Mackie Onyx 1640i (Mackie 1640i Onyx)

The DAW-loving, premium analog mixing, FireWire-laden mother of all compact mixers

16-channel premium analog mixer with integrated 24-bit/96kHz FireWire I/O
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Qualified by Mackie for use with all major DAWs, including:
» Pro Tools M-Powered 8
(Requires $49.99 USD driver upgrade at www.mackie.com)
» Logic
» SONAR
» Cubase
» Ableton Live
» Final Cut Pro
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16 Onyx boutique-quality mic preamps
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4-band Perkins EQ with sweepable mids on mic/line channels
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Full 16x16 FireWire channel streaming for ultimate DAW integration
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Flexible FireWire routing, including aux sends, groups and pre/post EQ assignment for all channels
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6 aux sends with pre/post assignment and solo
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Smooth 60mm channel and master faders
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Built-in DI on first two channels for direct connection of guitars, bass, etc.
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Individual 48V phantom power switches on all mic inputs
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4-segment metering on every channel
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4-bus architecture for flexible sub-grouping of channels
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Talkback section for use with internal or external mic
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Rotating I/O pod for desktop or rackmount operation – rack ears included
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“Planet Earth” switching power supply for worldwide use

The 16-channel 1640i is the flagship mixer of the series featuring a full 16 mono mic/line channels each with 4-band dual sweep Perkins EQ, a whopping six aux sends each with pre/post and solo capability, 4 sub groups and a powerful master section. Despite its large channel count, the 1640i is compact, rack mountable and features our renowned flexible RotoPod™ design, allowing the mixer to be housed in any configuration – from custom studio furniture, live sound installs or even post production machine rooms. The 1640i’s full-featured 16x16 FireWire capability allows the user to route all channels, aux sends, sub groups and master L/R to their favorite DAW. However, the true power of the 1640i lies in its ability bring back the full 16 channels of FireWire output from your computer directly into the channel strips – for a true tape style mix down. Plus, FireWire aggregation allows for connection of multiple 1640i‘s, providing the capability to record or mix down even the largest of sessions.

DAW-FRIENDLY DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO COVER IT
Mackie-designed gear is more often than not, the result of customer interaction and suggestion. After all, we are making gear for you. For years, our customers have been asking for the freedom to work with any DAW they choose. So when we designed the Onyx-i series, we took this suggestion to heart. We are very proud that Onyx-i mixers are more DAW-friendly than any other interface ever. Onyx-i mixers are qualified by Mackie for use with all major DAWs, including Pro Tools® M-Powered™ 8*, Logic, SONAR, Cubase and more. Now, dedicated Mackie customers can enjoy using their Mackie mixer with the world’s most popular DAW. And Pro Tools® M-Powered™ 8 users now have a variety of new, and different, tools to use with their favorite DAW. It’s a win-win situation.

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.

PREMIUM ANALOG MIXER
When it comes to the high pressure environment of a recording session or live performance, you simply cannot beat the stability and reliability of an analog mixer. With features honed over 20 years of design by some of the legends in the industry, the Onyx-i Series mixers are simply the best sounding full-featured analog mixing boards available to the modern sound engineer.
The 1640i has a plethora of analog features that are sure to please. Sixteen full-featured channels each feature Onyx mic preamps, with a reputation as some of the best boutique quality preamps available today. Every channel features 48V phantom power, a low-cut switch and dedicated 4-band, dual-sweep Perkins EQ, offering a highly musical Q filter without sacrificing the precise control the Mackie EQs are known for. Six aux sends provide pre/post control over additional dedicated mixes, including monitor mixes and effects loops. The 1640i features true 4-bus architecture, offering four subgroups that are perfect for managing your mix or for zone control of multiple PA setups. There are built-in DIs on the first two channels for direct connection of guitars or bass and a dedicated talkback section with a built-in mic that lets you easily communicate with band members while on stage or recording. With all these proven, great-sounding analog features, it is easier than ever to create a memorable mix.

SMACKS OF QUALITY
The Onyx 1640i offers a tremendous collection of professional analog features and extremely deep DAW integration, but it is so much more than that. The sleek, modern design might even tempt you build a museum quality display for your engineer friends to admire. Plus, since it’s a Mackie, you can be sure that it is “Built-Like-A-Tank” and will survive years of abuse.

Any audio company can cram a bunch of inferior components into a chassis and, believe us, a lot of them do. This is never the case with a Mackie mixer. Everything about the Onyx-i Series smacks of quality, because only the most quality, high-end components are used throughout the entire signal path. At the front end, you have the pristine signal boost offered by the Onyx mic preamps, which will likely get routed through the legendary Perkins EQ. The signal then passes through a series of sealed rotary knobs, which keep dust and grime out of the potentiometer. Then your mix hits the summing bus, which has been custom-designed to offer the highest possible headroom while preserving the sonic quality offered by the aforementioned components. Maybe you assigned the signal to stream across the FireWire outputs. If so, your signal will glide effortlessly out of (and back through if your returning streams) the ridiculously high-end Cirrus converters. These converters are the best Mackie has ever specified, and can be found in some of the most esoteric (and expensive) interfaces out there today. From start to finish, no matter how you use it, the 1640i offers the quality demanded by industry professionals.