| Content | The AB168 Portable Remote AudioRack from Allen & Heath is a 48kHz audio rack specifically engineered to be a stage-ready solution for any live sound application. Boasting enhanced I/O, versatile compatibility, and capable of daisy-chaining for easy scaling of your sound system to fit the size of your venue, the AB168 is built with heavy-duty components that make it durable and travel-ready. This audio rack has been designed for compatibility with Allen & Heath’s Qu series digital mixers, Avantis and SQ mixer series, as well as the AHM-64 audio matrix processor (all compatible external equipment sold separately).
Fitted with 16 microphone preamps that feature Phantom Power indicators, as well as 8 XLR line outputs, the AB168 is powered by Allen & Heath’s proprietary dSNAKE protocol. Take advantage of its I/O to connect it to any compatible system, using a single CAT5 cable to position the unit up to 100m (approximately 328 feet) away from the mixer.
Using a secure dSNAKE Ethercon port, the AB168 connects over a CAT5 cable to your mixer or AR2412 AudioRack. Expanding your options, the AB168 also offers a second EtherCon port, allowing you to daisy-chain to other AB168 units or connect to a ME personal mixing system (sold separately). Synchronizing your system is a breeze due to the AB168 AudioRack’s automatic updates to its firmware.
The power and versatility that characterizes the AB168 extend to its external build. Its rugged design includes rubber bumpers that protect it during transportation, so you can move it around the stage without worrying about wear and tear. Place it directly on the stage floor during performances, or use its optional rack mounting kit to permanently install it in your setup (sold separately).
Combined with its optimized durability, the AB168 is surprisingly light, weighing in at a little over 10.5 lbs (4.8 kg). Add to that its sturdy carrying handle, and this audio rack is a great choice for uses that need both rugged quality and maximum portability.
Allen & Heath AB168 Features
- 48kHz
- 16 Mic Preamps
- 8 XLR Line Outs
- Expander port for daisy-chaining of 2 AB168 Expanders or connection ME personal mixers
- Optional 19-inch rack mount kit available
- Compatible with CAT5e (or higher) cables of up to 100m
- Rubber bumpers
- Carry handle
| The Dangerous Music Liaison puts the fun back into trying out creative combinations of gear. The Liaison also lets your setup remain absolutely flexible — just what you need if you want to survive in a market that often demands recording, mixing, and mastering services from a single studio. The Liaison's claim to fame is that it combines your favorite pieces of music gear together in various configurations, allowing you to try out new gear combinations and recall them later. But there's a lot more to the Dangerous Music Liaison than mere signal routing.
Mix, match, store, and recall all your favorite gear combinations
Dangerous Music has always been dedicated to providing serious engineers with the most useful gear possible. They've upped the ante again, with the Liaison. The Liaison lets you experiment with different combinations of gear, giving you a total of six discrete 2-channel inputs and two 2-channel buses. Want to hear how that compressor sounds pre- and post-EQ? With a Liaison, you can audition various hardware combinations as easily as swapping around plug-ins in a DAW. What's more, you can store and recall your favorite setups, so you can keep that killer vocal compression chain or that thumping kick drum processing path close at hand.
Flexible stereo buses give you advanced configuration options
When we ran the Dangerous Music Liaison through its paces here at Sweetwater, we found that its stereo buses do more than just compare two discrete signal paths. Depending on how you configure them, these stereo buses can provide you with two completely independent, flexible signal chains, each serving as its own small routing matrix. You can also combine both buses to create a long and flexible continuous signal-processing chain, in which you can reorder entire sections of your gear setup. Even cooler, you can use the Liaison's buses to establish complex parallel signal processing — opening up limitless sonic possibilities.
Mastering-grade components for unrivaled sound quality
As is the case with all Dangerous Music products, the Liaison is made entirely from mastering-grade components, so you never have to worry about audio coloration or latency. In fact, when set to simply pass audio, professional grade testers used to measure the Liaison read as though they were plugged into themselves. Talk about quality control! Here are some of the other specifics. Both the inserts and the buses feature straight-wire, unamplified, balanced signal paths. All audio is relay-switched via top-quality, gas-filled, bifurcated contact relays — ensuring that all switching is absolutely noiseless. The rest of the Liaison's signal paths feature mastering-grade components made by THAT Corp. and Burr-Brown.
What the pros are saying about the LIAISON:
- "The Dangerous LIAISON feels like engaging light-speed for my workflow...and make no mistake: workflow IS sound. The sheer speed at which you can do critical comparisons of entire signal chains does have a direct and positive impact how your music will sound." — Alberto Rizzo Schettino (Engineer)
- "One of the best features of the LIAISON is the monitor outs...you can monitor the signal at four points in the chain: before and after Bus A and B. The usefulness of this feature is huge, and Dangerous deserves major props for including it! The switching of inserts is managed by beefy relays that are as transparent as any I've ever heard." — Adam Gonsalves (Mastering Engineer)
- "LIAISON gives you the impetus to rethink how you record, mix, and master your music...[and] using the LIAISON is dead simple. I think of LIAISON not as an insert switcher, but as a creativity enabler." — Andy Hong (Writer/Reviewer)
- "The Dangerous LIAISON is incredibly exciting. To have a device that lets you so easily switch between processors, swap the order of processors, do quick A-B comparisons of signal chains. It makes my work better!" — Jonathan Wyner (Mastering Engineer)
- "Being able to switch devices from one bus to the other is extremely useful. The fast switching is amazing!" — Jeff Lipton (Mastering Engineer)
- "The LIAISON is really important — I can do a lot of combinations of chaining gear and I am able to work a lot faster. Before the LIAISON [I had to] switch the patchbay and compare the sounds. Now I am 20-times faster than before, I like the way the LIAISON allows me to still be in the energy of the music. — Antoine "Chab" Chabert (Mastering Engineer)
- "So happy with the LIAISON. Being able to switch gear in and out from the listening position without leaning over a patch bay is fantastic. After sitting in this chair for so many years, it actually improves my mixing ergonomics considerably." — Bob Power (Mastering Engineer)
Dangerous Music Liaison Features:
- Flexible signal routing matrix that allows you to combine the gear in your studio in fun, exciting, and creative ways
- Leverage all your gear, all the time
- Improve your tracks, mixes, and masters by auditioning and marrying the perfect ensemble of equipment
- 2 independent stereo buses mean you can set up 1 as a tracking path and the other as a mix path, without repatching, or chain them together
- Separate parallel processing loop to let drums breathe and crush simultaneously
- Create complex combinations of gear and A/B instantly
- Store your favorite settings to recall any tracking, mixing, or mastering configuration
- 6 stereo insert loops, assignable to 2 stereo buses
- Mastering-grade components ensure silent, relay-based switching and color-free audio
| The Shadow Hills Industries Equinox microphone preamp, summing mixer, and monitor controller is like adding a mastering-grade console to your studio's rack. You get two Golden Age microphone preamplifiers, 30 channels of analog summing, a comprehensive mastering-quality monitor section, and switchable output transformers - everything you'll need to make your mixes sound like they were created in a world-class facility. You'll love the rich, open character of the microphone preamps. The summing mixer gives you ample headroom to craft exciting, dynamic mixes. And you'll hear every detail and nuance of your music, thanks to the precision-designed monitoring signal path. In short, the Shadow Hills Industries Equinox gives you the functionality and timeless sound of an analog console in a convenient, 2U rackmountable unit.
In today's modern recording studio, the ability to work smarter is the key to success. The Equinox combines the most useful features of a traditional analog console, like premium summing capability, talkback functionality, and a flexible monitoring section. While you could buy a high-quality, dual-channel mic preamp, 30 channels of analog summing, and an impeccable monitoring controller separately, you would spend thousands more and still may not reach the same level of sonic excellence as you get with the Equinox.
Shadow Hills Industries Equinox Microphone Preamp/Summing Mixer/Monitor Controller at a Glance:
- Exceptional Golden Age microphone preamplifiers
- 30 channels of analog summing
- Comprehensive monitoring control
- Switchable output transformers for sonic variations
Exceptional Golden Age microphone preamplifiers
The Shadow Hills Industries Equinox gives you a pair of Golden Age mic preamps with extreme functionality. You have 60dB of gain on tap, with a -20dB pad to allow you to record loud sources like drums and guitar amps without unwanted distortion. A 1/4" instrument input is present for direct recording of guitar, bass, and acoustic-electric instruments, making the Equinox an all-around workhorse microphone preamplifier.
30 channels of analog summing
The Equinox is ready to provide rich and punchy mixes with incredible depth, thanks to 30 channels of on-board analog summing. You'll have the incredibly high headroom of an analog console that will allow your tracks to reach their full dynamic potential. You'll also appreciate the incredible stereo imaging with a lifelike sense of depth.
Comprehensive monitoring control
With mastering-quality components, the Equinox gives you the monitoring quality you need to make crucial mix decisions with confidence. You can connect up to three sets of monitors, and a stereo cue output is ready to feed a separate headphone system from any of the Equinox's inputs. You'll have the flexibility you need to approach recording, mixing, and mastering projects with speed and precision when you add the Equinox to your studio setup.
Switchable output transformers for sonic variations
You have remarkable control over the tone and vibe of your music with the Equinox, thanks to three switchable output transformers. Switching transformers provides a subtle but significant tonal shift, both to signals recorded through the Equinox's mic pres as well as the output of the summing mixer section. Choose from steel, nickel, or iron output transformers to get the iconic sound of different styles of analog consoles. The nickel transformer gives you a natural low-end with smoothly enhanced high frequencies, outstanding on vocals and acoustic instruments. The iron transformer has a natural high end with a slight boost around 110Hz, and has a Class-A output stage that only passes even-ordered harmonic distortion - very musical. The steel transformer sounds very open with a detailed and fast response, with a very subtle boost around 40Hz that helps provide rock-solid low frequencies. With the Equinox, you can shape your recordings and mixes to suit whatever musical vibe you want.
Shadow Hills Industries Equinox Microphone Preamp/Summing Mixer/Monitor Controller Features:
- Combines fantastic mic preamps, 30 channels of high-quality analog summing, and mastering-quality monitor control to give you the best functions of an analog console
- 24-position, gold-plated stepped attenuator knobs for precise recall of your session settings
- Switchable nickel, iron, and steel output transformers give you the sound of a variety of vintage consoles
- 30 channels of passive analog summing provide ample headroom to produce dynamic, hard-hitting mixes
- Supports up to three sets of studio monitors
- Cue output for connecting to your headphone distribution system
- Requires Shadow Hills Power Supply, not included
| Midas Pro2C. Brand new, full Midas warranty.
Compact Live Digital Console Control Centre with 64 Input Channels, 8 Midas Microphone Preamplifiers, 27 Mix Buses, 96 kHz Sample Rate and Touring Grade Road Case
Shipping will cost extra based on buyers location. If purchased without an agreement in place, buyer will be responsible for organizing their own pickup or shipping. | While the convenience and power of DAWs is indisputable, some engineers prefer the sound of analog, particularly when it comes to mixing. That's where the Burl Audio B32 Vancouver analog mix bus comes in. Designed specifically for the digital audio environment, this summing amp lets you realize the full potential of your DAW by delivering the kind of sound quality you'd expect from a classic, large-format analog console - from a compact 1U device. Built in the USA using only the finest mastering-grade components, Burl Audio's B32 Vancouver sums 32 channels (24 stereo, eight mono inputs) to dual stereo outputs, and gives you the flexibility of a 6dB gain boost and tone-enhancing switchable output transformer.
Burl Audio B32 Vancouver 32-channel Mix Bus at a Glance:
- Large-format analog console hugeness
- Impressive Sonic versatility and ease of use
- Burl Audio: pro gear driven by an audiophile sensibility
Large-format analog console hugeness
If you've ever worked on a classic large-format analog console, you've likely got that inimitable sound stuck in your head, and the results you're getting out of your DAW may not be cutting it. Enter the the Burl Audio B32 Vancouver. With no capacitors in its discrete analog Class A signal path, this 32-channel "mix bus" embues your mixes with the hugeness, impact, spatial detail, and clarity. It gives your mixes the "glue" they've been missing.
Impressive sonic versatility and ease of use
Burl Audio's B32 Vancouver gives you impressive sonic versatility, and it's so easy to use. Aside from your left- and right-channel mix level pots, there are just two other controls for each channel - a button that engages a 6dB summing amp Gain Boost, and a button to insert Burl's BX5 output transformer into the circuit. The Gain Boost endows your mix with hugeness and slam factor, while the BX5 output transformer provides an alternate tonality (which sounds amazing, trust us). The bottom line? If you want massive-sounding mixes, the Burl Audio B32 Vancouver is a no-brainer.
Burl Audio: pro gear driven by an audiophile sensibility
At Sweetwater, we've been nothing but impressed with Burl Audio gear. Based in a professional Santa Cruz, CA recording studio, Paradise Recording, Burl is driven by an audiophile sensibility; their gear is designed by pro recording engineers, for recording engineers of all levels. The company's directive is simple: to provide you with high-quality recording equipment that will improve your recording, mixing, and mastering. Their innovative solutions not only sound amazing; they intelligently address the challenges of the digital age.
Burl Audio B32 Vancouver 32-channel Mix Bus Features:
- Discrete analog Class A signal path
- Eight mono inputs, 24 stereo inputs
- Audiophile-grade 0.1% stepped attenuators
- Switchable BX5 output transformer
- Summing amp Gain Boost
- Dual stereo outputs
- Made in the USA
| The Ultimate Desktop Mixer Legendary SSL studio tools redefined and streamlined
To the casual observer SiX looks like any other compact desktop mixer. Look a little closer and like all SSL consoles, SiX reveals a carefully considered feature set that is driven by an obsessive desire for total flexibility, to encompass every creative eventuality. It may be small but SiX is a classic SSL design. It carries the DNA of 40 years of true expertise in creative studio workflow. Listen to SiX and you will experience the impeccable sonic performance that is the hallmark of every SSL console. It is powerful and intuitive. Inspired and rewarding.
SiX is a condensed professional console for use in the studio, in post-production, on stage, and for podcasting. SiX offers big console sound and an impressive set of utility features in a format that is small enough to stick in a bag a go wherever you need it. SiX is stunning value; it offers two recording channels with SuperAnalogueTM mic pres, two band EQ, an essential one knob version of the classic SSL Channel Compressor, a new two-band Channel EQ, inserts and 100mm faders. There is a two-knob version of the legendary G-Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus and the unique Listen Mic Compressor on the Talkback. In mixdown mode it is a very capable twelve channel summing system that offers analogue detail, depth and width to your mixes.
The SuperAnalogue™ Sound of SSL
SiX is an SSL SuperAnalogue™ design – it gives you the sonic signature of a large format SSL console on your desktop or in your backpack. Its signal path is fully balanced from front to back on everything except the headphone output. It delivers pristine, detailed audio with wide dynamic range, ultra-low noise, ultra-low distortion and superb imaging. If you want to know more about the technical reasons why SSL mixers sound so good read our document.
Two Recording Channels
SiX has two mono channels with SSL SuperAnalogue™ Mic’ Pre’s; these are transparent, fast and have a much wider available gain range than you would typically get on a compact desktop mixer – 66dB of gain compared to the more typical mid-40s or 50dB found in desktop mixers. They have phantom power, 75Hz high pass filter and an independent line-level input which can be switched to instrument level input with high impedance.
Moving down the channel strip we have a brand-new one knob compressor circuit. This design is based on and has the same sound as the classic SSL feed-forward Channel Compressor circuit. It has a program-dependent attack time, a fixed release time and fixed ratio. Simply adjust the threshold, watch the traffic lights flash to see how much compression is happening and rely on the circuit to automatically adjust gain to match input levels. This is a cool-sounding circuit that makes it simple to dial in a consistent level and get signals sitting right in the sweet spot.
Both mono channels have a new two-band SSL EQ that may be independently switched between shelf and bell curves, with different centre frequencies for each type. This approach draws upon the SSL design legacy of specifying response curves and centre frequencies for channel EQ that are immediately intuitively pleasing in their response; these curves and frequencies were selected by our team as the most “musically useful” for a wide range of sources.
SiX has 100mm faders. We spent some time working on alternate fader tapers and settled on a law that gave us the most control over the most useable gain range, making on-stage level control far easier than it would be with a rotary or a 60mm fader as found on other compact mixers.
Each channel has a fully balanced insert point for integrating other signal processors which is after the EQ and Compressor circuits, and like all SSLs the insert send is always active – meaning you can use this as a “dry” record send to your DAW if required.
At the bottom of the mono channels we have an ALTernate input switch which can source 2 extra mono channels from a connector on the rear of the console which can be used at mixdown.
Line Level Heaven
SiX has two stereo input channels with -10/+20 dB trim for line sources such as synthesisers, drum machines, output from soundcards etc. These have their own balance controls and 100mm faders. If only the Left input of a stereo channel is connected (and the right left free) the channel will automatically switch to mono, panned centre.
While SiX might be small it can handle a lot of inputs at mix-down! Using the two mono input and the two stereo input channels gives SiX its name, but we also have two stereo EXTernal inputs (with volume controls in the master section) which can be sent to the mix bus. Include the ALT inputs and we have up to 12 channels that can be summed into the main mix bus.
Master Bus Magic
SiX has a G Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus. This uses the same circuit design as the legendary SSL Bus Compressor from our larger consoles but with a fixed ratio, attack, and release settings and a more modern quad-VCA chip. The simplified controls make it very easy to get that SSL glue and snap on whatever you push through your master bus. SiX also has a set of inserts on the main mix bus that can be used to bring external processing tools (like SSL Fusion) to your mixdown.
Routing Pro
SiX has a collection of professional routing & monitoring features taken directly from our large format console heritage. It has two Stereo Cue buses (with level and pan controls) for individual artist foldback mixes. The Master Section has main and alternate monitor outputs with a proper monitor source matrix, as well as mono check, dim and cut. The fader channels all have proper PFL and a Mute button that routes the muted signal to a ‘Bus B’. Bus B can be used as a convenient DAW record send but it can also be routed to the monitor matrix. This means that the muted signal can be monitored without it feeding the main mix bus and then switched in to the main mix with the Mute button – perfect for live webcasting because a remote feed can be monitored ‘offline’ and punched in to the broadcast feed. There is a talkback mic’ input with phantom power and SSL’s unique, crunchy Listen Mic Compressor, which of course also serves as a unique processing tool that delivers that classic 1980’s slammed drums sound.
Key Features:
A fully professional condensed console for use in the studio, in post-production, on stage, and for podcasting.
Benchmark SuperAnalogue™ audio performance
Ultra low noise : ultra-low distortion : pristine sound
Stunning Record Path
Two SSL console grade SuperAnalogue mic pre’s
Classic SSL Channel Processing
Essential versions of SSL Channel EQ and Dynamics
The unique Listen Mic Compressor
Nothing slams drums quite like it!
Professional Routing & Monitoring
The hidden versatility of truly professional features
12 Input Summing at Mixdown
12 line level inputs with channel and Master Bus inserts
Legendary Master Bus Compressor
An essential version of the incredible SSL legacy
Completely balanced signal path
Everything except the headphone jack is fully balanced |
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