The elysia karacter qube Dual-Channel Analog Desktop Saturator is a deceptively flexible and unique stereo saturator designed to elevate your mixing and mastering sessions to a new level of creativity. Featuring numerous functions that will make professional and prosumer engineers do a double take, the karacter qube comes with easy-to-program signal coloration ranging from subtle saturation to utter destruction, stepped pots with 41-steps each, and discrete Class-A electronics just to name a few.

Signals can be processed as either separate mono channels or one stereo channel, while the integrated M/S matrix allows the karacter qube to process the middle and sides of a stereo signal separately, imparting thick color to the center while leaving the sides of the stereo field intact, or the other way around and anything in between. The convenient qube enclosure combines a 500 series karacter rack unit with the form factor of a desktop chassis, providing versatility and a compact frame for the traveling engineer or those with limited space. Whether looking for a powerful and portable desktop processor to color your mixes or something truly different from the norm, the elysia karacter qube provides saturation galore.

Dual-Channel Saturator with Stereo Link    Integrated M/S Matrix    Saturation to Destruction with Ease    Color Filter for THD Shifting    Discrete Class-A Topology    Stepped Pots with Instant Recall    Ground Shield PCB Layer    qube Form Factor for Desktop Use    Includes 18 VDC Power Supply    Handcrafted in Germany

What happens when you combine one of elysia's 500 series rack units with a convenient and portable desktop chassis? You get the qube series, designed for maximum flexibility and made for the modern, traveling engineer. The qube enclosure is made of durable aluminum and easily transportable, weighing in at only around 3.3 lb. Not only does the qube design come with all the guts of the karacter 500 saturator, it also features enhanced I/O, including two extra 1/4" TRS inputs and two extra 1/4" TRS outputs, as well as an included 18 VDC power supply for minimal circuit interference. qube units can even be stacked, ensuring minimal usage of precious surface real estate.

The karacter qube features high-quality, Class-A topology for its discrete electronics, resulting in minimal distortion and zero turn-on time. This provides a very low noise floor and ensures high-quality sound, even when massive distortion is applied to the signal. The unit's PCB even comes with a special sixth layer dedicated to acting as a ground shield, avoiding any unwanted noise interference. Every unit is rigorously tested and calibrated to the highest standard using in-house, computer-aided testing devices, and custom tools.

At the heart of the karacter qube are a series of circuits designed to add color to your signal through separate saturation, distortion, and destruction functions. The saturation circuit adds unobtrusive thickness and coloration to your music through the application of symmetrical clipping on the uneven harmonics. By switching on the FET shred button (indicated by an LED light), the clipping changes to an asymmetrical scheme, which imparts musical, tube-style drive to the even harmonics. To take things further, simply press the turbo boost button and the distortion circuitry will shift its operating point resulting in an even more asymmetrical signal structure. This setting is great for truly mangled samples, industrial-style distortion, and brutal guitar sounds.

With dedicated left and right XLR inputs and outputs, the karacter qube is able to operate either as two mono processors or linked for a true stereo device, making it as comfortable processing a single track as it is for an entire mix. Two extra 1/4" inputs and outputs are also offered for extra routing options. A unique M/S matrix is also available in both mono and stereo link modes, allowing for a completely internal reproduction of stereo microphoning. A dedicated M/S encoder and decoder allow you to process the "sides" and "middle" of a stereo signal separately, creating interesting opportunities such as applying high saturation to the middle while leaving the sides completely untouched, or the other way around and anything else in between.

The karacter qube features four stepped potentiometers per channel (drive, color, gain, wet/dry mix) with 41-steps each and the ability to easily recall precise settings instantly. These professional-quality pots are complemented by four push buttons per channel, which allow for channel activation/hardwire bypass, FET shred mode (distortion), turbo boost (destruction), and stereo link respectively.

Rather than adding a common roll-off filter, elysia chose to add a unique, complex filter network controlled by a single knob. This color filter is more flexible and deeply integrated into the saturation circuits than many other processors, and alters the essential THD generation rather than changing the frequency response. This provides a wide range of coloring options and several useful sweet spots ranging from dubby growl to steely punch.

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Can you recommend a PoE injector to use with this adapter?

A: The Audinate Dante AVIO 1-Channel Analog Input Adapter for Dante Audio Network (BH # AUADPDAIAU1) may be powered by the TP-Link TL-POE150S Power Over Ethernet Injector B&H # TPTLPOE150S: https://bhpho.to/3NQ8lon.

Q: 2. Does Mackie have a multitrack application for Mac/PC?

A: Yes the Mackie Onyx24 will do that via USB.

Q: 3. Does the USB in this mixer allow for recording direct digital to a DAW, or is the output purely analog?

A: thank you for your question. You are able to use the USB output as a direct recording out to a DAW and also as an audio input into the console. The USB output will only be a 2 channel mix and not multitrack.

Q: 4. How many rack spaces does it take?

A: The Mackie Onyx12 Mixer requires 8 rack spaces.

Q: 5. Can the input version and output version of these units be used together as a standalone 2 channel dante system?

A: Yes you can, however you would need a switch as well.

Q: 6. The specs on B&H's page say the Onyx8 has only 2 mic preamps... but I see four; two mix-only and two 'combo'. Is that a mistake, where it says there are only two mic preamps? Or if not, could you explain? Thanks.

A: Per Mackie: Mackie Onyx8 8-channel Analog Mixer with Multi-track USB Features: 4 award-winning Onyx mic preamps Analog circuitry delivers premium-quality sound with minimum noise Analog/USB channel strips with flexible routing Studio-grade effects with user customization options 3-band Perkins EQ with On/Off hard bypass switches Switchable hi-Z inputs for guitars, bass, and other instruments 100Hz low-cut filter and 48V phantom power on all mic channels High-resolution 24-bit/96kHz multi-track recording to Mac/PC via USB Full-color display and single-knob interface Dedicated buttons for Previous, Next, Record, and Play/Pause Bluetooth streaming capabilities

Q: 7. Does this unit support interlaced formats? (1080i)

A: No, the Datavideo DAC-91 2-Channel SDI Analog Audio Embedder can only see progressive signal video.

Q: 8. Is it conceivable (technologically) that Mackie could do a firmware upgrade on the Onyx8 to allow 8-track recording to the SD card? That seems to be the strongest limitation here.

A: Anything is possible. But there have been no announcements regarding this to date.

Q: 9. I have three, independent stereo systems in my home, and ethernet ports near each of them. Can I use this equipment so I can play the same music on each of these systems at the same time? I.e. output from one system and input to the other two systems, using each separate pre-amp/power amp (or receiver) to power each separate pair of speakers?

A: No because the Audinate Dante AVIO 2-Channel Analog Input Adapter for Dante Audio Network is only compatible with other devices that have Dante connectivity.

Q: 10. 1.) Would this work well to use as a line mixer to bring synths into DAW interface? Is this mixer quiet, both in audio path as well as in a control room (i.e.: fan noise)?

A: This is an excellent low-noise analog mixer very suitable for your proposed application with synths.