Mackie's Unveils Onyx 1200F FireWire Box at AES

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Mackie introduced today their Onyx 1200F, 30-by-34 channel, 24-bit/192kHz-capable FireWire audio/MIDI interface that features 12 of Mackie's flagship Onyx preamps, on-board DSP matrix mixing, an advanced monitoring/headphone control section with four user-assignable headphone outputs, two stereo control room outputs, built-in talkback mic input, and remote switching capability.

Among the Onyx 1200F's most innovative features is an assignable patch bay with advanced DSP capabilities. The 1200F provides an extensive on-board mixing interface that allows the user to route to any desired monitoring path and phones outputs directly from the hardware inputs at near zero latency. This functionality also allows 1200F users to patch any hardware input, or mix any combination of hardware inputs, to any hardware output. Likewise, any software output can be patched to any hardware destination.

Front panel controls on the Onyx 1200F include control-room output level with A/B monitor select, four discrete headphone outputs with dedicated level controls, two instrument inputs, and 4-segment metering for the mic/line input channels. The rear panel includes 12 combo mic/line inputs, balanced TRS sends and returns for the first two mic inputs, eight balanced line outputs, dual stereo control room outputs, Word Clock I/O, 2 x 2 MIDI I/O, dual ADAT I/O, SPDIF I/O, AES/EBU I/O, and two FireWire ports. Footswitch inputs are provided for monitor switching and talkback activation. The rugged, 2U rackmount steel chassis features an attractive extruded aluminum front panel with machined aluminum knobs. A black plastic lens is flushed mounted into the front panel and accommodates 12 channels of level meters.

The Onyx 1200F is bundled with a complete software package which includes Tracktion 2, Mackie's audio recording and MIDI production software, as well as the Mackie Final Mix CD mastering toolkit. This bundle ensures that Onyx 1200F customers will have a complete recording/mixing/mastering solution right out of the box.

The Onyx 1200F will be available in early 2006 and will have a suggested retail price of $1,999.00.

For more information, visit their web site at www.mackie.com.