OH, BEAUTIFUL INTERFACE.
Because all the advanced technology in the world is useless if you can’t get to it quickly, we gave the Digital X Bus dual 15” touch screens—a first in this class of console. These touch screens put all major features and functions at your fingertips as “virtual” controls, with big, button-style graphics and a bare minimum of hierarchy (watch the demo). With advanced 5-wire technology and a proprietary tracking algorithm, the touch screens deliver incredibly accurate response. And they’re built tough too, with an operating life that’s rated at over 35 million finger pokes.

Of course, for fast adjustments, there are 24 rotary encoders (er, knobs), corresponding to the graphics on the screens directly above. And commonly used features such as mute, solo, pan, faders, and switches remain in hardware, just the way your fingers like. There’s also built-in USB ports so you can use your favorite mouse or PC keyboard, a smooth weighted jog wheel, and rock-solid transport buttons. This multi-control approach lowers the learning curve to the point that most users can start working from the moment the Digital X Bus boots—without the need for manual digging.

OPEN ARCHITECTURE & FULLY CONFIGURABLE I/O
The Digital X Bus’s “modular” hardware architecture provides access to internal components simply by removing the rear panel of the chassis. And the Digital X Bus's full rear-panel card cage allows you to configure the console's I/O exactly as you see fit, without having to pay for I/O connections you'll never use. So, as the need arises, you can opt to add more RAM, swap or add I/O cards, and basically customize the mixer to your individual tracking and mixing applications. Importantly, the Digital X Bus platform allows all sample-rate related components to be upgraded, so you wont be left behind if or when new audio standards emerge.

For more on the Digital X Bus's open architecture and available I/O Option cards, click here.

STREAMING FIREWIRE I/O
It’s the 21st Century, so we felt it was time for a console that could work seamlessly with FireWire-equipped Macs and PCs. When equipped with the optional FireWire Card, the Digital X Bus can stream digital audio between any OS X Core Audio (Mac) or ASIO/WDM (Windows XP) compatible DAW software. FireWire has the bandwidth to support multiple channels of audio streams going back and forth between the console and your computer through a single cable for recording, playback, punch in/out, effect send/returns, and even using a laptop as a real-time sequencer. You can have multiple FireWire Cards installed in your Digital X Bus connected to different computers for complete versatility, as well as taking advantage of extended processing resources for any number of applications and projects. The FireWire Card eliminates the need to buy computer audio interfaces, and makes using the Digital X Bus with your computer painless, simple, and efficient.

VST PLUG-IN SUPPORT
Speaking of plug-ins, with the Digital X Bus’s extensive processing power, it is also the first digital console able to run select VST plug-ins internally. Currently, the Digital X Bus supports popular plug-ins from both Waves and Universal Audio (via the UAD-1 DSP card, included in the x.400 model). Better still, all plug-in windows are displayed right on the Digital X Bus’s built-in screens, just as they would be on your PC.

UNDER THE HOOD
When it came to the Digital X Bus’s internal processing, we rewrote the book—developing a proprietary architecture with the largest-capacity, highest-performance PCI-based Accelerator Card ever created for the pro audio market. This Accelerator Card employs a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip to handle the conversion of integer to floating-point math. In simple terms, this means the Accelerator Card does the hard work so the Digital X Bus’s processor is free to handle the toughest of mixing applications while simultaneously running VST plug-ins. It also provides for extremely low total system latency from analog input to analog output.

IT'S A RECORDING CONSOLE, IT'S A MIXDOWN CONSOLE—IT'S ACTUALLY BOTH!
When in the up position, the Flip switch allows the normal operation of the channel. All EQ is available for the incoming signal and that signal can proceed directly to your multitrack recorder. However, when the flip switch is activated, you can listen to the recorded track and start to work on a rough mix. Think of it this way: on in-line mixer, such as the 32•8, the channel fader controls the level sent to tape while tracking (Flip switch UP), but when mixing (Flip switch DOWN), the fader controls the level sent to the main mix bus. This feature is especially handy if you are on a tight schedule, as you quickly can go from one mode to the other.

IT'S A RECORDING CONSOLE, IT'S A MIXDOWN CONSOLE—IT'S ACTUALLY BOTH!
When in the up position, the Flip switch allows the normal operation of the channel. All EQ is available for the incoming signal and that signal can proceed directly to your multitrack recorder. However, when the flip switch is activated, you can listen to the recorded track and start to work on a rough mix. Think of it this way: on in-line mixer, such as the 32•8, the channel fader controls the level sent to tape while tracking (Flip switch UP), but when mixing (Flip switch DOWN), the fader controls the level sent to the main mix bus. This feature is especially handy if you are on a tight schedule, as you quickly can go from one mode to the other.

BETTER SOUND BY DESIGN
The Mackie Onyx 24.4 leaves the competition in the dust when it comes to sound quality. The difference starts with premium Onyx mic preamps on every channel (click here for an interactive tour of the Channel strip), which offer greater dynamic range and transparency versus any other mixer mic preamp on the market. Newly designed 4-band Perkins EQ offers the sweet, musical sound of the legendary British consoles of yesteryear, yet with greater filter control. And while the 24.4 is not the first mid-format console to offer an onboard compressor/limiter, we specified a THAT® Corporation 4301 assignable stereo compressor/limiter, and then had it custom tailored specifically for the Onyx 4-bus Series. Finally, overall mixer sound quality and headroom has also been raised, thanks to the use of premium components, completely redesigned summing bus circuitry, and an electronically balanced design throughout the entire signal chain. Add it all up, and the Onyx 24.4 gives you big, full-range sound and even lower noise than esoteric mixing consoles costing much more.

ONYX MIC PREAMPS: AFFORDABLE "BOUTIQUE" QUALITY
Although our highly-acclaimed XDR mic preamps set high standards for quality and performance, Onyx mic preamps offer even greater fidelity, headroom and transparency—as well as better radio frequency (RFI) rejection and wider dynamic range than ever before. Numerous magazine and online reviews have confirmed Onyx preamps sound just as good as many “boutique” standalone mic pres—with specs like 123dB total dynamic range, -129.5 dBm Equivalent Input Noise, and 0.0007% Total Harmonic Distortion. Click here to learn more about Onyx mic pres. Read more.

PERKINS EQ: SWEET "BRITISH" CONSOLE SOUND, ONLY BETTER
We called on veteran audio engineer Cal Perkins to develop the EQ circuitry for the Onyx Series, and in turn Cal designed an extremely effective and musical 4-band EQ, with sweepable low- and high-mids—perfect for live sound mixing. Called the Perkins EQ, Cal's new circuitry builds on the classic Wein Bridge circuit used in the British mixing desks of the '60s and '70s, providing greater filter and phase shift control. Perkins EQ offers more control over harmonic content than any other EQ on the market, and it's only available on Mackie products. Read more.

ONYX MIC PREAMPS
Creating our flagship Onyx mic preamps presented a unique challenge. On one hand, we wanted to deliver traits more commonly associated with boutique studio mic preamps: a tight, focused high end, superior ambience retrieval, detailed lower bass octaves, and highly textural midrange—no matter what you plug in. On the other hand, we knew Onyx mic preamps would have to function in the real world of live performance, which often includes high levels of radio frequency and microwave energy, long cable runs and the occasional “hot-patched” cable. Read more.

ALL-NEW PERKINS EQ CIRCUITRY
Before we tell you about the Perkins EQ section, we should probably introduce you to its designer—the legendary Cal Perkins. Along with Greg Mackie, Cal was the driving force behind Mackie innovations like XDR mic preamps, HR Series monitors and more... not to mention his 30-plus years of experience designing classic audio gear for other big names in the business.

To create his all-new Perkins EQ, Cal started with the Wien Bridge circuit topology—a very musical design inspired by the hallowed “British” desks of the 60s and 70s. This design essentially trades boost/cut capability for a wider, highly musical Q filter. But Cal, ever the perfectionist, decided that live sound engineers deserve a better bargain. Read more.

INTERNAL ARCHITECTURE
As important as great mic preamps and musical EQ sections are, they are only part of the reason we can confidently call the Onyx 80 Series a "premium" live sound console. Equally as important, though admittedly less sexy, is the Onyx mixers' proprietary negative-gain architecture and minimized signal path.

For those of us who don't speak electrical engineer, negative-gain architecture means that by running at internal levels of -6dB, Onyx mixers can handle up to four times the number of hot signals of regular mixers before clipping. Minimized signal path, on the other hand, is the reason the Onyx mixers' EQ section is above the Aux assignments - creating a linear signal path from the mic preamp to the EQ, through the Aux sends and on to the channel faders - resulting in a 50% shorter path (and less noise) than many of our competitors' mixers.

THE MOST FLEXIBLE FEATURE SET IN ITS CLASS
The Onyx 80 Series mixers break the “you get what you pay for” adage by offering more channels and features than any other mixer even remotely close in price. These features include eight pre/post-switchable, stereo-linkable Aux Sends for in-ear monitoring and effects routing—plus eight Stereo Aux Inputs (yes, that’s 16 line inputs), each with 4-band Perkins EQ. This means you’ll no longer sacrifice mic inputs to accommodate effects returns and playback devices. We’ve also added new features that any hardcore live engineer can appreciate, like a Monitor Flip function; a 10x2 Matrix Mixer; four Mute Groups; and an optional redundant power supply. Read more.

POWERFUL AUX/GROUP FUNCTIONALITY
Who wants run-of-the-mill Aux and Group sends? Not our customers; they’ve come to expect more value when it comes from Mackie. That’s why each of the Onyx 80 Series' eight Aux Sends become stereo pairs when the stereo switch is engaged, reducing the amount of head-scratching when asked to provide four stereo mixes for IEM (in-ear monitor) systems.

Aux/Group Flip switches “flip” the controls for the Aux Sends and the Group Sends, so that the Group Faders control the Aux Send levels, and the Aux Send GAIN controls adjust the Group levels. The Group signals still appear at the Group Send outputs and the Aux Send signals still appear at the Aux Send outputs. This allows you to use the 100mm long-throw Group fader to make more precise settings for the Aux Sends.

"BUILT-LIKE-A-TANK" CONSTRUCTION
Extreme chassis rigidity is achieved in the Onyx 80 Series from the tough-as-nails modular monocoque design, then reinforced with beefy aluminum extrusions, plus strategically placed steel bulkheads. Then, the console is torture-tested for impact, shock, heat, vibration and humidity—it's even dropped repeatedly from a height of three feet! So a block of onyx stone is gonna flex before an Onyx 80 Series chassis does. Read more

BETTER SOUND BY DESIGN
The Mackie Onyx 32.4 sounds noticeably better than any comparably-priced 32-channel mixer on the market today. And with good reason. The difference starts with premium Onyx mic preamps on every channel (click here for an interactive tour of the Channel strip), which offer greater dynamic range and transparency versus any other mixer mic preamp on the market. Newly designed 4-band Perkins EQ offers the sweet, musical sound of the legendary British consoles of yesteryear, yet with greater filter control. And while the 32.4 is not the first mid-format console to offer an onboard compressor/limiter, we specified a THAT® Corporation 4301 assignable stereo compressor/limiter, and then had it custom tailored specifically for the Onyx 4-bus Series. Finally, overall mixer sound quality and headroom has also been raised, thanks to the use of premium components, completely redesigned summing bus circuitry, and an electronically balanced design throughout the entire signal chain. Taken together, the Onyx 32.4 gives you big, full-range sound and even lower noise than esoteric mixing consoles costing much more.

ONYX MIC PREAMPS: AFFORDABLE "BOUTIQUE" QUALITY
Although our highly-acclaimed XDR mic preamps set high standards for quality and performance, Onyx mic preamps offer even greater fidelity, headroom and transparency—as well as better radio frequency (RFI) rejection and wider dynamic range than ever before. Numerous magazine and online reviews have confirmed Onyx preamps sound just as good as many "boutique" standalone mic pres—with specs like 123dB total dynamic range, -129.5 dBm Equivalent Input Noise, and 0.0007% Total Harmonic Distortion. Click here to learn more about Onyx mic pres. Read more.

PERKINS EQ: SWEET "BRITISH" CONSOLE SOUND, ONLY BETTER
We called on veteran audio engineer Cal Perkins to develop the EQ circuitry for the Onyx Series, and in turn Cal designed an extremely effective and musical 4-band EQ, with sweepable low- and high-mids—perfect for live sound mixing. Called the Perkins EQ, Cal's new circuitry builds on the classic Wein Bridge circuit used in the British mixing desks of the '60s and '70s, providing greater filter and phase shift control. Perkins EQ offers more control over harmonic content than any other EQ on the market, and it's only available on Mackie products. Read more.

BUILT MACKIE TOUGH
Because we at Mackie know how tough the road can be on equipment, we designed the Onyx 4-Bus Series to handle almost anything you can throw at it. Vertical aluminum supports are placed strategically to maximize the structural integrity of the solid-steel chassis. And because these boards get moved around a lot, we designed comfortable carry handles right into the sides—even though they are portable enough to just tuck them under your arm and go.

Designed with a practical and easy to understand layout, anyone from a Sunday morning volunteer operator to a seasoned professional engineer can quickly learn to operate the Onyx 32.4 console. This makes it perfect for a wide range of live applications including churches, small- to medium-sized clubs, touring bands, and rehearsal facilities, just to name a few. With stunning sound quality and renowned Mackie engineering—combined in a full-featured, portable, highly affordable, mid-format mixing console—the Onyx 32.4 is destined to set the new standard.

For more detailed specifications, click here.

ONYX MIC PREAMPS
Creating our flagship Onyx mic preamps presented a unique challenge. On one hand, we wanted to deliver traits more commonly associated with boutique studio mic preamps: a tight, focused high end, superior ambience retrieval, detailed lower bass octaves, and highly textural midrange—no matter what you plug in. On the other hand, we knew Onyx mic preamps would have to function in the real world of live performance, which often includes high levels of radio frequency and microwave energy, long cable runs and the occasional “hot-patched” cable. Read more.

ALL-NEW PERKINS EQ CIRCUITRY
Before we tell you about the Perkins EQ section, we should probably introduce you to its designer—the legendary Cal Perkins. Along with Greg Mackie, Cal was the driving force behind Mackie innovations like XDR mic preamps, HR Series monitors and more... not to mention his 30-plus years of experience designing classic audio gear for other big names in the business.

To create his all-new Perkins EQ, Cal started with the Wien Bridge circuit topology—a very musical design inspired by the hallowed “British” desks of the 60s and 70s. This design essentially trades boost/cut capability for a wider, highly musical Q filter. But Cal, ever the perfectionist, decided that live sound engineers deserve a better bargain. Read more.

INTERNAL ARCHITECTURE
As important as great mic preamps and musical EQ sections are, they are only part of the reason we can confidently call the Onyx 80 Series a "premium" live sound console. Equally as important, though admittedly less sexy, is the Onyx mixers' proprietary negative-gain architecture and minimized signal path.

For those of us who don't speak electrical engineer, negative-gain architecture means that by running at internal levels of -6dB, Onyx mixers can handle up to four times the number of hot signals of regular mixers before clipping. Minimized signal path, on the other hand, is the reason the Onyx mixers' EQ section is above the Aux assignments - creating a linear signal path from the mic preamp to the EQ, through the Aux sends and on to the channel faders - resulting in a 50% shorter path (and less noise) than many of our competitors' mixers.

THE MOST FLEXIBLE FEATURE SET IN ITS CLASS
The Onyx 80 Series mixers break the “you get what you pay for” adage by offering more channels and features than any other mixer even remotely close in price. These features include eight pre/post-switchable, stereo-linkable Aux Sends for in-ear monitoring and effects routing—plus eight Stereo Aux Inputs (yes, that’s 16 line inputs), each with 4-band Perkins EQ. This means you’ll no longer sacrifice mic inputs to accommodate effects returns and playback devices. We’ve also added new features that any hardcore live engineer can appreciate, like a Monitor Flip function; a 10x2 Matrix Mixer; four Mute Groups; and an optional redundant power supply. Read more.

POWERFUL AUX/GROUP FUNCTIONALITY
Who wants run-of-the-mill Aux and Group sends? Not our customers; they’ve come to expect more value when it comes from Mackie. That’s why each of the Onyx 80 Series' eight Aux Sends become stereo pairs when the stereo switch is engaged, reducing the amount of head-scratching when asked to provide four stereo mixes for IEM (in-ear monitor) systems.

Aux/Group Flip switches “flip” the controls for the Aux Sends and the Group Sends, so that the Group Faders control the Aux Send levels, and the Aux Send GAIN controls adjust the Group levels. The Group signals still appear at the Group Send outputs and the Aux Send signals still appear at the Aux Send outputs. This allows you to use the 100mm long-throw Group fader to make more precise settings for the Aux Sends.

"BUILT-LIKE-A-TANK" CONSTRUCTION
Extreme chassis rigidity is achieved in the Onyx 80 Series from the tough-as-nails modular monocoque design, then reinforced with beefy aluminum extrusions, plus strategically placed steel bulkheads. Then, the console is torture-tested for impact, shock, heat, vibration and humidity—it's even dropped repeatedly from a height of three feet! So a block of onyx stone is gonna flex before an Onyx 80 Series chassis does. Read more

For more detailed specifications, click here.

ONYX MIC PREAMPS
Creating our flagship Onyx mic preamps presented a unique challenge. On one hand, we wanted to deliver traits more commonly associated with boutique studio mic preamps: a tight, focused high end, superior ambience retrieval, detailed lower bass octaves, and highly textural midrange—no matter what you plug in. On the other hand, we knew Onyx mic preamps would have to function in the real world of live performance, which often includes high levels of radio frequency and microwave energy, long cable runs and the occasional “hot-patched” cable. Read more.

ALL-NEW PERKINS EQ CIRCUITRY
Before we tell you about the Perkins EQ section, we should probably introduce you to its designer—the legendary Cal Perkins. Along with Greg Mackie, Cal was the driving force behind Mackie innovations like XDR mic preamps, HR Series monitors and more... not to mention his 30-plus years of experience designing classic audio gear for other big names in the business.

To create his all-new Perkins EQ, Cal started with the Wien Bridge circuit topology—a very musical design inspired by the hallowed “British” desks of the 60s and 70s. This design essentially trades boost/cut capability for a wider, highly musical Q filter. But Cal, ever the perfectionist, decided that live sound engineers deserve a better bargain. Read more.

INTERNAL ARCHITECTURE
As important as great mic preamps and musical EQ sections are, they are only part of the reason we can confidently call the Onyx 80 Series a "premium" live sound console. Equally as important, though admittedly less sexy, is the Onyx mixers' proprietary negative-gain architecture and minimized signal path.

For those of us who don't speak electrical engineer, negative-gain architecture means that by running at internal levels of -6dB, Onyx mixers can handle up to four times the number of hot signals of regular mixers before clipping. Minimized signal path, on the other hand, is the reason the Onyx mixers' EQ section is above the Aux assignments - creating a linear signal path from the mic preamp to the EQ, through the Aux sends and on to the channel faders - resulting in a 50% shorter path (and less noise) than many of our competitors' mixers

THE MOST FLEXIBLE FEATURE SET IN ITS CLASS
The Onyx 80 Series mixers break the “you get what you pay for” adage by offering more channels and features than any other mixer even remotely close in price. These features include eight pre/post-switchable, stereo-linkable Aux Sends for in-ear monitoring and effects routing—plus eight Stereo Aux Inputs (yes, that’s 16 line inputs), each with 4-band Perkins EQ. This means you’ll no longer sacrifice mic inputs to accommodate effects returns and playback devices. We’ve also added new features that any hardcore live engineer can appreciate, like a Monitor Flip function; a 10x2 Matrix Mixer; four Mute Groups; and an optional redundant power supply. Read more.

POWERFUL AUX/GROUP FUNCTIONALITY
Who wants run-of-the-mill Aux and Group sends? Not our customers; they’ve come to expect more value when it comes from Mackie. That’s why each of the Onyx 80 Series' eight Aux Sends become stereo pairs when the stereo switch is engaged, reducing the amount of head-scratching when asked to provide four stereo mixes for IEM (in-ear monitor) systems.

Aux/Group Flip switches “flip” the controls for the Aux Sends and the Group Sends, so that the Group Faders control the Aux Send levels, and the Aux Send GAIN controls adjust the Group levels. The Group signals still appear at the Group Send outputs and the Aux Send signals still appear at the Aux Send outputs. This allows you to use the 100mm long-throw Group fader to make more precise settings for the Aux Sends.

"BUILT-LIKE-A-TANK" CONSTRUCTION
Extreme chassis rigidity is achieved in the Onyx 80 Series from the tough-as-nails modular monocoque design, then reinforced with beefy aluminum extrusions, plus strategically placed steel bulkheads. Then, the console is torture-tested for impact, shock, heat, vibration and humidity—it's even dropped repeatedly from a height of three feet! So a block of onyx stone is gonna flex before an Onyx 80 Series chassis does. Read more

For more detailed specifications, click here.