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.
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.
.
“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.
The high shelf on the first two mic/line inputs has a corner frequency of 12 kHz, not the typical 10 kHz on most fixed frequency high shelf EQs.
The low shelf is at 80 Hz, again, not your typical 10 kHz corner frequency. These are the same “Mackie frequencies” on my 1202 mixer.
As far as the mid-range, the peaking EQ sweeps from 100 Hz to 8 kHz, and all three bands have a +/- 15 dB boost/cut.
Inputs 3-4, mic input/preamp 3, have the same high and low EQ points, and two other peak EQ frequencies; one is low midrange at 400 Hz and the other is high midrange at 2.5 kHz.
I’ve never preferred Mackie’s choice of 2.5 kHz as the high-mid frequency (again, also used on the 1202), but I can live with it, primarily because I usually do subtractive EQ (although the sweep mid is much more flexible).
The choice of 400 Hz as the low-mid frequency is interesting, considering the other frequencies chosen, and, with the preamp on this channel as well, you have the option of using a mic on inputs 1 or 2 with the sweep EQ, or on input 3 with the four fixed bands. (All of these frequencies are also +/- 15 dB.)
Inputs 5-6 and 7-8 are line-only inputs, and have the same 12 kHz high frequency EQ, 80 Hz low frequency EQ, and 2.5 kHz mid-range EQ (all +/-15 dB).
The EQ sound very decent, and the sweep mid is, by far, the best of the three variations. The top is smooth and the bottom tight.
The mids 2.5 kHz are an annoying frequency to boost but an OK frequency to cut. But the sweep mid EQ can be boosted at higher or lower frequencies than 2.5 kHz to add more bottom or upper mids without any problem.
.
This can also cut any annoying mid frequency or boost any desirable mid frequency with ease. It would be nice to have a “Q” control, but at this price point, the mixer is very flexible, especially with the talkback, control room routing, and 24-bit/96 kHz FireWire I/O.
Note that they state “hybrid mono/stereo channel with 4-band Perkins EQ with sweepable mids” when it actually has four bands of fixed frequency EQ.
This brings me to the next point in this review. Setting up the Pro Tools 8 M-Powered software, Mackie’s V1.0 Universal Driver, and interfacing the mixer.
First things first. My package didn’t include a FireWire cable. However, after this article was posted, Mackie informed me that indeed a FireWire cable is included with all production stock, which is good news. (And as a result, please disregard my previous statement about needing to borrow or acquire one.)
As noted earlier in this article, I’m going to save the discussion of the installation of the software and set-up of the mixer using my laptop for the next (and final installment).
In addition, I’ll focus on how the package sounds in the “pro” studio, with better mics, monitors, preamps and EQs, not to mention how easy (or difficult) it is to set-up on the faster, more powerful computers - both Mac and PC platforms.
Until next time…
Bob Buontempo has more than 30 years of professional recording experience, and has been the president/owner of Buontempo Entertainment Services since 1976. He has also taught numerous recording and audio educational courses over the years.
Return to article