Unit Audio has introduced the Unit 16 x 2, the latest addition to the company’s line of passive analog summing mixers.
It offers the same panning flexibility as the 8 x 2 Micro-Unit with the addition of two pan switches that allows placement of channels 1 and 2 in monaural (center), or hard left (ch 1) or hard right (ch 2).
Unit Audio analog summing mixers are designed to add back some of the “sparkle and punch” of analog recording that can go missing in a purely “in the box” mix. (Sound samples are available on the company website here.)
“With modern DAW software, mixing within the computer has resulted in some great sounding recordings, but I have long been intrigued by the concept of analog summing to get my DAW mixes out of the box,” explains Unit Audio design engineer Terry Auger. “I was not prepared to pay $800 or more to find out for myself, so I engineered and built my own.
“Then to test the theory,” he continues, “I set out to see if there was any difference in the mixed sound. Much to my amazement and pleasure, I did notice a subtle but very pleasing difference in the stereo separation and placement of the instruments compared to my “in the box” mixes. If you’re mixing on an analog console or through outboard analog gear, you have no use for these mixers, but if all of your mixing is done in the box, you will be surprised at the difference they make”
Unit Audio mixers are built hand-wired, point-to-point in Nashville, TN, using top-quality components like Neutrik connectors and Xicon resistors.
Pricing for the new Unit 16 x 2 starts at $299 (plus shipping), with further information, options and purchase available here.
