The top solos the channel in the monitor outputs and on the LED meters in one of two ways, depending on the setting of a Solo Mode switch in the console's master section. Each has a simple rotary fader for level control.Below each channel's Pan/Balance control are two buttons. A pair of balanced stereo aux returns are provided on TRS jack sockets, and any signal plugged into the second of these replaces that from the internal effects. The first of these can be switched on a per-channel basis for pre- or post-fader operation, while the second is fixed post-fader and fed by default to the internal effects processor. A simple three-band EQ offers low shelf, mid peak and high shelf at sensible fixed frequencies of 80Hz, 2.5kHz, and 12kHz, and although there's no bypass switch the clear control detents allow you to zero the EQ easily - an important consideration, because the direct channel outputs are post-EQ.All the analogue connections are on the top panel, leaving the rear of the MultiMix 16 USB 2.0 - and hopefully your work surface - nicely uncluttered.Two mono aux sends feed TRS output sockets for foldback and effects-send purposes. The remaining channel facilities are common to both types of channel. The mic/line channels differ from the stereo line channels only in the input section, the former providing an XLR connector for mics, a balanced TRS jack socket for line signals, a preamp with up to 60dB gain, and an 18dB/octave, 75Hz high-pass filter.

Both models come with bundled Steinberg Cubase LE4 installers for Mac OS X and Windows XP.This compact mixer's 14 60mm faders control eight mono mic/line channels, four stereo line-only channels, and two stereo output busses.

The smaller MultiMix 8 gives roughly half the horsepower: eight channels, four preamps, and 10-in/two-out audio interfacing. The requisite drivers are provided for both Mac OS 10.4 and Windows XP SP2 (WDM and ASIO).Two frame sizes are available in the range, of which the MultiMix 16 USB 2.0 under review here is the larger, offering 16 channels, eight mic preamps, built-in digital multi-effects, and 18-in/two-out interfacing.

The USB 2.0 range provides similar 24-bit multi-channel audio interfacing as on the Firewire models, but adds 88.1kHz and 96kHz sampling rates to their 44.1kHz and 48kHz rates.

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