
            
            Electric guitar & bass - mic'd cabinets.  Dynamic mics 
        sound great.  Low volume bass and clean electric guitar don't 
        suffer from mixer self-noise.  High SPL bass and electric guitar 
        (using SM57 and Beta57) are easily handled; no mixer-caused distortion 
        even from a really loud 4x10/1x15 bass combo.Electric guitar & bass - amp modelers w/DI.  Like every 
        mixer i've ever had experience with, these EPM boards won't give you any 
        help with your modeler's digital harshness.  My experience with an 
        EPM8 (live and in the studio) includes: bass, guitar, POD, V-Amp, RP.  
        I've gone 1/4" to the board, plus active and passive DI.  With the 
        amp modelers, what you hear is what you get.
Acoustic guitar - microphone, MSP, UST (live & studio).  
        This is probably the thing i (so far) have had the most time in with 
        (using an EPM8).  Microphones used include large and small 
        diaphragm condenser, dynamic, and lav.  Via direct box (some made
        specifically for acoustic guitars) i have hit the board with 
        undersaddle transducer and magnetic soundhole pickups.  Everything 
        sounded great; no board self-noise & no coloration.  In some 
        situations i

          

        

would suggest a tube preamp to take some of the edge off (this should 
        really go without saying).
Live vocals.  Standard and higher-end dynamic mics 
        would've really benefited from a Low Cut filter but other than that 
        everything was fine.
Studio vocals.  Male vocals with a halfway decent LDC 
        will have you doing pretty good, but you'd obviously want to use 
        a better mic preamp (preferably tube) in the studio if at all possible.  Female vocals 
        definitely need either a preamp that will soften, or a microphone that 
        does the same; because this board is kindof harsh with female vocals and 
        condenser mics (when you're right up on it).

        I've also done male vocals using Beta 58 with no other outboard pre or 
        EQ and with just a bit of tweaking in the box it sounded extremely good 
        - sitting well in a hard rock song.
 

        
 
Conclusion - Soundcraft EPM6, EPM8 & EPM12 Mixers

        I couldn't complain about the sound/quality of the mic pres, nor the 
        price of the mixers given that quality - this specifically is 
        what got me looking into these boards in the first place.  The EPM 
        preamps can be a little harsh with some condenser mics; especially on 
        female vocals.  I think that anybody with realistic expectations 
        would be totally happy with one of these boards both live and in the 
        small/home studio.
In my opinion Soundcraft overdid it on the simplicity thing.  Anybody 
        serious enough to consider buying this board based on the GB30 preamps 
        would i'm sure have had no problem paying a little more for some 
        basic things that really should be there anyway.

        Graphic EQ (or at least a Mid EQ on stereo/line channels), Mute/PFL 
        indicator LEDs, low cut on mono/mic channels, and a power switch are 
        things that (imo) shouldn't have been sacrificed in order to keep 
        the price down a few dollars more. 
[Update: I actually ended up buying an EPM8 
        for myself so now i guess other people can take turns borrowing 
        it from me.  I will say that even with all of the things i 
        complained about it's (for me) money well-spent.]