What wrong with Rane Empath?

  • Thread starter Thread starter halla
  • Start date Start date
H

halla

New member
hi,

i'm just about to get get myself a Rane Empath. i've tried to search the web and FutureProducers for user experiences. problem is that everybody says only positive things about it! please, there can't be such a perfect mixer!?!

it seems that there are pretty many Empath owners active in this forum. could someone please tell *something* negative about Empath? or has someone sold Empath and bought some other mixer? why?

i'm currently using Vestax pmc06 at home. it's pretty nice but i want standard 3-channel eq, another output with level for booth/recording and effects-loop would be a nice one too. i was actually first planning to get a TTM56 because i can do with 2 channels. however they cost almost the same (at least in eu/finland) . so if i can get one extra channel, XLR-outs, a bit more control and a newer design for the same price, why wouldn't i get it? i suppose the sound quality is at least at my current pmc06-level with the both ones so i have no trouble with recording mixes or taking my own mixer with me to club.

so, please ... tell me bad things abt Empath so i can save my money :)
 
You should try out the empath and the 56. They are both solid mixers. The crossfaders feel a little different and some people prefer the 56 to the empath.
 
The only "complaints" i've ever heard are from turntablists/scratch artists. And I use the term complaints very loosely. Most turntablist consider the face of the Empath a little cluttered for their tastes. Although a lot of people say that once you're used to it, it isn't a problem anymore.

But otherwise, like you said, i havne't heard anything bad about the Empath. I was so close to buying one myself, but went with the 56 (which is arriving today! woohoo!!).

So sorry bud, can't really think of any reason for you not to get one! :D
 
great. i'm not yet completely satisfied but this is a good start:

- some prefer other faders, for example those in Rane ttm56
- there might be too much features in Empath. every knob i don't use makes the mixer harder to use (specially if first time user, very busy scratching, used in dark dj booth, drunk etc...)
- less is more also when it comes to design. ttm56 looks cooler to me (too)

all very good points, thanks. anything more? i can see that if i was very much into turntablism/scratching (and because the third channel isn't absolutely must for me) ttm56 could maybe suit me even better. any not-so-often scratching dj:s who have anyway prefered a ttm56 over Empath? why?
 
Idon't know that mixer more than what I've read.What I know is that it's ugly as a baboon's a**......except maybe the GMFlash limited edition.That's all.I'm sure this will be of no help, but it wasn't made for in fact.:p
 
only thing i could ask for on my empath is individual channel meters
 
The Empath and 56 were both very well thought out. Each mixer is king in its respective catagory. The faders do not feel exactly the same, but the P&G and magnetic faders feel more like each other than anything else in my opinion. If color is a problem for you, there is a new empath color (same scheme as the 56). Sound and build quality is great on both, but certain things like the que system are different on each mixer.

I am moving into a small place soon, so I am going to leave the 19" at home and go after one of the two mixers. Probably the 56 because it is cheaper... Anyway, the only big flaw I can think of on the Empath is the fact that Rane did not give me one for free.
-Peasant Nikon
 
idioteQnology said:
only thing i could ask for on my empath is individual channel meters
Click to expand...

i checked the users manual and got an impression that you can get mono cue channel level to left meter and mono master to right meter and compare... but the problem is that you can't see the levels straight away and in worst case you need to click both meter mode and and split cue switches? did i get it right?

how about this auto-gain feature? does it help here? or is there at all any real use for it? i mean that if it could be trusted, maybe there wouldn't be any need for checking the levels before mixing in...
 
.......

The auto-gain feature is not much cop IMO - shame really. It's a bastard thing to judge and it's essentially a soft-knee compressor which is fairly gentle. Generally if you keep your gains sort of midway it'll compensate between differing levels but i found a lot of 'pumping' in the compression on certain sounds and the gain given wasn't that consistent.
For quickly cutting through a lot of tracks, drop mixing etc. it could give you valuable time but for normal mixing it's not really worth it - unless you're such an idiot you can't meter channels.
Both mixers are dope BTW, i'd go Empath just because the extra channel is so handy and i'm not such a purist scratcher/juggler that i need the extra fader features and no-nonsense layout of the 56.
 
it's pretty much impossible to find anything wrong with the Empath... you can say that you wish it had this or that extra feature, but it already has every feature that a DJ needs.

you can view each channel's level by toggling between the Cue and Master button directly under the LED readout. it's slightly less convenient than having the LED's on every channel, but it's not biggie. an experienced dj should be able to tell if something's off just by using his/her headphone cue anyways.

i've never used the autogain... ppl who do like it a lot, but i prefer having the extra control that the Gain knobs allow me.

-s
 
i don't like autogain but you can meter like this.

split cue button depressed and the cue/master fader right in the middle. on the meters have the button depressed to CUE.and then on the left it will show your cue level and the right your master level.

i keep my channel faders at full volume otherwise the levels wont be correct. with the amount of headroom this amazing mixer has it is not an issue. usually i keep my channel faders all the way at fast cut in as well just cause i cut in records all the time.

basically i maintain this cue setup constantly and am so used to it that it is second nature.
 
thanks for comments. Empath seems to be a very acceptable choice for clubs and recording. good sound quality and XLR-outs are great thing for both purposes. in clubs it comes handy if mixer can fully support many music and mixing styles. Some like to use effects, some do scratching and some minutes long smooth mixes.

however, i've got an impression from reviews and posts here that we actually have a one thing to consider here.

Empath is not easy to use. people have had *some* problems in the beginning with it. for example one channel seemed to be broken but after the gig it turned out that effects-loop-fader of this channel had been switched to wet, so that was why that channel had been quiet. or for some the cue-system had't worked the way they had expected. in overall there are pretty lot of knobs and switched that you have to manage to be 100% safe. so there are so many features (and many which i don't need) that it might feel a little complex one for the beginning.

previous is of course not problem once you have studied the mixer. problem is that if i take the mixer with me to club there are others that will be using it as well. and they are confused and will maybe screw a mix or two... years ago i had myself some experiences like this with other mixers and it wasn't nice at all.

i don't know if this is a big downside. but maybe it is a small one? it isn't 100% perfect (for my use). maybe the best there is anyway... :)

there has been some comments abt rane 56 also. thanks for them too. more of comparison between the two in some other previous threads (as many of you know):

https://www.futureproducers.com/for...4&highlight=Rane+Empath+vs+TTM56+a+comparison

and

https://www.futureproducers.com/for...0&highlight=Rane+Empath+vs+TTM56+a+comparison
 
Last edited:
it isnt that hard to use. if u take a few days to familiarize yourself with the mixer it really is a piece of cake to use all the features. if anyone thinks it is too hard to use i hate to be a lil rude but they aren't that bright. is the learning curve a bit higher than some other mixers? yes, but it should be no obstacle IMO>
 
idioteQnology said:
it isnt that hard to use. if u take a few days to familiarize yourself with the mixer it really is a piece of cake to use all the features. if anyone thinks it is too hard to use i hate to be a lil rude but they aren't that bright. is the learning curve a bit higher than some other mixers? yes, but it should be no obstacle IMO>
Click to expand...

i second that.... i didn't even have to read the manual like other people suggested i do....everything is pretty much self-explanatory......


-djshy
 
yeah, i stepped up to the Empath and was using it effortlessly the same day i got it. i dunno why people always seem to freak out when they're put in front of a mixer they've never used before. granted there are a few mixers with really weird cue systems out there, but in general if you just take a deep breath, relax, and carefully study the mixer's face for a minute or so, everything will become clear.

i don't have any sympathy for someone who thinks the Empath is too complicated. unless you are a serious turntablist, (and i mean serious, as in you scratch WAY more than you mix, and do lots of crazy tricks) then the Empath will work fine for you.

-s
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top