Allen & Heath ZED-14 Review
12-channel Mixer with USB Audio Interface
- Latest technology MusEQ 3-band equalizer circuit on each mono channel
- Six mono channels
- Four stereo channels
- A variety of input options
- USB connection
- 12-channels
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 1,313 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Allen & Heath ZED-14. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Allen & Heath ZED-14. For example, 72% of 115 users who have commented on the Easy to use of the Allen & Heath ZED-14 have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 32 Reviews
Great Board
Allen & Heath ZED-14 USB Mixing Console
Reviewed by Skillet on Guitar Center
To put it simply, this mixer rocks. Compared similar size Mackie & Yamaha boards I've had in the past, this board blows them away with features and versatility. And it's Allen & Heath, so I don't have to tell you that the sound quality ex excellent. I run a computer based DJ system, and the USB input on the board was a bonus, and I liked the fact that it just worked, no drivers required (with Windows XP, haven't tried with Vista).
Sound elegance
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by Pinchepbalo on B&H Photo Video
Bought a Mackie 1202 VLZ 3 mixer to use as a solo guitar and vocalist - and it worked well, but boomy lower mids were overbearing, leading me to web blogs on the subject of mixers. Zed boards were continually named as superior to the Mackie - plus, the Zeds have a midrange sweep eq and so I bought one and . . . problem solved. In addition to this important feature, I found the Zed14 to have a sweeter sound than the Mackie. Now if I had to bet my life on which board would survive a ten-floor drop to concrete and still conduct sound, I've bet on the Mackie - built like a tank. However, I don't drop mixers from rooftops very often. Additionally, the Zed has more features including stereo faders, four aux sends, stereo inserts, 6 XLR ins, on and on. The USB out to the recording console is of no interest to me, but further enables this fine board for use by a wider clientele than the Mackie. Either board works well and is a fine product - the mid sweep really carries the day and is an invaluable tool for sounding great live. You will spend more to house the Zed in a case than you will the Mackie, as the Mackie is very compact and the Zed rather large. I say, buy the Zed and dig the feel! ... More
Perfect Project Studio Analog Mixer "10 star rating"
Allen & Heath ZED-14 USB Mixing Console
Reviewed by JOHN SPANGLER on Guitar Center
First of all I've been wanting this mixer for a long time. But I felt it was out of my price range so didn't get it. Brought a Mackie 802-VLZ3 for about half the price. Rock solid little mixer but it added color to the sound. Not enough inputs. Stereo return added a gain hum to monitor during playback. I just got ZED14 last week. It has made all the difference. Clean preamp for recording ! Playback from the DAWs through the ZED14 to EQ the mix. Record back into the PC using the main stereo outs. Only one "CON" I should had purchased it sooner! I've not used USB connection. It only records in 16 bits but it is an additional option if needed. ... More
Solid!
Allen & Heath ZED-14 14-Channel Mixer
Reviewed by Jonas N. on Reverb
This has the most solid feeling pots compared to Mackie VLZ and Soundcraft EPM. The sliders also feels significantly better. Nice smooth action and all laying straight. Sonically it's clean. Can be overdriven, but not as easily or as good sounding as an EPM. But still better than a VLZ (non-Onyx). You can get quite loud without clipping. Noise floor also seems lower than on a VLZ. EPM was too easy to overdrive and changed the original signal even before saturating. I didn't even have to bring up the gain at all to get good level. Also the pots were a little too close to eachother. In terms of layout and functionality, I really like the color coding on the Zed as on the EPM. VLZ is lacking in that departement. Easy to see what is what, without it being over the top. I bought it for its few channels and the 4 auxes for dubmixing (pre - delays. Post - reverbs.). The only one currently on the market in its size with so many auxes as far as I know. The 4 stereo channels are also very cool. I really like that 2 of them can have the extra stereo inputs routed to them. Very handy! VLZ and EPM doesn't do that. ... More
Great Value - Easy to use
Allen & Heath ZED-14 USB Mixing Console
Reviewed by Jared Nelson on Guitar Center
I use this to mix live events for a non-profit group with has events that include 5-6 stage mics, multiple music sources (CD/MP3 players) and we send to multiple recording devices including a PC connected via USB. I have no formal audio training yet this board is so easy to setup and use. It comes with all the inputs and outputs I need. The sound quality is great to my untrained ear and this board gives me the granular controls to easily make slight adjustments that are occasionally needed. I now have both a ZED-24 and a ZED-14 and I do not plan on looking for anything different in the future. ... More
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good little box for our needs
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by Leonard on B&H Photo Video
This is a great box four our limited needs. We have a couple of mics hooked up to it along with ins and outs from a tape deck and outs from a turntable (just in case we need the older tech). It provides great sound going into the computer though the USB to the sound editing software. Sound coming back to the board through USB is good, too. I also like the fact that they included a miniplug jack for headphones (about time!). There are no powered monitor outs on this board, but we used one pair of aux outs and an amp. That worked for us. Also, there are no effects on the board, but you can do all of that on the computer. It's a simple board to understand right out of the box, and simple is good when you're dealing with 85 undergraduates with audio assignments and one audio booth! Overall, if you're looking for clean sound, relatively few inputs, no bells, no whistles, a USB i/o, and a pretty low price tag, you can't go wrong with this one. ... More
A surreal problem
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
While this console has some fantastic features, oddly, after a couple of different ZED models, I've found that they have RF issues when used in older buildings. I flipped both attempts to Mackie consoles and haven't had any issues. As an event production soundman, I need something that's pretty bullet proof under all possible circumstances, and RF is not acceptable. If they could solve the problem, I'd certainly reconsider, but for now.....
Most well designed mixer for its purpose
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by Gary on B&H Photo Video
The design and construction are 99.99 percent flawless. It's simple, extremely well constructed, and a lot of mixer for the money. I got it foremost to run podcast-able interactions with people on phone/skype with mix-minus-one setups. Four aux's - perfect. Great sliders. Very versatile ins/outs. Solid choice, great buy. My only complaint would be that the USB jack should be moved to the back b/c it's a little to loose of a connection to be where a lot of hand activity would be - makes me nervous that i'll accidentally tap the USB cable while doing something and disrupt the PC connection in the middle of a mix. Highly recommend this mixer. ... More
Horrible hiss!
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by mh208 on B&H Photo Video
I'm extremely disappointed in this product. There is a constant and horrible hiss coming from this board that I cannot get rid of. I've spent more than the original cost of this board in added peripherals to try to get rid of this noise and nothing has helped. I'm now seemingly trapped in limbo with support trying to get assistance and/or warranty repair with absolutely no response. Terrible, simply terrible!
coluld have better driver technology
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by androide on B&H Photo Video
bought the ZED for a small pro studio, mostly for pre mixing mic recorings on booth. The good.. Pro-feeling Long Faders Very Flexible wiring settings Robust and very stylish Fair price if it were to work right. The not so good... The USB CODEC drivers are awful, they made a mess on my USB ports on two different computers. (mac) might work well on pc, don't know. It starts working fine for a few days, and then.. oh surprise, a terrible hiss comes out and it feedsback for seconds. Hiss goes off after reseting and using a different audio card. No update or driver fix available. Conclusion... Allen & Heath Could have spared the USB-pc link, at least for mac, and bring down its price at least a 100. It works awesome if used only as an analog mixing console. ... More
The best analog mixer at its price point
Allen & Heath ZED-14 14-Channel Mixer
Reviewed by Robert K. on Reverb
I'm well chuffed with this unit. In my research, no other current analog mixers come close until you hit the ~$600 mark. It's dub-friendly, with 4 aux sends and stereo (!) returns. The long faders make it a joy to set levels, the EQ is functional and unobtrusive, and it just sounds... clean (probably on account of the nifty cascaded gain stages). All in all, for ~$250, this thing can't be beat.
Excellent Replacement
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Purchase for our church to replace a failing mixer. This board has excellent sound, better than the one we repaced, even when it was new. Easy to adjust and control. The onboard equalizer is great. Our sound is mostly live presentations and the very first day several folks expressed their pleasure with how wellt eh sound system had started to work... Had to tell them it was new. Excellent product, great sound. I would recommend this product. If there is any problem with it... it is in the fact that it does ore than I am capable of using. I would recommend this to a friend, in fact, I did! ... More
Live to 2 workhorse
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by Cohen Studio on B&H Photo Video
This board is extremely versatile and has worked out nicely on both Mac and PC as simply plug and play interfacing. The in and out options on the board are very convenient.
Great sounding mixer.
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
This mixer is very well built and sounds great. It really gets out of the way and lets your mix shine. The only reason I gave it four stars is because of the rather limited usb output. Don't get me wrong, recording to two channels is great for live applications, but very limited for studio work. Highly recommended. Very quiet. British sound.
Superb Quality and Sound!
Allen & Heath ZED-14 USB Mixing Console
Reviewed by Joe Cass on Guitar Center
The Allen and Heath ZED -14 is an exceptional Portable Control Mixing Console. With An array of inputs for both XLR as well as Unbalanced 1/4" Phono Adapters this allows mor versatility in both the Studio and the field. . The preamps far surpass Comparable Mixing Consoles By other brands like Berranger or Yamaha. But being in the field for nearly 60 years That's what You Expect from Allen and Heath.
Crystal Clear
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by HNO Productions, Inc. on B&H Photo Video
After purchasing the board, had a live gig a couple of days later from the arrival date and the board was perfect. The sound coming into the board was beautiful, it was easy to use, the sliders were smooth, and the knobs were accurate. Allen & Heath continue putting out the best in the market!
The Zed 14
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
My experience with the ZED line has been nothing short of magnificent. It is an affordable option for those of us who cannot afford the digital line. This is more than enough gear for a worship band to play through. What a blessing it is to work with this gear as well as with B&H. sweet fast and honest - no hassles. Great experience all the way around - thanks
Solid performer!
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The Allen & Heath ZED14 is a solid performer! This small, rack mountable console has become the standard for our school site portable and permanent installs. The four stereo channels are great for devises like CD, DVD, iPod and computer inputs for the classroom or MPR setting.
Perfect for studio
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by Oslo Television Production Team on B&H Photo Video
Using this mixer in small television studio. Mic plugged in and we were ready to go. works beautifully.
Great Board for Live Recording!
Allen & Heath ZED-14 Compact 14-Channel Analog Mixer with USB Connection
Reviewed by Mitch on B&H Photo Video
This board always gives us crystal clear sound when recording live events and we have had no issues with USB as was mentioned in another review here.
