The heart of the system is 2-BUS+, a sixteen-channel summing mixer with three built-in coloring circuits, supported by CONVERT-AD+ and CONVERT-8/CONVERT-2 conversion, the LIAISON router, BAX EQ and COMPRESSOR processors, and the MONITOR-ST controller. Every unit is designed by Chris Muth as part of one system, so operating levels, impedances, and XLR/D-sub pinouts line up without adapters or extra gain calculations.
Analog summing with optional signal coloring
The sixteen input channels on 2-BUS+ are duplicated on XLR and D-sub connectors, and pairs 1-2 and 9-10 switch into mono mode for routing kick, snare, vocal, or bass to their own D/A channels. Three coloring circuits — Harmonics (an odd- and even-order harmonic generator), Paralimit (a FET limiter running parallel to the clean signal), and X-Former (a pair of Cinemag transformers with a proprietary core-overdrive circuit) — can be assigned to the whole mix or separately to channel pairs 13-14 and 15-16, with Harmonics and Paralimit order reversible. Each circuit has true hardwire bypass, so color gets added deliberately rather than baked in as a fixed, unswitchable part of the signal the way it is on consoles built around a fixed transformer or tube character.
Insert routing and level finalization before conversion
The 2-BUS+ mix bus carries its own stereo insert for outboard processing, and adding LIAISON extends that pool with further loops for BAX EQ, COMPRESSOR, and other outboard gear, with instant switching and preset recall. The summed and optionally processed mix then reaches CONVERT-AD+, where ClipGuard strips false overload information and the Emphasis circuit adds controlled saturation before conversion to the digital domain. Reference monitoring runs through CONVERT-8 or CONVERT-2, and MONITOR-ST ties everything together with calibrated source switching, talkback, and a cue system, so no mix decision is made on uncertain monitoring.
KEY FEATURES
- Complete system: 2-BUS+, MONITOR-ST, CONVERT-AD+, CONVERT-8/CONVERT-2, LIAISON, BAX EQ, COMPRESSOR
- Sixteen-channel analog summing with inputs duplicated on XLR and D-sub
- Mono switches for channel pairs 1-2 and 9-10
- Three coloring circuits: Harmonics, Paralimit, X-Former, each with true hardwire bypass
- Harmonics and Paralimit assignable to the whole mix or channel pairs 13-14/15-16, order reversible
- Stereo insert on the mix bus for outboard processing
- Stepped output level control: -4 to +6dB
- LIAISON extending available insert loops for BAX EQ, COMPRESSOR, and outboard gear
- CONVERT-AD+ with ClipGuard and an Emphasis circuit for capturing the mix
- CONVERT-8/CONVERT-2 as a reference D/A converter for monitoring
- MONITOR-ST with remote, talkback, and cue system tying the whole chain together
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- 2-BUS+ — channel count: 16, inputs on XLR and D-sub connectors
- 2-BUS+ — maximum input level: +27dBu
- 2-BUS+ — frequency response: within 0.1dB across 10Hz-50kHz
- 2-BUS+ — output level control: -4 to +6dB
- 2-BUS+ — outputs: main and monitor (XLR), stereo insert on XLR
- 2-BUS+ — chassis: 2U rack, 19"
- COMPRESSOR — frequency response: ±0.25dB from 15Hz to 80kHz, THD+N below 0.005%
- BAX EQ — frequency response: ±0.1dB from 10Hz to 20kHz
- Units in the system: 7 x rack
