Connect Your iPod Direct with the Alesis iMultiMix 9R   by Ian Bradley

in Entertainment / Music    (submitted 2012-01-13)

For those of us in the live sound engineering industry the last five years has seen the gradual reduction of CDs being used for backing tracks and more people asking for an iPod to be plugged into the PA system. With that in mind the 3.5mm jack to RCA phono cable became a staple component of the live sound engineer's kit allowing connection of the iPod via a spare stereo line into the mixing desk. This was all well and good for the majority of the time but as with all cables they are fallible and have a tendency to develop a bad connection at the most inopportune moment of a live gig or event, so it was with a sigh of relief that over the past couple of years professional audio equipment with integrated iPod connection docks started to emerge onto the professional live sound market.
Included in this novel but predictable range of products was the Alesis iMultiMix 9R which was released onto the US market in 2008 and as Alesis are the self proclaimed world leading manufacturer of professional audio equipment, was expected to be a high quality, well built and very useful piece of equipment for employment at small live gigs where an iPod is being used to relay backing tracks, sound effects or music.

The Alesis iMultiMix 9R has been orientated as a rackmount mixer keeping it neat and compact, ideal for applications where the mixer is being regularly moved such as touring solo singers or PA system hire companies. It is also light, weighing in at only 4Kg which further emphasises its suitability for mobile applications.
With only five microphone input channels the Alesis iMultiMix 9R is only ever going to be suitable for applications requiring a small number of inputs but each of these channels comes equipped with a 2 band EQ with high low shelving capabilities, auxiliary send and returns for connection to monitors and external processing equipment. As such for such a small and convenient unit it comes with a decent level of specification and toys as well as the sound and build quality that have made Alesis such a big player in the professional audio equipment market.
The main attraction of this product is not the channel specifications but rather the large protuberance that bulges out of the right hand side of the front panel. The iPod dock provides a secure, reliable and high quality method of connecting most larger and newer iPod types including the Classic, 5th generation and 2nd and 3rd gen Nano. The iPod control channel features the same 60mm fader, EQ and aux spec as the other five channels allowing direct mixing of the iPod source into the main mix but also includes a line input which is switchable with iPod dock input.
Overall Alesis iMultiMix 9R is the ideal solution for touring solo singers and small bands who require an iPod input that can be effectively mixed into the master output without relying on jack/phono cables. Its size and weight make it easy to move about and the rack mount will ensure that it is protected during transit. It will also be popular with venues that don't necessarily require a large scale mixer such as pubs or houses or worship but who will make use of the iPod dock for solo singers or background music.

About the Author

Ian Bradley is a music and music technology enthusiast who writes for FRASP PA hire Nottingham. FRASP provide PA systems, staging, lighting and audio services in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and East Midlands.