Recording - September 2017 - 36

Radial
Engineering
Key-Largo Keyboard Mixer
"You see, son, sometimes when a mixer and
a stompbox love each other VERY much..."

REVIEW BY MIKE METLAY

adial Engineering is in the business of solving problems
on stage and in the studio, including some problems that
recording musicians didn't know they had. In the case of
the Key-Largo, the problem is one that's been popping
up for years and has had a whole bunch of solutions, some better
than others-namely, keyboard submixing.
Keyboardists have a special set of needs when it comes to
creating submixes for the control room or FOH mixer. Usually they
don't want to mess with things like channel EQ or compressors,
because tone and dynamics control are built into their keyboards. More often than not, once they set the balance of the
various keyboards in the rig, they don't want to mess with it.
They have to blend multiple sound sources, including virtual
instruments on laptops, as seamlessly as possible. Moreover,
with rigs that tend to be cluttered with gear to keep track of,
they're always on the lookout for solutions that are compact
and stay out of the way. The Key-Largo checks off every one
of those boxes, plus a couple of others.

And step on it

The Key-Largo is, like most Radial boxes, encased in
14-gauge steel with a tough-as-nails powdercoat finish. It
looks like it's designed to survive being stepped on... and
that's a good thing, because unlike pretty much every other
keyboard mixer ever, the Key-Largo is supposed to be stepped
on. That's right, folks-this mixer lives on the floor.
36

RECORDING September 2017

Okay, take a few deep breaths before we go on. We
know how you feel, because the idea of a mixer underfoot
is enough to make most engineers cringe (at the very least).
But if you stop to think about it, the floor under a keyboard
rig is a good place for a submixer: it's out of the way, cable
runs (both from the keys to the mixer and from the mixer to the
stage box or wall panel) are easier, and several foot-based
solutions to common problems suggest themselves.

What's in the box

The Key-Largo calls itself an 8-channel mixer, but can actually
handle up to 10 channels of input: three stereo keyboards, a
stereo effects return, and a stereo feed via USB from a DAW,
all routed to Main and Monitor output pairs with independent
level controls. Each of the three stereo channels has a pair
of unbalanced 1/4" TS inputs, and the Effects loop has 1/4"
TRS for Send and Return. The Monitor outputs are 1/4" TRS
balanced, and the Main outputs are balanced XLR. The rear
panel is finished off with a pair of 1/4" TRS stereo inserts,
which would usually be dedicated to a stereo volume pedal.
Power is provided from an external supply.
On the top panel of the mixer, color-coded channels make
navigation easy. Each input channel (three analog and one
USB) has Volume and EFX Send pots, followed by an Effects
Return pot and the Monitor and Main output levels. Each of
the outputs has an optional ground lift switch to eliminate
hum, and the Mains are transformer-isolated.
Little "Radial" touches abound. Recessed buttons on the
sides of the unit let you choose if the Effects loop is mono or
stereo, or if the 24-bit/192 kHz USB interface is in Live mode
(output from the computer is converted to analog and treated
like every other mixer input) or Recording mode (the Key-Largo
acts as a USB stereo recording interface).
One stomp switch lets you bypass or engage the Effects loop
by switching it out of the circuit after the Return pot. The other
stomp switch is an unusual touch-it's a sustain pedal! It's wired
to a 1/4" jack on the side of the Key-Largo, which connects to
any keyboard's sustain pedal input with a conventional guitar
cable. Another recessed button selects if the pedal is normally
open or closed. As a final touch, MIDI In and Out ports offer
an easy way to connect a keyboard controller to your DAW
without using up an extra USB port on your computer.

In use

Aside from explaining a few small tricks inherent in the
hidden switches, the clearly written manual for the Key-Largo
is pretty much unneeded to get up and running. In a matter
of minutes, I had a MIDI keyboard controlling my DAW and
three other synths playing along with it. It took me a while
to get used to the idea of having the mixer on the floor...
(unfounded) fear of damage aside, I'm used to being able
to reach for mixer pots to control levels. On the other hand,
every keyboard has a volume knob, and summing everything
at or near unity gain works well once you get used to it.
One thing that impressed me right off the bat is how wicked
silent the KEY-Largo is. Very often, cheap desktop mixers
carry sonic compromises like a high noise floor or digital noise
from the USB interface. The Key-Largo delivers all of its audio

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - September 2017