Ecler’s NUO series addresses the 2, 3 and 4 channel market with a perfectly rounded and uniform style. Each is essentially 1 channel more than i’s smaller sibling rather than being a completely different mixer. With this in mind, and having already covered the NUO2.0 in great detail, there’s little point in me retreading the whole reviews process with the NUO3.0. So instead, I’ll gloss over the bits I feel are already covered in the previous review and concentrate on the changes.
The 3 channel market is a strange one. There is a clearly defined market for both 2 and 4 channel mixers, so who exactly wants a 3 channel mixer? Not many people it seems, as the market is a bit thin in this area. I don’t think it’s downsizers really, but most likely people for whom 2 channels just isn’t enough. They need a real 3rd channel for another deck or sampler and have full control over EQ and assign it to the crossfader. That is the essential difference between the NUO2.0 and 3.0 - a complete 3rd channel.
Overall it’s almost identical in feel and quality to the NUO2.0 - same structure, faders, knobs etc but obviously the layout has changed in line with the full extra channel. Everything has moved to the left hand side, giving the right side over to master volume and monitoring controls.
Now even though the NUO3.0 is wider, the channels have lost the isolator EQ found on the NUO2.0. Isolator seems to mean different things to different manufacturers. In the NUO2.0’s case, it means kill switches but seeing as the NUO3.0's EQs kill anyway, it’s no great loss. Other than that, the channels are just the same across the NUO2.0 and 3.0. Well... there is a new addition - the fader assign control. This is kind of essential for a multi-channel mixer and works but either assigning to A, B or none at all.
The 3rd channel also doubles up as a mic channel - possibly the most featured mic channel in the whole DJ world, including having the ability to drop output through the fx loop as well.
I’m just going to retread previous ground a little here, but essentially the features are just the same as the NUO2.0. Out of the box, the NUO3.0 is equipped with Ecler’s own VCA faders. And the front mirrors the NUO2.0’s fader controls - full curve and reverse controls for both cross and line faders, as well as the cut in control for the optional Eternal crossfader.
An important difference for some DJs - the line faders on the NUO3.0 are 60mm as opposed to 45mm as found on the 2.0. I didn't really feel a difference to be honest, but I guess that's simply down to my own mixing styles. But for some, it's an important distinction.
The curves are OK for most DJs - a little soft on the lines but perfectly acceptable for mix DJs. But the NUOX.0 range is Eternal ready. Drop one in and the NUO becomes quite the scratch monster, and the same goes for the new Innofader as well. The crossfader curve sharpens up nicely and gives you the performance we’ve come to expect from Ecler’s more scratchworthy offerings. Granted - it’s a significant investment on top of the NUO, but for scratch DJs it’s pretty much mandatory.
No changes here - just 1 more channel to deal with. Familiar big knobs control the 3 band EQ with a kill to +10dB range, with a gain control that actually doesn’t kill at all. And just like the NUO2.0, the mid band EQ does an awful lot of work, leaving fine adjustments in the high and low ranges. Some might like this, but it does take a bit of getting used to.
With extra channels comes extra metering and each channel gets its own 12 part slick LED meters so you can properly control your channels. And you also get separate master level LEDs as well in all their green, amber and red glowy loveliness. Sorry - nothing really exciting here.
What you do get with the NUO3.0 is balance control - only on the master mind, but it was missing on the NUO2.0. And you get a mono switch too, imaginatively labelled “L+R”.
Monitoring is exactly the same. Press the PFL button and you’re cueing the channels in your ears. Still no split cue though. I wonder if Ecler can do a quick mod for that? ;)
So only minor changes, as befitting the extra full channel, but necessary and welcome additions they are.
Again, this is precisely the same as the NUO2.0. Each channel can be routed out through the FX loop post EQ, either pre or post fader and with full wet/dry dry on the send, but with the NUO3.0 you also get a wet/dry on the recieve as well, where the signal gets dropped right back in to the master bus. Added to the NUO3.0 is an FX monitor where you can check the effects in the loop before adding it into your mix. A nice touch.
This is getting a little boring but the only difference here is the extra channel with RCA inputs switchable between line and phono as well as an XLR instead of a TRS for a microphone. You do get an extra set of recording outputs on the faceplate though.
In what has possibly been the most uneventful review in the history of reviews, I think I’ve pretty much established that the NUO3.0 is just a NUO2.0 with a full 3rd channel and the associated bits and bats. Makes for a dull review, but that doesn’t reflect on the quality of the product.
Out of the box, you get a really good 3 channel general purpose mixer, ideal for all kinds of DJs. But when you drop an Eternal or Innofader inside, it transforms into a truly great 3 channel mixer. Any DJ of any style could walk up to it and do their thing, be it straight forward mixing or DMC style tricks.
But dropping a new fader into the NUO3.0 also gives the scene something it didn’t have before - a new competitor to the Rane Empath. People often ask for options for 3 channel mixers, and of course the stock response is an Empath. But now, with the help of the Eternal or Innofader, you have an extremely capable alternative for well over £200 less.
So where the NUO2.0 is a 2 channel mixer with big ideas of being a 3 channel mixer, the NUO3.0 is actually a fully fledged 3 channel mixer, and being one of a very small group of such products, is a class leader. And even for DJs looking for a little more than 2 channels but not needing the full 4 and the associated price hike, the Ecler NUO3.0 is an ideal solution.
Build Quality
Feels good and looks good too.
Sound Quality
Sound quality impresses but the EQ may not be everyone's cup of tea.
Features & Implementation
Ecler nails everything you would need in a 3 channel mixer perfectly. And the optional Eternal fader makes it a quality alternative to an Empath.
Value For Money
As a 3 channel mixer, it's good. As an alternative to the Empath, it's really good.
I Like...
• The quality
• The layout
• The price/features ratio
• The ins and outs
But not so keen on...
• Having to pay extra to scratch properly
If this is your kind of thing, you might want to check out...
• Rane Empath
• Numark DXM-09
or...
• Ecler NUO3 (it's still in some shops and will save you some cash)
The Bottom Line
In a near empty 3 channel mixer market, the Ecler NUO3.0 stands out, especially given the price advantage over the Rane Empath. And generally, it's a really good mixer for all styles of DJs.
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