You don't need to be born between late March and late April, or even be an Astrologer, to see a future for this contender in the 8-track market.

The name Aries is a new one in the world of small mixers. Built into a sturdy metal casing, it appears to have separate and removable modules for the various sections but this is an illusion, since it is the panel design and paintwork that gives this impression. It's very neatly designed with the panel area and meter bridge attractively finished in mid-grey with dark grey side panels, the coloured caps of the rotary controls providing a pleasant visual contrast and the white lettering easy to read.

The power supply is housed in a separate unit, an essential feature if low noise performance is to be achieved. However the review unit's power supply exhibited a degree of transformer hum which would be obtrusive in a control room environment. It's only an acoustic phenomenon and appeared not to affect the electronic performance of the desk, but perhaps later production units might feature a toroidal transformer to minimise this problem. Connection to the desk is via a locking XLR connector.

Microphone and signal leads are connected via the rear panel of the desk with the exception of the talkback mic, for which there is an XLR socket on the front panel, and the headphone outlet socket next to it.

Input Channels

The ten mic inputs are via locking XLR sockets and are electronically balanced. The wiring is pin 1 screen, pin 2 cold (-), pin 3 hot (+) and so is the reverse of what has begun to become an accepted convention of pin 2 hot (+) and pin 3 cold (-). I have no desire to enter the debate of standardisation that has appeared elsewhere and so let's move on to the phantom powering (48V) which is available on all mic inputs, but is surprisingly not individually selectable for each channel. Mention is made in the manual of exercising caution due to the potential damage to unbalanced mics (those with a single centre core cable) or direct injection boxes, and I cannot understand why an additional switch wasn't fitted to each channel for the phantom power to allow greater flexibility.

"...the review unit's power supply exhibited a degree of transformer hum which would be obtrusive in a control room environment."

A -20dB mic attenuation pad is switchable via push button and allows any excessively high signal levels to be reduced, thus avoiding overloading the input stage. Another button selects either mic or line input, the line level signals being normalised for 'tape' returns via ¼" jack sockets on channels 1 to 8. The insertion of a jack into the 'line' socket interrupts this. The rotary gain control adjusts mic gain over the range +20dB to +60dB and the line gain -10dB to +30dB.

The EQ section is a strong point of the Aries. It is well designed and operates cleanly. Both high and low frequency controls are switchable over two ranges, with mid frequencies being swept by a quasi-parametric system. The shelving on the high section is at 6kHz and 12kHz with a cut or boost variable by 14dB; on the low section shelving is at 60Hz and 120Hz again with ±14dB. The mid range offers the same degree of cut or boost but is continuously variable over the range 350Hz to 7kHz. So although on the face of it there are only three EQ bands, a large amount of control can be exercised over the programme material. Not only is this possible, but you can also tweak the EQ so that your signal sounds superb or even bypass the EQ completely (cut switch). This feature has several uses, not least of which is tuning the EQ in accordance with a producer's desires when in fact you've bypassed the EQ section altogether! (so you do that too — Ed?) More seriously, if you have a signal that sounds great without EQ, bypassing the EQ section avoids the slight signal degradation induced by unnecessary additional circuitry.

For a small console the Aries generously offers three Aux sends. Aux 1 is derived pre-fade (signal unaffected by channel fader setting) and useful for a foldback mix to musicians; Aux 2 is post-fade and so ideal for effect send and Aux 3 is switchable pre- or post-fade. The panpot operates in conjunction with the channel assignment buttons which selects groups 1 and 2, 3 and 4 or L and R. In normal use L and R would be selected at the mixdown stage in conjunction with the selection of line (tape) inputs, the other assignments general being used during multitrack laying. The fourth button in the series is a PFL (pre-fade listen) facility and allows individual channel listening by automatically switching the other channels out of the monitoring chain. A peak reading LED, which operates at 4dB before clipping commences, monitors the signals in the channel before the fader which itself has a pleasantly smooth action. A final feature of each input channel is a post EQ insert point which is useful for the connection of signal processors unique to an individual channel, and not being treated via the Aux sends.

"The headphone outlet would be better placed on the vertical facing edge of the desk, since a chord draped across the pots and faders can not only affect the settings but possibly cause strangulation of the engineer..."

Group Channels

Each group has an insert point for patching in treatment of the complete channel (such as a compressor), a PFL facility and a group fader controlling the group's output which is available on XLR sockets. The same signal is fed in parallel to the monitor channel inputs, and visually displayed on one of four VU meters in the bridge. The main outputs would normally be connected direct to an 8-track's inputs in parallel pairs (1 and 5, 2 and 6 and so on) saving on the relative luxury of 8 groups, on panel space and on electronics. Track selection is made directly on the tape machine. If you find this limiting in some way, perhaps a larger desk should be considered, with more input channels, but if working 8-track it will be a rare session that demands more than 4-tracks laid together.

Monitor Channels

The eight monitor channels either derive their inputs from the groups in parallel (1 and 5 receiving group 1 etc) or from the individual tape returns. The gain of each channel is controlled by rotary pot and has sends to the Aux 1 and Aux 2 busses. Aux 1 is sent before the gain control and Aux 2 is post-gain. The outputs of each have a panpot and are dedicated to the stereo buss. Consequently a comprehensive foldback mix for overdubs can be set up easily.

"I found the degree of routing flexibility on such a relatively small mixer excellent."

Stereo Sections

The send level to each of the three auxiliary busses has master level pots, each of which has an AFL (After Fade Listen) select button, permitting the control room monitoring of either a foldback mix or levels to outboard units. The aux return section is comprehensive, the left and right channels each having an Aux 1 and 2 level control, the mix of which has its own level pot. Another rotary control allows panning of the Aux returns between the assigned channels which, in the same way as the input channels, are selectable 1 -2,3 -4, L-R and PFL by latching button.

The main stereo output channels each have insert points to enable you to patch in some of those wonderful studio toys to treat the complete mix signals for mastering, and output level is set by a pair of faders and tape outputs on XLR sockets.

There's an independent level control for headphones and one for the control room monitor amplifier, the programme being selected by the ubiquitous latching buttons. Choosing PFL allows any of the other PFL selections on the desk to be soloed whilst muting all other signals, the PFL signal being monitored on the remaining two VU meters in the bridge.

An LED indicates whether any PFL or AFL button is latched: a useful item during a hectic session when incorrect routing has you wondering where the fault may be. The monitored signal can be selected as mono, stereo from tape (playback from mastering machine) or stereo mix.

Finally there's the talkback section, which permits you to talk to the Aux 1 buss, a lonely experience unless it's also the buss used for the studio foldback (joke). The main output to the monitor section is muted when the talk button is pushed, thus avoiding feedback, the talkback mic level can be adjusted, and a slate facility routes the talkback to the group outputs.

"The EQ section is much better than found on other desks in the area of the market in which the Aries will compete."

Summary

There are some items that would benefit from change, and since I understand that the folks at Goutam Electronic Products, who make the Aries, have previous experience with the building of Soundcraft and TAC consoles they may already have improvements in mind. Rather than a single button selecting the phantom powering on all inputs together I think the small additional cost of having a phantom power switch on each input channel would be offset by greater flexibility and remove the threat of potential damage to some microphones. The headphone outlet would be better placed on the vertical facing edge of the desk, since a chord draped across the pots and faders - can not only affect the settings but possibly cause strangulation of the engineer (a positive benefit in some instances). My final criticism is more a question of taste, but mixing desks sell on looks as well as facilities, and I wonder whether there is a former naval designer at work here. The meter bridge appears to have been added as an afterthought and in combination with the battleship grey paintwork could be conceived as a bridge on a ship... great if you're from Portsmouth. Seriously, why should it have the gap underneath? It mars an otherwise attractive front panel.

More positively, I found the degree of routing flexibility on such a relatively small mixer excellent. The EQ section is much better than found on other desks in the area of the market in which the Aries will compete. It is good sounding, a very subjective quality which is much argued about but an important criterion on which desks are judged. To my ears it is cleaner and more agreeable than some more expensive (and larger!) desks. Apart from the acoustic hum emanating from the power supply, the Aries is very quiet in operation and would acquit itself well in a small audio visual or demo studio and at its price (£1068 including VAT) is worth serious consideration. Operating level is +4dB (ie. professional standard) and can be supplied in -10dBv options.

The Aries mixer comes in several versions. The 10:4:8 model reviewed here, costs £1068, the 16:8:16 costs £1723 and the 24:8:16, £2442. All prices include VAT.

Further information on the Aries mixer can be obtained from: MTR, (Contact Details).