Mackie's compact mixers can be found in recording studios across the country, but the company's new iPad-controlled DL1608 is sure to be a hit for live performances since it allows engineers to wander the venue, fine tuning the mix from every corner.
Where you'd normally find a bank of faders and dials for adjusting the volume and EQ, the 16-channel DL1608 features a landscape-oriented dock for the iPad. So all of the controls have been moved to an accompanying iOS app, including various effects and plugins that can extend the mixer's capabilities over time.
The iPad can be locked down if the mixer's part of a permanent installation, but it also supports a wireless connection to the tablet so sound engineers can undock it and adjust the mix from anywhere in the room. In fact, the mixer can be controlled from up to ten iPads at once, letting some users focus on the volume, while others tweak and fine tune the EQ.
While it's not the first mixing solution that offers this roaming functionality, Mackie has put together what looks like a very robust solution in a package priced at around $1,000 when it's available in May or June. (Minus the cost of the iPad of course.) I just have no idea why they thought this bizarre video would be a great way to promote it. [Mackie via Gear Diary]