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

Teenage Engineering, the corporate behind ultra-stylish synthesizers, audio system, and PC circumstances, has launched a brand new audio gadget: it’s referred to as the TX-6, and it’s a tiny (in measurement, not value) area mixer completely festooned with knobs. Along with letting you combine collectively sound from six stereo inputs and output them to a pc, speaker, or each, in true Teenage Engineering style, the TX-6 may also act as a fundamental synthesizer, drum sequencer, and USB-C audio interface.

We gotta speak about these knobs first although. By default they act as controls for a three-band equalizer, letting you tweak the highs, mids, and lows for every enter. However a peek at Teenage Engineering’s information reveals the tons of different issues you are able to do with them, from controlling compressor settings to adjusting pan or observe size. No matter you utilize them for, you’ll be doing it in model; the knobs are colourful and knurled on the high, which ought to enable you grip one thing that’s in any other case roughly the scale of a giant Q-Tip.

Picture: Teenage Engineering

For those who can tear your eyes away from the knobs, the remainder of the controls are additionally completely mint. You’ve bought fader sliders (that are arguably extra vital than the knobs as a result of they really allow you to combine), a bevy of buttons, in addition to a combo button / knob for navigating menus — be nonetheless my coronary heart. There are additionally LED quantity meters, with controllable brightness.

Picture: Teenage Engineering

By way of I/O, the TX-6 has these six audio jacks for enter (Apple might by no means), and three output jacks; two are 3.5 mm for aux and cue out, and the principle output is 6.35 mm, or a quarter-inch. It’s additionally bought a built-in battery, which Teenage Engineering says is nice for round eight hours of use, and fees by way of the USB-C port that additionally handles connecting the TX-6 to your machine. That may be a pc or an iPhone / iPad, when you’ve bought an applicable cable or adapter. Once more, all of this, plus these scrumptious knobs, are packed into one thing that has a completely tiny package deal.

Picture: Teenage Engineering

By the way in which, sure I can hear everything of the UK snickering that I’m as soon as once more speaking about my love of knobs. You don’t must remark about it, my sides nonetheless harm from studying all of the jokes on the final article. However come on, simply take a look at them.

After all, I don’t wish to sleep on the opposite components of this design — it’s bought a CNC aluminum body, an lovely little display to indicate you menus, and synthetic leather-based backing. To me, it seems to be a bit of like an old-school Sony machine, however taken up a notch.

Hey, truly, Teenage Engineering says the knobs are customizable. I’m certain there’s some parameter you may management with them that goes to 11…

Picture: Teenage Engineering

Talking of going previous the higher restrict, let’s speak concerning the value. The TX-6 prices — deep breath now — $1,199. That’s for the precise unit itself, together with a 3.5 mm adapter for the principle output, and a USB-C cable. Further cables, like a 3.5 mm to RCA or dual-TS adapter, will price an affordable $10 or $15.

Whereas that value is nearly unbelievable, I struggled to think about some other units just like the TX-6. The $150 Yamaha MG06X is compact, but it surely’d be onerous to name it small, and it actually doesn’t look as cool, in my view. The $350 Zoom H6 may be configured to have the identical variety of inputs, but it surely’s considerably bulkier and is nowhere close to as feature-rich because the TX-6. Plus, whilst you might use it as a mixer, it’s positively extra of a area recorder. The Mackie MCaster Stay is even cheaper at $230 and appears to be the same measurement, but it surely doesn’t have a battery and solely has 4 inputs (although considered one of them is XLR, which might turn out to be useful if you wish to plug in a microphone).

Whereas it being in a league of its personal might or might not justify its value, the TX-6’s value might be going to show away a whole lot of DJ wannabes or music making casuals like me — although it does depend a “DJ mode” amongst its many further options. But when I’m completely trustworthy with myself, I’d most likely spend an embarrassing amount of cash to play with one for a day, simply so I might really feel these candy, candy knobs (once more, I actually shouldn’t be posting this simply because the UK is waking up).

The TX-6 is accessible on Teenage Engineering’s web site.