I recently had a chance to take a quick preview of the new MyMix personal monitor system.

This is the first new personal monitor system I’ve seen in quite a while, and the paradigm is so completely new with MyMix that it took a little bit of time to wrap my head around it.

Once I’d made that transition, I was pretty impressed with what I saw.

Here’s how it works: Like any personal monitor system, every musician gets a personal mixer, and that’s where the similarities stop.

In the MyMix system, every personal mixer has two inputs and a network connector. There is no master “input device.” The personal mixers are the input devices.

When you network multiple mixers together (up to 8 of them), then you end up with a multiple channel system that comes with an unusual amount of control.

Two mixers gives you four channels of audio, five mixers gives you ten channels, eight mixers gives you 16 channels of audio on each networked personal mixer.

The mixing itself is less than entirely intuitive for us old-school analog guys.

The rear of the MyMix personal monitor system.

All of the networked and local inputs show up on the large, clear LCD screen: you scroll through the list using the big knob on the front, push the knob to select the input, and then you’re ready to set gain, adjust EQ (we like this) or add reverb (we really like this!).

It’s a little awkward the first time you try it, but once you’re used to it, it’s pretty easy, and it’s probably the best way to handle a system that has this much flexibility!

Fortunately, if there’s feedback or other loud things going on, you have an instantly-accessible mute button to save your ears.

The system sounds wonderful. The flexibility is unbeatable and individual reverb and individual EQ is a definate bonus feature. The combination of both headphone out and stereo balanced line-level outputs is a plus for wireless in-ear monitors.

I wish the inputs had pass-through outputs; without those, we would need to use external mic splitters or Y-cables, and they’re not expensive so that’s more just a hassle than an insurmountable obstacle.

The MyMix personal monitor system’s on screen display.

But then they went and added a digital recorder into each mixer! You can record, right there, not at the FOH position, exactly what you’re listening to: up to a 16 channel, multi-track recording as a time-stamped 24-bit WAV file on an optional SD/SDHC card.

That is a wonderful surprise! Nice job MyMix! If you’re really creative, use an extra MyMix mixer for your FOH or recording board, and record the track right there.

The individual mixers run $499 each, which is fairly normal for a personal monitor mixer. Now here’s where it gets even more interesting: there is no proprietary and expensive “input module,” since the inputs are on each mixer.

For your distribution hub, you save hundreds of dollars again: use a standard Ethernet switch (What’s that run? Maybe fifty bucks?). And of course, much of the time, you’ll want to add a handful of Y-cables or mic splitters, but they’re not real expensive either.

This is a good system; it sounds good, it’s well thought out, and I’m looking forward to being able to install these systems for my clients!

Check out more from David McLain at the Church Soundguy blog.

Other Posts By David McLain:
Rechargeable Batteries For Wireless Microphones