Yorkville-MicroMix Series-M1610-2

A uniquely angled control panel immediately sets the Canadian-made M1610-2 apart from its "box mixer" cousins and is your first clue that this is no ordinary mixer/amp. In fact the M1610-2 is possibly the most versatile and professional unit of its kind on the market in the 1600-Watt power range. Combining the convenience, lighter weight and small footprint of a box mixer with the tilt-back visibility and channel control access of a desk mixer helps to define the M1610-2 as something visibly more professional than the norm. As well, the M1610-2 can be rack-mounted with its optional RK1610 kit.

But it's innovative design technology, build quality, and an impressive list of features that really set this wedge mixer apart. High-output, lightweight class-H power amplifiers, newly designed input strips, an on-board effects DSP, a truly effective master EQ section and ten versatile input channels all add to the impressive list of M1610-2 attributes. And there's a lot more.

The M1610-2 has two integrated 800-watt power amplifiers that can be button-assigned to function as stereo mains, or mono main and mono monitor amps, or they can be directly patched to perform other functions such as dual monitor amps when the M1610-2 is coupled to a house system via its Pre-EQ L&R Line outputs (there are also Post-EQ L&R Line outs). Additionally, each amplifier has its own dedicated 9-band +/-15dB graphic EQ with separate Low and High-frequency shelving controls. This gives the user more precise regulation of the feedback-prone mid and upper-mid frequency bands, still with high and low tone-shaping. Each amp also has a Clip Limiter with LED as well as an Output Limiter that reacts to low speaker load impedances. As a result, you can connect as many as four 8-Ohm speakers to either or both amps and the power will be safely limited to 600 Watts per amp.

Channel function is another M1610-2 strong-point. There are 10 input channels, the first six featuring balanced XLR microphone and 1/4" TRS inputs, each with a Trim control coupled to an innovative Set-Trim LED to take the guesswork out of input gain optimization. And even if you do make a mistake and set the gain a bit too high, there is an automatic Input Clip Limiter to help keep things clean and a Clip LED to let you know it's working. There are also three bands of +/-15dB EQ, Monitor and Effects send controls as well as Pan and Level pots. As a point of interest, the 1/4" inputs on channels 5 and 6 can also accept unbalanced signals and are pre-EQ'd for instruments making them an ideal place to directly plug in two acoustic/electric guitars or an a/e guitar and a bass.

Like the others, channels 7/8 and 9/10 each has an XLR Mic input, but includes Left and Right 1/4" inputs for connecting any stereo source, or even two different mono sources (the Balance control then regulates their relative levels). These channels feature most of the controls found on the first six, but channel 7/8 has something else - a Mute button for that and all the first six channels. This way you can play your set, then Mute the whole mixer thus preserving all your control presets, except for channel 9/10 which can play recorded music through the PA.

Other features include 48V Phantom Power for condenser mics with an On LED. As well, the digital Effects processor offers 255 presets, has a separate Clip LED, it can be mixed separately to the Main and Monitor busses and it has an on/off Footswitch jack that can double as an Efx send or auxiliary mono line output if effects are not needed (eg, to feed a subwoofer amp). There are also main-bus Record Out and Tape/CD In stereo RCA pairs that have their own Level controls.

All in all, it's clear Canada's Yorkville Sound has outdone themselves designing and building this phenomenally well-featured mixer/amp. And as always, reliability is their foundational design element. Warranty - 2 years unlimited (even if you break or blow it). It takes considerable confidence to make that promise and Yorkville backs it up.