Korg MW-1608 NT

It’s is the only small mixer that has Mute Groups. They let you instantly call up different combinations of channels for various groups on stage, different songs, sound checks, a solo acoustic number, a drum solo or different parts of a church service (choir, praise band, pastor. You get four Group options, each easily programmable and recallable.

Some musicians want to hear more of their own instrument or voice in their in-ear or floor monitor, a process that is complicated to change on other mixers. SoundLink’s Musician’s Phone feature provides one-knob boost of the complete left/right mix into the musician’s individual track. Instead of having to change main mix settings or take up a bus, you have dedicated knobs for two Musician’s monitor mixes. A SoundLink exclusive!

Instead of a generic digital effects processor chip, SoundLink mixers use a high-quality proprietary Korg custom chip that builds on all of Korg’s multi-decade expertise: twenty four ultra-realistic digital effects. For example, all six reverb effects include an alternate “WARM” version – a touch veteran Korg users will tell you is very useful. Parameters of all effects can be tweaked, saved and recalled, and activated by an optional footswitch. Plus, you get test tone generators for use with the built-in 24-band Spectrum Analyzer that’s another SoundLink exclusive in a mixer in this price range.

Digital processing and effects are frustrating if they’re buried in some long, scrolling menu inside a menu. For EQ and other control features, and a row of individual L/R, AUX 1 and Aux 2 assign buttons for both Equalization and Dynamics makes mixing easier. SoundLink’s Limiter, Compressor, Noise Gate are both effective without being harsh or exaggerated. Each has tweakable, recallable parameters. Coupled with a 31-band Spectrum Analyzer, our super-practical 31-band/9-band ParaGraphic EQ solves acoustical problems other small mixers can’t handle.