Mackie Onyx 24-4 Is a Better Value 
by D.J. from Monterey, TN, September 2008
Music Background:  Live Sound Engineer, Recording Engineer, Vocalist

First off, let me say that this is a truly great board. I owned it for a short time and had no serious complaints with the board, and the one defect I encountered was corrected very quickly by Allen & Heath's superior customer service team (they actually sent me a NEW replacement board free of charge when I returned the defective one). Great customer service is certainly worth something, and I commend A&H on this.
The largest reasons for the title I gave this review can be found in the review I wrote for the Mackie Onyx 24-4. The bottom line for me was that the Mackie simply presented a better value in terms of features and functionality than the A&H, and at a lower price. I fully understand the arguments for paying for quality, etc., but I could hear no discernable difference in the sound between the two boards (positively none that would be heard in a live environment), and the Mackie gives me a few extras that the A&H has left out (again, check out my review of the Mackie for details). Make no mistake that this is a great board for the money, and if you are an "Allen & Heath guy", then by all means buy this board. You will be very happy with it. I am writing this review more for the guys who may be looking to buy their first 24+ channel live board who are wavering between all the choices out there. I just can't justify spending more money to get fewer features (unless you count the Allen & Heath name as a feature!), and hopefully this review will help someone make a better decision. And just in case you are also looking at options from Soundcraft and Midas, I can't fathom anyone other than a national touring act or huge touring sound company spending that kind of money on a live board. For us working musicians, save the extra cash and buy more processing equipment, better power amps, or an extra guitar (in case you break a string on stage!).

  Best Board for the Money 
by Greg @ The Totah Theatre from Four Corners, August 2007
Music Background:  Professional Audio Engineer

Great features for such a small price. The pre-amps sound great. A few more auxes and busses would be nice but I can't complain because of the price. Highly recommended!

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