Roland’s Mini Mixer Puts A Recording Studio In Anyone’s Pocket

The Roland GO:Mixer Studio has a dozen inputs, half a dozen outputs and it can capture audio all the way up to 24-bit/192 kHz studio-grade quality and comes with onboard effects in a device that’s no larger than a paperback book.

ROLAND

Back in January, Roland announced the launch of its GO:Mixer Studio and it sounded like something of a gamechanger for modern content creators, mobile musicians and podcasters who like to work anywhere. The compact device has a dozen inputs, half a dozen outputs and it can capture audio all the way up to 24-bit/192 kHz studio-grade quality and comes with onboard effects in a device that’s no larger than a paperback book.

With the launch of the GO:Mixer Studio, it seems that Roland has successfully managed to untether high-end audio production from the traditional studio-bound desk. Aside from a few minor sample rate limitations when using certain outputs and effects, users have described the GO:Mixer Studio as “one of the most powerful and versatile mobile interfaces on the market today.”

This mini audio interface can be powered from a computer’s USB bus, a power bank or with an AC adapter, which makes it very flexible when it comes to location recording. The main advantage is all those inputs and outputs which make it possible to record multiple tracks without the need for a massive mixing desk. The flexible power sources mean users can record in a field with a laptop and still have access to a bank of onboard effects like EQ, compression and reverb.

No Bigger Than A Book

Weighing just 440g and around the size of a paperback novel, the Roland GO:Mixer Studio is really compact. It has an integrated tripod mount on its base, making it easy to rig into a mobile video setup. Roland has pulled out all the stops to engineer a genuinely field-ready device. If necessary, it can be run entirely by a smartphone’s battery or using a standard USB power bank. For anyone who wants to capture a pristine acoustic track at the top of a mountain, this is the way to do it.

With support for internal 32-bit floating-point processing and the ability to record at rates up to 24-bit/192 kHz, the Roland GO:Mixer Studio is designed to rival major desktop studio interfaces. The device can capture clean using two dedicated XLR inputs that have high-gain preamps and 48V phantom power. These inputs are for capturing vocals and acoustic instruments with zero hiss.

The sheer number of inputs and outputs that Roland has included with the GO:Mixer Studio means it can handle up to 12 input channels simultaneously, comprising two XLR microphones or line sources. There is a dedicated, high-impedance guitar/bass input as well as two stereo ¼-inch inputs for keyboards or electronic drums. Finally, there is a TRRS Aux input for bidirectional audio, which can also be used for bringing in a backing track or even phone callers for a podcast.

Flexible Monitoring

Monitoring is as flexible as the inputs, thanks to a standard ¼-inch studio headphone jack and a stereo 3.5mm jack that can be used with smartphone headsets or inline microphones. This makes it a useful tool for recording a two-person podcast or providing live sports commentary.

Perhaps the most impressive specification is the GO:Mixer Studio’s onboard Digital Signal Processing. It’s possible to apply a three-band EQ, compression and studio-modeled reverb directly to inputs in real time. This means users can commit to a finished mix and feed it through to a video camera, saving hours of remixing in post-production. The device also has 16 scene memories for users to save their favorite setups and recall them instantly with a single button press.

Extending the versatility of this mini mixer is Roland’s companion software. The GO:MIXER Cam App for iOS lets content creators record separate multitrack audio files simultaneously with video. Users can mix tracks right in the app or export the individual stems directly to a computer DAW or video editor. For desktop users, the GO:Mixer Editor, for macOS and Windows, provides a large-screen layout that can be used to manage complex live sessions.

Mind The Resolution

One word of warning. If users opt to record at the device’s maximum 192kHz sample rate, the number of available channels drops to 8 inputs and 4 outputs, plus Line Out EQ processing is disabled at resolutions of 96kHz and above. For standard video and streaming, which is normally recorded at 48kHz, users still get access to all features, inputs and outputs.

For videographers, live-streamers or mobile musicians who want the kind of facilities normally found in a recording studio, this little device from Roland is designed to provide most of what they need in a product priced at $299. It does this without compromising on audio quality and bridges the gap between smartphone convenience and professional studio quality by putting a multi-channel mixing board into a device small enough to fit in a gig bag.

Pricing & Availability:

The new Roland GO:Mixer Studio is available now from Roland or retail outlets and is priced from $299.

Tech Specs:

• USB audio channels: 12 inputs and 6 outputs. (At 192 kHz sample rate: 8 input channels, 4 output channels)
• Sample rate: AD/DA conversion 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz.
• Signal processing: AD/DA conversion 24 bits.
• Internal processing: 32-bit floating point.

Connectors:

• Mic/Line (1, 2) jacks: XLR type (Phantom power DC 48 V, 10 mA Max).
• Guitar/Bass jack: 1/4-inch phone type (supports high impedance).
• Line In (L, R) jacks: 1/4-inch phone type.
• AUX jack: Stereo miniature phone type (TRRS).
• Phones jack: Stereo 1/4-inch phone type.
• Phones (Mini) jack: Stereo miniature phone type (CTIA, PLUG-IN power).
• Line Out (L, R) jacks: 1/4-inch phone type.
• MIDI (In, Out) jacks: Stereo miniature phone type.
• USB port: USB Type-C (USB Audio Class 2.0/1.0, MIDI).
• Power port: USB Type-C.

Effects

• Mic/Line: Equalizer, Compressor (x2), Reverb (x2).
• Guitar/Bass: Equalizer, Compressor (x1,2), Reverb (x2).
• Line In: Equalizer, Compressor (x1, x2)
• AUX: Equalizer, Compressor (x1, x2)
• Headset Mic: Equalizer, Compressor (x1, x2)
• Phones: Equalizer.
• Line Out: Equalizer (x1) 96kHz and 192kHz sample rates not supported.
• Scene memory: 16
• Display: Color LCD 320 x 240 dots.
• Power: USB bus power or USB PD compatible AC adapter (commercially available).
• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 11, Apple macOS 15 or later, Apple iOS/iPadOS
• Dimensions (WxDxH): 110 x 156 x 65mm.
• Weight: 440g.