MACKIE ONYX 1640i
Posted on Thu 31 March 2011 in entries
The Onyx range of digitally infused premium analogue mixers are perfect for live and studio applications. We plug in the 16-channel Mackie Onyx 1640i…
Mackie is widely known for designing high-performance, professional audio gear that fits into the budget of the working musician. The Mackie boffins know mixers and continually create innovative new products that blur the line between professional studio applications and the world of live sound.
Mackie’s Onyx-i series of FireWire mixers combine the benefits of a powerful computer interface with the tactile, hands-on control of a premium analogue mixer, creating an easy-to-use system perfect for studio or live.
MACKIE ONYX 1640i - ON THE ROAD
The 1640i (the largest of the four Onyx-i models) has 16 channels, each with its own Onyx mic preamp and an impressive dual-sweep four-band EQ. All six aux sends are pre/post assignable, which is great when running both monitors and effects loops.
There’s plenty of useful routing to the subgroups and through the control room section, which also has built-in talkback functionality. Once you get your levels in check, you can simply hook up a laptop, plug in the FireWire cable and use your favorite DAW to record the live show in multi-track for later editing and mixing. When you hook it up to the Waves’ MultiRack plug-in platform, the Mackie Onyx 1640i becomes a live sound superbeast with a heap of effects and dynamics!
The Mackie Onyx 1640i combines the best of both the digital and analogue realm to create a seamless workflow that makes a gig faster, easier and better sounding than was ever possible before.
MACKIE ONYX 1640i - IN THE STUDIO
The studio is where the Mackie Onyx 1640i really shines. The comprehensive FireWire implementation is powerful and offers flexible routing that fits right into whatever workflow you have set up.
With true 16x16 FireWire I/O, the Onyx 1640i does away with cumbersome digital mixing software, as everything you need is right at hand.
Easily one of the most innovative features available on a compact mixer, you can bring back up to 16 channels from the DAW, with each signal routed into a separate channel strip, allowing for a true ‘tape-style’ mixdown. This is great for anyone raised in the analogue age and would likely cause digital-era engineers to reconsider an analogue mixing solution.
It is also handy for overdubs, since every channel can either be set as a live input or a DAW return. The engineer simply brings in the backing tracks from the DAW, plugs in the instrument or voice to be overdubbed and gets started.
Zero latency monitoring like this can be a pain to set up in the digital realm… one more reason that a legit analogue mixer makes sense in a modern digital studio.
MACKIE ONYX 1640i - MORE THAN ONE LEVEL
The Mackie Onyx 1640i combines all the benefits of a premium analogue mixer with the convenience of a high-resolution multi-channel interface. The fact that it packs in boutique-quality sonic performance with the most flexible FireWire routing available is impressive. The added fact that this technology is now available at prices that put anything remotely competitive to shame is just icing on the cake.
Check out the 1640i and the other Onyx mixers online today or if you want to try before you buy, visit us in-store to have a play.
MACKIE ONYX 1640i - SPECS
• Price: £1,094*
• Channels: 16
• Preamps: 16 boutique-quality
• EQ: 4-band Perkins EQ with sweepable mids on mic/line channels
• Connectivity: 24-bit/96kHz FireWire I/O, 16x16 Firewire channel streaming, flexible FireWire routing with aux sends, groups and pre-post EQ for all channels
• Compatibility: Works with Pro Tools 9, Pro Tools M-Powered 8, Logic, Sonar, Cubase, Ableton Live, Final Cut Pro
* Prices from 1st March 2011 - please note that prices are subject to change in the future.