About the Mackie Onyx12 12-Channel Premium Analog Mixer with Multi-Track USB
The Mackie Onyx12 is a premium 12-channel analog mixer that incorporates a high-quality multi-track USB audio interface, designed for project studios, live sound, and podcasting where both analog mixing flexibility and digital recording capability are required. This mixer is built around Mackie's renowned Onyx microphone preamplifiers, which are known for their high headroom, low noise, and transparent sound, providing professional-grade audio capture for microphones and instruments. The analog signal path offers straightforward, tactile control with per-channel 3-band EQ, auxiliary sends, and panning, allowing for intuitive live mixing and monitoring. The inclusion of the multi-track USB interface is a significant feature, as it enables each input channel to be recorded as a separate track simultaneously into a digital audio workstation (DAW), providing unparalleled flexibility for post-production editing, mixing, and overdubbing.
The mixer's layout is designed for efficiency, with channel strips logically organized and a central master section for controlling the main mix, monitor sends, and headphone output. Channels 1 and 2 offer additional features like a one-knob compressor for quick dynamic control of vocals or bass. The USB interface operates at up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution, ensuring high-fidelity digital conversion. In addition to the multi-track capability, the mixer also provides a stereo USB return, allowing for playback from the computer to be integrated into the main mix or cue feeds. This makes it an excellent hub for hybrid analog/digital workflows, such as recording a live band, streaming a podcast with multiple guests, or creating a virtual soundcheck by playing back recorded tracks through the mixer's analog outputs.
Housed in a rugged steel chassis, the Onyx12 is built to withstand the rigors of both studio and mobile use. Its comprehensive connectivity includes balanced XLR and TRS main outputs, multiple auxiliary outputs for monitors or effects, and a variety of input types to accommodate microphones, line-level gear, and stereo sources. By combining the sonic benefits of premium analog preamps and EQ with the modern convenience of multi-track USB recording, the Mackie Onyx12 serves as a versatile and professional centerpiece for content creators and musicians who need a reliable, high-performance solution for both live mixing and studio production.