I have been looking at digital mixers for a long while now, trying to weigh up all the options and price points.
Like a lot of weekend warriors I have to mix from the stage, so I wanted something that would allow me to use an iPad or smartphone to do sound checks out in the audience. This seems to be a 'standard' option for most digital mixers, but some manufacturers implement it better than others.
When the X32 Rack was introduced it seemed that it's most obvious competitors were the other 16 channel mixers that rely on the iPad for their primary control surface, but, for just a couple of hundred pounds more, the X32 gives me far more expandability, twice as many channels, more auxes, much more flexible routing, 32 band graphics inserts on each output channel, parametric eq on each channel and far better recording possibilities (with the ability to record 32 channels instead of 2), virtual sound checks...the list goes on.
Great value for money, and with the forthcoming V2 firmware there will be additional RTA options to fine tune your rig to the venue.
The form factor has also made it possible to build it straight into the rack, and thanks to all the on-board capabilities, I've been able to ditch 6U of outboard equipment, and wire it straight into the power amps. With the addition of a 10/2 channel snake to stage rear and a 6 channel snake to stage front I now have a rig that is as simple and quick to set up as a mixer amp, with all the power and features of a pro level rig.
I was slightly concerned about spending what is still a good chunk of money on a Behringer product because of their reputation for 'budget' equipment. I'm not a Behringer hater, I already have a DEQ2496, an FBQ6200 and an FBQ1000 but nothing (until the X32) that was 'mission critical', if any of this stuff failed on a gig I would have been able to get around it, but with the X32 this needs to be rock solid. I need not have worried, from the moment I opened the box the whole thing felt like a real quality piece of kit. Behringer have really upped their game on this one!
Highly recommended!