ProAudio Review - February 2009 - (Page 27)

mix, perhaps with some “more me,” more cowbell, or a click track. Stereo returns 1-2 include a 2-band equalizer and sends to the Aux 1 and 2 busses as well as the main L/R bus. Returns 3-4 go directly to the L/R bus. One pair of Tape outputs duplicates the main outputs, but 6 dB lower, which might save your bacon if your stereo recorder’s inputs are easily overdriven by the output level of a modern console. Two sets of stereo Tape inputs allow copying from one recorder to another. Either Tape input can be routed to the main outputs for reference listening or intermission music. Aux sends 1 and 2 are pre-fader, while 3 and 4 are post-fader. Both are post EQ and post-Mute. Two sets of Control Room outputs for main and alternate speakers monitor the main mix, the stereo return from the computer, or either of the Tape inputs. All of the knobs and faders feel solid and smooth. Ergonomics are excellent — everything is right where you’d expect it to be. My one complaint (in fact, just about my only complaint) is with the color and finish. The panel is dark gray, high-gloss hammertone with white lettering. Under many lighting conditions, glare is distracting and legends become difficult to read. The case is steel, weighing in at just about 30 pounds. Under The Hood The ZED is constructed like a traditional console. Rather than the one large board with controls poking up through holes in the top panel (typical of many modern mixers), each channel is on its own circuit board with signals passed throughout with ribbon cables and plug-on daughter boards. Pot bushings are secured to the panel with nuts. While this is indeed modular construction, it’s no picnic to remove a channel board. Most are partially covered either by the digital I/O board or power supply. Further, a solid wire is strung through all of the modules, soldered to each one, and terminating at the power supply ground point. It’s not surprising that the R16 exhibits no Pin 1 (poor internal grounding) problems. The digital circuit board uses surface-mounted components, though with exception of the op-amps, analog boards are all through-hole assemblies. The internal power supply uses a standard IEC detachable power cable. The digital brain of the R16 is a TC Applied Technologies (TCAT) DICE Jr. chip that handles all of the routing and digital interfacing. Channel A/D converters are Cirrus Logic CS5368 chips. D/A converters are Burr-Brown PCM1404. The main L/R digital I/O is handled by a Cirrus Logic CS4271 codec. One of the dirty little secrets about FireWire-connected audio devices is that some are fussy about the chipset used in the computer’s host interface. While A&H doesn’t have a recommended list of host controllers, the TCAT folks have tested their DICE chip with several popular FireWire chipsets and have blessed the VIA 6306 and 6308, TI TSB43AB23, and Agere FW-2306 chipsets. They’ve encountered problems with NEC chipsets. Forewarned is forearmed. In Use — The Analog Side Before checking out the R16’s digital I/O capabilities, I wanted to see how good of a mixing console it is. I wasn’t disappointed. I was pleased with how quickly and easily I obtained a clean mix of a 16track project on my Mackie HDR24/96 recorder. The mixer has loads of headroom, and the EQ sounds pleasant and never dirty. On a live outdoor recording, the EQ was effective for controlling leakage without sounding harsh or hollow. The 100 Hz high pass filter effectively reduced wind rumble. A variety of mics sounded good through the ZED’s preamps, virtually indistinguishable from a Mackie Onyx, my benchmark for a modestly priced clean mixer. Maximum gain from mic input to main output with the channel and master faders set to their 0 dB (unity) position is a shade under 65 dB, a bit more than the average tabletop mixer. Actual preamp gain (mic input to insert output) is 60 dB. At maximum gain, the preamp’s low frequency response drops about 3 dB at 20 Hz; at 35 dB gain, it’s flat to below 20 Hz. The Gain trim control works smoothly with the most used 20-40 Fast Facts Applications Applications: Mid-level Studio recording and mixing where you need multiple inputs, live mixing with digital capture. Key Features Sixteen excellent-sounding discrete mic preamps Good quality A/D and D/A conversion Plenty of headroom Flexible digital routing Both FireWire and ADAT Optical I/O Excellent ergonomics, smooth operation Price $3,000 Contact Allen & Heath USA | 800) 431-2609 | www.allen-heath.com/zed Product Points Excellent overall sound, everything is completely usable without worry Fully parametric EQ with bypass Flexible and well thought out monitoring for studio or stage L/R Stereo I/O limitations Awkward ADAT Optical sync Glare on shiny panel Score ZED-R16 is an ideal small-mid format analog studio/live mixer for our digital world. www.proaudioreview.com February 2009 | ProAudioReview 27 http://www.allen-heath.com/zed http://www.proaudioreview.com

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ProAudio Review - February 2009 Contents From Razor Slice To Mouse Click Hot Gear At Winter NAMM ’09: Studio Prioritizing Good Acoustics In Tough Times Digidesign Pro Tools 8 Allen & Heath ZED-R16 Analog Mixing Console Mike Rivers Nevaton MC Series Studio Condenser Microphones FMR Audio Really Nice Series Pre-Amp and Dynamics Modules Mojave Audio MA-201 FET Condenser Microphone Genelec 6010A and 5040A Powered Loudspeaker and Subwoofer Massey Plug-Ins De:Esser Hot Gear At Winter NAMM ’09: Live White Space Regulation: What It Means To Us Recording Live Sound Summit Church in Fort Myers, Florida Bag End P-Crystal R Loudspeaker Mark Olson & Gary Louris’ “Turn Your Pretty Name Around”

ProAudio Review - February 2009

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