Yamaha M916 analog mixing console

Vintage Yamaha M916 Professional Series analog recording/mixing console, made in Japan around 1980.

These early Yamaha Professional Series desks have developed something of a cult following in recording circles and are sometimes referred to as “Japanese Neve” consoles because of their transformer-coupled signal paths, high headroom and characterful analog preamps/EQ. The M916 uses Tamura transformers on its microphone inputs and transformer-balanced outputs and comes from the same era of Yamaha pro-audio design as the better-known PM-series consoles.

16 channels, each with two selectable XLR inputs, so the desk can accommodate 32 permanently connected sources. Channel EQ, multiple sends, matrix routing, interstage patching and direct-output possibilities make these surprisingly capable recording consoles even in a modern hybrid studio.

I personally used this console to record an album around 2016 and liked it very much, you could push it into gritty breakup or pull in back into nice full tone, and played nicely with other outboard gear. It has a really nice quality to it, tough to describe, but sort of like having a “giant mid-fi four track floating in the sky” which was really great and unique in an era of everything being almost clinically clean sounding. It was then put into storage and has essentially sat ever since.

It currently powers on, and the meters light up, but I have not gone through and tested all 16 channels, inputs, outputs, EQ sections, buses, switches or faders. It is therefore being sold as-is and untested beyond power-up. It should be approached as a vintage console that may need cleaning/service after a decade in storage.

Cosmetically it shows normal vintage studio wear, particularly scratches/nicks to the wood cabinet, but it is substantially complete and presents nicely. See photos.

Large and heavy, I can help you carry it.

$900 OBO.