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Yamaha AW4416
Almost an entire studio that can fit on your lap? Derek Johnson and Debbie
Poyser lap it up.
T
he digital 16-track recorder/mixer combo has been a
real feature of the last year, as various manufacturers
follow Roland’s VS1680 lead and produce their own
take on this attractive format. The cassette ‘Portastudio’,
a
s invented by Tascam and elaborated upon by numerous
others over the years, never achieved professional status,
though many good recordings were doubtless made on
such machines. With the digital variety it’s a different
story. There’s absolutely nothing to prevent top quality –
even release quality – recordings from being made on the
new breed of hard disk 16-trackers.
And, as if to confirm that all-in-one digital units can
indeed be taken seriously, Yamaha has entered the digital
16-track ring with the very serious AW4416, which
promises to be the big hitter of HD multitrackers. This
machine shows few, if any, of
the compromises often
found on competing
units, and though it
costs a bit more
than the others,
Yamaha really
don’t seem
to have
skimped
on
facili-
ties.
Main
Features
The AW4416 comprises a
comprehensive digital mixer
(modelled on Yamaha’s professional-
quality 0-series desks) with 16 assignable
60mm motorised faders that move under
control of a sophisticated automation
system, married to a 16-track recorder
offering 16- or 24-bit resolution (44.1k/48k). An
optional internal CD-RW drive can not only be used for
archiving (in addition to SCSI hard drive backup), but can
also record Red Book standard stereo masters. The AW
even has a dedicated stereo master track for mixing to, so
there’s no need to attach a mastering recorder if the CD
writer is chosen.
Two multieffects processors are built in, as is a simple
eight-voice sampler which can run in sync with AW4416
audio. As well as 16 ‘real’ playback tracks there are 112
virtual tracks and a decent range of digital audio editing
tools. The large, bright LCD is the focus of operations, but
there’s a wealth of dedicated buttons too, plus soft knobs
alongside the LCD for hands-on pan and EQ control, and
a jog/shuttle wheel doubling as a data entry dial. Usefully,
you can connect a serial mouse for screen navigation.
Proper bar graph metering with selectable peak hold, as
well as a clear time counter, is provided by a separate flu-
orescent display.
The Right Connections?
As standard, the AW offers a similar level of I/O to its
competitors. Inputs comprise eight analogue (on balanced
jacks), the first two also having XLR connectors with
switchable phantom power and insert points, plus stereo
S/PDIF digital I/O. Inserts are pretty rare in this market,
and Yamaha also offer a dedicated guitar jack on
input 8.
On the output front, as well as
stereo analogue mix and
monitor outs and the
aforementioned S/PDIF
out, there are four ‘Omni’
outputs. Like the 01V’s
similarly-named outputs,
these are flexible and allow
signals from many points,
including the AW’s eight internal
buses and individual disk tracks, to
be routed to the outside world.
Though the Omni outs offer advanced
users more monitoring and external
sub-grouping options, most will probably
route four of the eight aux sends to them,
to access external effects processors.
So far, so good – but there are further ins
and outs to this tale. Where the AW starts to
show its pedigree is in the I/O available on optional mini
‘YGDAI’ (Yamaha General Digital Audio Interface) cards.
Eight channels of digital I/O is offered by each of the
Alesis ADAT and Tascam TDIF cards, allowing compatible
multitracks (and other selected equipment) to be interfaced
with the AW. There’s also an eight-channel AES/EBU
digital I/O card, and extra analogue inputs can be added by
a card featuring eight balanced jacks. Two further analogue
cards are available, utilising XLR connectors, though one
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