Too expensive and too small but still amazing.
- The TX-6 is a USB-C audio mixer from Teenage Engineering in Sweden.
- It is small in size and costs $1,300.
- There is nothing comparable in the market today.
teenage engineering:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/625f1018874faf00046500a3_original-8c9c9a4e3ec846b692bfd5b05d2749cf.jpeg)
Teenage Engineering, a Swedish design firm responsible for everything from Ikea speakers to some of the most iconic musical gadgets of the 2010s, has created a mixer. And it’s as weird, quirky and awesome as you’d expect.
TE is known for its beautiful designs and strange yet extraordinary innovations in its products. So far, music machines have been synthesizers and speakers, but the new TX-6 is a pocket-sized mixer and audio interface. The most obvious features are its size and amazing shape, but this device is unique for a number of other reasons. That’s pretty buggy too. Oh, and the price is $1,199.
“The TX-6 is perfect for what I’m aiming for. It basically replaces the need to buy a few other machines added up to about $1096. I don’t use synths or drums at all, but it’s nice to be able to bring all of this together,” electronic musician Nathan Beta told the Elektronauts music forum.
teen fan club
The TX-6 is a 6-channel mixer and audio interface with built-in effects, a rechargeable battery and some nice extra features. For example, there is Bluetooth for controlling other devices as well as sequencers and synthesizers. There is also a DJ mixer mode that runs on the side and uses one of its faders as a crossfader between the two inputs.
But the main part, and frankly, what excites electronic musicians, despite their outrageous price, is the basic mixer features.
Most mixers are large and have a section dedicated to connecting an instrument such as a guitar or a microphone. These mono channels are generally useless for electronic music because you want to hook up many stereo drum machines, synths, and samplers.
And mixers that provide ample stereo input often require computer control rather than front panel knobs and controls, making them much easier while playing. Add an audio interface that feeds your computer all (even rare) stereo channels via USB, battery power, and a rugged aluminum body, and you’ll see why people care.
dance mistake
But the problem starts. First, there are speculative concerns. Teenage Engineering’s two synths, the OP-1 and OP-Z, buzz when you try to connect them to another device simultaneously via USB and audio cables. That’s not a good precedent for USB audio mixers.
And there is the biggest or the smallest problem. It’s just the right size. Small units are fine, but they are too small to be usable. First of all, this button is small. It’s really small and very close, making precise adjustments difficult. Given that the point of a physical button is simple and accurate, this is another fundamental flaw.
And then we get to more than the most embarrassing design. Most pro audio gear uses 1/4″ jacks for connections, and you need one for the left channel and one for the right channel, not just one of them. The TX-6 uses a small 3.5mm jack that is also used for headphones. That’s fine too. Adapters exist, and 3.5mm jacks tend to break much faster than 1/4″ jacks, but perhaps TE has built it to last.
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The problem is that most 3.5mm jack cables don’t fit. The jack sockets on the TX-6 are so close together that you need to use a special, very narrow cable to connect them. And that’s another $10-$15 depending on what kind you buy, adding more to the cost of using the device.
“I think my trade breaker will be the cable. If you could plug in an old Y-1/4″ 3.5mm TRS cable for each channel, that would be enough,” electronic musician Presteign said in a forum thread. “But I guess I’ll have to pay an extra $90 to buy six because of the spacing of the jacks. “For each instrument…”
still great
But despite (or because of) all this nonsense, the TX-6 is classic teenage engineering. It’s beautiful, quirky, and has some unexpected flaws, but it’s so intelligently designed that people love it. TE’s OP-Z synth feels the same. Yes, the price is too high and too small. But if you do what you have to do, you’ll hit the jackpot.
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This Audio Mixer Is Classic Teenage Engineering
It’s too expensive and too small, but still amazing
The TX-6 is a USB-C audio mixer from Sweden’s Teenage Engineering.
It’s tiny, and costs $1,300.
There’s nothing else like it on the market today.
Teenage Engineering
Teenage Engineering, the Swedish design company responsible for everything from Ikea speakers to the most iconic music-making device of the 2010s, has made a mixer. And it’s every bit as weird, quirky, and awesome as you’d expect.
TE is known for its beautiful design, and for squeezing weird but excellent innovations into its products. Up until now its music machines have been synthesizers and speakers, but the new TX-6 is a pocket-sized mixer and audio interface. The most obvious features are its size, and its amazing looks, but this unit is unique for many other reasons. It is also quite flawed. Oh, and it costs $1,199.
“The TX-6 is perfect for what I’m aiming for. It replaces the need to get a few different machines that basically added up to around $1096. It’s nice to have all of them in one, even if I never use the synth or drums,” said electronic musician Nathan Beta on the Elektronauts music forum.
Teenage Fan Club
The TX-6 is a six-channel mixer and audio interface with built-in effects, a rechargeable battery, and a whole bunch of neat extras. For instance, it also has a sequencer and synthesizer, plus Bluetooth for controlling it from other devices. It even has a DJ mixer mode, where you run it on its side and use one of those faders as a crossfader between two inputs.
But the main part, and the bit that is getting electronic musicians excited despite the frankly absurd price, is the basic mixer functionality.
Most mixers are big and have a whole section dedicated to hooking up microphones or instruments like guitars. These mono channels are often useless for electronic music because you usually want to hook up a bunch of stereo drum machines, synths, and samplers.
And those mixers which do offer enough stereo inputs often need to be controlled with a computer instead of by knobs and dials on the front, which is a lot easier to do while playing. Add an audio interface that routes each stereo channel (itself a rarity) into your computer over USB, battery power, and a rock-solid aluminum body, and you can see why people are interested.
Dance Flaw
But then the problems begin. First, there are speculative worries. Teenage Engineering’s two synthesizers, the OP-1 and OP-Z, both buzz when you try to connect them to other devices via USB and audio cables simultaneously. That’s not a good precedent for a USB audio mixer.
And then there’s the biggest—or smallest— problem: the size. A tiny unit is fine, but this thing is so small it hurts usability. For starters, those knobs are tiny. Really tiny and really close together, making accurate settings difficult. Given that the whole point of physical knobs is that they’re easy and accurate, this is another fundamental flaw.
And then we come to the most embarrassing design oddity. Most pro audio gear uses quarter-inch jacks to connect, and not just one of them, either—you need one for the left and one for the right channel. The TX-6 uses tiny 3.5mm jacks, the same we use for headphones. And that, too, is fine. Adapters exist, and while 3.5mm jacks tend to break way faster than quarter-inch jacks, maybe TE has built them to last.
Teenage Engineering
The problem is that most 3.5mm jack cables won’t fit. The jack sockets on the TX-6 are so close together you have to use special, extra narrow cables to even plug them in. And those are another $10-$15 depending on which kind you buy, adding even more to the cost of using this device.
“I think the dealbreaker for me is going to be the cables. If I could plug in any old quarter-inch Y to 3.5mm TRS cable for each channel, that would be one thing,” said electronic musician, Presteign in a forum thread. “But due to the spacing of the jacks, it looks like I’d need to spend an additional $90 to get six of these, each of which is barely long enough to reach halfway across a small desk, so then we’re talking two extension cables for each instrument…”
Still Great
But despite (or maybe because of) all this nonsense, the TX-6 is classic Teenage Engineering—beautiful, quirky, unexpected, and flawed, but so smartly designed that people just love it. I feel the same way about TE’s OP-Z synth. Yes, it’s too expensive, and yes, it’s too small, but if it does what it’s supposed to do, it will be a hit.
#Audio #Mixer #Classic #Teenage #Engineering
This Audio Mixer Is Classic Teenage Engineering
It’s too expensive and too small, but still amazing
The TX-6 is a USB-C audio mixer from Sweden’s Teenage Engineering.
It’s tiny, and costs $1,300.
There’s nothing else like it on the market today.
Teenage Engineering
Teenage Engineering, the Swedish design company responsible for everything from Ikea speakers to the most iconic music-making device of the 2010s, has made a mixer. And it’s every bit as weird, quirky, and awesome as you’d expect.
TE is known for its beautiful design, and for squeezing weird but excellent innovations into its products. Up until now its music machines have been synthesizers and speakers, but the new TX-6 is a pocket-sized mixer and audio interface. The most obvious features are its size, and its amazing looks, but this unit is unique for many other reasons. It is also quite flawed. Oh, and it costs $1,199.
“The TX-6 is perfect for what I’m aiming for. It replaces the need to get a few different machines that basically added up to around $1096. It’s nice to have all of them in one, even if I never use the synth or drums,” said electronic musician Nathan Beta on the Elektronauts music forum.
Teenage Fan Club
The TX-6 is a six-channel mixer and audio interface with built-in effects, a rechargeable battery, and a whole bunch of neat extras. For instance, it also has a sequencer and synthesizer, plus Bluetooth for controlling it from other devices. It even has a DJ mixer mode, where you run it on its side and use one of those faders as a crossfader between two inputs.
But the main part, and the bit that is getting electronic musicians excited despite the frankly absurd price, is the basic mixer functionality.
Most mixers are big and have a whole section dedicated to hooking up microphones or instruments like guitars. These mono channels are often useless for electronic music because you usually want to hook up a bunch of stereo drum machines, synths, and samplers.
And those mixers which do offer enough stereo inputs often need to be controlled with a computer instead of by knobs and dials on the front, which is a lot easier to do while playing. Add an audio interface that routes each stereo channel (itself a rarity) into your computer over USB, battery power, and a rock-solid aluminum body, and you can see why people are interested.
Dance Flaw
But then the problems begin. First, there are speculative worries. Teenage Engineering’s two synthesizers, the OP-1 and OP-Z, both buzz when you try to connect them to other devices via USB and audio cables simultaneously. That’s not a good precedent for a USB audio mixer.
And then there’s the biggest—or smallest— problem: the size. A tiny unit is fine, but this thing is so small it hurts usability. For starters, those knobs are tiny. Really tiny and really close together, making accurate settings difficult. Given that the whole point of physical knobs is that they’re easy and accurate, this is another fundamental flaw.
And then we come to the most embarrassing design oddity. Most pro audio gear uses quarter-inch jacks to connect, and not just one of them, either—you need one for the left and one for the right channel. The TX-6 uses tiny 3.5mm jacks, the same we use for headphones. And that, too, is fine. Adapters exist, and while 3.5mm jacks tend to break way faster than quarter-inch jacks, maybe TE has built them to last.
Teenage Engineering
The problem is that most 3.5mm jack cables won’t fit. The jack sockets on the TX-6 are so close together you have to use special, extra narrow cables to even plug them in. And those are another $10-$15 depending on which kind you buy, adding even more to the cost of using this device.
“I think the dealbreaker for me is going to be the cables. If I could plug in any old quarter-inch Y to 3.5mm TRS cable for each channel, that would be one thing,” said electronic musician, Presteign in a forum thread. “But due to the spacing of the jacks, it looks like I’d need to spend an additional $90 to get six of these, each of which is barely long enough to reach halfway across a small desk, so then we’re talking two extension cables for each instrument…”
Still Great
But despite (or maybe because of) all this nonsense, the TX-6 is classic Teenage Engineering—beautiful, quirky, unexpected, and flawed, but so smartly designed that people just love it. I feel the same way about TE’s OP-Z synth. Yes, it’s too expensive, and yes, it’s too small, but if it does what it’s supposed to do, it will be a hit.
#Audio #Mixer #Classic #Teenage #Engineering
Synthetic: Vik News
