November 2021 - 50

REVIEW
inputs are located on the back, and
channels 5 through 8 offer 1
/4
Perkins EQ
For tone shaping, each channel offers
an 80 Hz highpass filter followed by the
Onyx Perkins EQ. Named for designer
Cal Perkins, the Perkins EQ is voiced
and inspired by classic British EQ console
specs. The high and low shelving
bands are fixed at 12 kHz and 80 Hz.
The mono channels have a sweepable
mid-band (100 Hz to 8 kHz), and on
the stereo channels the mid-band is fixed
at 2.5 kHz. You can also hard bypass
each channel's EQ. Note that there is no
EQ on channels 17/18.
Aux sends
Mackie: Onyx16
British EQ, built-in FX and digital
recording in a compact analog mixer
REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.
W
ith a lineage stretching back thirty years, Mackie invented
what we now take for granted as the compact mixer. Now,
the latest generation Mackie Onyx series does that history
proud with built-in digital effects, multitrack USB recording, and twochannel
standalone digital recording, along with all the well-loved analog
hallmarks of the Onyx line.
The evolution
I reviewed the original Onyx 1220
mixer along with its add-on FireWire card
back in November 2005. The refreshed
Onyx series comprises the Onyx8,
Onyx12, Onyx16 and Onyx24. The
boutique Onyx preamps and Perkins EQ
gloriously remain. Its digital recording capability
is now baked in via USB or stereo
SD card recording along with an onboard
digital effects engine and Bluetooth.
A new look
Mackie sent me the Onyx16 for review,
but all features are the same on
each model. The 18.7 " x 14 " x 5.4 "
Onyx16 boasts a rugged all-metal build
with contoured hand grips on the sides.
50 RECORDING November 2021
The Onyx uses stylish black fader caps
and colorful knobs similar to the Mackie
VLZ4 series.
Channel inputs
The Onyx16 features twelve Onyx
microphone preamps in total with global
phantom
power.
Channels 1-8 are
mono (mic or line) with switchable
Hi-Z instrument inputs on the first two
channels. Channels 9-16 can be mono
(mic/line) or stereo (line). You can switch
channels 11/12 for SD card playback
and channels 13/14 and 15/16 for
USB playback. Finally, channels 17/18
(the Onyx16 is actually an 18-channel
mixer) accommodate stereo line ins via
1
/8
/4
" channel
" mini-jack, or pair with a Bluetooth
device. XLR and balanced 1
Routing
There are assignable, mute-equipped
faders for FX, MON 1, and MON 2.
The main output fader section has a
12-segment stereo LED meter and a
master USB Send button to route your
computer's stereo mix to channels 1/2
or 17/18 at the touch of a button. There
are volume pots for the Control Room
and Headphone outputs, and a Solo
Master control. Two final knobs send the
digital FX to each monitor output.
On the back are a choice of XLR
" balanced
and 1
/4
" TRS main outs, 1/4
There are two monitor sends and one
FX send. Note channel 17/18 has monitor
sends only.
Each send has a 1
/4
" output on the
back, including the FX send to use a
favorite
outboard effect
rather
than
those built into the desk. Unlike previous
Mackie mixers, there are no external
effects returns; you will need to return
external effects to the channels.
Pan, Mute, Rude Solo, Fader
Each channel has a pan pot and
backlit mute and solo buttons, great for
low-light situations. When solo is active,
a bright red LED flashes incessantly-
they don't call it the RUDE SOLO light
for nothing. Solo can be pre- (PFL) or
post-fader (AFL), and each channel is
rounded out with a 60mm fader, an
overload LED and a left/right (master)
assign button.
" TRS inserts.
November 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of November 2021
