Onyx Satellite represents a breakthrough for computer-based audio and music production. As the world's first two-piece FireWire recording system, Satellite consists of a portable recording Pod with premium Onyx mic preamps, and a desktop Base Station with additional inputs and outputs. You simply undock the Pod when you want to record on location—leaving the Base Station connected to all your desktop studio gear (microphones, instruments, headphones, studio monitors, etc.). Then, once you've returned to your studio, simply dock the Satellite Pod back into the Base Station with a reassuring “click.”
The Base Station provides additional I/O, monitor control and Talkback with a built-in mic. And the system comes with a special edition of Tracktion 2 music production software, so you can go from initial idea to final CD. (Of course, with WDM, GSIF, ASIO and Core Audio drivers, Onyx Satellite can also be used with most major audio software on Mac or PC.)
Unsurpassed Sound Quality
When developing a FireWire audio/recording interface, it pays to know your stuff. So it's worth noting that Mackie started as a professional audio company, not a software or computer peripheral company. As such, we engineered Satellite with a focus on crucial components like mic preamps, superior analog circuitry, and A/D and D/A converters.
Instead of me-too, off-the-shelf mic preamps, Satellite offers our premium Onyx mic preamps—giving you dynamic range and noise specifications rivaling much more expensive standalone mic pres. (Click here to read some of the glowing reviews.) All the analog circuitry was designed by the veteran Mackie engineering team in Woodinville, WA with higher headroom and lower noise specs than anything in its class… by far. And we specified professional AKM-brand, phase-accurate 24-bit/96kHz Analog-to-Digital and Digital-to-Analog converters, to ensure that what comes in, is what goes out, and back in, and back out.
The Go-Anywhere Satellite Pod
In addition to the aforementioned Onyx mic preamps, the robust aluminum-and-steel Satellite Pod features Neutrik™ Combo input connectors on Channels 1 and 2, which allow you to use either a 1/4" TRS connector or an XLR connector. A global 48V switch applies phantom power to both XLR input connectors, so you can power your studio condenser mics. Channels 1 and 2 also feature an Instrument Select switch, which lets you connect an acoustic, electric, or bass guitar directly to the 1/4" input, eliminating the need for an external direct box. The Pod also has a stereo Control Room output and two stereo Headphone jacks, each with separate level controls (the Control Room and Phones 1 outputs share a level control). And of course, there's a FireWire connector for jacking into your desktop or laptop. Because the Satellite Pod is bus-powered via FireWire, there's no need for a separate power supply.
The Satellite Base Station
When the Pod is docked to the Base Station, it gains additional features and expanded I/O capabilities. Namely, a separate XLR connector, two 1/4" TRS line-input connectors, and a 1/4" TS instrument connector for each channel, with Select switches for each input source. Plus Insert jacks for Channels 1 and 2, letting you send and return the signal to an external processor (like, say, a killer vintage outboard compressor/limiter you bought from some dude on eBay for like $100 bucks because he didn't know what it was).
The Base Station also gives you six channels of analog balanced line outputs, provided on 1/4" TRS connectors. Two of these can be used as stereo Control Room outputs, with an A/B Switch to route the signal to two separate pairs of monitors for comparison. For communicating with studio talent, the Base Station also serves up a built-in Talkback microphone, that can be routed to the Phones/Control Room output or to the DAW for slating.
And like the Satelitte Pod, the Base Station can be powered directly from the FireWire bus (when using a six-pin FireWire connector), or from the 12V DC power supply included in the box.
Monitoring and Surround Control
As mentioned, the Base Station's Control Room section allows you to select between one of two monitor outs for multiple monitor speaker setups. Additionally, you can switch monitoring between your DAW outputs and the connected inputs—so you can plug in to jam or listen to your iPod without having to boot your DAW software. Lastly, the Satellite/Base Station combo allows you to control the volume of six outputs for Surround sound with a single volume knob—a feature that would cost a bundle if you had to buy it separately. And its worth mentioning that all these things stay connected on your desktop, so you never have to repatch cables when you go to record on location.
Tracktion 2 Software
The Satellite system comes with a special edition of Tracktion 2 that gives you full access to the Tracktion 2 core application, along with the Mackie Dynamics Suite, Raw Material Software Plug-in Suite and Maxim Digital Audio (mda) Plug-in Bundle.
Complete Recording Studio Package Contents (Optional):
1 x Stoppit Microphone Pop Filter/Popper Stopper
1 x On-Stage 7701B Tripod Boom Mic Stand
1 x CAD GLX2200 Condenser Microphone (with Shockmount)
1 x Monster DJ Cable Dual RCA to Dual 1/4 inch (2 meter)
1 x Behringer MS20 20 Watt Digital Monitors (Pair)
1 x CBI MLC20 Mic Cable (20 Foot)
Technical Info
System Requirements
PC: Microsoft Windows Vista 32 / 64 RTM or XP SP 2; Pentium 4, Celeron, or Athlon XP processor; 256 MB RAM
Mac: Mac OS X 10.3.9 - 10.4.9; G4 processor; 256 MB RAM
Specifications
Frequency Response:
- Mic Input to Line Output (Gain @ unity): @48 kHz: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +/-1 dB
- @96 kHz: 20 Hz to 40 kHz, +/-1 dB
Distortion (THD & IMD):
- Mic Input to Line Output (@ +4 dBu output):
THD+N: < 0.02%, 20 Hz to 20 kHz BW, 1 kHz input @ +4 dBu, preamp at unity gain
Dynamic Range (A-weighted, typical): 103 dB (Mic In to Line Out)
Noise:
- Signal-to-Noise (A-weighted, typical): >103 dB (ref. +0 dBu, Mic In to Line Out, Gain @ unity)
- Equivalent Input Noise (E.I.N.), 20 Hz to 20 kHz Bandwidth, 150 Ohms source impedance, typical: -110 dBu @ +60 dB gain
Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)
- Mic In: >40 dB @ 1 kHz, Gain @ maximum, typical
Crosstalk:
- Mic Input to Line Output: < -80 dB @ 1 kHz, +10 dBu signal on adjacent input, 150 Ohms source impedance
Input Gain Control Range
- Mic In: 0 dB to +60 dB, +/-1 dB
- Line In: -20 dB to + 40 dB, +/-1 dB
Phantom Power: +48 VDC (+/-20%)
Rated Output:
- Line: +4 dBu nominal
Maximum Rated Output: +18 dBu @ Balanced Line-Level Outputs
Input Impedance
Mic Input: 2.4 kOhms balanced
Inst Input: 1 M Ohms
Line: 20 kOhms balanced, 10 kOhms unbalanced
Output Impedance
Line: 100 Ohms balanced
Signal Level LEDs: -40 dB, -20 dB, -10 dB (normal operating level), OL = 0 dB FS
Sample Frequency Selections: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz
Analog Input Connectors
Pod: Two balanced XLR/TRS combination mic/line inputs
Base Station:
- Two balanced XLR mic inputs
- Four balanced quarter-inch TRS line inputs
- Two quarter-inch TS high-impedance instrument inputs
Analog Output Connectors
Pod: Two balanced quarter-inch TRS line-level outputs
Base Station: Eight balanced quarter-inch TRS line-level outputs
Analog Insert Connectors
Base Station: Two unbalanced quarter-inch TRS line-level inputs/outputs
Digital Input/Output Connectors
Pod: One 6-pin FireWire input/output
Base Station: One 6-pin FireWire input/output
Power Requirements
Both units can be powered by the 6-pin FireWire connection or by the DC Power Supply included.
In the U.S.: 120 VAC/60 Hz In 12V DC Out
Physical Dimensions and Weight
Pod:
- Height: 2.1 in (53 mm)
- Width: 8.0 in (203 mm)
- Depth: 4.1 in (104 mm; including front knobs and rear jacks)
- Weight: 1.8 lb (0.8 kg)
Base Station:
- Height: 4.4 in (112 mm); 4.6 in/117 mm with feet
- Width: 10.8 in (274 mm)
- Depth: 7.1 in (180 mm)
- Weight: 6.1 lb (2.8 kg)
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