One of the first things that struck me upon opening up the box for this desk was how much more strikingly appealing it is in reality than in the photographs. I think the fault lies in the inability of most equipment 'portrait' shots to convey a proper sense of scale, for this mixer is actually quite diminutive, considering how much it offers, and therein perhaps lies the explanation — the tiny control knobs, densely packed into a shortish channel strip, give the Fostex 2412 the look of a 'big' console which has been shrunk!

The idea that this is 'cute' lasts right up until the moment you find that you can't easily get average-sized fingers round some of the controls. In mitigation, it must be said that there is a reasonable amount of space between adjacent channels to make the most of what access there is, and eventually you simply become used to approaching from just the right angle. Tiny front-panel legending and the almost sombre colour-scheme (all the switches are black), doubtless contribute towards achieving an austere, 'professional' look.

12-GROUP DESIGN

The Fostex Model 2412 is a 12-group multitrack recording desk, aimed at the 1/2" 16-track and 1" 24-track markets. As is becoming increasingly popular in this sector, it employs a hybrid configuration, with group faders set out to the right, and an in-line tape-monitor section within the channel strip. With semi-pro multitracks invariably incorporating an input paralleling facility, the restriction to 12 groups is not much of a limitation, but the groups cannot easily be supplemented by taking direct outputs from the insert sends, for the insert points are pre-EQ on the 2412. The monitor section is, naturally, available as an additional line input during mixdown, and its location within the channel makes it possible for it to share in the EQ and aux send facilities. Thus, the nominal 24-input design can effectively offer 48 mixing channels, plus a generous allocation of dedicated FX returns — impressive indeed in such compact dimensions.

There is a powerful integral MIDI muting system, and some deliciously smooth conductive rubber-roller faders, which give the desk a very pleasant, 'quality' feel, in use.

CONSTRUCTION

The 2412 has a slightly wedge-shaped profile, placing the control surface at a more convenient angle for the operator. All the metering is housed in a separate meter pod which projects from the surface at a steeper angle in the top right-hand corner. Metering is by way of 12-segment LED columns; there is one for each group, and a pair for master left and right, with a peak-reading ballistic, conveniently corresponding to the characteristic of most semi-pro multitracks.

The really unexpected feature of the 2412 is that it is truly modular on the input side. The big advantage of modularity is that you can keep a spare module or two to substitute for any that are giving you problems. The faulty module can then be serviced without the entire desk being out of action. Having said this, I doubt whether many semi-pro operators will actually buy spare modules to take advantage of this, but one can hardly complain about the facility being there!

The other side of the modularity coin is that it places a premium upon construction quality; everything must fit together properly, and both frame and modules must be sufficiently rigid to survive without one another. The review model did not fare particularly well in this area — input module 24 and the sub/master section adjacent to it sat at significantly different levels in the centre of the strip. One (or both) of them was bent, which does not bode well for long-term structural stability. Also, comparatively light pressure at some points within the module was sufficient to produce an alarming amount of deflection. The 2412 is not a lightweight console overall, so nothing of significance has been achieved by using such a light-gauge material for the module chassis. Frame extension, to expand the console to a larger format (another potential advantage of modularity), does not appear to be possible.

A basic armrest and channel ident-strip is provided beneath the faders, whilst at the other end of the console, all connectors are mounted on the vertical face of the rear panel. XLRs are used for the electronically balanced mic inputs, with 1/4" jacks (also balanced, hence stereo jacks) for all line-level sends and inputs, including the master outputs — a very sensible and convenient choice for most operators at this level of the market.

You can choose whether to operate groups at either +4dBu or, more likely, the semi-pro 'standard' of -10dBV. The main stereo output remains fixed at +4dBu, however. Gains for both A and B inputs have sufficient range to operate with tape returns at either nominal level; individual overload LEDs help with level optimisation.

Tip-send, ring-return insert points are provided on literally everything — groups, masters, channels, and, unusually, on the monitors as well, which goes a long way towards making them 'proper channels' when mixing. Full marks for that. Although the headphone jack is also mounted on this rear panel, there is a more conveniently placed duplicate on the side of the meter pod for temporary control room connection. MIDI In, Out, and Thru sockets, to optionally interface the onboard MIDI muting system with an external sequencer, complete the connection facilities.

A free-standing external power supply is used, connecting via a substantial locking multi-pin connector. Phantom power at 48V DC for the mic inputs is switchable in banks of eight — a lot better than no switching at all, but still a compromise on a console in this price range; would it really have cost significantly more to have incorporated individual switching?

THE CHANNEL

In the normal in-line tradition, there are two entirely separate signal paths within the input module: the main, 'channel' path, and the monitor path. On the Fostex these are designated Line A and Line B, which probably helps to avoid confusion when functions are swapped, particularly if you are new to in-lines. The Line A path is switchable to either mic or line sensitivity, and has a conventionally wide-ranging Gain control, whereas Line Bs have a centre-detented (at unity gain) pot with less range. Normally, the 'live' mic or line signal would feed the 'A's during recording, while the tape returns are monitored via the 'B's. On mixdown, the tape signal can be redirected to the main channel facilities, via the 'A' route, with the 'B's available for additional sources such as synced MIDI gear.

Monitor facilities at first appear quite basic, with just a pan and a rotary level control, supplemented by three sends. However, the EQ is laid out in two sections (two wide-ranging mids, and a fixed HF and LF), and can be split — each stage can be assigned to either signal path. This is a subtle variation on the split-EQ design theme; normally only the fixed-frequency shelving stages are transferable. The choice is actually very valuable, and I am sure we will see other manufacturers who use this configuration following suit.

EQUALISATION

The EQ's fixed LF and HF operate at 45Hz and 11kHz respectively, offering an ample 15dB of cut or boost. Usually these would have been 100Hz and 10kHz; I approve of the departure, in both directions, but personally I would have preferred 60Hz (there surely isn't much creative shaping you can do via shelving at 45Hz?), and perhaps 12kHz at the top end. No major quibble though; it works well enough.

The two mids obviously need a sufficiently wide sweep to be able to operate on their own when the other stage is assigned elsewhere. Lo Mid is a peaking/notching filter, covering the range from 60Hz to 2kHz (I think I would rather have had a lower limit of 45Hz, given the choice), with the other stage covering 1 kHz to 16kHz. All EQ gain stages are centre-detented, but there is no EQ bypass switching for either stage — a woeful omission, in my view. In use, the EQ sounds perfectly fine, but there is something about using very small controls that seems to tempt you (or at least me) into over-use — perhaps it is the subconscious thought that such a tiny amount of rotation cannot have a significant audible effect. With both stages in the same signal path, EQ facilities are quite comprehensive enough for most basic recording tasks, although the compromise Q (bandwidth) on the mids places a limit on selectivity.

AUXILIARIES

A total of six aux sends are divided up between the A and B signal paths. The monitor (B) section is allocated the pre-fader 'FB1' (foldback), and two post-fade sends, 'A1' and 'A2', whilst the main channel has a second foldback 'FB2', and post-fade auxs 'A3' and 'A4'. One aux send from each path (A2 and A4) is also stereo, derived postpan control — this is not actually as flexible as having a dedicated aux pan, which allows the stereo aux to be split into two monos when necessary; under this design's configuration, the position of the main, or monitor, pan for mixing will seldom match the requirement for splitting the busses. The aux sends are complemented by six dedicated aux returns, all mono, each with a routing matrix, plus pan and level controls. The returns also have a pair of sends to additional auxiliary busses; a post-fade, designated 'A5', and a pre-fade, designated 'FB3'. This seems a curious configuration; why a separate post-fade bus? If you were using it for echo spins it would need to feed the source aux, and if you were using it for compound effects, would it not be better off pre-fade so that you could, if necessary, remove a return from the stereo bus altogether, whilst still feeding it to another effect via the aux? I asked Fostex about that one, but nobody got back to me with an answer before the review deadline.

It may not also be initially obvious to some users how you are intended to configure the foldback arrangements. Although the three foldback sends appear as separate outputs on the rear panel, they can only be internally combined via the cans output — foldback with effects obviously requires FB3 (the send from the aux returns) to be mixed with either, or both, of the other foldback busses. Using the cans output to feed a power amp for multi-headphone distribution seems to work fine, but there is something of a compromise involved, with the circuit's level control also being the control room headphone volume control — I presume this is the configuration envisaged, with the rear-panel cans output feeding the performers' foldback system, whilst the desk operator uses the duplicate on the side of the meter-pod to feed his headphones directly.

"Fostex's new 2412 desk certainly does not disappoint in use. Noise, crosstalk, and headroom were fairly typical for mixers in this sector of the market, and the main design emphasis appears to have been on providing plenty of facilities within the compact housing."

Foldback sends are all pre-EQ and pre-mute element; the most common fixed configuration, I admit, but I still can't see why — surely, if you are doing something useful with mutes or EQ, the performer will want to hear it that way too?

Input module facilities are completed by the pan control, the super-smooth long-throw (100mm) fader, and the routing matrix that lies alongside it. I don't think anybody would actually adopt this layout from preference, but in a desk with such a short front-to-back dimension, it becomes almost inevitable. Alongside are the Solo and Mute switches. As the mute element can be remotely operated by the MIDI muting system, it naturally uses a non-latching switch, with a tri-colour LED to indicate status. Unusually, there are no indicators on the individual solos, merely a bank of five LEDs in the master section, to tell you broadly which section of the desk to look in, ie. 'A Inputs', or 'Aux Returns'.

The routing matrix feeds the 12 group faders, placed to the right of the desk, with the small master section creating a natural divide in the console. Apart from Group Solo, the only additional facility is Group-to-Left/Right assignment, which brings a pan pot into action. This would obviously be used for conventional audio subgrouping when mixing, ie. routing related channels not directly to the mix bus, but to pairs of groups, which then feed the mix bus. This could enable, say, a whole drum kit to be taken up and down on two faders, rather than perhaps eight. Interestingly, this assignment switch is also a non-latching type which can be remotely controlled as part of the muting system.

MASTER FACILITIES

The master section is divided into two modules, with the ganged stereo master left/right fader at the base of one, and another stereo master fader for the monitor/sub-mix created from the B inputs, at the base of the other. The sub-mix can be soloed, or switched into the stereo bus (the configuration for use as additional mixing inputs), when it is not functioning as a monitor mixer. There is also a level control for a dedicated stereo effect-return which feeds the monitor/sub-mix bus only.

The five aux bus masters, located here, are provided with AFL switching, giving post-level control isolated monitoring via the stereo solo bus. The masters for the three foldback sends have the same facility, plus the additional cans switch, which enables a headphone mix to be derived from any or all of the FB busses. The foldback submix will be over-ridden, however, by selecting the Mon (Monitor) switch. This feeds the currently-selected control room source into the headphone feed instead. The rather ungenerous allocation of a single 2-track return can be selected as the main alternative to the stereo buss. An integral flush-mounted, electret talkback mic is included, with level control, and momentary switches for talk-to-cans and talk-to-tape. Apart from basic functions such as Solo bus level, and master CR monitor level, the primary area of activity in the centre section will probably be the MIDI muting system.

MIDI MUTING

The MIDI muting system works on two levels, as usual, either by storing and recalling snapshots under manual control, or by transmitting and receiving real-time individual mute data via an external MIDI sequencer. Snapshot operation really couldn't be more straightforward, with four Scene memories — A, B, C, and D — available via dedicated switches. Pressing Store followed by a Scene switch assigns the present mute set-up across the whole desk to that memory. Pressing a Scene switch without either Store or Preview selected recalls the set-up. The Preview function allows stored mute set-ups to be examined without actually recalling them; pressing a scene switch after activating Preview displays channels which will be muted under that scene via a green LED. Currently active mutes remain red, and any combinations of Preview-muted and actually muted, show as amber. Naturally, the mute set-up can be changed in Preview, and then stored to update the memorised scene, without affecting the current status of channels. The snapshot side of the mute system is, therefore, entirely self-contained and you can use it without having to worry about MIDI, or using a sequencer.

REAL-TIME MUTE OPERATION

With a MIDI recording device (sequencer) as part of your set-up, the possibilities of the MIDI muting section are considerably extended. You can still use the snapshot scenes if you like; they can simply be recalled via MIDI patch changes. However, individual mutes will actually transmit their status, as MIDI data, when operated. This data can be recorded, edited if necessary, and then played back to the desk, to produce sophisticated and precise remote control of channel status.

As with most other MIDI muting systems, you get a choice of either note-based operation, or Continuous Controller operation; most people prefer the former for its simplicity when editing, but it is good to have the the latter there as an option in case you find yourself unable to devote an entire channel to the muting system (Continuous Controller data can usually share a channel with data for a voice module, without conflict, by using the undefined controller numbers). As usual, MIDI note numbers define the channels, whilst the velocity byte determines the on/off status of the mute (velocity above 64 for mute-on; below for mute-off, ie. channel On). Thus, you could easily operate the system entirely from your system's master keyboard, if your MIDI set-up does not allow you to connect two sources of MIDI data to its input at the same time. In addition to the channel mutes, the switch that routes the monitor/sub-mix into the mix bus, and the Pan switches (which do the same job for the sub-groups) can also be activated under MIDI control. You don't actually gain anything new by this; it's just easier than muting all the source channels in a group. Personally, I would much rather have dispensed with this in favour of mutes on the aux sends, which are notable by their absence.

Overall, the MIDI side of the system is a curious mixture; things like setting the MIDI channel couldn't be easier — you simply power-up whilst holding down the mute for the desk channel whose number corresponds to the MIDI channel number you want — but switching from Note to Controller operation requires a series of externally generated messages that would probably have all but the hardened MIDI enthusiast running for cover. Unfortunately, the manual is not much help to the inexperienced user; in general, I find manuals are much better these days, but this one still reads as if it could have been written five years ago.

CONCLUSION

Fostex's new 2412 desk certainly does not disappoint in use. Noise, crosstalk, and headroom were fairly typical for mixers in this sector of the market, and the main design emphasis appears to have been on providing plenty of facilities within the compact housing. Mute switching is effectively silent, and EQ range and efficiency, particularly when the equaliser is used as a whole, should be sufficient for most needs. Inter-channel crosstalk is well under control (inter-auxiliary crosstalk seemingly slightly less so, but never approaching significantly damaging levels), and I was quite happy enough with the mic amp performance in close-miked applications.

Every effort seems to have been made to provide the operator with as much flexibility as possible; largely successful though this has been, it also tends to create an impression of unnecessary complexity in some areas of the console; one or two things are just not as obvious as I think they ought to be. The foldback arrangements, with three separate foldback busses ultimately feeding the one cans output, would perhaps be a good example. I can see no particular operational advantage in this; if they ultimately have to be combined to provide a bus that can access all inputs, they might as well be a single bus in the first place. When would you use them separately, given that each FB bus can only be accessed from one section of the desk (A inputs, B inputs, Aux returns)? You certainly couldn't assemble two separate foldback mixes in any way that would be useful in a practical recording situation. The configuration of the FX sends also seems slightly limited, with no arrangement for internal paralleling to conveniently allow an aux from both sets of inputs to feed the same outboard device, and I still can't figure out Aux 5.

On the positive side, a totally transferable EQ (not just one section of it), and certainly insert points on the monitor channels, are probably a first at this level of the market. The MIDI muting works well, and the self-contained snapshot-based system alone could prove immensely valuable for those with no desire to get into external MIDI operation, or for simpler jobs. The desk's configuration, with 24 inputs and, unusually, 12 groups, would tend to indicate that this desk is aimed primarily at the 1" 24-track user — doubtless Fostex would prefer that to be a G24S; it would certainly form an ideal partner for such a machine (the input paralleling of the G24 is actually in two banks of 12, whereas the rest of the world seems to think in eights in this context).

Although the 2412 will undoubtedly be faced with some very stiff competition, it may well win its market share on the basis of its ability to provide 'big-desk facilities' in a comparatively small space — often a significant factor in a private studio facility squeezed into domestic surroundings. The fact that it also completes an attractive, and economical, complete 'Fostex package' in the 24 and 16-track markets may well boost its appeal to buyers and dealers alike.

Further information

Fostex 2412 Mixer £3,760 Inc VAT.

Fostex UK, (Contact Details).