![USED MIXING BOARDS [3 TIPS & 7 BRANDS]](http://churchgear.com/cdn/shop/articles/Used-Mixing-Boards-Brand-and-Tips.png?v=1706938069&width=1200)
Buying used mixing boards doesn’t have to be difficult with these 3 tips and breakdown on these 7 brands.
- 7 Brands
- Yamaha
- DiGiCo
- Midas
- Avid
- Mackie
- Behringer
- Allen & Heath
- 3 Tips
- How Long do I need this to last?
- Will we resell it when we upgrade?
- Do my staff have a favorite board?
Questions to Ask When You’re Buying Used Mixing Boards for Your Church
How long do I need this used mixing board to last?
Did your board break when you’re nine months away from your upgrade? It happens to the best of us! If you just need a patch, you may be able to get an affordable board just to get you through. Or, you may want to buy a nicer one so you can easily resell it come upgrade time. Either way, think about the amount of funds you have for the board and if you’ll have the time to sell it afterward.
Will we resell the used mixing board when we upgrade?
In the hustle and bustle of life, it can be easy to forget that these boards will hold value long after you’re done using them. The hustle and bustle can also make it nearly impossible to find the time to sell it. If you have the time, you can sell this board when your church is ready to make an upgrade. However, it takes a lot of time to sell used production gear. If you have the time, it may be worth spending up on your used mixing board so that you can get the money back once you’re ready to sell. We would be happy to buy the board from your church if you’re too busy to sell it.
Do a majority of my staff/volunteers already have a comfort level with a particular brand/model?
Send out a group text or email to everyone who would be using this board. If you find that the majority of your team loves Yamaha boards, then you’ll be able to steer your purchase towards the best board for the team. You can create a survey via SurveyMonkey here.
Buying Used Mixing Boards with Confidence
1. Yamaha used mixing boards
Yamaha is the Honda of mixing boards. This is a solid brand, easy to use and it is the easiest used mixing board to fix when technical issues arise. They might be a bit pricier than other used boards, but they are worth every penny. Furthermore, you’ll be able to sell this board when your church makes the next upgrade. When you’re comparing prices, always keep in mind the value you’ll get at the end when you sell it. That Mackie board might be a better deal today, but it won’t resell as a Yamaha board will. You’ll be able to sell your used Yamaha board when you’re done and now you’ve got more dollars for your next upgrade.
Knowing the right brand is one step but the next step is finding the board. Check out our top 10 platforms to buy used pro audio gear here when you’re ready to hunt down that used Yamaha mixing board.
2. DiGiCo used mixing boards
You could essentially take what we said about Yamaha’s used mixing boards and apply it here to DiGiCo. These boards also hold their value and are a great used mixing board for your church. However, this isn’t an easy board to fix. If you or someone else at your church knows how to give this a tune-up, it is a great option. If not, just make sure you know the board’s back story. We test every single piece of gear we receive and our gear comes from churches. This makes our used production gear the highest quality used gear in the world. If you’re buying this board from someone else, just make sure they’ve tested it and can confirm it has had an easy life so far.
3. Midas used mixing boards
This is the Mercedes Benz of mixing boards. Midas is a high-end brand that everyone recognizes so it’ll be easy to sell this board when you’re ready for your next upgrade. Although, this board is also tough to fix like DiGiCo. Just make sure the board has been tested and has been lightly used before you buy it.
4. Avid used mixing boards
An Avid board is similar to DiGiCo and Midas in many ways: a high-end brand, easy to resell, and hard to fix. With a Yamaha being easier to fix, it holds the top spot on our list. However, an Avid board can still be a stellar used mixing board for your church.
Be Cautious Buying these Used Mixing Boards for your Church
5. Mackie used mixing boards
Have you ever eaten on a nice, plastic plate at a fancy event? Think back to the last wedding you attended. The plate was plastic, but it felt firm and looked good. You may have felt odd throwing it away. Surely they could wash this and reuse it like a ceramic plate right? Not really. This plate’s plastic would melt, warp and break in a dishwasher.
Mackie boards are similar to the wedding plate. They will work for you out of the box for sure. You’ll plug it in and be on your way. However, these boards do not have a lengthy life. When they break, they are costly to fix. They are so difficult to fix you may as well buy another board. This isn’t to say you should never buy a used Mackie board. We sell some of these ourselves. Just make sure you know exactly how this gear has been treated. With the gear’s backstory clear and realistic expectations for how long it will last, a used Mackie board can be bought.
6. Behringer used mixing boards
Used Behringer boards are the KIAs of music gear. They’ll work, they are a fine starter board, and they will be unremarkable. If you have a kid/student whose eager to learn their first board, these are great boards to let them train on since they are simple and affordable. If the board gets wrecked or they lose interest, you won’t be in a sea of red from the purchase price.
We should mention an exception here though: Behringer X32 boards. These boards are fantastic for churches that do not need an ornate setup. We still see, test, and sell a great deal of these boards and they continue to impress us with their quality and lifespan.
7. Allen & Heath used mixing boards
Allen & Heath makes some great boards. We buy, test, and sell them all the time. They have some brands that work particularly well in churches. The dLive and SQ7 are both really affordable options and they’re much cheaper than the top boards on this list. However, there are some reasons to be cautious when buying certain used Allen & Heath mixing board brands. Here are two scenarios that’ll show you if you’d benefit from a used Allen & Heath board or not.
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Scenario #1: Getting to the next budget phase
- Let’s say your current board dies. Spiritual warfare on music gear can happen! You now need to get a new mixing board but your budget is drained. If you need to get a new board to get you through this phase, a used Allen & Heath board can do it for you. However, their analog boards’ value drops like a rock once you have it. Their QU series drops its value quickly as well. You’ll have a tremendously tough time selling this board when you’re ready to get your next one. If you just need a patch, this brand can do it. But it won’t return a great deal of value once you’re ready to move on.
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Scenario #2: Upgrading your setup
- Let’s say your church is ready to buy its new setup. You have your eye on some nice lights and you want to buy some used gear to save money for the lights. You find a used GL2400 board and plan to use it for 10 years. Don’t count on it. This is an older board and getting 10 years from it might be tough. Instead, find another item to save money on like speakers. Here is our used speaker breakdown.
With this guide, you’ll now be able to buy the best-used mixing board brand for your church. While we went over the particular brands, Audio University does a great job diving deeper into mixing board types. You can check that out here.
