Harbinger L1202FX Mixer – $109
PROS: Ridiculous price, no frills, easy to use.
CONS: None.
PRICE: $109
Less is more – it seems a lot of companies’ cram so many features into a product to fill any possible need that it over does it. Harbinger’s kept things simple, making a mixer that delivers without useless bells and whistles, at a more than reasonable price. Let’s clarify that – this mixer comes at a ridiculous price for what you get.
Within the all-metal enclosure are 12 channels; 4 with XLR & 1/4” inputs, and the remaining channels with 1/4” inputs. Separate outputs exist for mains as well as dedicated control room outputs plus RCA Aux inputs for items such as mp3 players, and 1/4” headphone outs.
The 4 XLR channels have a 3-band EQ, a High Pass Filter which cuts frequencies 75Hz and below. Then an Aux level control, Pan and level control round things out. The remaining channels are a bit more sparse; Aux, Balance and Level. Channels 5-12 share controls, and the balance control works between the shared inputs. A +4/-10 dB pad switch is available to bring levels up or down as needed.
There are 16 digital effects that can be utilized, including modulation effects such as chorus and flanger, delays, reverbs, and a vocal detune that can fatten up vocals as well instruments. There are a few patches that have combinations of reverb and delay, and reverb and modulation effects. A rotary effect that works great for guitars and keyboards can get a swirling modulation that’s usable in many applications. Phantom power is available for mics that require it, and a single master fader covers the overall output.
The unit has a small footprint, smaller than a MacBook in fact. For a band that wants a mixer for vocals, and a few other items, it’s a great choice. Once things are set, there’s not alot of tweaking that’s needed, other than the master volume, really. It can also be a great input device for a home studio, not taking up alot of room in the process. The sound quality is great, and the cost is even better with a $109 street price.
The only minor downside is the power supply; it’s a specialized connector, which if something happens to the power supply, such as getting lost or damaged, could really grind things to a halt. There are so many high-end mixers out there, that to see a bare bones mixer that is both inexpensive and still sounds good, is quite a breath of fresh air.
FEATURES
4 LvL Series ultra clean mic preamps
XLR and 1/4″ TRS balanced/unbalanced line input
4 TRS1/4″ balanced/unbalanced stereo inputs with +4/-10dB sensitivity selection
Built-in effects including tap tempo delay
Versatile 3-Band EQ
75Hz high pass Filter on mic inputs
Aux Send
Full-size master fader
48V phantom power