If your church is looking for a new digital audio console, you’ve probably considered the Behringer X32, Midas M32, and the newer Behringer WING. The X32 and M32 are still excellent consoles, but the WING offers a significant improvement over the others that may be worth the upgrade.
In this post, I’ll cover six real-world reasons to pick the Behringer WING over the X32/M32 — whether you’re buying new or looking to upgrade.
Behringer WING Series:
The Behringer WING is the latest in the Behringer console series. Available in full-size, compact, and rack versions, it is suited to fit your needs with your audio setup. At its core, you’ve got 48 channels that can be set to mono, stereo, or even mid-side, effectively doubling your input options. With 16 stereo busses, four mains, and eight matrices—all with full processing—the WING is built to handle complex real-world scenarios with ease. Add in AES50 connectivity for stage boxes, StageConnect for simple one-cable setups, dual card slots for recording and AoIP, and a modern touchscreen workflow, and you have an ecosystem designed for flexibility, scalability, and professional-level mixing.
Comparison Table: Behringer WING vs. X32/M32
| Feature | Behringer WING | X32 / M32 |
| Channel Count | 48 mono/stereo channels (up to 96 inputs) [40 Main and 8 Auxiliary Channels] | 38 mono channels [32 Main and 6 Auxiliary Channels] |
| Busses | 16 stereo mixbusses, 8 stereo matrices, 4 stereo mains (up to 28 stereo mixes possible) | 16 mono mixbusses, 6 mono matrices, 1 mono + 1 stereo main |
| Touchscreen | 10″ capacitive multi-touch | Non-touch color display |
| I/O Ports | 3× AES50, StageConnect, AES/EBU, 48×48 USB, 64×64 expansion card, 64×64 internal AoIP, (Ultranet/P16 available through AES50 Stage Box) | 2× AES50, 32×32 USB, 1 expansion card slot, Ultranet/P16 |
| Routing | Patch any source to any destination, independent USB/Dante/SoundGrid/AES50/local I/O | Block-based routing system. User Routing is complicated |
| Processing | 6-band EQ, HPF/LPF on all channels/mains, modeled FX anywhere, 16 FX slots, 16-channel automixer | 4-band EQ, HPF only, modeled FX in FX rack only, 8 FX slots, no automixer |
1. Channel Count That Doubles Your Possibilities
The Behringer WING gives you 48 channels, each configurable as mono or stereo. This means you can process up to 96 inputs internally without sacrificing channels.
In contrast, the X32/M32 maxes out at 38 mono channels, and stereo sources like keyboards, playback devices, or stereo mic setups require you to link two channels together. This can eat up resources quickly, especially in input-heavy setups.
Why this matters in the real world:
If you’re running multi-track playback, have multiple stereo keyboards, or regularly mic large ensembles, the WING’s flexibility in channel configuration ensures you won’t run out of processing capacity. It also simplifies labeling, routing, and fader layouts since you can treat a stereo source as one channel instead of two.
2. Stereo Busses Without the Headaches
On the WING, every bus is stereo by default — including the 16 mixbusses, 8 matrices, and 4 mains. That’s up to 28 stereo mixes available in a single show file.
By comparison, the X32 uses mono mixbusses. If you want stereo in-ear monitors (IEMs), you need to pair two busses together, instantly cutting your available monitor count in half.
For an in-depth look at how far this can go, check out my video: 27 Stereo IEM Mixes on the WING.
Why this matters in the real world:
If you’re mixing for bands, worship teams, or theater productions where stereo monitoring is a must, the WING saves you from buss shortages. You can deliver a better mix experience to performers without workarounds or compromises.
3. A 10-Inch Touchscreen for Faster Workflow
The WING’s 10-inch capacitive multi-touch display is a massive leap forward in usability. It responds like a tablet — you can swipe, pinch-to-zoom, and tap your way through settings instead of navigating multiple button presses and encoders.
EQ curves can be adjusted visually, routing changes are drag-and-drop simple, and the interface is customizable so you can set it up for the way you work.
Why this matters in the real world:
Speed matters, especially in live sound. When a singer asks for “just a touch more reverb” mid-show, being able to get there in seconds is a game-changer. The touchscreen also lowers the learning curve for volunteers or newer engineers.
4. More Ports, More Options
Connectivity is where the WING really shines:
- 3× AES50 for stage boxes and audio networking
- StageConnect for personal monitor mixers and expansion
- AES/EBU in & out for digital integration
- 48×48 USB 2.0 audio interface for recording and playback
- 64×64 expansion card slot for optional formats like Dante or SoundGrid
- Built-in 64×64 AoIP module for network audio straight out of the box
Why this matters in the real world:
You can run multitrack recording, send audio to broadcast, integrate personal monitoring, and network multiple consoles without buying additional I/O devices or converters. For touring and corporate AV, this flexibility means fewer gear swaps and easier setups.
5. Routing Freedom That Just Makes Sense
The WING removes the X32/M32’s “block-based” routing and replaces it with true patch-anything-to-anywhere flexibility.
Each input, output, and digital stream (USB, Dante/SoundGrid, AES50, StageConnect) can be routed independently of one another. Per-channel patching means you can see exactly where your signal is coming from without guessing.
Why this matters in the real world:
Complex setups — like integrating a broadcast console, redundant recording rigs, or multiple networked stage boxes — are much easier to configure. Troubleshooting is faster too, since you can isolate and reroute signals without impacting the rest of the show.
6. More Processing Power
The WING packs significantly more DSP resources than the X32/M32:
- 6-band EQ on every channel (vs. 4-band)
- HPF and LPF on all channels and mains
- Modeled compressors, gates, and EQs available directly in the channel strip — no need to “burn” FX rack slots
- 16 FX slots total (vs. 8), with half dedicated to time-based effects
- Built-in 16-channel automixer for conferences, panels, and corporate events
Why this matters in the real world:
This means you can run complex mixes with creative processing on multiple channels without hitting DSP limits. The modeled EQs and compressors bring studio-quality sound shaping right into your live workflow, and the automixer makes speech-heavy events effortless.
Final Thoughts
The X32 and M32 remain solid choices, but the WING’s extra channels, stereo busses, touchscreen workflow, expanded I/O, flexible routing, and upgraded processing make it the smarter choice for many engineers.
If you want to get started on the WING fast, I’ve created presets with documentation to get you up and running quickly without any guesswork. Check out the WING downloads here.