The Helix Board 12 FireWire is a mixer

Mixing console

In professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...

 developed by Phonic Corporation

Phonic Corporation

Phonic Corporation is a Taiwanese public company that manufactures and sells professional audio equipment, including mixing consoles, loudspeakers, studio monitors, and digital recording devices. Established in 1977, Phonic provided original equipment manufacturing to various audio companies during...

 that features a FireWire Interface, able to connect the mixer to Windows and Mac computers. The product was released in 2005 and has since become a signature product for the company

Outputs

The Helix Board 12 FireWire has a stereo main output, control room output, auxiliary send, headphones outputs, RCA record outputs and alternate 3-4 outputs.

Digital Effects

A built-in 16 program, 32-bit effect processor is included with the Helix Board 12 FireWire. Effects include Hall, Room, Plate, Cathedral, and more.

FireWire Interface

The FireWire interface allows all 8 inputs (counting stereo channels as 2) of the Helix Board 12 FireWire to be sent to a computer for recording, through its ASIO drivers (no drivers are required for the Mac). The main stereo output of your computer can also be sent through the FireWire interface, back to the Helix Board. The returned signal can be routed by the touch of one of the buttons on the face of the mixer.

The Helix Board 12 FireWire is bundled with Steinberg Cubase LE software for recording purposes, though it's suggested that users upgrade to SX or use other Digital Audio Workstation

Digital audio workstation

A digital audio workstation is an electronic system designed solely or primarily for recording, editing and playing back digital audio. DAWs were originally tape-less, microprocessor-based systems such as the Synclavier and Fairlight CMI...

software.

Windows

• Microsoft Windows XP SP1 or SP2
• Available FireWire port
• Intel Pentium 4 processor or equivalent AMD processor
• Motherboard with Intel or VIA chipset
• 5400RPM or faster hard disc drive (7200 RPM or faster with 8MB cache recommended)
• 256MB or more of RAM (512MB recommended)

Macintosh

• Mac OS X 10.3.5 or later with native FireWire support
• G4 or newer processor
• 256MB or more of RAM

MKII

2006 saw the release of the Helix Board 12 FireWire MKII, which included additional features. Among these was a new DFX processor, pre/post switch on each input channel and a channel 9/10 assign switch.