There are many FireWire audio interfaces available, but for musicians and engineers who demand the highest quality, the Mackie Onyx 400F Studio Recording Preamp with 192kHz FireWire I/O stands out as the professional’s choice. Designed as a no-compromise recording interface, the Onyx 400F delivers exceptional sound quality, robust construction, and industry-first features for recording on Mac or PC. It also comes with Mackie’s Tracktion 2 software, providing an easy recording solution straight out of the box.
The Mackie Onyx 400F is a premium 10-channel FireWire audio interface with four high-end Onyx mic preamps. These preamps offer outstanding headroom, detail, and clarity, with a 123dB dynamic range and an impressively low 0.0007% THD. Widely praised for their open and revealing sound, they deliver professional-grade performance. The unit includes TRS inserts for integrating outboard gear into the signal path before reaching a computer, along with a built-in 10 x 10 DSP Matrix Mixer with full recall and 64-bit floating-point processing—a feature unmatched by any other FireWire interface.
With four Onyx mic preamps, four line inputs, and stereo S/PDIF digital inputs, the Mackie Onyx 400F is a versatile choice for everything from small overdub sessions to full band recordings. Operation is simple—connect mics and instruments via the front or rear panel, and link to a Mac or PC with a FireWire cable. The eight individual outputs support surround mixing or multiple discrete headphone mixes. Overdubbing is made easier with dual headphone outputs, each with independent volume control. The 10 x 10 Matrix Mixer allows near-zero-latency routing of any input to any output, providing seamless monitoring options.
A key factor in any digital audio interface is its converters, and the Onyx 400F features mastering-grade 24-bit/192kHz AKM 5385 and 4358 converters—the same high-precision components used in Mackie’s flagship Digital X Bus. However, its superior sound quality is the result of the entire system, including the Onyx preamps, precision summing circuitry, and 64-bit floating-point processing. Mackie’s in-house team of experienced analogue engineers ensured that every detail was carefully designed to provide uncompromising audio performance.
The Mackie Onyx 400F is the first FireWire audio interface with a true 64-bit onboard Matrix Mixer using floating-point DSP. This powerful mixer allows any input to be routed to any output with level control, panning, mute, and solo functions. Mixes can be stored for instant recall, and the system operates independently of a computer, making it possible to create multiple near-zero-latency headphone mixes, integrate external effects, and route a separate digital mix to a DAT or CD recorder. The Matrix Mixer retains its settings even when powered up without a computer, providing a reliable standalone mixing solution.
Mackie has included several practical features to enhance usability. Dual high-impedance instrument inputs allow direct connection of electric, bass, or acoustic guitars without an external DI box. The front panel also includes stereo Control Room outputs and dual stereo headphone outputs with independent volume controls. On the rear panel, 192kHz S/PDIF and Word Clock (BNC) I/O provide synchronisation options, while dual FireWire ports allow daisy-chaining with external drives or additional Mackie Onyx 400F units on Mac OS 10.4 and later.
Built for durability, the Mackie Onyx 400F features a rugged all-steel chassis, aluminium faceplate, high-quality front-panel knobs, long-life switches, and premium connectors. Every aspect of the unit’s construction is designed for reliability in professional studio environments.
To make recording as seamless as possible, the Mackie Onyx 400F comes bundled with Mackie’s Tracktion 2 Music Production Software. With a single-screen interface and a fast workflow, Tracktion 2 simplifies music production while offering a 64-bit mix engine, unlimited track count, QuickTime support, and an extensive plug-in suite for mixing and mastering. Whether used with third-party software or as a complete recording solution, the Mackie Onyx 400F delivers unmatched performance for serious musicians and engineers.
Features
- Premium FireWire-based studio recording preamp/audio interface
- 4 flagship Onyx mic preamps with class-leading fidelity and dynamic range
- Superb AKM® 24-bit/192kHz A/D and D/A converters
- Internal 64-bit floating point processing for superior sound and minimal CPU drain
- 10 x 10 DSP Matrix Mixer with powerful software interface and flexible, recallable routing
- Onboard DSP provides custom Control Room / Headphone mixes at near-zero latency
- Stand-alone operation: DSP mixer retains settings even when computer is not connected
- No channel count sacrifices, even at 192kHz sampling rate
- 4 additional balanced line inputs; 8 balanced line outputs
- TRS inserts on Inputs 1, 2, 3 and 4
- Control Room and Dual Headphone Outputs with independent level controls
- Dual FireWire ports for daisy chaining and direct connection to Mac or PC
- MIDI, Word Clock and S/PDIF I/O
- Includes Tracktion 2 Audio Production software and plug-in bundle
