Mackie 1642VLZ4 16-Channel Compact Analog Mixer with Onyx Preamps
The 1642VLZ4 is the 16-channel desk in Mackie's VLZ4 line. It is aimed at rooms that need serious routing, a home studio doing mixdowns, a band running its own front of house, or a broadcast booth that wants analog control of every source.
- Ten Onyx mic preamps: Mackie's flagship preamp design, with an ultra-wide 60 dB gain range and phantom power for condenser mics.
- Sixteen line inputs: high-headroom, with +4 and -10 operation control so pro gear and consumer sources both land at sensible levels.
- Measured performance: 128.5 dB dynamic range, +22 dBu line input handling, and distortion under 0.0007 percent from 20 Hz to 50 kHz.
- Channel EQ: three bands at 80 Hz, 2.5 kHz and 12 kHz, plus an 18 dB per octave 75 Hz low-cut filter on the mic channels.
- Four aux sends with level, pan and PFL solo on every channel, and four stereo returns for an effects unit or any other stereo source.
- Routing: an ALT 3/4 stereo bus and a control room and phones source matrix, so monitoring and stem routing do not fight each other.
- Metering and faders: high-resolution 12-segment stereo meters and 60 mm long-wearing log-taper faders.
- Built-Like-A-Tank construction: powder-coated steel chassis, sealed rotary controls that resist dust and grime, and high-contrast markings you can read at a glance.
- Fits a rack using the optional rack ear kit, and runs anywhere on its multi-voltage power supply.
Mackie started the compact mixer category more than 25 years ago, and the 1642VLZ4 is the 16-channel version of that idea brought up to date. Nothing about the layout is exotic. What changed with VLZ4 is what sits behind the knobs: Onyx preamps, premium components through the whole signal path, and the same steel box Mackie has always used.
What ten Onyx preamps actually buy you
The Onyx preamp is Mackie's flagship design and there are ten of them here. The 60 dB gain range matters most with quiet ribbon and dynamic mics, where a thin preamp runs out of clean gain and starts contributing hiss of its own. Headroom is handled at the other end: +22 dBu on the line inputs and a 128.5 dB dynamic range mean a loud snare mic or a hot keyboard output does not push the channel into trouble. Distortion sits under 0.0007 percent across 20 Hz to 50 kHz, so the desk stays out of the way of whatever you put through it.
Routing is the reason to choose the 16-channel model
Sixteen channels is where a compact mixer stops being a simple front end and starts being a routing hub. Four aux sends, each with level, pan and PFL solo on every channel, cover monitor feeds and effects sends at the same time. Four stereo returns bring outboard reverb or a second playback source back in. The ALT 3/4 stereo bus gives you a second output pair for recording stems, feeding a separate zone, or splitting a group off the main mix. A control room and phones source matrix sits over the top, so you can audition any of it without touching the main output.
Studio, stage and broadcast
The 3-band EQ is set at 80 Hz, 2.5 kHz and 12 kHz, which are practical points for weight, presence and air rather than surgical correction. An 18 dB per octave 75 Hz low-cut filter on every mic channel takes out stage rumble, handling noise and air conditioning before it reaches the bus. Improved RF rejection makes the desk suited to broadcast rooms, where transmitters and phone traffic often find their way into cheaper consoles. Twelve-segment stereo meters give enough resolution to set levels properly instead of guessing between two LEDs.
Built to be moved
The chassis is rugged powder-coated steel, the rotary controls are sealed against dust and grime, and the 60 mm faders use a long-wearing log taper. Controls are high-contrast and clearly marked for fast reading in a dark room. An optional rack ear kit turns the 1642VLZ4 into a rackmount unit, and the multi-voltage power supply means it works on any mains standard you are likely to meet.