I am not a Behringer fan at all but I think you guys have not given the T1950 a fair look. First – It is not a mic pre, it is line level only, there is no gain stage, the big knob on the front is for tube saturation only.
Second – I agree that you only get what you pay for so that is why the minute you get the T1950 you should pull out all 8 SOVTEK tubes and install Vintage GE, Telefunken, or Mullard 12ax7 tubes. This will cost you several hundred depending on what type of tube you get and the tube condition. Once you do this you will be amazed at how it sounds.

Mellonhead, just replace two of the eight channels with vintage tubes and AB them with the SOVTEK tubes and you will find that your purchase was not a mistake. So for $319 plus the cost of vintage tubes you get to decide what kind of tube sound you want to add. I have two of the T1950’s one has GE 12ax7’s Manufactured in 1962 and the other T1950 has Telefunken 12ax7’s from the late 60’s. The bottom line is that almost all tube gear today come with Russian (Sovtek) or Chinese tubes and they sound like crap. I have replaced the tubes in my dual MP’s (they have Chinese tubes) and my Bellari RP520 and the best one of all is my AKG solid tube, that also comes with a Chinese tube. Once you put a Teleunken in it you will never go back. My DBX 386 has JAN (joint army navy spec) tubes and they are just fine.

I also use 2 channels of the T1950 with the GE tubes and insert them into the finalizer during mix down and at that point you can bypass the analog insert and really hear the color and warmth the tubes are adding.

Hey Jeremy maybe its time for a tube shoot out?

BTW-if your looking for vintage tubes try to find your local tube guy. Most larger cities have someone that specializes in tubes and if that doesn’t work they have them on EBAY but you better know what your buying.

Cyrus