How to resolve AdBlock issue? Union Audio elara.4
Following the highly successful launch of its orbit.6 rack-mounted rotary mixer last year, British audio design firm, Union Audio, has added the compact elara.4 to its elite range of analogue mixers. Maintaining orbit’s meticulously engineered features and quality, the elara.4 is designed for DJs and clubs that require 4 channels, catering for touring artists and those with limited booth and studio space. Since forming in 2014, Union Audio has collaborated with leading names in the DJ and sound reproduction field, including Ritchie Hawtin’s Play differently, MasterSounds Audio and TPI, until it turned its focus to its own brand of top quality, hand-built DJ products.
Despite its compact dimensions, the mixer has a fully-featured channel strip, with auxiliary send (selectable pre or post fader), channel level trim, a responsive 3 band Equaliser with -20dB attenuation/+6dB of gain, and a high-pass filter with auto-variable Q, whereby Q rises with the cut-off frequency to give the classic filter sound without the danger of excessively boosting low frequencies.
Elara.4’s channels 1 and 2 are switchable RIAA/LINE, while channels 3 and 4 are switchable Line/Line. Each channel has a 10 LED meter and a high quality TKD conductive plastic fader with a weighted feel, for precise mixing. The elara.4 also features an Innofader crossfader with variable contour, and per channel selectable routing via a toggle switch.
A comprehensive Cue system offers per channel pre-fader monitoring, split-cue and add-mix controls. With all Cues off, the headphone monitor defaults to mix, with the stereo 10 LED VU meter showing pre-Master mix buss level. Selecting any Cue automatically switches the Main VU to show the channel pre-fader level, or channel pre-fader and Mix when the split control is active.
Unique to the elara.4 is the master EQ/isolator with variable crossover control, designed to complement the channel EQ and allowing for some highly creative sound sculpturing. The Isolator has a fixed “Q” of 1 and can be swept from 150Hz to 1kHz (Low-Mid crossover point), with full kill or a safe +6dB of boost. Elara’s other features include Balanced XLR main mix, Booth and Aux Outputs on ¼” TRS Jacks, record output on RCA, and switchable Aux Return or Master Insert for full FX or Outboard integration.
The build quality is exemplary, with an anodised and silkscreened front panel, machined from 5083 aluminium tooling plate, high quality aluminium control knobs, a rugged 1.2mm Zintec chassis, and extensive use of Alps potentiometers and switches throughout. Internally the mixer is fully modular with all PCBs mounted 90° to the front panel to prevent pooling in the event of a liquid spill and minimise audio crosstalk.
“Union Audio is very proud to be launching the second product from its own design portfolio. Orbit was so well received last year, elara is a fitting sister product, built with the same considered design ethos, high quality components and careful assembly, in a smaller package,” explains Union Audio’s founder and designer, Andy Rigby-Jones. “Elara is tiny but mighty, packed with all the tools a DJ needs, such as a professional grade channel strip, cue system and EQ, all loaded into a small framework.”
In addition to standard black, the elara.4 is also available in a spectrum of colourful front panels of red, white and blue. Available from November 2023, ordering direct from Union Audio’s website.