Allen & Heath PLAY DIFFERENTLY Model 1

Completely analog, built without compromise, with an extremely intuitive layout, the MODEL 1 mixer was designed by engineer Andy Rigby-Jones in collaboration with well-known DJ and producer Richie Hawtin. Arrived on the market after two years of tests carried out at major electronic music events and international clubs by artists, DJs and sound engineers, Model 1 is finally available for purchase at a network of retailers selected by the Italian distributor of Allen & Heath: Eko Music

Assembled in England by DiGiCo and Allen & Heath, the MODEL 1 is a 6-channel mixer plus two stereo returns, which comes in a classic club desktop chassis, composed of a particular steel alloy with excellent strength and low weight (5.4 KG), with a footprint of 37x32 cm and a height of 11.5 cm.

Unique features such as a drive control on the input preamplifiers, hybrid filters/eq on each channel, double pre-listening system, the possibility of interconnecting two mixers into a single system and the presence of balanced Tascam DB25 connectors make this mixer an optimal product for the most demanding clubs and a real creative tool for the recording studio, for live electronic music performers and for all DJ Producers who do not like to compromise when it comes to audio quality.

Model 1 is a mixer based on pure analog circuitry, which adopts technologies usually used in high-end studio consoles: from fully balanced buses to zero crossing detectors, for immediate filtering and routing without artifacts during the activation and use of the various filters and equalizers.

On the 6 channels there are stereo line inputs on RCA sockets (L and R), but alternatively you can pick up the sources from the two “DSub In” connectors using the RCA Line/DSub button switch. There are two inputs on TASCAM DB25 connectors for a total of 8 stereo channels: 6 inputs and 2 returns. These connectors will facilitate fixed installations in clubs and recording studios by allowing direct connection to sound cards, or professional patch-bays

In the inputs of channels 3, 4 and 5, high-performance RIAA preamplifiers are integrated, which can be activated by a special red button located near the RCA inputs; these are optimized for use in clubs thanks to a special rumble attenuation circuit and are accompanied by a special bolt for connecting the ground of the turntables.

In addition to the Trim potentiometer (gain), on each channel you will find a “Drive” rotary control for signal saturation that can be used both in the musical production phases and during a live set given the harmonic distortion induced by the saturation source of possible creative effects.

On the channel strips of the 6 channels we find a particular hybrid filtering system consisting of two filters, a low pass and a high pass, and a semi-parametric equalizer with a wide camber that allows you to intervene in the medium range thanks to the two rotary frequency controls (70Hz/7kHz) and asymmetric gain (cut/boost) (+8/-20dB). The vertical faders with a stroke of 60 mm for managing the volume of the individual channels are double slide, of “studio” quality. Each channel has a dedicated meter consisting of 10 LEDs.

The Aux potentiometers allow you to send the signal of the individual channels to the two stereo Send outputs (Aux 1 and Aux 2) available on 1/4" Jack connectors, then to the input of any external effects processors, or for special monitoring situations. Aux 1 can be configured on each channel in pre mode, or post fader using the appropriate buttons; Aux 2 is set internally in post fader mode

The PlayDifferently MODEL 1 mixer is also equipped with two stereo inputs for as many return channels to which we can connect the outputs of the external multi-effects or other sources. These two channels, located on the left of the dashboard, are equipped with TRIM and Drive controls, the Level rotary potentiometer for volume management, a button for pre-listening and a 4-LED meter for visual level monitoring. Both Return channels can be filtered by a single high pass (low cut) and channeled through a special input switch to the Master

The Master Filter is a filtering section applicable to one or more channels of the mixer, which can be addressed to the same through special switches of the same name. In the Master Filter we find a high pass filter with cutoff and resonance controls and a low pass. This filtering section can be used for classic “sweep” effects (rotation of cut-off controls) during performances, or pre-set to apply immediate cuts (Kill) to the high or low frequencies of the signal addressed to

In current club settings, the collaboration between several DJs in the same set, the so-called “Back2Back”, is very common. For this need and to facilitate the transition from one DJ to another during an event, a particular dual pre-listening system has been adopted in the Model 1 mixer, which sees the presence of two CUE pulses on each channel: A and B. Cue A sends the signal to the headphones connected on the right side of the mixer, Cue B instead sends it to the pre-listening section on the left. The two pre-listening buses are completely independent of each other, two separate output channels, both equipped with two 1/4" jack and mini-jack headphone jacks, split function, Cue/Mix mixing and

The sum in the Model 1 mixer employs a fully balanced system normally integrated into high-end analog studio consoles, which guarantees a high dynamic range, greater than 110dB, with a natural attenuation of artifacts and disturbances such as hum, background noise and crosstalk. On the Master channel, a 3-band equalizer with asymmetric gains (-20/+6dB) is available for use as a creative tool, or as a normal

There are two stereo Master outputs with independent rotary volume controls: the “1" on XLR connectors, the “2" on 1/4" TRS Jack connections. The Booth output uses 1/4" TRS Jack jacks and in addition to the classic rotary volume control independent of the two masters, it can count on a two-band equalizer (low and high). The Record output on a 3.5mm TRS mini-jack connector, with a nominal output level of -2dB, is located in the upper right corner of the Model

To this we can connect external recorders that will receive the mixer's Master signal (pre-fader, post Master Eq) as input. The DSub output allows the Master, Aux 1, Aux 2 and Cue B outputs to be connected to a patch-bay or audio interface using a single standard TASCAM DB25 cable. The two DSub 9-pin Link In and Link Out connectors (for RS232 cables, for example) allow you to cascade multiple Model 1 mixers, for performance with two mixers, or to expand the number of channels

Connected to each other, the mixers will be able to share the same amplifier system, then the Master, Booth outputs and the pre-listening system (see the supplied manual). For the power supply, the PlayDifferently MODEL 1 mixer requires an external power supply (24V, 90W). Inside the instrument, the 24V is converted by a high-frequency switching technology into +/-20V

Thanks to the two sockets for connecting as many power supplies (PSU), which is usually available only in high-end consoles for live concerts and broadcasting, you will work with absolute peace of mind, as the mixer's power supply will be guaranteed even if one of the two power supplies, or one of the two power lines to which you connect them, run into problems.