Mackie Industrial Offers DX-10e Expansion
Kit For DX8 Digital Mixer

A front-view of the DX8, which remains unchanged.

Mackie Industrial has introduced the DX-10e Expansion Kit, a hardware/software package that transforms the DX8 digital mixer/processor into an 8 x 10 matrix mixer with additional signal processing.

The DX10e is the first in a planned series of hardware and software expansion kits for the DX8.

The new kit includes a DX-10e hardware card that adds eight balanced analog line-level outputs, via the DX8’s expansion slot. The added outputs are terminated to detachable Phoenix-style connectors.

New software provides more capability and user-friendliness.

DX-10e software, delivered on CD-ROM, includes both a PC desktop control application as well as the DSP code required to access all processing and mixing features. The software provides users with familiar controls for compressors, parametric and graphic equalizers, gates, signal delays and crossovers, replacing the former crosspoint matrix presentation. And, each set of controls maintains the familiar analog look and feel.

All processing is performed by five 32-bit DSPs inside the DX8. A demo version of the DX10e software is available for download from Mackie Industrial’s web site. Click here for the direct link. (File size for the zipped file is 1.6MB.)

Once the software is loaded, the user has access to all of the matrix mix controls from the desktop.

The DX-10e hardware card plugs into the rear of the DX8.

Metering is provided on each input and output, as are level control faders. Gain settings are displayed in numeric form at each output, as well as each of the 80 crosspoints. “Copy and paste” functions allow individual gain settings or entire mixes to be replicated as needed.

Also included is a two-band sweepable EQ plus a third, fully parametric band for each of the 8 inputs, as well as a 31-band graphic EQ and 5-band parametric EQ on each of the 10 outputs. Variable compressors are provided for use on each input and output, and are based on the same algorithms in Mackie’s D8B studio recording console. Gates are provided on each input with full control over all parameters and metering. Signal delays and crossover filters round out the complement of output processing.

The DX8 was introduced last year in its current 8 x 2 configuration as Mackie Industrial’s entry product into the DSP-based digital mixer/processor market. In contrast to the products of several other manufacturers, the DX8 includes mic preamps, and is designed to act as a stand-alone mixer with EQ, compression and preset capabilities.