MESSE04: Mackie Stick FireWire In Onyx Mixers

US The best of both worlds? 31/03/04

Look at the slot on that..

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Mackie's new Onyx mixers represent a bit of a rethink for the compact mixer family. Available in three configurations, they have a totally redesigned mic amp, eq and aux send section giving you hogher quality input stage, two swept mids plus top and bottom shelf, and individually switchable pre/post sends. The three models all have a pair of D-type connectors giving you direct access to the channel output s for direct recording via a special balanced loom. There' also an intriguing expansion slot for the FireWire card option - which is a coincidence, as they have announced it's release right here at the MESSE. The IO card gives you 24bit/96kHz access to all the direct outputs plus the L+R mix directly into any FireWire equipped computer (as long as it's running the right OS - Windows XP or OSX), plus two return channels of computer audio back into the mixer for monitoring via the phones matrix. Under OSX the channels are available as channels via AudioUnits. Mackie's Dan Steinberg, the product manager for the Onyx line reckons that the new FireWire card "makes the mixer an ideal front end for digital audio workstations or, when combined with a laptop, they make an affordable multitrack interface for protable live recording" Well Dan, you could just be right there. The three Onyx models 1220, 1620 and 1640 are available now with the FireWire option coming in a couple of months or so. Features

24-bit 96kHz resolution

Windows XP ASIO/WDM or OS X (10.3 up) compatible

Provides direct multi-channel outs for every mixer channel (12 on the Onyx 1220, 16 on the 1620 and 1640)

Two channels of computer audio return for monitoring

Allows daisy chaining of mixers together for expanded channel counts in to the computer

Fully user installable.

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