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Phonic Helix Board 18 MKII Firewire Mixer with Digital Effects The Phonic Helix Board 18 MKII Combines the ease of a analog mixer with a firewire audio interface in one convenient unit.
The MKII mixer features a FireWire interface that can individually stream up to 16 independent channels of audio to the computer and return two tracks for monitoring, all at screaming fast transfer rates of up to 24-bit/96 kHz with a zero latency. Pre/post switches on each input channel ensure users can adjust the outgoing FireWire signal between a pre fader and post fader signal with the utmost of ease. An onboard 32/40-bit digital multi-effect processor provides 100 popular programs, tap-delay, test tones (pink noise, 1 kHz, etc) and foot switch jacks.
There are 8 extremely low noise Mic preamps, each with phantom power, spread across six mono Mic/Line channels with 75 Hz low cut filters, and four stereo Line channels. Each Mic channel has a 3-band EQ (six with swept mid), and two stereo channels have a 4-band EQ. A 10-band system graphic equalizer can be assigned to Main Outs or Aux 1. Stereo RCA inputs and outputs make the addition of digital and analog playback and recording devices effortless. Additional features include three Aux sends, two stereo Aux returns, input and output solo, two true subgroups and a rack mounting kit. Steinberg Cubase LE digital audio workstation software included.
Helix Board 18 MKII Features
- FireWire Pre/post setting for swapping streaming input channels to computer from pre low cut, EQ to post EQ, post fader
- 18-input small-format analog mixer with extremely low noise circuitry
- 96kHz FireWire interface for streaming 16 independent channels of audio to computer with zero latency
- 2 channels of monitoring from computer via FireWire interface, can be assigned to control room monitors, main mix and aux1
- Channel 15/16 routed to Computer can be selected from main mix, group 1/2 and aux 2/3
- DFX, our 32/40-bit high definition algorithm digital multi-effect processor with 100 programs plus tap delay, foot switch jacks and volume controls for sending processed signal to aux send 1 & 2
- Six Mic/Line channels with inserts
- 8 extremely low noise mic preamps
- Four stereo Line channels
- 3-band EQ with swept mid-range
- 75 Hz low-cut filter on mono channels
- Three AUX sends, one with Pre/Post switch
- Two stereo AUX returns, one with effect to monitor level control
- +48V phantom power on Mic channels
- Solo feature on each input and output
- Two true subgroups with main L and R routing switches
- Built-in switching power supply with universal connector, 100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz
- Rack-mounting kit included
- S/PDIF digital audio output
- Compatible with Mac OSX and Windows XP
- Steinberg Cubase LE included
Helix Board 18 MKII Specifications
- Dimensions: 18.48 x 20.04 x 7.00 inches
- Weight: 15.43 lbs.
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Rate and Review this Product:
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| | 3 people wrote reviews | |
| | LSSTRAT from North Carolina | | lsstrat@charter.net | | Overall Ranking: | | Features:
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| | | Subject: | Great board BUT NO COMPRESSION ?! | | Quality:
| Well made board, sturdy. | | Features:
| The firewire makes multi tracking easy and works great once you get cubase up and running. I like the way it is laid out BUT with all those effects, you can use only one at a time. Can't use reverb on channel 1, and tremolo on another track.
The biggest draw back I saw was there was NO COMPRESSION out of all that digital stuff !? I would give all the other stuff back for 1 compressor for use with vocals and whatever else. Just stunned about that..........(bummer, bad move, bad move) | | Ease of Use:
| My disc was missing the Helix setup and the softsync license from cubase has always been a pain. After speaking with tech, I downloaded an updated version of both the Helix setup and drivers and cubase license control panel. Everything then worked. Just would have liked everything to be on the disc and then update on the web. Sort of makes you wonder if you're doing something wrong and spending hours trying to figure it out and after all that, it was just missing some the files on the disc. | | Sound:
| Listen, for the money, this is the trick if you want to use a laptop and connect by firewire and record. Everything sounds great, and once you get it setup, you'll be glad you got it. I was disappointed with the Yamaha MG series mixer (USB - 2 channels only! but it did have a nice compressor).
I really like this Helix board. | |
| | Skot from Chelan WA | | Overall Ranking: | | Features:
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| | | Subject: | Perfect Budget Mixer/DAW interface. | | Quality:
| I ahve used a Mackie 1604VLZPro for years. Is it as good as that? well no, but I wasn't expecting it to be. But the good news is that it's not a waste of $400 bucks either. If your like me and you just bought a new coputer and new software (Cakewalk Pro Suite), then your pretty tapped out and still in need of an interface. This was litterally the only thing I could afford that would do what I needed it to, how it needed it to. I was hesitant but backed into a corner. I ordered it and figured if all else fails I can send it back. But so far it's great. I wouldn't take it on the road by any means. But as far as being the front end for my DAW and only travelling with it under more controled circumstances (ie, not a van full of druken bandmates)it's perfect. I would love to upgrade to a bigger better board someday but for the here and now, and until my girlfriend lets me spend this much money again, this will serve me fine. | | Features:
| The features are what really drew me to this mixer in the first place. A decent numer of inputs and outputs, with flexability in routing. Enough to monitor and record a small band at a live show. I will say that I love that pre post switch. It lets me send everything to my daw pre eq so I can record a nice flat tone, while monitoring with EQ. Anybody who's ever done their tracking with headphones and then mixed out loud will appreciate this feature. | | Ease of Use:
| It's well laid out with plenty enough space to reach in and twist the knobs. The knobs and sliders by the way aren't as solid as they were on my old Mackie, but that board cost twice as much. | | Sound:
| The Pre's sound good. Honestly I don't really here too much a difference between these pre's and the ones in my old 1604. They are quite and clean, with a fair amount of headroom. The eq is very good as well. I don't record it as I have mentioned before. But I do use it to achieve a good sound in the headphones while we are recording (apartment life) and it does a fine job at that. The sound beign sent to my DAW thru the firewire cable is amazing. | |
| | Mark from Chicago | | Overall Ranking: | | Features:
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| | | Subject: | Sounds great with low Noise | | Quality:
| I think it's made pretty good. Solid nobs, construction, and low noise. You can mount it inside your rack to travel. Don't even think about not having enough mics to burn with this one. It's capable. | | Features:
| Routing and auxillery options are second to none for a mixer of this latitude. Mid Range Frequency EQ on 8 mono channels. 18 inputs with 16 tracks to Firewire. All balanced! Separate buttons and controls for Firewire Group and Main. 8 Inserts. Total control over Firewire. | | Ease of Use:
| Not super easy to use but easy enough if you know how to route back to headphones and your using Firewire. Instructions explain how to setup Cubase LE even if the Cubase manual isn't that great and confusing. Cubase is still easy to use I think. In Cubase set project to record at 24-96 or 24-48 if Latency problem.
Just plug in the headphones at first. Channel GAIN all the way up with channel VOLUME almost all the way. Press the ON and SOLO switch on the channel and make sure your Control Room/Headphones nob is turned up as a POST.
To get digital to work, route it through the AUX 1's near the effects area and turn the AUX 3 up on your channel and near effects area. SOLO the AUX 1 SEND.
The Phonic instructions are very good. | | Sound:
| Basically sounds like a Yamaha since Phonic makes parts specifically for Yamaha mixers many seem identical in quality and sound. To me Yamaha has NO noise and Phonic almost seems to compete. The sound is very similar to a Yamaha board I think but without their compressors and extra features to tweak. I turned the mid range EQ up a little and the mid range frequency nob all the way down to almost match a decent condenser MIC sound off of an SM58Beta. Other then that it could be a little harsh sounding if you don't fiddle with the EQ. Could not be as "musical" sounding as an Alesis or other British Mixers but not sure yet. Maybe just use the condenser or ribbon mic. The digital effects are very close to analog at 40 Bit.
Maybe best to run a tube preamp through an Aux to really smooth things out as I do with spring reverb. |
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