Introduction - Mackie ONYX 1640i Owner's Manual

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Mackie Onyx 1640i
professional compact mixer. The Onyx-i series of mixers
offer built-in FireWire, along with the newest features
and latest technologies for live sound reinforcement
and analog or digital studio recording, all in a durable,
road-worthy package.
The Onyx 1640i is equipped with 16 of our premium
precision-engineered studio-grade Onyx mic preamps.
Mackie is renowned for the high-quality mic preamps
used in our mixers, and the Onyx mic pre's are better
than ever, with specifications rivaling expensive
stand-alone mic preamplifiers.
Channels 1 and 2 feature high-impedance
instrument/line-level inputs so you can connect an
acoustic, electric, or bass guitar directly into the mixer,
eliminating the need for an external direct box.
Features
• 16-channel premium analog mixer with
integrated 24-bit/96kHz FireWire I/O
• 16 Onyx boutique quality mic preamps
• 4-band Perkins EQ with sweepable mids on all
channels
• Full 16x16 FireWire channel streaming for
ultimate DAW integration
• Flexible FireWire routing, including aux sends,
groups and pre/post EQ assignment for all
channels
• 6 aux sends with pre/post assignment and solo
• Smooth 60mm channel and master faders
• Built-in DI on first two channels for direct
connection of guitars, bass, etc.
• Individual 48V phantom power switches on all
mic inputs
• 4-segment metering on every channel
• 4-bus architecture for flexible sub-grouping of
channels
• Talkback section for use with internal or
external mic
• Rotating I/O pod for desktop or rackmount
operation - rack ears included
• "Planet-Earth" switching power supply for
worldwide use
4 Onyx 1640i
Deep FireWire Integration
The Onyx 1640i is the flagship mixer of the series,
boasting a full 16x16 FireWire interface, allowing for
something that a DAW could never do alone: A true
tape-style mixdown.
If you are doing a real analog mixdown, you will
surely benefit from the premium features that the 1640i
provides. Send all channels simultaneously to your DAW,
get them recorded and apply your plug-ins. Once you
have everything edited and ready, you can simply route
up to 16 streams straight back into the 1640i's channel
strips. You can choose to apply some of that lovely
Perkins EQ if you wish. All of these signals hit our
premium, high-headroom custom summing bus. It
combines the best of both the digital and analog realm
to create seamless workflow that makes your sessions
faster, easier and better sounding than ever possible
before.
Wet or Dry?
Every channel on the mixer can be routed pre or post
EQ to the computer, allowing you to choose whether to
implement 'EQ to tape' or not.
Studio Quality Effects
All aux sends are routable to the computer, allowing
you to utilize your computer as a powerful FX engine by
implementing your favorite plug-ins in a live scenario.
Preserve Your Mix
Master L/R is routable to the computer for recording
your analog mix. Burn and sell CDs of the mix at the end
of the gig!
Mix Integration
Up to 16 sources from your computer can be routed to
either the control room for instant monitoring or right
back into the channel strips for mix integration.
Latency-Free Overdubs
Having a "real" mixer has its benefits. Latency-free
overdubs are simple since you are using an analog
mixer. No more wasted time dealing with the
complicated "DSP" mixers commonly used on
standalone interfaces.
Most DAWs also support device aggregation, allowing
you to use multiple 1640i's in any given session. Imagine
32 or 48 channels, streaming effortlessly to and from
your DAW, with all the power right in your hands. It's
the ideal combination of modern technology and classic
mixing style.