I’m still working on a smaller and more portable setup that I can put in a corner of the living room.
Nothing too complicated, just something I can use to work out small ideas, experiment with patches, or figure out new modules before they find a place in my main system.
So when KORG announced the NTS-4 Performance Mixer Kit in July of this year, it immediately caught my attention.
So when KORG announced the NTS-4 Performance Mixer Kit in July of this year, it immediately caught my attention.
It's a compact analog performance mixer, designed for setups using things like the volca series, NTS instruments, Eurorack modular gear and desktop synths.
And that was pretty much what I was looking for...
And that was pretty much what I was looking for...
I was too late for the first batch, but ToneControl in Haarlem had put me on the waiting-list and they shipped it (sooner than I expected!) last week.The NTS-4 is designed as a kit, and putting it together was surprisingly easy. No soldering required. In my case, it took me less than half an hour.
The small but robust Performance Mixer has six channels: two mono inputs and four stereo inputs, all using mini-jacks, and can handle up to 10 audio signals, which is quite a lot for such a small mixer.
Each channel has its own CUE and MUTE button, which is especially useful when experimenting with different sounds. There are also dedicated stereo SEND and RETURN connections if you want to use an external effects unit. The main left and right outputs are standard unbalanced ¼” jacks.
But the built-in effects are probably the most interesting part for me.
Every channel has its own SEND FX control, with seven effects to choose from: delay, ping-pong delay, two hall reverbs, two slap reverbs and chorus.
There is also a second effects engine on the main output. The TOTAL FX section has ten options, including low-pass and high-pass filters, isolator, flanger, phaser, decimator, drive, distortion, compressor and limiter.
So you actually have two independent stereo effect engines running at the same time.
Each channel has its own CUE and MUTE button, which is especially useful when experimenting with different sounds. There are also dedicated stereo SEND and RETURN connections if you want to use an external effects unit. The main left and right outputs are standard unbalanced ¼” jacks.
But the built-in effects are probably the most interesting part for me.
Every channel has its own SEND FX control, with seven effects to choose from: delay, ping-pong delay, two hall reverbs, two slap reverbs and chorus.
There is also a second effects engine on the main output. The TOTAL FX section has ten options, including low-pass and high-pass filters, isolator, flanger, phaser, decimator, drive, distortion, compressor and limiter.
So you actually have two independent stereo effect engines running at the same time.
SEND FX adds some space or depth to individual channels, while the TOTAL FX can be used to shape the complete mix.
Another nice feature is the USB-C connection that can handle both power and audio, with 48 kHz / 24-bit audio to a Mac, PC or mobile device.That means I can also record a performance directly to my phone, stream a live set, or use the NTS-4 as part of a computer-based setup. There is even a dedicated MIDI OUT connection for sending MIDI from my DAW to other hardware.
And you know you can never have enough extra MIDI outputs....
For my little living-room setup, that combination of small size, multiple inputs, effects and USB audio makes a lot of sense.
I don't need a huge mixer sitting there permanently. For my little living-room setup, that combination of small size, multiple inputs, effects and USB audio makes a lot of sense.
I just want to be able to connect a few pieces of gear, switch things around and start making sounds.
And that is exactly what I’m hoping to do with the NTS-4.
For more information about the NTS-4, visit KORG NTS-4.
And that is exactly what I’m hoping to do with the NTS-4.
For more information about the NTS-4, visit KORG NTS-4.
