Fostex DCM100, MixTab
 
The DCM100 was the first affordable fully-automated mixer on the market (leaving aside the rather pricey Yamaha DMP7, the lower-quality MOTU Mixer 7S, and the truly abysmal Simmons SPM 8:2). The DCM is a 1U rackmount, 16-input (8 stereo) mixer with simple EQ (high and low only) and two (stereo) effects sends, although each channel can only use one send at a time. Sound quality is quite respectable, especially at this price point, with a half-decent S/N ratio (78dB as I recall), although it is very slightly prone to distortion in the upper midrange. The unit is totally MIDI-controllable, with 100 scenes storable onboard as well as controller routing to all parameters. The audio will zipper if any currently-sounding channel is affected, although unused channels can be altered without any problems.
 
The MixTab is a MIDI fader box designed for use with the DCM100. Rather than motorising the controls (which would be very expensive), Fostex devised a scheme where dual-colour LED's indicate any discrepancy between the physical controls and the DCM's actual values. (The MixTab doesn't store scenes, but requests them from the DCM itself.)

In fact, a single MixTab can drive up to three DCM100's, although a MIDI merging box would be needed when using two or more, since the MixTab needs a feed from each DCM in order to indicate parameter status.

Although the system is rather limited in features, it performs surprisingly well, and at an impressive price for an automated 16-channel mixer. The only obvious drawback is the weak EQ and effects send architecture.

(Illustrations stolen from Turnkey Audio Systems.)

CASSIEL > Music: Style, System and Process > Music Systems: Hardware and Software > The Gear-Head List > Fostex DCM100, MixTab last modified by nick@cassiel.com at 10:14am, Wed 9 Aug 2000