Good afternoon TapSpace Community!

I hope this topic finds you all have a great start to the spring semester.  Anyway, let me get into the meat of this topic.

In the pursuit of finding the best, cost efficient, digital mixing console, I came across the Phonic Digital Mixing Console.  To me, this console just seems AMAZING!  But I know very little about the history of the company, and to little about digital mixers, to be able to compare the Phonic to any other notable digital console, that is within the same price range.  After I read into the features of the Phonic Console, I was blown away.....not only does it seem to have the same features that make the studio 16.4.2 and the Yamaha 01v96 such great digital mixers, but more.  Here is a list, straight off their website:

16 mono mic/line with insert points and grouped phantom power
Internal digital sampling rate up to 96 kHz in 24-bit resolution
Compact design achieved through 16 faders encompassing three layers (Channel, AUX/Group, Multi)
17 ultra-smooth 100 mm motorized faders arranged in a familiar analog mixer arrangement
High quality GUI interface onboard accessed through a full-color touch-screen
4-band semi-parametric EQs can be found on all input channels, multi outputs and main outputs
Digital AES/EBU input and output
Eight balanced 1/4"; phone jack 'multi' outputs
8 AUX and 8 Group buses assignable to ‘multi’ outputs
Two professional quality stereo digital EFX processors assignable to input channels and AUX buses
25 dynamic processors available on input channels, ‘multi’ outputs and main mix
Save and instantly recall scenes at the touch of a button
Stereo headphone mix with independent level control
Processing accomplished through a high quality 40-bit floating point digital signal processor
Optional FireWire & USB 2.0 expansion card (16-in, 16-out) for multi-track recording
FireWire & USB card compatible with Windows XP/Vista/7 and Mac OSX operating systems

Now the features list alone didn't give me enough information about the product to sell me on the idea of purchasing the console, simply due to my inexperience in digital console.  However, upon going to phonic's website, I found a video that details the features, and explains the capabilities of the mixer, that have nearly made me a believer.  Here is the link:

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwpgiI_lOUQ&feature=player_embedded#!]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwpgiI_lOUQ&feature=player_embedded#![/url]


What do you guys think?  Worth the purchase?  Am I falling victim to the colored LCD?  ha

Anyway, until I get some much needed feedback from my family here at TapSpace, I am not going to make a move...that is how much I respect each of your opinions!!!!  Thanks in advance for your input.

The Yamaha 01V96 will do everything this Phonics board will.  The touch screen is nice, and it looks easy to learn how to use; but I don't think it will have as many presets built in as the Yamaha mixer would.
 
I think the quality of the preamps is something to consider, along with the ability to add more channels via ADAT cables with the Yamaha.  (up to 24 additional XLR inputs by using Presonus FS or D8 preamps for example).

The Yamaha mixer also offers Studio manager, a software that will allow you to control and edit your mixers settings via a laptop/ipad/iphone.  I think this can be very useful vs the Phonics board.  You can edit and adjust settings at home, back them up, etc.  It looks like the Phonics board has to ";boot"; a scene change.  The Yamaha can do it with the touch of a button and it is instant.

Yamaha has had their mixer out for a while.  It has gone through lots of R and D and ALOT of groups are using it now, creating a community of percussionists that use it for the indoor and outdoor game.

I would look for a good deal on that mixer if I were you.

Hope this info helps you make a more informed decision.

Thanks Tom!  This is exactly the kind of input I was looking to receive!  I wouldn't be where I am today without the tapspace forum!