In today's computer-based recording studio, the large-format mixing console is becoming something of an endangered species, but there are still numerous situations in which a smaller mixer can earn its keep. It's often cheaper to buy a small mixer than to buy separate mic preamps, and a suitable small mixer also makes an excellent input-source selector and master monitor controller.

For those not yet in the know, Tapco is the name of Greg Mackie's original mixer company and has now been adopted as the name of a separate brand within the Loud Technologies group, to offer a cheaper alternative to their Mackie range. Tapco's Mix 220FX is designed to appeal to studio musicians and live performers looking for a low-cost, compact mixer with a flexible range of features.

The 220FX measures just 292 x 360 x 96 mm (WxHxD) and weighs in at 4kg. It offers four mic/line input channels with globally switchable phantom power, plus two line-only stereo input channels. In addition to these eight input channels, there are also two sets of stereo return jacks and a stereo CD/Tape input. Like some early Mackie mixers, the Mix 220FX has four output busses with a button on each channel to route the signal to either the main left and right outputs or the Alt 3/4 outputs. This button also doubles as a channel mute if you don't happen to need the Alt 3/4 outputs. One important factor here is that each of the four mic channels can be routed separately to each of the four mixer outputs simply by using the pan knobs and routing buttons, so if you need four mic feeds to drive a four-input, line-level audio interface, this will do the job nicely.