Manley 24x2 (16 Mic + 8 Line) Mixer Details
The Manley 24x2 (16 Mic + 8 Line) Mixer is a custom built line mixer built by Manley labs. it is based on the Manley 16x2 8 Mic + 8 Line Tube Mixer, but features 8 additional mic preamps! Tubes on the 2-Buss! For years a small studio has had two choices. But not really. Does one spend big bucks for a big console or petty cash for a mini mixer with a mini sound? One is overkill and the other killed the music. These days, studios based around workstations need a simple but superb mixer, and many had hoped for it to have that Manley sound. They asked. Manley responded.
The channel input jack is a Neutrik Combo which accepts XLR or 1/4" phone plugs. It is perfectly happy with either balanced or unbalanced sources. There are balanced direct outputs on every channel post fade and pre cut for multi-track recording. Each channel uses the best sounding chips that Manley knows of (Burr Brown INA103, OPA2604, Linear Technology LT1010) in Hutch's circuits with exceptional headroom and very low noise, real pro level input and output levels, and bulletproof Manley quality throughout. Spec-wise know of no mixer ever with better headroom or higher output levels and, well, this mixer's subterranean noise floor and crosstalk figures are simply quite amazing. The signal path has just 3 superb polystyrene caps from input to output. No carbon resistors, just 1/2 watt metal film, Bourns conductive plastic pots, Grayhill stepped attenuators, etc. All the good stuff.
Manley could have made this mixer all-tube, but this puppy would have grown into the size of a small house, and needed an accompanying 5-Ton AC unit. However, the tube mix amps/line drivers are right at the end and impart that "Manley Sound" to your final outputs with all the richness, loudness and BIG sound you expect from Manley. Built like a tank and easy to service.
Mutes and Solos use superior relay switching techniques not crummy FETs or CMOS switching. Please! The Solo is of the "mute everything else" type. The buttons are EAO Series 19 and light up to indicate Mute and Solo. Insert and Phase Reverse also use high quality relays and both functions have tiny switches and red LED's to clearly indicate when they're selected.
The master section provides mixdown to 2 channels achieved with similar tube circuits as used in the Massive Passive, featuring two each 12AT7 NOS Phillips & 6414 NOS GE or Raytheon dual triodes. External inputs allow two or more mixers to be combined for 32 or more channels with a mini-banana post linking the Solo functions. There are both transformer balanced and transformerless unbalanced (+4dBm) outputs with tons of headroom, +36dBu, about 10dB better than million-dollar consoles. The master section has an aux mix gain (master effects send) in the LINE version. There are two sets of monitor outputs, MAIN and MINI, so you can feed two different sets of power amps or powered speakers. Manley included MUTE and DIM buttons plus a rotary switch to monitor the main mix, the mono mix, 2 track tape playback (more balanced inputs), the Ext inputs (for linked consoles or effects returns), and the aux mix (only on LINE version).
The dedicated power supply unit cranking out all the necessary filtered and regulated DC voltages to power up this beast is external, further reducing noise and heat.
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