The 14:4 is one of three new 4‑buss additions to the Topaz range (the others being 12:4 and 24:4 versions).

Fortunately, the mixer under scrutiny here, the new Soundtracs Topaz 14:4, promises to handle a variety of applications without being crammed full of confusing features. The other side of this coin is that with consumer choice comes confusion - the market is now flooded with compact mixers from various manufacturers, all offering slightly different features at slightly different prices, and with new models constantly becoming available, it's more difficult than ever to make a purchase decision in this field. The emergence of relatively powerful compact 2‑ and 4‑buss mixers over the last few years has done much to elevate the status of the home studio, and other areas have benefited from the change too - such mixers are now used in theatres, churches, clubs, and even video post‑production. Steve Brodie checks out Soundtracs' latest addition to the increasingly‑crowded compact mixer market.