Roland Go:Mixer Pro-X. | Engadget

Roland’s Go:Mixer sequence has discovered a fanbase with musicians in search of a pocket-friendly recording resolution — and for good motive. The tiny mixers are light-weight, provide luggage of connectivity and gained’t break the financial institution. The newest mannequin, the “Pro-X,” brings some modest however vital upgrades from the unique Go:Mixer Pro.

The predominant newness right here is much less in regards to the audio and extra about compatibility: Roland claims the Pro-X provides higher assist for Android telephones and iOS gadgets. Don’t fear, there is some additional audio performance. Namely, a brand new achieve “pad” for guitars (to attenuate quantity on energetic pickups) and the headphone/monitor port is now bi-directional (i.e. it’s additionally an enter). Roland pitches the latter as a option to report the inline mic in your headphones, however you can too plug in a lavalier/3.5mm supply too, should you can reside with out monitoring.

The remainder of the Pro-X is similar because the Pro earlier than it. There’s a single XLR combi port on the precise hand aspect for microphones and 1/4-inch gadgets. Also on this aspect you’ll discover the phantom energy change (for when utilizing condenser microphones), a smartphone/line stage 3.5mm enter and a guitar/bass port. The entrance edge hosts two extra 3.5mm line stage inputs, that new pad change, the up to date dual-directional headphone port and the telephone loopback change. The left hand aspect has only a pair of 1/4-inch instrument inputs and the battery cowl for 4 AAA cells wanted for the phantom energy.

In brief, if it has, or could be transformed to, a 3.5mm port, a quarter-inch jack or an XLR connector you may doubtless use it right here.

On the highest face of the Pro-X is the place you’ll discover all of the achieve rotaries for every enter. Just a few issues to notice although: the “smartphone” 3.5mm enter doesn’t have a achieve management, you’ll want to regulate that on the telephone itself. Although, you can too plug a telephone into one of many quarter-inch ports with an adapter, through which case you’ll have quantity management with one of many ports if that’s vital. It’s additionally price mentioning that the grasp quantity can also be the monitor achieve which is slightly inconvenient if you would like excessive monitoring ranges however low achieve in your recording or vice versa.

Given that the Pro-X has been designed to work along with your telephone, there’s a helpful ridge alongside the battery compartment that doubles as a slot on your handset. Obviously this implies you don’t must have your telephone mendacity round like a tethered paperweight, but it surely additionally gives a very good place for the digital camera must you want to livestream a efficiency. My iPhone 12 with a case doesn’t fairly match within the groove completely, however sufficient that the telephone is regular when utilizing it.

If there’s one fast factor I might change, it’s the “peak” indicator. Unlike a DJ mixer the place you’ll have a full strip of LEDs indicating the amount of every channel and a separate one for the grasp quantity, the Pro-X has a single LED that can flash purple when any enter goes over the utmost threshold (i.e. clipping). It’s fairly potential to set your ranges in order that there’s no purple mild exhibiting throughout your checks, after which only one plosive can ship it over. If there was a option to continually see how shut you might be to 0dB that will be way more useful.

Worse than that, although, I discovered that a few of my recordings that didn’t set off the purple mild might be slightly distorted on playback. While talking into the microphone, the whole lot seemed superb, however the recording was usually “crunchy” in louder sections. Thankfully, you may truly hear this in your headphones whereas it’s taking place, so you may alter the degrees earlier than hitting report, however finally what’s the clipping mild for if it’s not reliably stopping you from overdriving issues? It made me fairly nervous about every recording till I had experimented with varied ranges and put extra confidence within the monitoring.

After some testing with completely different mics, it turned clear that dynamic mics are superb, however any condenser I attempted wanted way more headroom to keep away from sounding harsh. It’s not clear whether or not this can be a pre-amp or phantom energy subject, or simply the additional delicate nature of condensers. When I examined with a Shure SM59 (dynamic/no phantom energy), for instance, I used to be in a position to — in truth nearly needed to — set the achieve to full, and even when the grasp quantity was at 75 % there was nonetheless loads of headroom.

And that brings us again to the truth that the monitor stage management is similar because the grasp achieve. You most likely need your ranges fairly modest to be sure you don’t clip, however in doing so, your monitoring ranges are additionally low, making it tougher to listen to your combine is the way you need it, you understand, kinda vital issues.

I largely averted this subject by ensuring that I used to be recording into one thing that confirmed extra detailed ranges. Rode’s Reporter app, for instance, has a pleasant, broad meter exhibiting you the way scorching your sign is and it was a lot simpler to make use of that as a gauge of the combination output.

Teething issues apart, when you’re all set, it’s all very easy. Like I discussed above, I most popular plugging in a telephone (or every other 3.5mm supply to be truthful) by way of the Guitar port. Having the rotary dial for quantity permits you to alter the amount on the fly way more fluidly, which is helpful if you wish to use music beds or different such sources the place you may need to dynamically alter the amount.

Likewise, if you wish to use two XLR microphones — say for a podcast or a vocal and a mic’d instrument) — you may co-opt one of many 3.5mm ports with one thing like an iRig Pre 2. This means spending out on one other bit of substances, however should you report usually, having an XLR-to-3.5mm adapter/interface is fairly helpful to have round.

As for that new potential to report with the inline mic in your headphones, all I can say is… it really works? Those inline mics are by no means any good, but it surely’s by no means a nasty factor to have extra inputs, and may work nicely for extra conversational podcasts or simply recording telephone interviews. As already talked about, you may truly feed in different inputs right here should you don’t want to watch, say should you’re recording a voice over or one thing for a multitrack piece you need to edit later.

Perhaps essentially the most fascinating factor, for me, is what else can I take advantage of this for? Its credentials as a transportable mixer for musicians are apparent. But I additionally really feel prefer it’s simply one thing helpful to have round should you work with audio in any approach. I’ve develop into one thing of an audio-adapter collector. I’ve all types of cables, interfaces and varied kinds of microphones. Something just like the Pro-X appeals to me as a easy option to put numerous these collectively into a transportable setup.

The wealth of inputs means it’s fairly versatile, too. That’s a reasonably compelling combo proper there. The ranges subject I discussed earlier is extra about studying the right way to set issues up. Once I figured it out it was not often an issue after that.

I do want that the monitor quantity was separate from the grasp quantity for these events the place you actually do need to report low however nonetheless hear how the combo sounds collectively. Maybe that’s one thing we will hope for in a future mannequin.

Whether you’re a storage band, an artist on the transfer or a podcaster that likes to get out within the massive extensive world there’s lots to love right here. At $150, it’s additionally a comparatively modest funding for one thing you may simply slot in your again pocket.