Allen & Heath ZED60-10FX 10-Channel Analog Mixer, USB, 16 FX, Hi-Z DI

Allen & Heath ZED60-10FX: A Compact Live Mixer With Effects, USB and Guitar Inputs

The Allen & Heath ZED60-10FX is a ten-channel analog mixer that folds onboard effects, a USB interface and dedicated instrument inputs into a desk small enough for a single performer to carry. It is part of the ZED60 series, sometimes called ZED Sixty, and it targets the working small band, the singer-songwriter and the streamer who need more than a bare mixer but less than a full console. In one box it combines microphone preamps, a bank of digital effects, a computer recording feed and inputs designed specifically for electric guitar and bass. That integration is the appeal: rather than assembling a mixer, an effects unit, a DI box and a recorder, the operator carries a single ZED60-10FX. For a gig in a small room or a home setup that streams, it covers the whole signal chain.

Sixteen Onboard Effects With Tap Tempo

Built into the ZED60-10FX is a sixteen-preset digital effects engine covering delays, reverbs, chorus, flanger and a doubler. Effects like reverb and delay create the sense of space and depth that makes a live vocal sound finished rather than dry and flat, and having them onboard removes the need for a separate rack unit and its cabling. A tap-tempo control lets the operator match delay times to the song simply by tapping the beat, so echoes ride with the music instead of clashing with it. For a solo act or a small worship team, that self-contained ambience is often the difference between a thin sound and a professional one. Users single out the effects and preamps as unusually good for a mixer this size.

Two Class A FET Hi-Z Instrument Inputs

Two of the mono channels feature Class A FET high-impedance instrument inputs, letting a guitar or bass plug straight into the mixer without a separate DI box. High impedance matters because electric instrument pickups need a high-impedance input to preserve their full tone; feed them into a standard line input and the top end and body collapse. A Class A FET input stage is a high-quality circuit chosen specifically to load those pickups correctly and keep the instrument sounding natural. This is why reviewers highlight the Hi-Z inputs as a real asset for guitarists, who can go from instrument to PA or recording with nothing in between. For an acoustic-electric duo or a home player, those inputs turn the ZED60-10FX into a complete guitar front end.

Stereo USB Recording and GSPre Preamps

A built-in 2x2 USB interface lets the ZED60-10FX act as a soundcard, recording a stereo mix to a computer and returning stereo playback for backing tracks or streaming. That single USB connection replaces a separate recorder or capture device, which is exactly what a podcaster or content creator wants from a compact desk. The microphone and line channels run through Allen & Heath GSPre preamps with switchable 48V phantom power, so condenser microphones work alongside dynamics and instruments. Three-band EQ on each channel gives clear, controlled tone shaping without overcomplicating a small board. Together the clean preamps and clean USB path are why users describe the ZED60-10FX as delivering excellent sound and reliable recording for its size.

Built for Small Stages and Home Setups

The ZED60-10FX rides on a rugged chassis with 60mm faders and runs from an external power adapter to keep the footprint compact, sending its mix out on balanced XLR L/R main outputs with an aux and an FX bus output. That output set covers a PA feed, a monitor send and an external effects loop, enough routing for a small live show. Its natural homes are small gigs and bands, singer-songwriter and acoustic acts, podcasting and streaming, small worship rooms and home recording. Because it combines effects, USB and instrument inputs with genuine Allen & Heath preamps, it consolidates an entire small-format rig into one dependable unit. For a performer who wants sound, effects and recording in a mixer they can carry in one hand, the ZED60-10FX is a complete package.