Experience so far.

Pre amps and EQ sound great.

Build quality exeptional for price.

To answer some of the questions I've been asked on other threads, I have tried these tests.

Sample rate 44.1
Bit depth 24
ASIO buffer size 128 samples
Total round trip latency 9.8 msec

I played a previously recorded instrumental - 30 odd tracks, audio and SITs. Many effects and processors. I looped it and left it playing for half hour. No drop outs or glitches.

I recorded 12 tracks simultaneously- demo songs from 2 synths, demo song from DTExplorer, guitar and 3 mics. Sounded diabolical, but recorded fine, no drop outs.

It's great being able to record a song into Sonar, then run the tracks back through the MTK's channels, EQs etc, and record the MTK's Master back into Sonar. Analog summing, and using the great sounding EQs. I like the results a lot.

So far my impressions are all positive - I can't believe what you get for the money. A great desk, nice preamps, great sounding EQ, Dbx limiters, comprehensive routing.. I haven't had chance to play with the built in Lexicon FX yet.

And a 14 in, 12 out interface, that so far seems to be solid.

My initial concern about not having any inserts was groundless. It is so easy to route stuff so that it records both the clean and processed tracks.

Loving it.
 
edited to correct interfering iPad "correction"

Sounds like a good buy. Can you use it as a control surface in Sonar? For example, can the desk faders control the channel faders in Sonar?

Thanks for the review JB! I've been interested in one of these for a while. I was set to buy one last year when soundcraft had some manufacturing delays. Still, it might be something I pick up...

Sir William
Sounds like a good buy. Can you use it as a control surface in Sonar? For example, can the desk faders control the channel faders in Sonar?

No

Thanks JB - for the review and reply. It's still worth the money though I reckon.

The MTKs won't work as a control surface, they are analog consoles with a built-in multi-channel USB converter. Very inexpensive way to get multi-channel record and playback, though. Especially for those who want to record their band live.

Thanks FLZapped. I was expecting a lot from such a nicely priced desk. I will still buy one soon though I'm sure. I can see this desk and playlists in a live performance with various tracks playing back through it on their own channels :)

I am now torn between this and the UFX1204 which sends 16 channels @96/24. Too soon for someone to do a comparison review I guess.

The MTK does 96/24, I just don't.

I did look at the Behringer, but several things swayed me to the MTK.

Firstly, it was Soundcraft, not Behringer. I have used Soundcraft desks for years, both live and recording. They are great quality, hard wearing and sound good. I know it will last.

Also, the MTK has so any great things from the Harmon group of companies. The ghost pres are from a much more expensive desk, and sound great. Limiters on two channels by dbx. Fx by Lexicon. The asymmetric EQ, etc. It's such a great "stable".

My only concern was the drivers, and they seem good. The only drop out I have had was caused by my wifi card, which would happen with any interface running at 128 samples.

The Behringer seemed to have "more stuff", but I guess I went for quality over quantity. I think I made the right choice.

It might be worth finding somewhere where you can physically check out the two. You may have to wait as the dealers I spoke to said they didn't have enough Soundcrafts to use one as a demo. You could still check out the normal Signature 12, as they're nearly identical apart from the 14/12.

Is the UFX1204 the one that can record straight to a usb stick? I do think that is a cool feature.

There are several things that I would like to add/change on the MTK that you can do on the Behringer. I guess it all comes down to price. If the MTK did everything I wanted, it would cost 5 times as much.

I would like to be able to choose whether the signal goes to usb before or after the EQ. Or have inserts, etc. Each one can be worked around, though, and you still have a nice desk

The Behringer can do some amazing stuff, though.

edited to correct darn phone spelling correction..