Behringer 1204USB

12 input mixing console: 4 mic preamps with compression control, plus inbuilt USB interface

A very handy little console for live and studio applications. In fact, this is possibly THE ideal 'audiovisual' mixer, as you get 4 x mic preamps (XLR inputs), a couple of stereo channels, inbuilt bi-directional USB port, plus a couple of auxilliary sends (one of them labelled FX, but can be used purely as a send). Rack ears for 19" mounting are included, but not attached. Power via IEC cable. And the biggy - each of the 4 mono channels has a 'One Knob Compression' directly underneath the gain pot. And there's the Alt 3/4 bus, headphone/control room level control and XLR sockets for main outputs. As we said, a very handy mixer. If you need internal FX, try X1204USB on for size!

Behringer's blurb on One Knob Compression:
Ask professional sound engineers what their favourite piece of external processing gear is and the majority response will be virtually unanimous - dynamic compression. What is compression? We're glad you asked. Compression essentially limits the dynamic range of a signal, lowering the level of loud sounds and turning up softer sounds, to achieve sonic balance. But applying compression is a delicate art that many novice, and even intermediate, sound techs have great difficulty mastering. Our "one-knob" compression is available on all mono channels and is easy to operate, even for entry-level users. With this one knob, you can easily dial in the perfect amount of compression for instruments and vocals, creating powerful mixes with punch and clarity. This is indeed a rare feature for products in this class - but standard on all XENYX USB mixers

$279.99 (RRP)