ProAudio Review - May 2008 - (Page 48) BROADCAST | REVIEW by Steve Murphy tary cough/mute switches and program bus (PGM) assignment switches with corresponding PGM/Cue-assign LED indicators. Channel 1 has a momentary talkback switch that works in conjunction with Henry Engineering’s MultiPhones Guest Pod to provide a guest/booth announcer with a dedicated headphone audio feed that has Talkback (IFB) from the console operator. Mix Channels 3 through 6 are for stereo (or mono if externally summed) line-level sources such as CD players, tape decks, carts, and other playback sources. Each of these channels offers an A and B input source selection (with respective green/yellow LED indication), bringing the non-mic source inputs to eight total. The “A source” inputs 3 through 5 support professional-level (+4 dBu) stereo input Henry Engineering SixMix Broadcast Console/USB Interface Henry steps out from behind the curtain in a big (yet diminutive) way with this featurepacked micro-broadcaster. Since 1982, Henry Engineering’s ubiquitous blue boxes —including the popular Matchbox series of pro/consumer level matching interfaces —have made their homes at the back of racks, under consoles, behind studio furniture, screwed to flight case covers and tucked away in myriad machine room recesses. Almost without exception, Henry’s utilitarian products are designed to solve problems and add value to existing equipment in an unobtrusive and predominately unattended manner. Trim pots and DIP switches aside, most have no traditional controls or indicators and once set, require no regular user intervention. With that in mind, the new Henry Engineering SixMix small-format broadcast console ($1,195) marks a major new direction for the company. Sporting extra-large knobs, LED VU ladders and buttons and knob caps coded in bright primary colors, this endearing little guy provides a wealth of hands-on, at-aglance functionality for self-broadcasters and remote broadcast engineers. APPLICATIONS Broadcast Audio Features: 10-input mini broadcast mixer with 2 x mic inputs plus 4 x balanced +4dBu line and 4 x unbalanced -10dBv inputs; USB 1.1 bi-directional stereo computer interface; automatic monitor muting; tally light output; mix-minus support; cue/preview bus and auto-switching; built-in cue speaker and rear-panel cue out. PRICE $1,195 CONTACT Henry Engineering | ☎ 626-355-3656 ➲ www.henryeng.com | FEATURES The diminutive and highly portable SixMix broadcast console measures a mere 12 x 8 x 3 inches, weighs 5 pounds and most definitely bears a strong Henry-family “bluebox” resemblance despite the presence of its many large, multi-colored user controls. It has a built-in power supply/transformer fed by a standard removable IEC power cable. The console accommodates an impressive 10 mono/stereo input sources, with six input sources available to the mix bus at any one time. Channels 1 and 2 are configured for dedicated microphone use, with respective XLR inputs on the rear panel. Channel 1 is designated for the console-operator’s use and channel 2 is for a guest/booth microphone. Both mic channels feature momen- sources on balanced TRS 1/4-inch jack pairs, while the “B source” inputs 3 through 6 support consumer-level (-10dBv) stereo input sources on RCA jack pairs. Input 6A is normalled to accept input audio from an attached computer via the SixMix’ internal codec and external Type B female USB connector. The SixMix PGM bus feeds the A-to-D section of the USB codec for direct recording (and later editing if desired) of the program material. | IN USE The thing that unquestionably sets Henry Engineering’s SixMix apart from the popular micro-format mainstay mixers (e.g., sub-$700 Mackie, Allen & Heath, Yamaha consoles) is that the SixMix is designed explicitly for broadcast use. For those who have toiled with bending those consoles backwards to make them work for live radio broadcast applications—myself included— will not find the near $1,200 list price out of line. Aside from the fact that broadcast products in general command a higher price than their pro-audio 48 | ProAudio Review | May 2008 www.proaudioreview.com http://www.henryeng.com http://www.proaudioreview.com
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