Teenage Engineering’s latest audio device invites you to turn its knobs

Teenage Engineering, the company behind Ultra-chic Mixtures Amplifierss computer cases, released a new acoustic instrument: called the TX-6, a small field mixer (in size, not in price) perfectly decked out with knobs. In addition to allowing you to mix audio from six stereo inputs and send it to a computer, speaker, or both, in true teen architecture, the TX-6 can also work Composite, drum regulatorUSB-C audio interface.

We should talk about those knobs first. By default, they act as controls on a 3-band equalizer, allowing you to adjust the high, medium, and low of each input. but look Engineering Guide for Teens It reveals plenty of other things you can do with it, from controlling the compressor settings to adjusting the length of your pan or note. Whatever you’re wearing, you’ll do it for it. pattern; The handles are colored and knurled on the top, helping you grab something the size of a large Q-Tip.

If you can look away from the knobs, the rest of the controls are pretty new too. Have dimmer sliders (arguably more important than knobs because they really let you mix up), and plenty of buttons, as well as the combo button/knob for navigating the menus, still remains my heart. There are also LED volume meters, with controllable brightness.

In terms of I/O, the TX-6 has six audio input connectors (Apple could never do that) and three output connectors; Two of them are 3.5 mm for aux and cue out, and the main output is 6.35 mm, or a quarter of an inch. It also has a built-in battery, which Teenage Engineering claims lasts about eight hours of use, and is charged via a USB-C port that also handles the TX-6’s connection to your device. It could be a computer or an iPhone/iPad, if you have a suitable cable or adapter. Again, all of this, plus those delicious knobs, is packed into something that has a very small package.

Photo: fig engineering

By the way, yes, I can hear laughter from all over the UK. Once again talking about my love of handles.. I don’t need to comment on that, it still hurt to read all the jokes in the last article. But come on, just look at those.

Of course, I don’t want to sleep in the other parts of this build: It has a CNC aluminum frame, a nice little screen to show you the menus, and a faux leather cover. To me, it’s a bit like an old Sony, but it’s a bit busy.

Hi, Actually Teenage Engineering says the knobs are customizable. I’m sure there are Some You can control the parameter with them. go to 11…

Photo: fig engineering

Speaking of maximization, let’s talk about price. The TX-6 – Deep Breath Now – costs $1,199. This is for the actual unit, along with the main 3.5mm output adapter and USB-C cable. Additional cables, such as a 3.5mm RCA adapter or dual TS adapter, will cost $10 or $15.

Although this price is almost unbelievable, I had a hard time thinking of other devices like the TX-6. $150 Yamaha MG06X Compact, but it would be hard to name it smallAnd it definitely doesn’t look very good, in my opinion. 350 dollars H6Zoom It can be configured to have the same number of inputs, but is much larger and doesn’t have as many features as the TX-6. Also, while you can use it as a mixer, it’s definitely more of a field recorder. The maki maxster live Less expensive at $230 and a similar size, but it’s battery-free and only has four inputs (although one of them is the XLR, which can come in handy if you want to plug in a microphone).

While being in a league of its own may or may not justify its price, the TX-6’s price tag will likely turn off a lot of casual DJs or music lovers like myself, even though it does boast “DJ status” among many Additional features. But if I’m being totally honest with myself, I’d probably spend an embarrassing amount of money playing for a day, just so I can feel those sweet mangoes (again, I shouldn’t be posting this where the UK goes up).

TX-6 is available at Teen Engineering website.