The What: Radial Engineering has begun shipping Presenter, a compact mixer that combines a microphone preamp and a USB program input for presentations, from school lectures to corporate audio.
The What Else: The USB input on the Presenter allows for direct connection to a laptop for high-quality audio playback, for presentations that include digital audio files, or for DJ applications. This connection also provides power for the Presenter, eliminating the need to carry around a separate power adaptor. For connection to mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets, a 3.5mm stereo input jack is included on the front of the unit, and can be adjusted using the program level control. The XLR microphone input is paired with low and high EQ controls to tailor the frequency response, along with a low-cut filter that rolls off excessive low end.
Both the microphone and the playback signals are mixed to stereo XLR balanced outputs, which can be connected directly to a PA system or a pair of powered speakers. A mono switch is provided if only one speaker is needed, and a ground lift ensures that the output signal is clean and free of buzz or hum from ground loops.
The Bottom Line: The Presenter's compact size allows it to fit on a desktop or podium, and it includes a port for a Kensington lock to secure it for permanent installations. As an added benefit, the Presenter can also be used as a USB recording interface, so speeches or lectures can be recorded for later use.
