Studiomaster Air 16U Mixer

Studiomaster Air 16U Mixer

The Studiomaster Air 16U is a compact analogue mixing console from Studiomaster Professional India that packs sixteen mic and line inputs into a shallow desktop format. It is aimed at small bands, houses of worship, schools, rental setups and rehearsal rooms that need a lot of channels, straightforward controls and useful media features without moving to a large-format desk. Onboard delay effects, a USB MP3 player with Bluetooth streaming and a USB audio interface for recording and playback are all built in.

Key features

• 16 mic/line inputs plus a stereo RCA CD input
• Onboard delay effects with a send on every channel
• Three-band EQ on every channel
• USB MP3 media player with display, transport controls and IR remote
• Built-in Bluetooth for wireless streaming from phones and laptops
• USB audio interface for recording and playback with a PC
• One aux send for monitors or external effects
• Balanced XLR and quarter-inch jack master outputs

Sixteen channels in a compact frame

Sixteen inputs is the count that covers a full small band: several vocal microphones, guitars and keyboards on DI or line inputs, electronic drums and playback, with channels still spare. Each channel provides gain, three-band EQ, an effects send, pan and a PFL cue switch, with a clip LED to warn before overload. Gain range is generous at 60 dB on microphone inputs and 40 dB on line, so quiet sources and hot line-level gear both sit comfortably in the mix.

The channel EQ is a practical three-band design with treble at 12 kHz, mid at 2.5 kHz and bass at 80 Hz, each with up to 15 dB of boost or cut: enough to seat a vocal, tame a boomy acoustic guitar or add weight to a keyboard without reaching for outboard gear.

Media, Bluetooth and USB recording

The U in the name is the media section. A USB MP3 player with an LED track display and transport controls handles break music and backing tracks from a pen drive, the built-in Bluetooth receiver streams wirelessly from a phone or laptop, and a stereo RCA input with its own control covers CD players and other wired sources. The USB audio interface connection also allows recording and playback with a PC, so the same desk that mixes the show can capture a stereo record of it.

Outputs and everyday use

The main mix leaves on balanced XLR and quarter-inch jack outputs at up to +20 dBu, feeding powered speakers or an amplifier rack cleanly, and a headphone output with level control allows cueing individual channels through the PFL switches. Frequency response is rated 20 Hz to 20 kHz with distortion below 0.03 percent, figures that suit live reinforcement where clarity matters more than studio colour.

At 522 mm wide and 5.8 kg, the Air 16U travels easily between venues and stores neatly between events, giving small teams a complete, self-contained mixing position in one shallow console.