Focusrite Liquid Mix 16

Liquid Mix 16 is the latest product in Focusrite’s award-winning Liquid range, bringing the power of Liquid Mix to an even wider audience.

Combining the same pool of classic EQ and Compressor emulations with a killer control surface, Liquid Mix 16 brings the sound of the obsolete, the priceless and the historically significant, within reach of even the most modest studio owner.

Each of the sixteen mono channels provides Compressor and EQ emulations selectable from a huge pool of high-quality vintage and modern day classics. Forty Compressors and twenty EQs are available straight out of the box, with some additional emulations available for free online. As with the original Liquid Mix, a hybrid seven-band ‘super EQ’ is available in every instance, built out of separate classic EQ sections. Liquid Mix 16 also offers a ‘free’ mode for the compressor. Original compressors with limited or absent controls suddenly become fully featured - yours to use as you choose. Each channel appears as a separate VST/AU/RTAS effect within the sequencer and will work within all major applications, including Pro Tools.

The same optional expansion card is available for both Liquid Mix and Liquid Mix 16. With Liquid Mix 16, the card allows users to increase the number of available channels at 48kHz from 16 to 24 (sold separately).

Liquid Mix uses the same patented Dynamic Convolution process as Focusrite’s other Liquid products. Unlike standard convolution techniques, Dynamic Convolution utilizes vast processing power to sample the effect of a classic processor on a series of audio pulses, at many different gain settings and frequencies. All this processing is done using onboard DSP, so the processing has a relatively low effect on your computer’s own CPU, (variable subject to the sequencer used). Liquid Mix 16s DSP is housed within an elegant desktop control solution and connects to the computer via Firewire, which also provides bus-powering. The physical metering, rotary controls and buttons from the original Liquid Mix are provided here. The hardware helps to provide a tactile ergonomic solution, placing the sounds of an array of classic processors at your fingertips. You can choose to control each channel either from the desktop control unit, or from within the sequencer or an alternative controller, using the same simple GUI from Liquid Mix, which functions exactly like a plug-in.

The Liquid range of products has won in excess of twenty awards to date, becoming a worldwide hit in the audio production world, from project studios to post production and broadcast facilities, not to mention the Live arena. Focusrite looks forward to bringing Liquid technology to a growing audience, providing the sound of vintage processing and the reliability of digital processing to studios the world over.

Features

• Unequaled Variety of Classic Emulations the rival even the world's finest studios - 40 compressors and 20 EQs, sampled from vintage originals with a free expanding library online.
• One of a Kind - The unique patented Dynamic Convolution process delivers unparalleled EQ and Compression emulations.
• Hybrid Super EQ - Create your own totally unique 7-band super EQ, built out of separate classic EQ bands.
• Compressor 'Free' Mode - Original compressors with limited or absent controls suddenly become fully featured - yours to use as you choose.
• Hardware-powered Plug-ins - 16 instances of Liquid Mix run off the desktop hardware (24 with the optional expansion card installed), vastly reducing the impact on your CPU.
• Tactile Control Surface - Apply EQ and compression using hands-on tactile controls. Just plug in, power-up, and dial in the perfect mix.
• Full Plug-in Operation - Each instance has a dedicated GUI which functions exactly like a plug-in, providing full recall within your session.
• Desktop Metering - 12 LED meters on the hardware controller display i/o levels and gain reduction alongside their respective controls.
• Optional Expansion Card - The optional expansion card, which is easy to install and fits neatly into the underside of the unit, allows Liquid Mix 16 users to increase the number of channels at 44.1/48kHz from 16 to 24 and the number of channels at 88.2/96kHz from 4 to 8.

System Requirements

• PC
  • Operating System
    • VST, RTAS
    • Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (Home, Professional, or Media Centre Edition) or Windows Vista (32bit only) - OS Version subject change
    • Min version of ProTools required - 7.0 if planning to use the included FXpansion (earlier versions will require the full Fxpansion VST wrapper.)
  • Computer
    • Windows® XP compatible PC (Pentium© 4 2GHz or higher recommended)
    • 400Mb/s IEEE1394/FireWire port (OHCI compliant recommended)
    • DVD drive required for Installation
  • CPU/Clock
    • 1.4 GHz Intel or compatible
    • 2.0 GHz Pentium© 4 or Xeon recommended
  • Memory (RAM)
    • 256MB or more
    • 512MB or higher recommended
• Mac
  • Operating System
    • AU, VST, RTAS
    • Mac OS X Tiger (10.4.11 or later) - OS Version subject change
    • Min version of Logic required - Logic 7.1, but 7.2 highly recommended
    • Min version of ProTools required - 7.0 if planning to use the included FXpansion (earlier versions will require the full Fxpansion VST wrapper.)
  • Computer
    • Apple Mac Power PC G4, G5 or Intel Mac (any)
  • CPU/Clock
    • G4/800 MHz (minimum)
    • G4/1.5GHZ or higher recommended
  • Memory (RAM)
    • 256MB or more
    • 512MB or higher recommended

Specifications

• Firewire chipsets from TI (Texas Instruments), VIA, and NEC are recommended
• It is highly recommended that Liquid Mix be run on its own Firewire bus/card
• In order to use Liquid Mix with a 4-pin IEEE1394 port you will need a 4-pin to 6-pin cable (not included) and must use the PSU (included)
• AMD users please read some special compatibility information here.
• Latency
  • Due to the round trip transmission which is required on the firewire bus, a delay equal to 2 x the audio buffer size + 8 samples is incurred. This sample delay results in different amounts of time delay depending upon sampling frequency. With a DAW buffer size of 1024 samples (ie, Liquid Mix latency of 2056 samples), the Liquid Mix latency is as follows:
    • 47 ms @ 44.1kHz
    • 43 ms @ 48kHz
    • 23 ms @ 88.2kHz
    • 21 ms @ 96kHz
  • With a DAW buffer size of 256 samples (ie, Liquid Mix latency of 520 samples), the Liquid Mix latency is as follows:
    • 12 ms @ 44.1kHz
    • 11 ms @ 48kHz
    • 6 ms @ 88.2kHz
    • 5 ms @ 96kHz
• Sequencer compatibility
  • Liquid Mix 16 operates as VST, AU, or as a RTAS-wrapped VST within compatible hosts.
  • Cubase 4 on Intel Macs does not support VST 2.3 plugins. If you want to use Liquid Mix 16 with Cubase 4 on an Intel Mac, you must install the Liquid Mix 2.4 VST plugins available separately on the Liquid Mix downloads page.
• Optional Expansion Card details The card is suitable for those people interested in increasing the channel count. The channel count increases as follows:
  • Channel Counts:
    • 44.1kHz/48kHz: 16 channels mono, (8 stereo) unexpanded. Expansion card provides 24 mono / 12 stereo
    • 88.2/96kHz: 4 channels mono, (2 stereo) unexpanded. Expansion card provides 8 mono / 4 stereo
• Weight 0.8kg (1.76lbs)
• Dimensions 220mm (8.66") (W) x 28 - 45mm (1.1" - 1.77") (H - front to rear) x 152mm (5.98") (D)