The Alesis MultiMix 6 USB ($90 street) is a new addition in the MultiMix USB line of project-studio mixer/interfaces, positioned between the smaller MultiMix 4 USB and the more capable and fully featured MultiMix 8 USB FX. As a 6-input/2-output device that includes two microphone preamps, the MultiMix 6 USB is well suited for desktop production environments where space is at a premium.

Multi-Talented
The first thing I noticed about the Alesis MultiMix 6 USB is its heft and solid build quality. Don’t let the price fool you—this mixer doesn’t feel cheap at all. The 1/4-inch jacks are tightly bolted down to the metal chassis, and the MultiMix 6 USB never buckled despite repeated cable swapping—no wobble or give at all. All of the buttons and knobs feel sturdy, but with a nice amount of resistance when you use them. With enough force, you can lift the knobs off their potentiometers, but they won’t come off accidentally or from normal use. I’ve reviewed mixers more than four times the price of the MultiMix 6 USB that don’t feel this sturdy.

All of the audio jacks of the MultiMix 6 USB are located on the top panel. Channels 1 and 2 have XLR mic inputs and unbalanced 1/4-inch line-level inputs. The remaining four channels offer 1/4-inch line-level jacks that are arranged in stereo pairs, so that channels 3 and 4 and channels 5 and 6 share controls.

Each of the first two channels has an input gain control and a highpass filter that reduces the signal by 1 dB at 200 Hz, 3 dB at 80 Hz, and 24 dB at 20 Hz. The phantom-power switch sends +48V to both channels at once. When the Gtr/Line button is engaged, Channel 1 can accept high-impedance instruments, such as electric guitars and basses.

Channels 1, 2, and 3/4 include shelving EQ. The Hi control is centered around 10 kHz and Lo control is centered around 80 Hz, both of which can boost or cut the signal by 15­ dB. All four channels have knobs for output level and pan.

For analog outputs, the MultiMix 6 USB offers two unbalanced 1/4-inch jacks and a 1/4-inch stereo headphone jack. There is a 5-stage meter for the main output, with LEDs that display signal levels at -24 dB, -12dB, 0 dB, and +6 dB, as well as a clipping indicator. Below the meter are dedicated volume controls for the main output and the headphone jack.

The rear panel includes the USB port and the jack for the 10 VAC wall-wart power supply (see Fig. 1). The MultiMix 6 USB doesn’t require any software drivers; it uses the built-in USB audio codec of Windows XP or later, and Mac OS X. However, you are limited to two channels of 16-bit, 44.1 kHz audio, as well as the specific latency values that your operating system creates.

FIG. 1: As a USB interface, the resolution tops out at 16-bit, 44.1 kHz.

In The Mix
At this rock bottom price point I wasn’t expecting too much in the way of sound quality, but I was pleasantly surprised. I plugged both of my Dave Smith Instruments analog synthesizers—the Prophet ’08 and the Mopho—into the combined channels (channels 3/4 and channels 5/6) and played them via a MIDI sequence in Apple Logic Pro. The MultiMix has a rated line-level signal-to-noise ratio of 92 dB, which compares favorably with other low-priced mixers and was high enough that I didn’t hear internal hiss over my instruments. I was able to quickly dial up usable levels, and the mix sounded like I expected it to.

I then tried out the mic inputs using a dynamic microphone present in nearly every home studio, the Shure SM57, and a mid-priced condenser mic, the Audio-Technica AT4047. The mic preamps are effective, but I found them somewhat noisy; turning them up more than halfway introduced audible background hiss, which began to mask the signal itself as I approached maximum gain.

I plugged my Koll Guitars Tornado, which has passive humbucking PowerTron pickups, into channel 1, and pressed the GTR button to accept a high-impedance input. The level was nice, although the tone wasn’t as fat and robust as you’d get from a dedicated DI box. But I was able to get a strong level without adding noise to the signal, and the overall quality of the guitar came through.

Final Output
I can see this mixer being particularly useful for bands on a budget that need to submix multiple guitar processors such as Line 6 PODs, or multiple synthesizers in order to use a small PA. I can also see this being useful for home studios, rehearsal recording, and small gigs. The USB support is nice in a pinch, but I wouldn’t recommend the MultiMix 6 USB as your sole audio interface. These days even inexpensive audio interfaces offer 24-bit performance, which is significantly better than 16-bit, at the same sample rate.

The MultiMix 6 USB’s layout is very easy to use and understand and the build quality is excellent. Although the microphone preamps are a bit on the noisy side, they are completely acceptable for a low-budget mixer. Overall, I feel that the device is best suited for people who need an inexpensive mixer/interface with a small footprint. The Alesis MultiMix 6 USB clearly aims to deliver a lot of bang for the buck, and it succeeds.

Pros: Well built. Easy to use. Inexpensive.
Cons: Mic preamps are a little noisy. USB interface has 16-bit resolution.

When Orren Merton isn't writing and editing music-technology books for Course Technology, he simulates being a guitarist for Ember After.