Noise Engineering Xer Mixa and Expando Expandi
There’s a new Eurorack mixer in town. Xer Mixa has 10 stereo analogue channels and a digital control system for state saving, panning, sends and full recall.
Xer Mixa
I think this is the first time we’ve seen digital control applied to an analogue mixer in Eurorack. It’s almost a crazy notion that you could actually digitally recall something you did in your modular. With 7 presets and an optional 8-channel CV expander, this could get very interesting.
Xer Mixa gives you 8 straightforward stereo channels with sliders for level control. The remaining 2 stereo channels are auxiliary inputs which you’d probably use for effects returns. You have two corresponding send outputs in addition to the master output. Each channel has a clickless mute switch. The analogue signal path is designed for low noise and crosstalk, premium sound quality and loads of headroom. The built-in analogue levelling amplifier will glue everything together.
Going digital
So, what about the digital side? The screen takes care of the pan, pre and post-fader sends for each channel. You can also use it to set up the MIDI CC routing and CV control over everything from one or two Expando Expandi modules. 16 CV inputs would give you extraordinarily versatile modulation control over your mix of modular.
All of the settings can be saved to one of 7 preset slots for easy recall.
The combination of the tactile, modular-friendly interface with recallable and controllable configurations is immensely powerful. This is the sort of thing you’d typically have to invest in an external mixer for, which would then take up a considerable amount of desk space. Xer Mixa comes in at 32 HP, which isn’t exactly compact but certainly gives you room to manoeuvre and would make its presence felt in any reasonably sized case.
Interestingly Stephen of Noise Engineering has been contemplating this mixer since before Noise Engineering came into being. This is version number 66 and there have been 6 major revisions and countless names along the way. A lot of work and love has been poured into the Xer Mixa.
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Phones?
The only missing perhaps is a headphone output. But I’m guessing Noise Engineering would direct you to the Sono Abitus stereo-balanced 1/4″ TRS output and headphone module. The perfect companion to the Xer Mixa, although I do feel it should have been built in.
Availability
Xer Mixa will be available in silver or black, and incidentally, you can flip it to put the jacks at the top or the bottom. Preorders are open at a solid and not unsurprising $999 and shipping will start on the 6th of September. The Expando Expandi is $169.
Hopefully, some videos and demos will be forthcoming.