Allen & Heath ZED R16 16-Channel FireWire Recording Mixer

Description

The ZED-R16 is Allen & Heath’s first true recording FireWire mixer in over 10 years. This exceptional recording mixer with 18 FireWire I/O can also be used as a versatile live front-of-house mixer. The best performing preamp in Allen & Heath’s entire range is packaged with a high-quality analog-to-FireWire interface, extensive EQ, and a well-featured analog channel strip.

Combining an analog recording mixer with a FireWire soundcard, MIDI controls, and ingenious home-studio routing, the ZED-R16 FireWire mixer allows you to build tracks in the studio, record live gigs, mix-down, remix-all through warm analog circuitry, 4-band fully parametric, classic British EQ, and out in crisp, precise, digital format.

Great for the studio

With its FireWire connectivity and its versatile I/O options, the Allen & Heath ZED-R16 is a great mixer for any high-level project studio. It can handle 18 tracks of FireWire at a time, giving each channel its own track within your DAW – either pre-EQ or post-EQ. Two aux buses can feed headphone amps in the studio or FX sends, and the built-in condenser talkback microphone can be routed to either the aux outputs or studio outputs, adding flexibility. The ZED-R16 also features MIDI-assignable faders and a MIDI transport section, giving it premium control surface functionality.

Also suited for the stage

Take the Allen & Heath ZED-R16 between the studio and the stage seamlessly. Its two pre and two post aux buses work great for FX sends or for wedge foldback live. What’s more, its complete EQ section and great-sounding microphone preamplifiers, coupled with its FireWire functionality, make it a great choice for house of worship, educational, and corporate environments – just feed the PA system via the main XLR outputs and then hook up a FireWire cable to your computer for instant recording. Mix in analog, record in digital!

High-quality microphone preamplifiers

The ZED-R16’s preamplifiers have been carefully designed with a symmetrical, ultra-linear circuit. Low-noise transistors are used in the front end and active feedback is employed in both phases before the differential amplifier. The result? Super-low distortion, low noise, a high common-mode rejection ratio, and simply transparent and beautiful sounding preamplifiers.

Fully-featured EQ section

Complete with two swept, fully parametric mids and high and low shelving, the ZED-R16 has a sophisticated equalization section. In fact, its EQ’s design shares much with Allen & Heath’s leading pro touring mixers.

Flexible output section

The ZED-R16 has two signal paths for monitoring: an output for main control room monitors and outputs for an alternative set of monitors for checking mixes. The control room mix can follow either of the two main analog outputs or the digital main mix, allowing access to all main audio outputs. What’s more, in addition to its Firewire input and output, the ZED-R16 has 4 ADAT optical sockets. The I/O routing on the ZED-R16 is identical for the Firewire channels and the ADAT optical connection. With a combination of panel switches, the mixer is capable of an incredible 26 simultaneous inputs and outputs. Feed the ZED-R16 from ADAT lightpipe equipment, or record directly out from 16 channels to 2 ADAT machines, or to another sound card.

Software-ready with MIDI-assignable controls

ZED-R16 is equipped with a host ofMIDI control options. As well as the four dedicated MIDI faders, 12 rotary controllers, 12 switches, and five dedicated transport switches, all channel faders canalso be switched to become MIDI faders. Use your faders to mix the live signal while recording via FireWire – then assign out the faders via MIDI for digital mixdown – the ZED-R16 opens up a host of possibilities for studio use while maintaining a familiar, live-friendly analog format. In addition, the ZED-R16 comes with Cakewalk SONAR LE music production software, so you can get recording right away.

Allen & Heath ZED R16 Features :

• Soundcard features 18 FireWire I/O and 16 ADAT I/O
• Analog-to-FireWire interface
• Dedicated MIDI controls with extra mappable controllers for user-assignment
• All channel faders can be switched to become MIDI controllers
• 4-band fully parametric, classic British EQ
• Control room speaker and alternate speaker outputs
• 2 separate artist monitor feeds
• 2 analog recording outputs
• Dedicated internal condenser talkback mic
• Dual function audio/MIDI faders
• Built-in sequencer transport
• Equipped with JetPLL digital audio chipset
• 4 aux buses become foldback feeds and FX sends, and the main XLR outputs feed the PA system in front-of-
• house mode
• Pre-amp with symmetrical ultra linear circuit
• Epitaxial low-noise transistors in the front end and active feedback is employed in both phases for super-low
• distortion, low noise (-128.5dBu EIN), and High CMRR
• Two pre and two post aux buses
• Two separate live room mix feeds can be individually fed from aux buses or the L/R main mix
• Includes SONAR LE software