Noise Engineering announces Xer Mixa and CV expander Expando Expandi

Modular synth makers Noise Engineering are back with a new digitally controlled analogue mixer. Xer Mixa and expander Expando Expandi are available for preorders now, shipping September 6, 2023.

Followers of Noise Engineering’s social media may have seen some of the teaser posts in the past few weeks showing faders, blinking lights, and, new for the Noise Engineering team, a screen on a module that seemed far larger than anything they had done previously. Today they have revealed its identity: Xer Mixa is a mixer with ten stereo-paired inputs, three stereo-paired output busses, and MIDI control in 32HP.

Xer Mixa is a hybrid analogue/digital design: it features a fully analogue signal path, with low noise and crosstalk, pristine sound quality, and ultra-high headroom. Noise Engineering has leaned into their skills with digital, too, adding a microprocessor for the interface, and harnessing the power of hybrid design. Xer Mixa’s digital side allows for state save and recall, per-channel pan law and pre/post send settings, multichannel editing, and MIDI I/O.

The mixer features 10 stereo-paired input channels: 8 interactive fader-controlled channels and two aux channels, each with clickless mutes. Per-channel options include pan-law settings, pre- or post-fader send routing and more. Settings can be saved for easy recall during future sessions or live sets.

For users who want CV control, Noise Engineering is also offering a 4HP, 8-input expander called Expando Expandi. Up to two expanders can be connected to the mixer via the rear panel and the inputs routed to a maximum of 32 modulation destinations on the mixer.

“We wanted Xer Mixa to be as compact as possible and bring a core feature set to the mixer,” said Noise Engineering Chief Noisemaker Stephen McCaul.

“Every feature we included added to the base price, so there were a lot of tradeoffs that we considered. We polled a bunch of users and based on their feedback, we opted to put CV control onto the expander. The mixer was already the largest, most dense, and most complex product we’d ever made. Bringing the expander into the ecosystem added even more complexity from a programming perspective — two different MCUs have to talk to each other. But it also opens up other possibilities for Expando Expandi which we’re pretty excited about.”

The expanders are available separately, but a discounted bundle of Xer Mixa and Expando Expandi (10% off) is also available.

The Noise Engineering team also addresses one of the eternal case problems in Eurorack: Xer Mixa is reversible so that it can be oriented with the jacks at the top or the bottom. A simple system setting inverts the screen and interface.

Noise Engineering will be on hand in Los Angeles at a release party at the synth library LADSR from 12-3 Pacific on September 2 and at Knobcon 2023 (September 9-10) for anyone interested in trying the new modules out.

Availability and pricing:

In stock in black and silver. Preorders open, shipping from Noise Engineering and retailers starting September 6, 2023;

• Xer Mixa MSRP US$999
• Expando Expandi MSRP US$169
• Bundle (purchased together) MSRP US$1051

Full details on the Noise Engineering website www.noiseengineering.us