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

Teenage Engineering, the company behind ultra-chic mixAnd AmplifiersAnd computer cases, released a new audio instrument: called the TX-6, a small field mixer (in size, not price) perfectly adorned with knobs. In addition to allowing you to mix audio together from six stereo inputs and output them to a computer, amplifier, or both, in true teen engineering, the TX-6 can also serve as a primary synthesizer, drum sequencerUSB-C audio interface.

We should talk about those knobs first. They act by default as controls in a 3-band equalizer, allowing you to adjust the highs, mids, and lows of each input. But peek at Teen Engineering Handbook It reveals plenty of other things you can do with them, from controlling compressor settings to adjusting the length of your pan or note. Whatever you use it for, you’ll do it for it pattern; The handles are colored and knurled on the top, which helps you grip something that’s roughly the size of a large Q-Tip.

If you can tear your eyes away from the handles, the rest of the controls are also totally mint. You have dimmer sliders (arguably more important than knobs because they really let you mix up), a bunch of buttons, plus a combo button/knob for navigating the menus – still my heart. There are also LED volume meters, with controllable brightness.

Photo: Teen Engineering

In terms of I/O, the TX-6 has six audio input jacks (Apple never could) and three output jacks; Two 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 says is good for about eight hours of use, and charges 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: Teen Engineering

By the way, yes I can hear the laughter of the entire UK Once again talking about my love for knobs. I don’t need to comment on that, I’m still in pain reading all the jokes in the last article. But come on, just look at them.

Of course, I don’t want to sleep on 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-fashioned Sony, but it’s a bit occupied.

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

Photo: Teen Engineering

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

While that price is almost unbelievable, I struggled to think of any other hardware like the TX-6. $150 Yamaha MG06X Compact, but it would be hard to name it smallAnd it certainly doesn’t look great, in my opinion. 350 dollars H6 . Zoom It can be configured to have the same number of inputs, but it’s much larger in size and not as feature-rich as the TX-6. Plus, 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 looks similar in size, but it doesn’t have a battery 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 alienate a lot of casual DJ or music-making aficionados like myself – although it counts “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 one for a day, just so I can feel those sweet, sweet handles (again, I shouldn’t just post this where the UK wakes up).

TX-6 is available in Teenage Engineering website.