Soundcraft M series BROCHURE

A perfect mix of form and function

A perfect mix of form and function

Even before you plug in a Soundcraft
Spirit M Series mixer you know it’s
something very special. The aluminium
side panels aren’t just beautiful, they can
withstand extreme forces and are designed
to leave the mixer with no sharp edges.
Removing these panels is simple, revealing
a robust, integral rack mounting system
equipping the M Series instantly for a life
on the road.

The Spirit M Series is also exceptionally
easy to use. The control surface will be

immediately familiar to anyone who has
used a mixer before and will quickly
become second nature even to a novice.
All inputs, EQ, auxes, panning and level
controls are presented
clearly, saving you time
when creating your mixes
and providing you with
more time to spend on
achieving the best sound. High
quality 100mm faders combine with
signal and peak LEDs on every channel
and high resolution output metering places

the operator in total control. A durable,
multi-coat paint finish, ensures that a Spirit
M Series console always looks as good as
it sounds.

In a world full of cheap compact mixers, Soundcraft has achieved something exceptional with the new

Spirit M Series. Equally suited to recording and live sound applications, the Spirit M Series delivers a

great-sounding, reliable performance, session after session, mix after mix. A mixer for life.

Live sound

reproduction

Home studio

recording

Keyboard, samplers,

synthesisers and electronic

instrument mixing

applications

Applications

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Three frame options

From raw component level
through to cosmetic
finishing, the Spirit M Series
has been built to last. Just
pick one up and you’ll know
what we mean. Even the
knobs are special, custom
designed to our own exacting
requirements. We’ve ensured
there is plenty of spacing
between the controls,
enabling you to comfortably
achieve total control of your

mix. Even the headphone
jack is located at the bottom
right hand corner of the
mixer so a trailing cable will
never get in your way. Just
another example of the
attention to detail which
makes the Soundcraft Spirit
M Series the standard
against which other compact
mixing consoles must now
be judged.

Location

mixing

Multimedia
production

Video post
production

Multi-speaker

systems

Conference

sound systems

PA mixing for bars,

schools, leisure centres,

places of worship, etc.

4 mono inputs
4 stereo inputs
4 stereo returns

M4

8 mono inputs
4 stereo inputs
4 stereo returns

M8

12 mono inputs
4 stereo inputs
4 stereo returns

M12

The Soundcraft Spirit M Series is available in 4,

8 or 12 mono input channel frame sizes. All

three mixers include four stereo inputs and four

stereo returns, with all other features and

specifications identical.

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OPTIONS

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Sonic integrity through design

Right from the start, the Spirit M Series has been

designed to achieve optimum sound and

performance. Other mixers have designs with

significant restraints in this respect but, through a

fresh and innovative approach, Soundcraft

designers have created a mixer that rivals the sonic

performance of many high end recording consoles.

Attention to detail in the design of the Spirit M Series makes mixing a positive pleasure. A no-compromise

approach to circuit design and to the quality of the components throughout has resulted in a console that

delivers exceptionally low noise and crosstalk figures. Mic and line inputs are provided on balanced XLR and

1/4" jack connectors for optimum performance, with the main stereo outputs on balanced XLRs for better

integration with other professional equipment. There are also insert points on every mono channel and the

mix outputs for external signal processing.

More inputs

All three versions of the Spirit M Series feature more inputs for your
money than comparable compact consoles. With a choice of
4, 8 or 12 input versions plus 4 stereo inputs and 4 stereo returns,
there are more than adequate inputs for connecting keyboards,
samplers, CD players and other outboard equipment.

Mic preamp

Much has been written about the importance of the mic preamp in
mixer design. And rightly so. Poor quality in this area can never be
recovered, however smart the subsequent circuit design. Desirable
characteristics include linearity and smooth gain control over a wide
range as well as low noise, low distortion and RF rejection. The mic
preamp in the new M Series utilises the same design as that used
on our award-winning Ghost studio recording consoles.
It delivers remarkably low distortion (or colouration) at all gain
levels, operating with a cool character that comes from over a
quarter of a century’s experience. The bottom line is that it sounds
great... and it doesn’t need a name because it speaks for itself.

The Great
British EQ

In the 70s, Soundcraft
pioneered circuit
design that
revolutionised people’s
perception of EQ.
Today many engineers
and producers
acknowledge those
efforts, describing the
results as ‘British EQ’.
And while we don’t

claim all the credit, it’s
undoubtedly true that Soundcraft’s work in this field made a major
contribution to the evolution of that classic sound. In the Spirit M
Series we go one step further. While completely happy with the low
and mid range circuitry, we identified a potential for improvement
in the HF section. The HF EQ on the M Series has a steeper shelf,
making it more tightly focused on the frequencies that you are
trying to boost, avoiding the associated boost in
the nearby mid-range frequencies which happens
in many other EQs and which results in
mid-range clarity compromises.

HF Frequency Response

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Noise and crosstalk elimination

To minimise noise and hum, effective grounding is essential in mixing console design. The
M Series consoles employ a ground tracking architecture usually seen only in much more
expensive designs. Careful attention to the grounding around the faders ensures there is
minimum ground signal, providing maximum fader attenuation and therefore a high fader
cut-off value. The improved circuitry also ensures there is virtually no inter-channel crosstalk.

Size matters
– 100mm

A popular target for cost-cutting mixer
manufacturers, you won’t be short
changed with the Spirit M Series’
faders. With the benefit of full sized
100mm faders, subtle mixing changes
become easy and control is placed
right where it matters. At your finger
tips. What’s more, each channel also
features peak and signal LEDs for
intuitive level monitoring.

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