As noted a couple of weeks ago, I received a new Mackie Onyx-i Series mixer/interface that will run Pro Tools without the need for Avid hardware. (Read all about it here in Part 1 of this report)
My first inclination was to take it to the studio and try it out, and then I got to thinking that actually, a lot of people interested in buying this system might/probably be more likely to be using it in a home situation.
So instead I set up the Onyx mixer with my home PC laptop running Vista Home Premium (ugh), a set of headphones, and an inexpensive microphone. (Later, I took it into a bigger “pro” studio and also evaluated the M-Powered capability, and that will be the subject of my next report.)
The Onyx-i 820i that was supplied to me offers 8 channels, 3 of them with Onyx mic preamps, It’s also outfitted with a variety of Perkins EQ configurations, two aux sends, talkback controls, and flexible control room routing.
FireWire I/O lets you route all channels, auxes and the master L/R to many DAW software programs, (such as Pro Tools M-Powered 8, Logic, SONAR, Cubase, Ableton Live, and Final Cut Pro) for recording, and enables you to return a stereo signal to the control room, or into a channel, for mix integration.
I decided to first listen to the mixer, alone, using a set of Audio-Technica D40 fs headphones and a Audio-Technica M31 dynamic cardioid microphone - decent quality pieces that would be comparable, in price, when matched with the Onyx-i/Pro Tools 8 M-Powered combination.
For years I’ve used a Mackie 1202 mixer basically as a “volume control” for my powered KRK-V88 monitors, and I’ll occasionally use the EQ and mic preamps, so I have a frame of reference for the mixer comparisons.
The “boutique style” preamps on the Onyx-i definitely sound better than the 1202 preamps, with an overall richer sound - a fuller, more rounded bottom end and a smoother top, as well as less noise. It will be interesting to compare the Onyx-i preamps to actual “boutique preamps” in the studio, using both the same microphone as well as “studio quality” condenser models.
The Mackie Onyx-i 820i (click to enlarge)
Turning to the EQ… I wasn’t sure what a “Perkins EQ” was, so I found this definition on line: “A Mackie trade name for equalizer circuitry employed in their Onyx mixer series. The name refers to Cal Perkins, a veteran Mackie engineer who had previously done work for Marantz, JBL, and Fender.
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“Perkins started with the Wien Bridge circuit topology - a design inspired by the hallowed ‘British’ consoles of the ‘60s and ‘70s. This design essentially trades boost/cut capability for a wider, highly musical Q filter. He then specified capacitor and resistor values that would give Onyx mixers an extra 6 dB of control (+/-15 dB) without excessively narrowing the Q filters.
“Perkins also employed combining filters for minimum phase shift. The result is very musical EQ that provides a wide-ranging yet natural sounding boost or cut.“
Very good.
Now, my observations.
I tracked my rhythm guitar in mono but I think it needs to found more full. What can I do?
I did, and the recorded levels are way too low, compared with any similar product I have ever used.
In fact, recording normal voice will push the mic gain knob to max and the recorded file will be only at maximum 8% (peaking) from the total range.
Using the same mics (Shure dynamic or Neumann condenser) on any other mixer will get 90% covered with gain knob at about 2 o clock.
So, kind o f big difference.
Practically unusable for any other but really loud instruments or additional preamp cascaded in front of the mixer (this will rise the noise level and color sound more).
Conclusion: for home recordings, practically unusable.