n12

~ Musically Tuned Class-A Discrete Mic Preamp with Inverted Darlington Circuitry Design ~ Almost invariably, your sound - your art - will start out as an analog signal. Whether it's your voice, sax, guitar, piano, or even most electronic keyboards, you'll be feeding an analog signal to the mixer, where it encounters one of the most critical elements in the entire signal chain: the microphone/line preamplifier (sometimes called the “head amp"). The preamplifier amplifies the low-level output from microphones and conditions line-level signals so that they can be converted to digital information via the mixer's analog-to-digital converters, and unless absolute signal purity and integrity is maintained, you will lose some of the quality you've worked so hard to achieve. Yamaha has gone to extremes in the n-series mixer to create preamplifiers that will make the most of the music you feed them. In addition to a specially-tuned class-A discrete configuration that implements an inverted Darlington circuit design for exceptional musicality and low distortion, these outstanding preamplifiers employ custom-manufactured capacitors that contribute to sonic resolution you'll have to hear to believe. Bass comes through with the punch and authority it needs to support the music, smooth highs deliver a natural sense of openness and “air," and outstanding midrange resolution means extraordinary musical detail. These are not average production-line preamplifiers, and you will hear the difference. You also have a full range of input controls, including gain trim, pad switch, phase switch, low-pass filter, and analog/DAW input selection.

If you're serious about your sound - especially for vocals or acoustic instruments - you'll undoubtedly want to use studio-quality phantom-powered condenser microphones for the extended range and natural reproduction they provide. The n8 and n12 are fully compatible, with switchable built-in phantom power.

The n-series consoles provide both balanced XLR connectors and balanced TRS phone jacks on all mono input channels for direct connectivity with the widest possible range of input sources. The stereo inputs have both unbalanced RCA pin jack and phone jack pairs. All mono inputs also feature TRS insert jacks that can be used to insert external signal processors into the signal path of the corresponding channel.

Not all guitar and bass recording situations required amps, microphones, and a soundproof studio. You can conveniently connect an electric guitar or bass directly to the “B" input of channel 4 on the n8 or channel 8 on the n12 and engage the input Hi-Z switch for optimum matching and sound.

Although a wide range of artistic sensibilities and technologies come together to form great music, compression is one aspect that clearly differentiates professional sound. You could buy a professional compressor (at considerable cost), but they are complicated to use, and it can take hours to dial in the optimum compression for just a single track. In fact, one of the marks of a great engineer is his or her ability to quickly set up compression and EQ that enhance the music, drawing on experience acquired over many years and countless studio sessions. Yamaha's innovative Sweet Spot Morphing Compressor produced by K's LAB eliminates the tedious details with just two knobs that function in a totally new and ingenious way. The MORPH control has five “sweet spots" that offer compression crafted by some of the world's leading engineers and producers, and by simply rotating the control you can “morph" seamlessly from one sweet spot to the next for an extraordinary spectrum of expressive compression. The second DRIVE knob is used to adjust the amount of compression applied. No compressor has ever made it this easy to dial up the perfect compression for such a wide range of situations. And since the Sweet Spot Morphing Compressor is based on Yamaha's extraordinary analog modeling technology, no other “simple" compressor sounds anywhere near as good. Alternative sweet spot data can be downloaded from Sweet Spot Data Library.

Like compression, artful EQ can dramatically enhance a mix in many ways. The n-series equalizers have been created through an extensive study of the most musical and desirable consoles used by leading artists and engineers throughout the world. They offer a finely-balanced and dynamic relationship between EQ curve, frequency ranges, and other factors that give you truly musical control. 3-band equalizers with sweepable midrange on each channel deliver totally satisfying, potent EQ control that can take your music to a higher level.

Yamaha's Rev-X digital reverb algorithm is renowned for its high resolution and extraordinarily natural sound. The n-series consoles offer this leading technology built in. You have a choice of hall, room, and plate reverb simulations with reverb time and level control. This superlative reverb processor can be used for wet monitoring while recording as well as for adding ambience during final mixdown.

These handy functions are normally only found on large studio consoles, but you'll be glad Yamaha has included them on the n8 and n12. As you'd expect, the mute switch mutes or un-mutes the console's output, while the dimmer switch reduces the output to a level that is still audible but allows conversation or phone calls. The advantage of the dimmer switch is that you can simply tap it a second time and be precisely back at optimum monitoring level without having to reset faders or level controls.

The n8 has source selectors for DAW (the stereo output from the DAW running on your computer), ST (the console's stereo bus), AUX (the console's auxiliary bus), and 2TR (the console's 2-track inputs), while the n12 additionally features a “5.1" source selector for surround monitoring. The console's surround monitoring capabilities are impressive, with bass management, down-mixing, and other features you'd normally only find on high-end professional gear. You can even use the console for top-quality surround playback from pre-recorded sources such as DVDs and computer sources, giving you a chance to hear how top engineers approach surround production on your own monitor speakers. But although they provide professional capabilities, the n-series mixers make general monitoring hassle-free: simply select the signal you want to monitor and spin the big CONTROL ROOM LEVEL knob to set the ideal monitoring level.

Solo switches on every input channel let you monitor a single channel or any group of channels within a mix without having to change settings on any of the other channels. The n-series consoles even provide a pre-fader listen switch for pre-fader solo monitoring, and a solo level control that lets you adjust the solo monitoring level as required. This is another feature usually only found on large, expensive consoles.

The n12 features three pairs of speaker outputs that can be used for full 5.1 surround monitoring: front left and right, center and subwoofer, and rear left and right. If you don't need surround capability the outputs can simply be used to switch between different stereo pairs for comparison. When the 5.1 mode is selected all three output pairs are active, with the speaker selectors functioning as temporary mute switches. Bass management is also implemented for optimum matching between the full-range speakers and subwoofer. A down mix switch that lets you instantly collapse the 5.1 outputs to stereo.

Another n12-specific feature is a built-in talkback microphone and talkback switch with level control for efficient engineer-artist communication. When talkback is engaged the dimmer is also engaged automatically.

It would be easy to mistake the n8 or n12 for an analog mixer. In fact, that's the way they're designed to look, and function. Although there's extensive digital power and processing capability under the hood, the interface has been distilled down to the functions you really need. If you've ever used an analog console, you'll feel right at home with the n8 or n12 in no time. And that means you'll be able to make music without getting lost in the technology, or having to refer to the manual all the time. Of course you'll want to learn the basics, and how the hardware interacts with the software, but that won't take long and then it's all up to you and your imagination.

Another reason the n8 and n12 are eminently predictable and easy to use is that nothing is hidden below the surface. There are no layers, no multi-functions controls … there isn't even an LCD display. Each and every knob, switch, and fader does exactly what it says it does, and nothing else. Stated another way, that means you always know what you're doing, and there are no surprises to delay your progress.

What you won't see but will definitely hear is the superb audio quality delivered by the digital technology inside. 24-bit 96-kHz processing is the de-facto standard for professional audio, and that's what's happening inside the n8 and n12 chassis. The extraordinary Sweet Spot Morphing Compressors, channel equalizers, and Rev-X reverb processor are all made possible by state-of-the-art Yamaha digital technology too.

A streamlined installer makes installing the CUBASE AI software on your Macintosh or Windows PC quick and easy. Once the software has been installed all you need to do is connect the n8 or n12 mixer to your computer's IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port via a single cable and you're ready to record! When you do sit down to start work, Cubase gives you a selection of predefined project templates for the n8 and n12 from which to choose. The templates make most of the time-consuming initial settings for you, so you can get down to the business of making music while you and your ideas are still fresh.

The n-series consoles and CUBASE software are so nicely integrated that most of the control you'll need while recording is available right from the console. You have track selection capability as well as full transport control including record arming, cycling and marker placement/location. A monitor remote switch lets you process the input channel and record bus signals with reverb and VST effects supplied by the software, and WET switches make it simple to set up wet monitoring while recording. There's even a remote on/off switch for the software's click (metronome) function. It's all right at your fingertips.

It depends on the artist, but many would rather monitor themselves with effects such as the excellent VST distortion, phaser and other effects provided with the Cubase software (otherwise known as “wet" monitoring). It's much easier to play with feeling if you can hear the sound of your voice or instrument pretty much as it will sound when recorded, and this is particularly important for instruments such as guitar or keyboards that are often recorded direct to the console. Setting up for wet monitoring can be tricky and tedious with standard consoles and software, but the n8 and n12 have dedicated switches that let you monitor dry or wet with the VST effects provided by the DAW software applied to any specified track. Where you'd normally have to interrupt the creative flow to make the required connections and settings, the n-series mixers let you keep the music happening. Just one more “n-factor" that can contribute to inspired performances.

The n8/n12 enables you to select the output destination of CUBASE audio tracks using just one switch. This destination setting is called "Work mode." The n8 provides two Work mode options (ST MIX and HARDWARE MIX), and the n12 provides three Work mode options (ST MIX, HARDWARE MIX, 5.1 MIX). You can change the Work mode setting at any time as appropriate for your situation. For example, you can select ST MIX for recording, then change to HARDWARE MIX for mixdown. All WORK MODE switches turn off immediately after the mixer is connected to CUBASE. When you press one of the switches to select a desired Work mode, the corresponding output destination is selected in CUBASE, and the switch LED lights up. The following paragraphs describe each Work mode.

The n8 and n12 link seamlessly to CUBASE DAW software, providing extensive mixer/software synchronization that offers unmatched power and efficiency for recording and mixdown. Some of the synchronized control capabilities are: • CUBASE® READY LED • Transport Control / Track Selection / Click Remote • Work Mode Selection • Dry or Wet Monitoring • Project Templates for the n8 and n12

Two templates are provided for the n8 and two for the n12, each including pre-programmed audio I/O and other settings. For production situations you can simply select a template and start recording. The Multi Channel Recording templates assign the console's channels to the CUBASE tracks on a one-to-one basis, while the Stereo Recording template assigns the console's REC bus signals to the appropriate CUBASE tracks.