Allen & Heath USB ZED drivers?

My little Behringer mixer died after only a few years of service. 
So as I would never buy that brand again I'm looking at the Alen & Heath Zed line up. 
They all seem to come with a USB interface built in.

 What I find not appealing is there are no drivers available on the web site? 
They come packaged with Sonar LE so one would assume they will work with Sonar. 

?Question?  is any body else using one of these mixers as an audio interface without issues? 

I would only use it for live recording of audio. I would not bother using it as my DAW, I know better than that. 

Yes I'm aware of the one Firewire product they make that actually has drivers. That was the only "driver" on the support web site. That's an interesting product but not what I need. I need small and simple. 

I found out the USB models uses Windows Legacy drivers which we all know will not work properly with Sonar. Funny they include Sonar with the mixer.  

I guess it will record directly into Wave Lab which is useful. And I could use it to play my backing tracks from the laptop instead of using the cheesy mini jack cable. 

Those Mixers are only 16bit that's what bothers me

David4455


Those Mixers are only 16bit that's what bothers me

My ZED_R16 is 24 bit to 96kHZ.  I use 48 kHz.

There I changed the thread title to USB ZED drivers. 

So far no body has any experience with these USB boards. Oh well, that's a sign in it's self. I'm looking a little closer at the Mackie and Yamaha's as at least I know those brands last a little more than 4 years. 
I have little experience with A&H, for all I know they are made in the same factory as Behringer....

I took the little Behringer apart last night to see if I could replace the faders...No way, the boards are not what you call repairable.  

I have little experience with A&H, for all I know they are made in the same factory as Behringer....

You're not aware of Allen & Heath and their mixer reputation? That's very surprising.

I hope you find something suitable but USB 1 mixers and their drivers are limited by their format rather than the manufacturer.

mike_mccue


The ZED 16R is made in England.

The ZED 24, ZED 16FX, and probably most of the other Music Instrument retail grade stuff, is made in a factory near Behringer's place.

There were a few ZED-R16s manufactured in the UK I believe but mine was made in China. I have no idea about their other mixers.

Interesting.... As more and more gear is produced and built in China it will be a foolish man that poo poos it (not saying you are BTW).

I can remember when the UK still had a motorcycle industry and everyone slated the Japanese 'rubbish'..... oh how times have changed and regular manufacturing is going the same way, only China is where it's at now.

I was watching an interview recently with someone from Harrods who said five years ago Chinese purchasing in the UK was one fifth of the US spending. Apparently it is now five times greater than the US spend, that's rapid growth to say the least.

A sign of things to come I'm sure........

mike_mccue


I recommend buying domestic... where ever it is that you live.

That way you can have a reasonable expectation that there will be a domestic service that can actually repair the item you purchase when it finally needs some tender loving care.


best regards,
mike

Obviously you've never ridden a British motorcycle............ Yes I buy British where I can but sometimes I can't and sometimes I don't want to... British motorcycles being a case in point. Chances are even if there is a British company producing it, it's probably being made elsewhere (a la ZED-R16) and I'm sure the same must apply over there or soon will do.