![]() A 100Hz 12dB/octave high-pass filter affects both mic and line inputs and comes before the insert point and EQ in the signal chain. Gain is variable from +6 to +60dB for XLR inputs and from -14 to +40dB for the line ins. Phantom power is switchable for each channel, which is a nice touch. Starting with the mono inputs, there are 16 identical channels, each with XLR and quarter-inch balanced line inputs, along with a quarter-inch insert socket. The ZED R16 has 28 analogue inputs, when the mono and stereo channels and two-track inputs are taken into consideration. But aspects of this mixer could present an almost vertical learning curve to the novice who doesn't have a good grasp of mixer signal-routing and recording workflow, so some additional hand-holding on basic concepts and specific features would be welcome. There's nothing wrong with the early-version manual that came with the review model: it is accurate and useful. PC users can make use of the bundled Sonar LE software, and there's also a printed User Guide.ĭrivers for XP, Vista and Mac OS 10.4.11 and 10.5.2 and later will be included, and can be downloaded from The printed manual and web site are also due to be updated with more specific information about Mac installation and setup with a range of DAWs and ADAT recorders. Similarly, every rotary control on the front panel is secured with a metal nut, providing additional protection to the internal circuitry.Īs well as your snazzy red and grey mixer, there's an IEC mains lead, and you get both six-pin to six-pin and six-pin to four-pin Firewire cables. The build quality is outstanding: apart from the red cheek-panels, which are a tough ABS-like plastic, the rest of the case is metal, and there are individually mounted circuit boards for the input channels - a very grown-up feature, which makes servicing easier and promises better long-term reliability. ![]() So you've coughed up for the ZED R16: what exactly do you get? At around 13kg (29lb) and with maximum dimensions of 70cm x 47cm x 10cm, this is by no means a room-filling mixer, but it's certainly hefty enough to form the centrepiece of an impressive setup. ![]() The emphasis on flexibility should ensure this mixer has a use in everything from single-laptop bedroom setups, through project and small commercial studios, to the location and live fields. We'll get into the detail later on, but essentially the design trades a number of features (like group channels) that might be considered standard on a studio or live console for specialised functions that make it fit better in the modern computer-based studio. The ZED R16 consciously attempts to marry digital and analogue in a way that's useful to a wide range of users. Of course, the two can complement each other beautifully: the trick is knowing how - and at what points in your signal chain and production process - to harness the merits of each. ![]() And why not? Where digital is precise, controllable and predictable, good analogue equipment is characterful and tactile - and it often has an indefinable funk-factor. It's a paradoxical state of affairs, but the more our studios become reliant on digital gear, the more we can't get enough of analogue. But at a time when people seem to be selling their mixers, why should we want to buy this one? Its feature set is tailored primarily to the DAW user, with a multi-channel Firewire audio interface under the hood, and plenty of MIDI control thrown in for good measure. Photo: Mike CameronAllen & Heath's ZED R16 is their first new recording-oriented console for over a decade. Well, now you can - and you get a multi-channel audio interface to boot. If you want to use both a high-quality analogue mixer and a DAW control surface, you'll probably want to put them both in the same place. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |