Allen & Heath XB-14-2 Compact Broadcast Mixer, 10-Channel, USB, Telco Hybrid

Allen & Heath XB-14-2: Broadcast-Grade Console Built for Self-Op Radio and Podcast Studios

The Allen & Heath XB-14-2 is a compact broadcast mixer built for self-operated radio, internet-radio, and podcast studios, giving one presenter direct control of microphones, playout, and callers from a single desktop surface. It carries ten channels across four mono mic/line inputs and three stereo line channels, plus a dedicated telephone hybrid, so a full talk-format show routes through one console. Every input and output is laid out for on-air workflow rather than studio tracking, which is why the XB-14-2 sits at the center of small stations and streaming rooms. Presenters running the desk alone get broadcast-standard tools without a rack of outboard gear or a second operator. It is the console that turns a spare room into a real on-air studio.

Four Broadcast Mic Preamps for Presenters and Guests

Four balanced XLR mic inputs feed low-noise broadcast preamps that hold clean, even gain across voices with very different levels. Each mic channel offers the tone shaping a talk show needs to seat a presenter and guests in the same sonic space without one voice jumping forward. Because the preamps stay quiet at high gain, quieter guest mics and dynamic broadcast capsules both sit comfortably in the mix. The result is intelligible, consistent speech that survives streaming codecs and FM processing alike. For panel shows and multi-guest podcasts, four independent mic paths mean nobody shares a channel.

Full-Duplex USB Soundcard for Playout and Recording

A built-in full-duplex USB sound card connects the XB-14-2 to a computer with a single cable, playing back music, beds, and pre-recorded segments while simultaneously recording the program output. Full-duplex operation means the same interface streams audio in and captures audio out at once, which is exactly what playout software and podcast recording need. That removes the separate USB interface most desks require and keeps the signal path short and clean. Program audio can be archived, streamed, or handed off for editing straight from the console. One console, one cable, and the studio PC becomes both the music source and the recorder.

Telephone Hybrid for Clean Call-In Segments

A dedicated telephone hybrid channel with its own send and return path puts callers on air and automatically feeds them a mix-minus of the program, so callers hear everyone but not themselves. That mix-minus feed is what prevents the echo and howl-round that plague improvised phone setups. Call-in interviews, listener requests, and remote guests drop straight into the mix at the right level with a fader like any other source. The hybrid handles the routing that would otherwise take an external unit and careful patching. For talk radio and interview podcasts, it is the difference between a usable caller and an unusable one.

Fader-Start Logic and Studio Monitoring Routing

Fader-start switching and remote logic let the XB-14-2 trigger cart machines, jingle players, and playout systems the instant a channel fader is opened, so a solo presenter fires content hands-free. Separate control-room, foldback, and mono master outputs feed studio monitors, guest headphone mixes, and any downstream processor on independent buses. LED bargraph metering keeps the operator inside broadcast headroom without staring at a screen. Stereo XLR master outputs deliver a balanced program feed to a transmitter chain, encoder, or recorder. Everything is arranged so one person can drive a live show without turning away from the mic.

Who the XB-14-2 Is For

The XB-14-2 suits community, college, and internet-radio on-air studios, multi-presenter podcast production, live streaming rooms, and small talk-show setups that need broadcast routing in a desktop footprint. Stations moving from a laptop-and-interface rig gain proper mic-minus, fader-start, and telco handling in one purpose-built console. Podcasters who record several voices plus phone guests get a mixer designed for exactly that job rather than a repurposed music board. Its universal internal power supply and rugged Allen & Heath build make it equally at home in a fixed rack or a portable flyaway kit. For self-op broadcast, it is a focused, dependable centerpiece.