MACKIE ONYX24.4 Mixer 4 Bus, 20 Onyx Preamps, 2 Stereo Channels

MACKIE ONYX24-4 Details ^top

Mackie Onyx 24.4 Mixer

What if you combined the functionality and performance of the legendary Mackie SR24.4 and 32.4 mixers with the acclaimed Onyx mic preamps. Now add 4-band Perkins EQ, 100mm Panasonic™ Faders and a built in assignable stereo compressor/limiter section and you've got the Onyx 4-Bus Series.

4-band Perkins EQ
32 Onyx microphone preamps
Built-in stereo compressor/limiter • 6 x 2 matrix provides 2 additional mixes
6 Aux sends with Pre/Post switches
100mm Panasonic™ Faders

An All-New Design for Superior Sound
Mackie spared no expense developing the Onyx 4-Bus Series, pulling together the highest-quality components available—from premium op-amps to IC chips costing exponentially more than those used in previous designs. All-new summing bus circuitry was designed from the ground up to maximize headroom. And the entire signal chain was electronically balanced from input to output, offering big, full-range sound and lower noise than any mixer in this class. Most significantly, premium Onyx mic preamps, Perkins EQ circuitry, and a new THAT® Corporation 4301 assignable stereo compressor / limiter chip were custom tailored specifically for these new consoles. It's a difference you'll hear right out of the box.

Onyx Mic Preamps: "Boutique" Quality for the Rest of Us
Although Mackie's previous-generation XDR mic preamps set new standards for both quality and performance, the acclaimed 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. With specs like 123dB total dynamic range, -129.5 dBm Equivalent Input Noise, and 0.0007% Total Harmonic Distortion, Onyx preamps can hold their own against the "tweakiest" boutique standalone mic pres—as numerous magazine and online reviews have confirmed.

Perkins EQ: "British" Sound with Greater Filter Control
In developing EQ circuitry for Onyx, Mackie enlisted the aid of veteran audio engineer Cal Perkins. (Cal has been designing amazing audio gear for several years) As a result of Cal's expertise, Perkins EQ circuitry takes the classic Wein Bridge circuit topology used in British mixing desks during the '60s and '70s, and gives it greater filter and phase shift control. The end result is a very effective and extremely musical 4-band EQ with sweepable low- and high-mids—perfect for the throes of live sound mixing.

Assignable Onboard Stereo Compressor / Limiter Section
Sound engineers have long used master compressor/limiters to smooth out live sound mixes, maximizing the performance of both great and not-so-great sound systems. So Mackie decided to integrate a high-quality master compressor/limiter chip from THAT® Corporation into both the Onyx 24.4 and 32.4. This assignable analog stereo compressor/limiter chip was designed and manufactured in the US by veteran analog engineers, offering true RMS Detection and Auto Make-up Gain for extremely accurate and musical results. It features independent Threshold, Ratio and Fast/Slow Attack controls, and can be assigned post-fader to the L/R main mix (for system limiting and protection) or pre-fader to Group 1 / 2 or 3 / 4 outputs (for grouped signal compression, like drums or background vocals). This reduces the hassle and expense of separate outboard processing.

Master Section
The Onyx 4-Bus Series Master section provides everything you'd expect from a Mackie mixing console, and more. 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 console, fully exploiting its outstanding capabilities.

Balanced Mic/Line Direct Outputs
On the rear of each Onyx console are DB-25 female connectors (in groups of eight), which can be used to route all mic/line signals to an external device. These connectors are configured with standard Tascam® pin outs. All of these balanced direct outputs are pre-fader and switchable via internal jumpers as either pre- or post-EQ. These outputs are ideal for multi-track live recording.

Over-Designed for Life on the Road
Mackie knows live sound can be tough on equipment. That's why they designed the Onyx 4-Bus Series to handle anything the road dishes out. Chassis rigidity is maximized by vertical aluminum support beams spaced across the top of the console. And because these boards get moved around a lot, Mackie designed comfortable carry handles right into the sides—even though they are portable enough to just tuck them under your arm and go.

Two Dedicated Stereo Inputs
The last two channels are for stereo signal like effects returns, stereo synthesizers or other two-track playback devices. These are full channel strips with appropriate 4-band fixed EQ, all 6 Aux sends and channel master section.

MACKIE ONYX24.4

MACKIE ONYX24-4 Specs ^top

Frequency Response
Mic Input to Main Output (Gain @ Unity) +0, –1 dB, <10 Hz to 80 kHz
+0, –3 dB, <10 Hz to 120 kHz
Distortion (THD & IMD)
Mic Input to Main Output (@ +4 dBu)
THD: < 0.007% 20 Hz to 20 kHz
0.003% @ 1kHz typical
SMPTE IMD: < 0.005% (7 kHz/60 Hz, 4:1)
Dynamic Range
>115 dB, Mic In to Main Out
Noise Floor
Signal-to-Noise Ratio:
–87 dBu (ref. +4 dBu, Mic In to Main Out,
32 channels and Main Mix levels at unity)
–89 dBu, (ref. +4 dBu, Mic In to Main Out,
24 channels and Main Mix levels at unity)
Equivalent Input Noise (E.I.N.), 20 Hz to 20 kHz Bandwidth, 150Ω source impedance
–129.5 dBu @ +60 dB gain
Mic Output Noise:
Direct Output: –100 dBu (minimum gain)
Residual Output Noise:
Main Out: –100 dBu (Channel and Main Mix levels off)
Main Out:
32•4: –83 dBu (32 channels and Main Mix levels at unity)
24•4: –85 dBu (24 channels and Main Mix levels at unity)
Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)
Mic In: >70 dB @ 1 kHz, Gain @ maximum
Crosstalk
Adjacent Inputs: < –95 dB @ 1 kHz
Input to Output: < –85 dB @ 1 kHz
Input Gain Control Range
Mic In: 0 dB to +60 dB
Line In: –20 dB to + 40 dB, mono channels
Phantom Power
+48 VDC
Equalization
Mono Channel EQ:
High: ±15 dB @ 12 kHz
High Mid: ±15 dB, sweepable from 400 Hz to 8 kHz
Low Mid: ±15 dB, sweepable from 100 Hz to 2 kHz
Low: ±15 dB @ 80 Hz
Stereo Channel (Aux Input) EQ:
High: ±15 dB @ 12 kHz
High Mid: ±15 dB @ 2.5 kHz
Low Mid: ±15 dB @ 400
Low: ±15 dB @ 80 Hz

Mixer Rated Output
Main Outs: +4 dBu
Aux Send: +4 dBu
Group Send: +4 dBu
Monitor Out: +4 dBu
Matrix Out: +4 dBu
Maximum Rated Output:
+21 dBu @ Main XLR and TRS outputs
Maximum Input Levels
Mic Input: +21 dBu, Gain @ unity, pad out
Mic Input: +30 dBu, Gain @ unity, pad in
Line Input: +21 dBu, Gain @ –20 dB
Tape Input: +30 dBu
Stereo Return: +21 dBu
Maximum Voltage Gain
Mic Input to:
Main Out: 90 dB
Group Out: 80 dB
Aux Sends: 86 dB
Monitor Out: 103 dB
Matrix Out: 105 dB
Phones Out: 103 dB
Line Input to:
Main Out: 70 dB
Group Out: 60 dB
Aux Sends: 66 dB
Monitor Out: 83 dB
Matrix Out: 85 dB
Phones Out: 83 dB
Stereo Return to:
Main Out: 53 dB
Group Out: 43 dB
Aux Sends: 49 dB
Monitor Out: 66 dB
Matrix Out: 68 dB
Phones Out: 66 dB
Input Impedance
Mic Input: 3 kΩ, balanced
Mono Channel Line Input: 34 kΩ balanced
Stereo Returns: 20 kΩ balanced
Talkback Mic: 1 kΩ balanced
Output Impedance
Main Out: 100 Ω balanced, XLR outputs;
300 Ω TRS outputs
Direct Out: 300 Ω
Group Out: 300 Ω
Monitor Out: 300 Ω
Matrix Out: 300 Ω
Aux Sends: 300 Ω
Phones Out: 25 Ω

Channel Level LED (Sensitivity)
0 LED = 0 dBu (normal operating level)
VU Meters
Main Left and Right, Compressor Input, 12 segments:
Clip (+20), +15, +10, +6, +3, 0, –2, –4, –7, –10, –20, –30
0 LED = 0 dBu
Compressor Gain Reduction, 12 segments:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15 dB
AC Power Requirements
Power Consumption:
Onyx 24•4 100 watts
Onyx 32•4 120 watts
Universal AC Power Supply:
100 VAC – 240 VAC, 50-60 Hz

Physical Dimensions and Weight
Onyx 24•4
Height: 7.3 in/185 mm
Width: 31.2 in/792 mm
Depth: 21.9 in/555 mm
Weight: 39.5 lb/17.9 kg
Onyx 32•4
Height: 7.3 in/185 mm
Width: 39.8 in/1011 mm
Depth: 21.9 in/555 mm
Weight: 48.0 lb/21.8 kg

MACKIE ONYX24-4 Documentation ^top

Onyx Manual (pdf)