Soundcraft Notepad-5chat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

Multiple users report the mixer losing its USB connection after a reboot on Windows, unsigned or outdated driver signatures incompatible with Windows 10, and inconsistent recording levels or missing channels on both Mac and PC.

@MrEbi21

Quick question. I recently got the notepad 8fx. Connected it to.my pc (Dell Vostro) did NOT install any drivers and it automatically picked up as an input (Microphone) and output device. I was able to record perfectly. WITHOUT ANY DRIVERS. I wake up the next morning and it is no longer picking up as as input device on my pc. Called soundcraft and they told me to install the latest drivers and control panel. Which to me was odd since it worked perfectly without it. Anyway I did so and thereafter it picked up as an input device but not microphone as it previously did. Now it was line in. Now here the problem although windows has line in level at 100 and I've turned up gain and level to max on the mixer my recordings are still way too soft. I thought it was the software I was using however it is not the case as windows itself is recieved the signal at a very low volume. Thus no matter what software I use it will always be soft. Sound craft has logged into my pc remotely and assured me all settings are fine. I have even sent the moxer back to them to test and they have assured me the mixer has no issues and is working perfectly on their pcs. So I have tried using it on another laptop but the issue remains. Any idea what's the solutionlaunch

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September 23, 2020

@kola_JF

I don't want to make any false assumptions, so I will put it this way: I bought the Soundcraft Notepad 12-FX and tried it out on my MacBook (15\", Mid-2012), but can't get a stable USB connection running:\n\nWhenever I try to listen to my Mac's sound through this mixer, it is very choppy and rarely stable. Sometimes it's missing completely. When it comes to recording 4 channels, there's also issues like missing channels, missing audio or the audio being waay too quiet. I tried it on both macOS and Windows 10 (via Bootcamp) and discovered that the issues/stability varies between both operating systems. I've got an external audio interface that is way more stable than the one in this mixer. I sent this mixer in because I thought it was just faulty, but the replacement is just barely better. Now I'm starting to believe that this product is faulty to begin with, which contradicts your overall positive impressions. \n\nCan you please tell me what I might be doing wrong or how I could fix this? Drivers were installed, I tried different OS and the problems never really went away. Didn't get around to try it with a newer MacBook, but since my audio interface (Roland UA-25EX) works great on my old one, I'm doubting that my laptop might be the problem.launch

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July 1, 2020

@Howardsand06

warning, this product does not work properly as advertised. The driver signature haven't been updated and there for isn't compatible with windows 10. if you're looking for a cheap audio intergace with Mixer controls please be aware that this product doesn't works as intended... \nIm currently looking for a fix to get windows to accept the USB driver signature without disabling driver signature enforcement EVERY time i want to use the usb audio interface.launch

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June 12, 2020

@avcreations2494

WARNING: If you want a small mixer that work wells in an analog environment then these are a nice option. If you want to be able to run this with your desktop or laptop buyer beware. Regardless of their latest drivers and instructions windows constantly loses track of this mixer when rebooting and the only way to temporarily get it back is follow their unsigned driver instructions but it does not permanently fix the problem. Absolute garbage driver support... they should be ashamed. Headed out today to buy another brand so I can get audio back on my PC.launch

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November 7, 2019

Multiple users are disappointed that reverb and other FX heard live through headphones don't appear in the recorded USB track, leaving only dry vocals and forcing manual post-processing they didn't want to do.

@chrisgoogler

Thank you for your videos. It helped me decide to push thru with purchasing the FX8. Install the new drivers on my old MBP and evrything went well. Yes, the no latency when monitoring music & voice, but there's a very audible latency on recording vocals on top of the music (separate channel, of course).\n\n Since it's my first time having a makeshift home studio, I'm actually disappointed that I had to do timeshift in DAW to match the vocals with the music. I don't know if this is a normal/regular scenario when recording cover songs. I'd appreciate any inputs from the content creator or from anyone with more experience. Thanks!launch

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December 1, 2020

@AmitMeenaSongs

Hi, thanks for this video!\n\nI bought this product to record my vocals with the audio effects (For example Reverb).\nNow the problem is when I am recording a song, I am able to hear myself in the headphones \"with effects : reverb\" but in the final recording there are just plane vocals (In my laptop). \nThe FX effects like chorus/reverb are not being recorded in the PC. \nIt is a huge disappointment for me as I am someone who is not good with editing my vocals post processing and wanted to record my vocals the way I hear them in the headphones live.\nIs there a way I can record my songs/vocals with the effects?\n\nI have notepad 8Fx.\n\nPlease help me here, may be I have not done the setup correctly.launch

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May 27, 2020

@AmitMeenaSongs

Hi, Thank you so much for such a great review, I have seen this video atleast 50 times by now and I have a question.\n\nI bought this product to record my vocals with the audio effects (For example Reverb).\nNow the problem is when I am recording a song, I am able to hear myself in the headphones \"with effects : reverb\" but in the final recording there are just plane vocals (In my laptop). \nThe FX effects like chorus/reverb are not being recorded in the PC. \nIt is a huge disappointment for me as I am someone who is not good with editing my vocals post processing and wanted to record my vocals the way I hear them in the headphones live.\nIs there a way I can record my songs/vocals with the effects?\n\nI have notepad 8Fx.\n\nPlease help me here, may be I have not done the setup correctly.launch

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May 27, 2020

@kekotorres3700

Great review! Started setup today and am highly impressed with the incredible features on this highly affordable mixer. Question: can the effects be incorporated into the signal sent to PC via the USB cable? I can clearly hear the effects via the headphone connection and expected them to also appear on the Audacity track I recorded, but it was totally dry.launch

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February 16, 2020

Several buyers found the manual unclear on power-up, phantom power, and multi-channel USB routing, needing outside tutorials to understand how aux sends, monitor outputs, and simultaneous channel recording actually work.

@toneranger

Hi Steve, love this review and all your helpful videos such great content on your channel great to watch and learn from you thanks for sharing your vast experience. I have the 12FX, I have found it very tricky to use live, so much so I bypassed it completely at the last minute and went direct into my DB es503 speaker (which thankfully had 3 inputs!) on my first gig with it, (having bought it specifically for that gig to make things simpler for a duo act over the RCF M18 we normally use 😄) in a last minute cold sweat panic : no power light, or LED on the power supply, in Europe at least, and no \"ON/OFF\" switch as you mentioned, so the only way to tell it's on before you go live is to activate the delay button to see the tempo light, but you won't see the tempo light if you activate all 3 FX at the same time, try remembering that important fact when you are seconds from stage time and your entire band is huddled around the unit like flies on shite wondering why there are no lights and therefore surely no power!? Now also keep that in mind when the inputs of the speaker you need to connect to are already taken by the act in front of you 🤣🤣🤣 So you do not want to be in tumbleweed silence at a wedding dinner, so bye mixer for the gig I bought it for 😄. Also no \"FX mute\" FootSwitch between songs and no channel mute between acts, a group mute would have been handy. Fine for podcasts or rehearsals or home recording in my humble opinion. A standard usb thumbdrive would be better for recording 2 tracks live, though that's why you'd buy the RCF M18 with a digital interface as if buying something this small like the 8/12fx for live gigging you wouldn't want the extra hassle of dragging a laptop or tablet simply to record your set, at least that's my particular use case.\nI noticed that the 12FX 'sends' FX without the Aux Master pot being activated, and listening to the Aux send output through a speaker simultaneously to the headphone output the FX cannot be heard in the AUX send, only in the Headphone output, so if gigging live probably best to use the headphone output as the monitor feed, so not sure what use the aux feed is in a live gig in that case as there are no FX so you can't really use it as an extension speaker feed as it will be too dry.\nThanks for the excellent review, by far the best on YT 👍🏻 and subbed, great channel, cheers from Italy.launch

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July 3, 2022

@Hoodednood2

Just bought the Notepad-8FX. One thing I'm wondering, is there any way to record each channel (Ch1, Ch2, Lines 3 - 6, and RCA output) into a DAW simultaneously and onto separate audio tracks? I assumed you would be able to do this, but so far it seems you can either choose Channels 1 & 2 simultaneously (e.g. one mic and one instrument), or the full post-fx mix using the plug-in you mention here.launch

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June 29, 2022

@StefanosAndritsios

Hello my friend nice information , one question that I didn't understood is for example is it possible channel 1 and 2 send to master so the audience hear from the speakers and then on my headphnes on the monitor master I want to hear only channel one and not the 2 , is it possible ??launch

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June 20, 2022

@robotomo4249

This may be a brainless question but i'm a little confused. How to I record my guitar for example (mic input 1 + mono line input 1) while also hearing the eq changes? If I select it to record from mic input 1 + mono line input 1 then I can hear it fine, however there is no audibe change in the eq. If I select it to record from the master, then the eq is audible, however as you demonstrated, it also records everything else that's being heard through the master.\nMy only workaround is to turn down the USB to the master, turn up the guitar to the master, turn up the USB to the monitor input and listen through the monitor input, that way I can record guitar with eq changes without having it also record all the other audio that is coming from my pc , however having to do this every time I want to record with eq is a hassle. \nI feel as if i'm missing something really obvious here... thanks!launch

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October 19, 2021

Several commenters note the first channels' 48V phantom power can't be switched off, raising concerns about dynamic mics or effects pedals and general uncertainty about why there's no on/off toggle.

@exmormonsongbook

will plugging a condenser mic into the mixer while phantom power is (always) on, hurt the mic? I've heard you should only turn phantom on when the mics are plugged in. Kind of weird that there is no on/off switch for the mixer. Other than that this is exactly what I am looking for.launch

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December 20, 2023

@MrBluesoles

Steve,\nI just came across this video as I just picked up an 8Fx. Great video! So many features I didn’t know existed. I had a question; I have an effects pedal that i want to use with a condenser mic. The output cable from that pedal is a 1/4 cable. When plugging this into the 8FX, the input does not seem to recognize the phantom power needed for the condenser mic. Do you know why?\n\nThanks again for a great videolaunch

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November 25, 2022

@MOHAMMADAHMADRAZA_QADRI

Hi! Hope you're keeping well!\n\nI just want to enquire. To my knowledge This mixer doesn't have a phantom power switch and the phantom power is always on so will that effect dynamic microphones?\n\nI love this mixer but this is the only reason I'm hesitant about buying it.launch

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November 9, 2021

@velvin9

Thank you for this wonderful review video. My only concern with these notepad mixers is that you can't turn off phantom/48v power for the first two or four inputs, depending on the model. Perhaps asking for a toggle switch is too much to ask at this price range given all the other features available. Still, by far, the best product in this price range if you're looking for a small desktop mixer with a decent audio interface.launch

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August 4, 2021

Reviewers point out there's no mute switch per channel or FX footswitch, which caused problems during live use such as being unable to quickly cut a channel between acts or songs.

@danoconer

No control for the backing tracks. No bass treble mid. Sounds terrible. Also no control over the reverb delay at all. And the reverb is unusable. Wouldn't recommend this unit to anyone. Don't listen to these YouTubers there not honest the delay and reverb has no vol adjustment. Then when U have the delay on kills the reverb. And the reverb sounds like a $20 pedal from China.launch

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May 1, 2026

@toneranger

Hi Steve, love this review and all your helpful videos such great content on your channel great to watch and learn from you thanks for sharing your vast experience. I have the 12FX, I have found it very tricky to use live, so much so I bypassed it completely at the last minute and went direct into my DB es503 speaker (which thankfully had 3 inputs!) on my first gig with it, (having bought it specifically for that gig to make things simpler for a duo act over the RCF M18 we normally use 😄) in a last minute cold sweat panic : no power light, or LED on the power supply, in Europe at least, and no \"ON/OFF\" switch as you mentioned, so the only way to tell it's on before you go live is to activate the delay button to see the tempo light, but you won't see the tempo light if you activate all 3 FX at the same time, try remembering that important fact when you are seconds from stage time and your entire band is huddled around the unit like flies on shite wondering why there are no lights and therefore surely no power!? Now also keep that in mind when the inputs of the speaker you need to connect to are already taken by the act in front of you 🤣🤣🤣 So you do not want to be in tumbleweed silence at a wedding dinner, so bye mixer for the gig I bought it for 😄. Also no \"FX mute\" FootSwitch between songs and no channel mute between acts, a group mute would have been handy. Fine for podcasts or rehearsals or home recording in my humble opinion. A standard usb thumbdrive would be better for recording 2 tracks live, though that's why you'd buy the RCF M18 with a digital interface as if buying something this small like the 8/12fx for live gigging you wouldn't want the extra hassle of dragging a laptop or tablet simply to record your set, at least that's my particular use case.\nI noticed that the 12FX 'sends' FX without the Aux Master pot being activated, and listening to the Aux send output through a speaker simultaneously to the headphone output the FX cannot be heard in the AUX send, only in the Headphone output, so if gigging live probably best to use the headphone output as the monitor feed, so not sure what use the aux feed is in a live gig in that case as there are no FX so you can't really use it as an extension speaker feed as it will be too dry.\nThanks for the excellent review, by far the best on YT 👍🏻 and subbed, great channel, cheers from Italy.launch

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July 3, 2022

@bobcatt2294

The two things I saw which kept me from a commitment are: only 16-bit 48k and secondly, no mute buttons per track. A mute function would have been great if the volume knob, when pressed, muted that channel.launch

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April 4, 2020

Some users say the built-in reverb and delay lack independent volume control and that using delay overrides or delays the reverb, comparing the effect quality unfavorably to inexpensive pedals.

@danoconer

No control for the backing tracks. No bass treble mid. Sounds terrible. Also no control over the reverb delay at all. And the reverb is unusable. Wouldn't recommend this unit to anyone. Don't listen to these YouTubers there not honest the delay and reverb has no vol adjustment. Then when U have the delay on kills the reverb. And the reverb sounds like a $20 pedal from China.launch

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May 1, 2026

@ajigangadharan2221

The effect is not at all good. When we use delay and reverb at the same time, the delay overrides reverb. In essence, the reverb is also delayed along with the delay. The reverb should be independent of the delay. No one seems to be talking about this. I hope Soundcarft will have the solution for it in the next version of its frameware.launch

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August 13, 2023

One user cites the 16-bit/48kHz recording ceiling as a drawback that, along with the lack of mute buttons, kept them from committing to a purchase.

@bobcatt2294

The two things I saw which kept me from a commitment are: only 16-bit 48k and secondly, no mute buttons per track. A mute function would have been great if the volume knob, when pressed, muted that channel.launch

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April 4, 2020