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ART USB Mix Clean Feed Version

ART USB Mix Clean Feed Version
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138.00 inc VAT (115.00 ex VAT)

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ART USB Mix Clean Feed Version - USB Interface for Voice-overs, Studio or Broadcasting

Please Note - This is the customised version of ART's USB Mix. It has our "Clean Feed" modification specifically for voice-over artists, musicians doing overdubs, broadcasters and podcasters. We stock the standard model too. Please see the block diagram below for the differences and contact us if you need advice.

This is our custom "Clean Feed" version of ART's USB Mix. We designed a modification to the standard mixer so that an artist can feed a mic signal "clean" into a computer for local or remote recording. The artist will have zero latency monitoring of himself mixed with cue/talkback/playback if working with a remote studio. We chose this mixer as it has a nice clean and quiet mic pre, phantom power and a dead simple set of controls for non-techies.

Four knobs:

  • Mic - How much of me do I want to hear?
  • Cue - How much of the backing track or remote studio do I want to hear?
  • Output - How much level do I send to the computer?
  • Monitor/Phones - How loud are my headphones?

It couldn't be easier.

What is a "Clean Feed"?
A clean feed, or mix-minus as it is known in the States, comes from the broadcast world. It is where a studio desk produces a full mix less one channel. Take a radio station with two contestants on the phone in a quiz programme. The radio station should not feed contestant 1 his own voice back down his phone line. It would howl. They need to send him the entire station output (music, presenter, guests, news, adverts, the other contestant, etc) minus himself. The second contestant also needs her own clean feed mix as she needs to hear the entire station output minus herself. Big broadcast desks could produce as many as 16 clean feed mixes, one for each outside source channel.

The broadcast and voice-over world have for years connected studios together over leased analog music lines or digital ISDN lines. Both lines and equipment were expensive. There is now internet based software enabling high quality, real-time audio connections as easy to use as making a call on Skype. ipDTL, SourceConnect and AudioTX Communicator are examples. Musicians in different countries can easily and cheaply collaborate on sessions with only a tiny delay.

The Standard USB Mix will combine the mic and incoming Cue (and talkback) to feed the headphones. Annoyingly, it will feed the same mix back to the computer over USB. It is rather silly even for music studio use and no good for voice-over work where just the voice should be recorded. A singer recording a series of harmony overdubs will want to hear a mix of the backing track and earlier harmonies but only record the current take. In other words, just record a "clean feed" of the mic.

So why did we choose the USB Mix rather than the much cheaper and more versatile Behringer 302USB?
The ART has a much better and quieter pre-amp perfect for digital recording. Its simplicity is ideal for non-technical users. It also has 1/4" jacks rather than the phonos and mini jacks on the Behringer.

Can it be used without USB or a computer
Yes. For example, the analogue jack inputs and outputs can be connected directly to a hardware ISDN codec. The mixer does not need to be used with a computer at all as it can take its power from an external power supply. You could even use a hardware ISDN codec and record your local audio over USB simultaneously.

Are there any drawbacks with the modification?
The only drawback is that Ch2/3 can't be used for recording. For example, a musician wanting to record vocals and keyboard could not do so with the modified version but we needed the knob for the Cue level.

Who should buy it?
This version should appeal to voice-over artists, actors doing post production re-voicing, journalists filing news to a broadcaster, singers wanting to multitrack vocals, musicians wanting to collaborate and podcasters. Without USB it is a mic pre-amp with a built-in "more-me" headphone amp - perfect for a vocal booth in a self-op studio.


Below is the standard product information from ART.

USB Mix - Project Series
The ART USB Mix Three Channel Microphone, Instrument, and Line Mixer / Computer Interface is a compact versatile audio interface for your computer that converts analog signals from a variety of audio sources to USB Audio. The USB Mix provides a great starting point for personal home studio recording or for anyone wanting to do mobile location recording.

Features:

  • USB powered, no external power supply needed when used with a computer
  • Balanced XLR or unbalanced 1/4" Instrument inputs with switchable impedance
  • Switchable low noise +48V phantom power
  • Balanced 1/4" TRS inputs for stereo or mono line-level sources
  • 1/4" TRS output jacks work with balanced or unbalanced lines
  • Stereo 1/4" TRS headphone jack with independent level control for output monitoring
  • Independent controls for both sets of inputs, main output, and headphone monitor
  • Green/Red LED signal/clip indicator
  • Switchable assignment of USB playback to channels 2 and 3
  • USB 2.0 compliant
  • USB cable, AC adapter, and Audacity recording software included

Specifications:
  • Input Connections: XLR balanced / 1/4" unbalanced "Combo" jack (ch1 input)
  • 1/4" balanced or unbalanced (Ch2-Ch3 inputs)
  • Output Connections: 1/4" TRS balanced (Main Mix outputs)
  • 1/4" TRS stereo (Monitor output)
  • Input Impedance: 240k Ohms (Inst-HiZ), 20k Ohms (Line) (Ch 1, Ch2-Ch3 1/4" inputs)
  • > 4k Ohms (Ch1 XLR input)
  • Output Impedance: <1k Ohms (balanced 1/4"), <500 Ohms (unbalanced 1/4")
  • 100 Ohms (Monitor output)
  • Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 20 kHz (+0, -1 dB)
  • THD: <0.01% @ 1 kHz
  • CMRR: > 54 dB typical
  • Phase Response: All connections are phase coherent
  • Signal to Noise Ratio: > 90 dB typical (Ref 0 dBu)
  • Equivalent Input Noise: -120 dBu typical (XLR balanced, max gain), -100 dBu typical (1/4")
  • Maximum Input Level: +4dBu (XLR input), +14dBu (1/4" input)
  • Maximum Output Level: +14dBu (Main Mix Outputs), +13dBu (Monitor output)
  • Maximum Gain (In to Main Out): +53dB (XLR), +32dB (1/4") Ch1 input
  • +10dB (1/4") (Ch2-Ch3 inputs)
  • Maximum Gain (In to USB): +44dB (XLR), +23dB (1/4") (Ch1 input)
  • +1dB (1/4") (Ch2-Ch3 inputs)
  • Maximum Gain (USB to Out): +14dB (Main Mix outputs), +13dB (Monitor output)
  • Phantom Power: Switch selectable, +48V DC, filtered, current limited
  • A/D-D/A: 16 Bit, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz, USB selectable from computer
  • 0.4 ms A/D latency @ 44.1 kHz
  • Computer Interface: USB 2.0 compliant, Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2000, ME, 98SE
  • Mac OS 9.1 / OS X computers with native USB support, Linux
  • Chassis Type: All steel black finish
  • Power Requirements: 5.0V DC @ <500 mA (external) or USB bus powered @ 150 mA typical
  • Dimensions: 1.6" x 4.0" x 4.75" (41mm x 101mm x 121mm)
  • Weight: 1.1 lbs (0.5 kg)
  • Notes: 0 dBu = 0.775Vrms
  • Weight includes power supply and USB cable

To see the latest information on this product, please visit http://www.artproaudio.com.

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