Mackie Onyx24From real comments

Verdict distilled from 23 mentions across 11 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment42%
PROS 42%
CONS 58%

Rank based on 23 mentions across 11 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

  • You need 18+ mic inputs for drums or band recording via USB
  • You want solid live-sound mixing with Bluetooth and SD playback
  • You're on a budget but still want 24-bit/96kHz recording

What users love

Skip this if...

  • You need per-channel SD card multitrack recording
  • You require many stereo-in channels for a synth-heavy studio
  • You want direct outs, subgroups, or per-channel phantom power control

What users complain about

Compare in seconds

Based on user comments

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Strong overall tone quality
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Long-term reliability and board loyalty
Simple, intuitive controls
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Distortion at high settings
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Long-term favorite / durability of appeal
Sweet, low-gain tone quality
High price versus clones
Deluxe loses some original character
Limited mid control
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Exceptional versatilityNatural, amp-like tonePowerful 3-band EQDemo videos undersell the pedalNoticeable noise floorVolume drop when engaged
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Exceptional versatility
Natural, amp-like tone
Powerful 3-band EQ
Demo videos undersell the pedal
Noticeable noise floor
Volume drop when engaged
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Exceptional reverb qualityHigh-quality warm pitch shiftingStrong aspirational appealHigh priceCheaper alternatives may sufficeEffect can feel like it plays for you
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Exceptional reverb quality
High-quality warm pitch shifting
Strong aspirational appeal
High price
Cheaper alternatives may suffice
Effect can feel like it plays for you
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Origin Effects Deluxe61
Authentic amp-like toneExcellent low-to-mid gain driveUnderrated favorite among ownersHigh price pointLimited gain-staging flexibilityNo built-in reverb
Origin Effects Deluxe61
Authentic amp-like tone
Excellent low-to-mid gain drive
Underrated favorite among owners
High price point
Limited gain-staging flexibility
No built-in reverb
7Premium
Roland TR-808
Iconic, powerful kick drumWarmer, more alive analog characterCultural and historical influenceExtremely high collector priceAnalog noise and static requiring EQReliability concerns of aging hardware
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Warmer, more alive analog character
Cultural and historical influence
Extremely high collector price
Analog noise and static requiring EQ
Reliability concerns of aging hardware
8Premium
Moog Subsequent 37
Inspiring and addictive to playWarm, fat analog toneStrong DAW/VST editor integrationHigh price for what it offersLimited versatility outside bass rangeNeeds effects/partner gear to shine
Moog Subsequent 37
Inspiring and addictive to play
Warm, fat analog tone
Strong DAW/VST editor integration
High price for what it offers
Limited versatility outside bass range
Needs effects/partner gear to shine
9
Wampler Tumnus V2
Klon Centaur-style toneConvincing demo influenced purchaseExcellent clean boostNot suited for metal tones
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Klon Centaur-style tone
Convincing demo influenced purchase
Excellent clean boost
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10Mid
Wampler Paisley Drive
Transparent toneVersatile across genresWorks well across many guitar typesTwo-channel routing complexityDry signal bleed-throughInconsistent demo impressions
Wampler Paisley Drive
Transparent tone
Versatile across genres
Works well across many guitar types
Two-channel routing complexity
Dry signal bleed-through
Inconsistent demo impressions
You are here
31Mid
Mackie Onyx24
Clean preamp qualityGreat for large mic-input needs (drums/bands)High-res 24/96 recording at accessible priceReduced routing and features vs older Onyx modelsSD card records stereo mix onlyConfusing routing and monitor mix limitations
Mackie Onyx24
Clean preamp quality
Great for large mic-input needs (drums/bands)
High-res 24/96 recording at accessible price
Reduced routing and features vs older Onyx models
SD card records stereo mix only
Confusing routing and monitor mix limitations

Who wins on what

Ranked by what users actually praise

Overall Impression

Preamp and recording quality impress at this price. Commenters consistently rate the Onyx preamps as decent to upper mid-range, calling the sound clean and transparent, and note it outperforms comparable Tascam models in sound quality. The 24-bit/96kHz USB recording capability is seen as rare below several thousand dollars. Drummers and band users praise the 18 XLR inputs for eliminating the need to combine multiple interfaces, calling setup easy and the unit reliable for practice recording.

SD card recording is stereo-only, frustrating multitrack users. Despite Mackie's product page suggesting full multitrack SD recording, the manual reveals only a stereo mix can be recorded to SD card, not individual channels. Users call this misleading advertising. Stereo synth players are further limited since only 4 of 18 channels support true stereo input, forcing workarounds like pairing mono channels, which several commenters found impractical for synth-heavy home studios.

Feature cuts versus older Onyx models bother longtime users. Compared to the 1640i, this generation removes direct outs, subgroups, master inserts, and reduces aux sends and insert points to only 4 channels. Long-time Mackie users call this an 'offensive' downgrade and say it's not a worthy successor. Global-only phantom power (no per-channel control) was repeatedly cited as a dealbreaker for mixed dynamic/condenser mic setups.

Outdated / Not-accurate data?