Allen & heath mixwizzard wz3 14.2.2.

Allen & Heath MixWizard wz3

There is an element of magic in any audio design, but the Allen & Heath MixWizard series may have more than most.

Perhaps burning the midnight oil is part of the design procedure for the MixWizard range. Just a couple of months after the introduction of the first model in the series (a 16:2 with plenty of frills) around June of 1997, the WZ20:8:2 version was launched, and was reviewed in SOS September 1997 issue. Just four moons later, yet another model has appeared. This Wizard has a 14:4:2 configuration, with a total of 28 inputs on mixdown, and A&suggest that it's suitable for FOand stage monitoring applications. To this end, they've built in a Dual Mode which provides some radical routing changes to optimise for these applications. However, I'm quite sure that many people would find this model eminently suitable for recording too, since it has six aux sends, four stereo effects returns, and four group outs. Just like the other two models, the WZ14:4:2 features 4‑band EQ, with two swept mids, and slinky 100mm faders. Let's see if it has any more tricks up its sleeve.

On The Rack

From a distance you might mistake the 14:4:2 for one of its predecessors. It comes in the same rugged blue steel rackmounting case, 10U high, and features individual circuit boards for each channel, secured to the front panel via rotary controls. If you ever get a noisy channel in the future, this will make servicing very easy — not that A&don't already have an enviable reputation where reliability is concerned.

The socket‑panel assembly has a quick‑change connector which allows the panel to sit in two basic positions. You can either swivel the sockets right round to the back, so that they will be 'inside' and out of harm's way when rackmounting, or rotate them so that they end up at right angles to the front panel, and can be used as a 'leg' when mounting the mixer on a desktop. I still think that someone should make a conversion kit for rack mixers used in the latter way, to add a couple of screw‑on wooden side‑cheeks and a padded armrest for the front — if for no other reason than to remove the pointy corners from so near the engineer's hands. However, this is an inherent drawback of all such convertible units, and not a specific criticism of the MixWizard range.

Channelling The Spirits

The 14:4:2 has 10 mic/line channels, very similar to those on both the stereo and 8‑buss models. However, A&have managed to squeeze in even more than they did on the previous models. Starting at the top, there's a 30dB pad switch (for line‑level use), and a Gain control, variable between 20 and 60dB (or ‑10 to +30dB when the pad is switched in). As usual, 48V phantom power is available for the mic inputs, but rather than having a global switch for this, along with the option of disabling individual internal links for each channel (as on both previous models), the WZ14:4:2 features individual switches for phantom power on each of inputs 1‑4, plus an additional switch to simultaneously disable the same for inputs 5‑10. A small but useful improvement there.

There's also a subtle difference in the EQ section. It still features the same four bands, each with a +/‑15dB range, LF control at 60Hz and HF control at 12kHz, and the same two swept mids, with sweep frequency ranges of 35Hz‑1kHz (centred at 180Hz), and 500Hz‑15kHz (centred at 3kHz). However, where the 16:2 (tailored more for multiple mic inputs) had a steep 100Hz low‑cut filter switch, and the 20:8:2 (intended for 8‑buss recording) replaced this with an EQ In/Out switch, the WZ14:4:2 manages to cram them both in.

The generous complement of six aux sends is still present, but auxes 1‑4 can be switched globally between pre‑fade and post‑fade, and auxes 5 and 6 have a Pre/Post switch. This allows all six to be pre‑fade or all six to be post‑fade if required, and allows the user to have six pre‑fade sends for live use where multiple foldback is required. (As we shall see later, there's more clever switching in the master section that allows the aux sends to do even more.) Below the aux sends is the smooth main 100mm fader, plus a Pan control, channel On switch, and a latching red PFL switch with associated red LED which doubles as a Peak indicator (post‑EQ, pre‑fader and 5dB below clipping) when not in PFL mode. Finally, three routing buttons are provided for the main L‑R mix, as well as the 1‑2 and 3‑4 output busses.

It looks cool, sounds clean, and is surprisingly sophisticated — which is more than you can say for a lot of musicians!

Stereo Channels

There are only two stereo channels, but these feature some neat touches. First, each has two sets of inputs — A and B — with the A set having phono connectors (for connecting CD or DAT players), and the B set having the more standard quarter‑inch jacks for effects returns, keyboards and synth modules. Both A and B stereo inputs can be used simultaneously, and they feature an On switch, so that you can leave both connected but select either or both at will. They also each have their own gain control — at last you can properly line up your stereo signals, rather than having to rely on the ubiquitous ‑10/+4 switch that most other mixers give you. This is a handy feature: how often have you had to re‑patch a couple of stereo inputs to temporarily connect a cassette deck, or attach another effects unit with flat EQ? In my book, having two extra stereo inputs is extremely useful, despite the fact that they do not have separate EQ. Well done to the A&design department.

Next on the stereo input channels is a slightly cut‑down EQ, still with four bands, but with fixed mid frequencies instead of the swept ones of the mono channels. However, there is also an EQ In/Out switch, and a Mono switch. This is a curious feature, whose purpose, according to A&H, is to "mono the keyboard for stage monitors, or if your FOspeakers are too widely spaced for its stereo image, or to feed one‑legged signals both left and right." I particularly like this last suggestion (it might prove useful for hip‑hop music) and it's true that it might be useful to be able to add four mono signals to your mix. The aux send arrangements are identical to the mono channels and, with the exception of a differently coloured fader cap, the remaining routing and level controls are also identical.

For exactly the same price as the WZ20:8:2 model, Allen & Heath have produced a very different balance of features with the WZ14:4:2