Bastl Instruments Instruments Bestie

Bestie is a 5-channel stereo mixer with up to 20 dB boost, mute switch per channel, and flexible connectivity. However, Bestie is not just a mixer but also a stereo distortion/saturator with a pre-routed feedback channel that can create juicy, crunchy sounds.

Beauty and 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, Bestie can quickly turn into a Beast. As soon as you start to overload the mixer, the sounds can start to fight for dominance.

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 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.

The Feedback Channel

Channel 3 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.

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 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 details

• Dimensions: 101 x 69 x 51 mm
• Power: 5V via USB-C or 4x AA battery
• Current consumption: 90 mA (without headphones), up to 200 mA (with headphones)
• Spacing between jacks: 12 mm (center to center)
• Input impedance: 22 kΩ
• Output impedance: 100 Ω
• Headphone impedance: 8–⁠250 Ω
• User manual pdf