If you’re tired of compromising between portability and professional sound quality, the Midas M32R LIVE digital mixing console rewrites the rulebook. This compact powerhouse packs the complete brain and pristine audio quality of the legendary M32 flagship into a rackmountable design that fits in a standard road case – yet delivers the same sonic excellence that’s been the secret weapon of world tours by AC/DC, Metallica, Foo Fighters, and Paul McCartney.
The Legendary Midas Sound in Your Rack
Sixteen genuine Midas Pro microphone preamps – the exact same circuits found in Heritage 3000 and XL4 consoles that defined professional sound for generations – deliver audio that customers consistently describe as “warm,” “open,” and “transparent.” One long-time engineer working with a Neve 8058 console for 20 years stated he was “never happy with any digital console until the M32.” These aren’t marketing claims – the Midas preamps are recognized throughout the industry for their exceptional common-mode rejection, ultra-low harmonic distortion, and ability to remain crystal-clear at high gain while becoming harmonically rich when driven hard.
Hands-On Control That Feels Right
Unlike headless rack mixers that force you into tablet-only control, the M32R LIVE gives you 17 custom-designed motorized faders with ultra-straight, high-grade steel guide rods rated for 1,000,000 cycles – three times the lifespan of competing faders. The intuitive layout provides instant access to channel routing, EQ, dynamics, and effects. The bright 5″ full-color TFT display remains readable even under direct stage lighting. Engineers transitioning from analog consistently praise how quickly they adapt to the M32R LIVE’s workflow, with one noting even students with minimal live sound experience could operate it effectively for concerts.
Massive Processing Power in Compact Form
The M32R LIVE delivers 40 input channels and 25 mix buses with 40-bit floating-point DSP processing – giving you 8 aux buses, 6 matrices, and main LRC configuration. Eight DCA groups and six mute groups make managing large shows effortless from the compact surface. Every channel features parametric EQ, gates, and compression, while eight true-stereo effects engines based on Midas’s True Physical Modeling technology provide emulations of legendary processors like the Urei 1176, Teletronix LA-2A, Fairchild 670 compressors, and Pultec EQs. As one reviewer put it: “there’s no reason to haul around a ton of outboard gear when you’re mixing on a Midas M32R.”
Expandability That Grows With Your Needs
Dual AES50 networking ports allow up to 96 inputs and 96 outputs via digital snakes and stage boxes – say goodbye to heavy, expensive copper snakes. A pre-installed Klark Teknik DN32-LIVE expansion module provides 32 channels of recording and playback to dual SD cards, with over 3 hours of 32-channel/32-bit/48kHz recording capability. The expansion slot accepts additional Klark Teknik modules for Dante, ADAT, MADI, and other interface options. Connect up to three Midas DL16 stage boxes via daisy-chain for maximum I/O flexibility.
Professional Recording Capabilities
The M32R LIVE functions as a 32×32 USB audio interface, seamlessly integrating with Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, and other DAWs. Multitrack recordings are high quality for subsequent mixing and mastering, with users praising the reliability and sonic quality. USB recording to a thumb drive captures stereo mixes directly from the front panel. Scene and snippet automation with 500-cue list entries makes complex shows manageable, storing everything from complete board layouts to individual parameter snapshots.
Built to Tour, Designed to Last
The M32R LIVE’s predominantly space-frame construction uses high-performance aluminum alloys and steel components for maximum efficiency and an improved performance-to-weight ratio. Despite the robust build quality that withstands demanding tour environments, it’s dramatically lighter than analog consoles with comparable capability. Optional wireless control via iPad and iPhone apps lets you adjust the mix from anywhere in the venue, though the physical controls mean you’re never dependent on network stability.
A Word on the Learning Curve
While the M32R LIVE is powerful, a few users note it differs significantly from their previous analog workflow and recommend investing time in tutorial videos to maximize its capabilities. The console is “not intuitive” if you’re expecting it to work like analog gear, but engineers who take the time report it becomes second nature. Midas provides tutorial videos and documentation, though some users wish for more comprehensive manuals.
Who It’s Perfect For
Houses of worship needing flagship sound in a compact package, mid-sized touring bands requiring professional mixing with portability, corporate AV professionals managing complex events, recording studios wanting a control surface and interface, educational institutions training the next generation of engineers, and any sound professional who refuses to compromise between sound quality, hands-on control, and portability.
