Alesis MultiMix 16FIREWIRE 16-Channel Mixer with Firewire

8 high-gain mic/line inputs with phantom power, 2 stereo balanced 1/4 in. line inputs, aux send, stereo aux return, Cubase LE included.

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Alesis MultiMix 16FIREWIRE 16-Channel Mixer with Firewire reviews

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42 People rated this product : * * * * * * * * * * 7 out of 10

 

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Read all Alesis MultiMix 16FIREWIRE 16-Channel Mixer with Firewire reviews...
* * * * * * * * * * 8 out of 10 zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

"The best project studio interface on the market."

Feature:
The Multimix has quite a few very useful features that are commonly found in larger and more comprehensive analog boards including 2 aux sends and returns and an alt 3/4 bus as well as the main mix out and control room out. These features combined with the 8 mic/line pre-amps and 4 stereo line pre-amps make for a very usable analog board that is not just a glorified interface. There are also two firewire ports that allow you to chain multiple Multimixes together for more ins and outs. Also you can use the 3 band EQ and actually record it into your sequencer. It is not just for live mixing as with the Mackie Onyx,(something that no one tells you even though Mackie touts it's fabulous Perkins EQ it's of absolutely no use when the unit is being used as an interface as well as mixer). Another advantage it has is that the firewire connections need no expansion card like the Onyx does. The knobs and faders on mine feel solid and not at all wobbly. The buttons press well and the mic jacks connect with authority. They don't feel tentative but they are simple to dissconnect with a light but definate pull. I do wish however that there were more busses on this board and that there were inserts. This is the one place were I feel there can definately be some improvement.

Quality:
I've had the Multimix for about 7 months and have no gripe with the quality of the hardware at all. Like I said before the knobs and faders are sturdy and don't wobble,(at least not on mine) and the buttons press well. The appearance is actually quite attractive with it's black finish and silver faders. It looka like a piece of high-end gear,(very sexy indeed). With care this piece could probably last indefinately. On the road I'm not sure that proper care could be given without a sturdy mixer case and attention to dust particles.

Value:
The Multimix is an awesome value for the money spent. It has the ability to get a person's pre-amp, analog mixer and ad/da converter situation in hand all in one resonably priced package, not to mention the fact that it cost half as much as the Onyx which is the only comparable boad in terms of quality that I believe there is to the Multimix.

Desirability:
In my opinion the Multimix is largely underrated. It is possibly the best entry to mid-level quality mixer in the market today. With the feature set and the flexibilty that it posseses it stands in line to be a leader in project studio gear. I love mine. I own higher-end gear for my professional studio but I can't bring myself to part with the multimix as a part of my project studio rig. It's a keeper with a sexy look and useful design. Every budget minded project studio owner could benefit greatly from owning a multimix and using it in their rig.

Sound:
The Multimix 16 is surprisingly good in sound reproduction for a piece of gear in it's price range. The pre-amps boost the signal well and give a straighforward sound. The ad/da converters are also good. They are clean and clear without being harsh and that's most of the battle with converters in my opinion. I had to go online and download the latest drivers before I could get it running the 1st time though. In combination with good mics and monitors, one will not be disappointed. Alesis has not held back on what matters as far as sound with the multimix. No, it is not top of the line but can produce acceptable results in average hands with an average rig and fantastic results are possible with skilled hands in a quality,(not neccessarily expensive)rig.

Ease of Use:
In the hands of an experienced engineer this board is a cinch. However, in the hands of a novice or beginner it can be intimidating. Fortunately the basic features are easy to learn with careful reading of the instruction book. Recording audio and interfacing with one's computer is easy and fairly intuitive. The instruction manual is not by any stretch of the imagination comprehensive. There are many features that are not clearly explained in it. Also there is a HUGE PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE POWER ON AND OFF SEQUENCE. They tell the user to turn things off and on in the wrong order. I had to figure this out by myself after freezing my computer about 4 or 5 times. That is probably due to lack of testing or bad drivers or something but whatever the case know that YOU MUST TURN THE MULTIMIX ON AFTER YOU TURN YOUR COMPUTER ON AND TURN IT OFF BEFORE YOU TURN YOUR COMPUTER OFF! If you don't you will have problems to say the least. After I figured this out though I simply uninstalled the drivers and then re-installed them and started fresh. Proceed with caution.

Support:
Alesis is lame in customer support. I did call them about the freezing that I got from following the instruction manual's faulty directions on shut on shut off procedure. They were hard to reach due to time of business operations and they didn't seem to know much. They did however, give me the heads up on updating drivers at their website. That process was easy.

Overall:
All in all the Multimix is a useful good quality, pleasant sounding flexible analog mixer and audio interface. I'm confident that it has a bright future ahead in the world of project studio production.

Submitted: 6/1/2006

Style of Music: Rock, Folk, Hip Hop, Soul, Jazz, Classical

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* * * * * * * * * * 10 out of 10 zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.

"What a pleasant surprise! Love it!"

Feature:
Tons of features - nice way to mix a whole band for recording straight into the computer via firewire. There's a lot of inserts, aux sends, and event effects, to really have a complex setup/monitoring section.

Quality:
Seems pretty well-built - feels solid. Some of the knobs are plastic. So far so good.

Value:
One helluva value, combine a mixer, with a firewire interface for 600 bucks? yeah, a great bargain. I'm very happy with it

Desirability:
It's really amazing how far technology has come. I still remember the days when a 4 track tascam cassette recorder was a technological marvel and nowadays we have a mixer that will send 16 tracks of clean audio to a computer where you can tweak it with plug-ins to get a really great recording. Wow, if you stop and thinking about it, it's pretty amazing...!!

Sound:
I think this board sounds really good. The mic pre's are decent, although you might want to use a nice tube pre for fine vocal work. Having eq's pre firewire is nice- you can shape the snare and remove the low end if you wish, for example. We've been able to record our band and it has sounded really nice. Pleasantly surprised...

Ease of Use:
Given how complex it is - it's pretty easy to use. I downloaded the latest drivers from Alesis and have not had any problems on the PC - I was a bit worried about that after reading reviews of the drivers not working, but I have had zero issues with the drivers, they have worked flawelessly. I had more problems with getting my MOTU to work...Overall, it's easy to get a good sound.

Support:
No complaints, they update their drivers

Overall:
I am satsified and thoroughly surprised at this unit. I bought it thinking I would trade it in for a firepod if I didn't like it. but it has performed reliably and has sounded good. Good job Alesis! Along with the SR16, this could be another alesis classic!

Submitted: 3/5/2006

Style of Music: Indie

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Read all Alesis MultiMix 16FIREWIRE 16-Channel Mixer with Firewire reviews...

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About This Product!
Description
The Alesis MultiMix FireWire 16 Mixer is part of the new line of MultiMix mixers featuring FireWire data connectivity. The MultiMix FireWire Series includes 3 different tabletop mixers, all featuring exclusive DICE II FireWire technology. Allowing for transfer of multiple audio data streams from mixer to PC using a standard IEEE-1394 interface, these mixers provide lightening fast connectivity to a wide range of PC-based audio production applications.

The MultiMix FireWire mixers are compact mixers featuring low noise analog electronics, 100 studio-grade 28 bit digital effects, and rock-solid construction. The mixer features high-gain mic/line preamps, phantom power, auxiliary send/returns, and on-board effects engine including reverbs, delays, chorus, flanging, 3-band EQ per channel with high/low shelving and mid band pass/reject.

Additional features of the MultiMix FireWire series include separate 1/4 in. balanced main and monitor outs, headphone out, integrated FireWire port to transfer audio directly between the mixer and your computer, and 24-bit stereo simultaneous input/output over a FireWire 1394 connection. Plug and play operation is available under Windows XP and Mac OSX. The FireWire mixers also come bundled with Cubase LE recording software. With the MultiMix FireWire Series Alesis has made multi-track recording to PC a viable and affordable possibility for the modern artist/producer.

Features
Compact, affordable 16-channel analog mixers and Multi-channel FireWire audio computer interface

MultiMix 16 has 8 high-gain mic/line (XLR and 1/4 in. balanced) inputs with phantom power, 2 stereo balanced 1/4 in. line inputs, aux send (can sent to onboard or external effects), stereo aux return.

100 28-bit onboard preset effects including reverbs, delays, chorus, flanging, pitch, and multieffects

3-band EQ per channel with high/low shelving and mid bandpass/reject

Separate 1/4 in. balanced main and monitor outs, headphone out

24-bit, 44.1/48 kHz operation with high-end A/D and D/A conversion through integrated FireWire audio interface using next-generation Dice II FireWire chip

Compatible with Mac OSX and Windows XP

Steinberg Cubase LE included

Technical Info

Multimix mixers only support operation under Windows XP Home and XP Pro.
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