Bestie is a really nice 5-channel stereo desktop (or pocket) mixer with up to 20 dB boost, mute switch per channel, and very flexible connectivity. Although, Bestie is not just a mixer, but also a stereo distortion/saturator with a pre-routed feedback channel that can create juicy, crunchy and gnarly sounds depending on your needs.
Beauty & the Beast in a full metal jacket
Mixing with Bestie can be pure vanilla if you keep all the levels left of the 12 o’clock position. But once you start boosting past that level, Bestie can quickly turn into a Beast. As soon as you start to overload the mixer, the sounds can start to fight for dominance and come crashing down into a distored mess.
The dedicated headphone output offers a loudness control with a smooth mixdown overdrive character and a pre/post mute switch for pre-listening to all your channels before unmuting them to the speakers.
Channels 1 and 5 also have a flexible connectivity scheme accommodating 2x mono cable for left and right channels or 1x cable mono to split to both channels or a classic stereo jack so you're pretty much covered for all eventualities.
The Feedback Channel
Channel 3, in the middle, serves as a feedback channel, which means it routes the output back to the input. If you plug anything into the Channel 3 input, it functions as a normal input channel.
When utilizing Channel 3 as a feedback channel, the level before the 12 o’clock position functions as an added distortion and gain. If boosted beyond 0 dB, it will begin to self-oscillate and generate increasingly deeper tones as the channel is further amplified. At maximum settings, it produces distinct tremolo-like effects.
No input? No input!
A big part of the sonic aesthetics of Bastl Instruments and Casper Electronics is influenced by the so-called no-input-mixing technique. This is the technique of routing the output back to the input on mixing consoles and using gain and EQ to create different tones and noises without plugging any signals into the mixer. It's a LOT of fun.
However, fascinating outcomes arise when these feedback signals are interrupted by elements such as drums. They interact with the feedback tones and compete for dominance. Bestie is well suited for such experiments and directly encourages you to overload its circuitry and make the signals go full on ape.
Zero strings attached
USB-C and AA battery power options make Bestie perfect for portable setups without compromising sound quality.
Features
- 5 stereo channels
- Mute switch with light indication per channel
- Level control per channel with up to 20 dB boost
- Low noise preamps with sweet overdrive character (same as Dude)
- Inputs via 3.5 mm stereo jacks
- 3.5 mm jack output
- 3.5 mm jack headphone output with loudness control
- Pre/Post mute option for the headphone output (pre-listen)
- Channel 3 is normalized to the output, making it a default feedback channel.
- Channels 1 and 5 have two 3.5 mm jacks to also accept dual jack stereo or mono signals.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 101 x 69 x 51 mm
- USB-C power or 4x AA battery power
- Current consumption: 90 mA (without headphones), up to 200 mA (with headphones)
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
Bestie is a really nice 5-channel stereo desktop (or pocket) mixer with up to 20 dB boost, mute switch per channel, and very flexible connectivity. Although, Bestie is not just a mixer, but also a stereo distortion/saturator with a pre-routed feedback channel that can create juicy, crunchy and gnarly sounds depending on your needs.
Beauty & the Beast in a full metal jacket
Mixing with Bestie can be pure vanilla if you keep all the levels left of the 12 o’clock position. But once you start boosting past that level, Bestie can quickly turn into a Beast. As soon as you start to overload the mixer, the sounds can start to fight for dominance and come crashing down into a distored mess.
The dedicated headphone output offers a loudness control with a smooth mixdown overdrive character and a pre/post mute switch for pre-listening to all your channels before unmuting them to the speakers.
Channels 1 and 5 also have a flexible connectivity scheme accommodating 2x mono cable for left and right channels or 1x cable mono to split to both channels or a classic stereo jack so you're pretty much covered for all eventualities.
The Feedback Channel
Channel 3, in the middle, serves as a feedback channel, which means it routes the output back to the input. If you plug anything into the Channel 3 input, it functions as a normal input channel.
When utilizing Channel 3 as a feedback channel, the level before the 12 o’clock position functions as an added distortion and gain. If boosted beyond 0 dB, it will begin to self-oscillate and generate increasingly deeper tones as the channel is further amplified. At maximum settings, it produces distinct tremolo-like effects.
No input? No input!
A big part of the sonic aesthetics of Bastl Instruments and Casper Electronics is influenced by the so-called no-input-mixing technique. This is the technique of routing the output back to the input on mixing consoles and using gain and EQ to create different tones and noises without plugging any signals into the mixer. It's a LOT of fun.
However, fascinating outcomes arise when these feedback signals are interrupted by elements such as drums. They interact with the feedback tones and compete for dominance. Bestie is well suited for such experiments and directly encourages you to overload its circuitry and make the signals go full on ape.
Zero strings attached
USB-C and AA battery power options make Bestie perfect for portable setups without compromising sound quality.
Features
- 5 stereo channels
- Mute switch with light indication per channel
- Level control per channel with up to 20 dB boost
- Low noise preamps with sweet overdrive character (same as Dude)
- Inputs via 3.5 mm stereo jacks
- 3.5 mm jack output
- 3.5 mm jack headphone output with loudness control
- Pre/Post mute option for the headphone output (pre-listen)
- Channel 3 is normalized to the output, making it a default feedback channel.
- Channels 1 and 5 have two 3.5 mm jacks to also accept dual jack stereo or mono signals.
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
