For the performing artist or band, StageScape M20d makes intuitive the entire process of achieving a better live sound mix in all ways. In addition to reducing live sound setup time, the FOH mix, overall volume, monitor mix, effects and more is now under the artist's complete control in real-time and at the same time they are performing on stage. Prior to Line 6's StageScape, all of this was (of course) under the exclusive purview, control and sonic ascetics of the house sound engineer.

The StageScape M20d's 7-inch color touchscreen is designed to visually attract and elicit artistic input rather than discourage it by forcing navigation down multiple layers of menus of cryptically named technical parameters displayed on a crappy-looking, small LCD screen. The new X-Y tweak pad lets you drag a dot coordinate across the touchscreen toward familiar lingo like "bright" or "dark" and cause multiple internal parameters to adjust simultaneously to achieve your intended goals. But the system is not just another pretty face--a "dumbed downed" mixer because you can perform deep editing with easy access to every internal parameter and setup 'under the hood'.

The StageScape M20d unit starts with twelve, mic/line inputs and four line only inputs--all digitally controlled. Inputs and outputs on the unit use auto-sensing whereby whenever a mic or line cable is plugged in, it automatically configures the required channel strip with all essential EQ, effects and routing predicated upon what type of signal the mixer input detects and/or what output level range is required for proper operation. This is brilliant!

There are two stereo digital streaming inputs for computer interfacing, stereo line inputs for MP3 players, four monitor outs and two main outputs all using balanced XLR outputs plus an additional XLR (XLR/EBU) connector for the new L6 LINK multi-channel digital network using their new LINK enabled speaker system.

StageScape M20d has 32-bit floating-point DSP audio signal processing on every channel (parametric EQ, limiter, gate, compression, reverbs, delay, vocal doubler) including multi-band feedback suppression. There are four stereo master effects engines and nearly unlimited I/O setups, scenes, and channel processing presets.

With StageScape the boring, hit and miss sound check process is gone because the multi-channel recording utility records with or without a computer connected. Record 16 channels plus the main stereo mix in 24-bit WAV format all at once to a SD card, USB drive, direct to your Mac® or PC, or to the internal memory for short "tests".