YAMAHA MG166CX USB YAMAHA MG166CX USB

Cubase AI4 harnesses the power of the Steinberg Cubase 4 digital audio workstation for use with Yamaha MG "USB" mixers, providing a powerful set of advanced software tools that are easy to use while significantly expanding the mixers' recording and production capabilities. Cubase AI4 offers direct digital connectivity to the stereo buses of MG "USB" models for audio recording and editing. It also features a range of MIDI sequencing capabilities, an entire suite of VST effect plug-ins, and a HALion One sample player featuring selected waves from the famed Yamaha Motif synthesizers.

Designing a lightweight mixer is not too difficult, but designing a lightweight, compact mixer that delivers serious performance is another matter. The Yamaha design team went to extraordinary lengths in the MG series, including in-depth material and structural analysis, to bring you maximum manageability and maximum performance in the same packages. The result is that you can easily pop the smallest MG models into your briefcase or shoulder bag and take with you anywhere. Even the larger models can be tucked under an arm and carried around quite easily. But the performance you'll get at the studio, club, hall, or anywhere you choose to use these fine mixers is far from lightweight. Every one of the MG series mixers provides significant space savings along with huge performance benefits.

Top-mounted input and output connectors make setting up and re-patching your system quick and easy. All models feature high-quality Neutrik™ balanced XLR connectors on mono microphone/line channels and XLR-equipped stereo channels. These professional-class connectors were subjected to extensive testing by the Yamaha design team, and were chosen for the MG mixers for their superior reliability and sonic qualities. The XLR-equipped stereo channels can accept a mono microphone input either via the XLR or phone jack connectors. The remaining stereo channels provide phone jack and pin jack connectors for compatibility with a wide range of sources. Mono input channels also feature insert I/O connectors that let you patch external signal processing gear into those channels as required. Separate pin jack 2TR inputs are provided to accept the output from a CD player or similar stereo source.

This advanced feature can be a tremendous advantage in achieving great vocal sound, as well as to refine the sound of bass, guitar, and other sources. You won't find built-in channel compression on too many other mixers in this class, but in the new MG mixers you have Yamaha's innovative one-knob compression feature on several of the mono input channels. Conventional audio compressors with their threshold, ratio, knee, makeup gain and other controls can be complex and time consuming to set appropriately for a given source. Yamaha's one-knob compressor eliminates the need for an engineering degree with a single control that lets you simply dial in the amount of compression you want.

Microphone preamplifiers are critical in any mixer, and a performance bottleneck in many. That's why pros often spend thousands of dollars on just a single channel of microphone pre-amplification. The microphone preamps built into the MG mixers inherit technology from Yamaha's top-line professional consoles, and have been painstakingly designed to deliver superior sonic performance with any dynamic or condenser microphone. Gain trim covers a wide -60dB ~ -16dB range for microphones (-34dB ~ +10dB for line input), so you'll be able to achieve optimum level matching with just about any source. All microphone preamps also feature switchable phantom power so you can take advantage of the natural, extended response of high-quality condenser microphones.

Building a truly useful, musical-sounding channel equalizer is no easy task, but Yamaha has decades of experience in building pro consoles to draw on. You reap the benefits in the MG 166CX-USB mixer: mono channels feature 3-band equalizers with LOW, MID, MID-sweep and HIGH controls. 3-band EQ is available on the stereo input channels as well for tonal adjustments. Although not directly related to the equalizer circuitry, all the mono inputs also include switchable 80 Hz low-pass filters that can be used to eliminate subsonic noise that is below the equalizers' range.

The MG166CX-USB has two AUX sends and a dedicated effect send for convenient to processing and monitor systems. Aux 1 is pre-fader, while AUX 2 is switchable pre or post fader, and the effect send is post fader to provide maximum flexibility. Master send controls are also provided, as are RETURN level controls for the AUX and STEREO busses.

The MG166CX-USB features two stereo group buses and outputs that can be used for convenient channel grouping. Assign switches for the stereo and group buses are located next to each channel fader.

Channel and master level control on the MG166CX-USB is accomplished via reliable, high performance 60-millimeter linear faders that provide smooth, noise-free operation. When you have more than a few channels the direct visual indication of relative level settings can be an important advantage. These linear faders also feature illuminated channel ON switches that can be used to individually add or remove channels from the mix without having to change the positions of the channel faders.

Accurate visual level monitoring can help you achieve maximum signal-to-noise ratio without distortion. The MG mixer's bright, easy-to-read multi-segment LED meters make it easy to control system levels for optimum overall performance.

All switches, controls, and displays have been designed and laid out for intuitive access and smooth, reliable operation with positive tactile and visual feedback.

From the initial design to final manufacturing, all production processes for the Yamaha MG series mixing console are performed entirely inside the company. Moreover, every product that comes off our production line must pass strict quality controls using the sophisticated test instruments. Thus, all of this enables us to deliver the highest quality products to you.