The disclosed systems and methods for conducted massive MIMO array testing uses an efficient method of utilizing hardware resources for emulating signals from a massive MIMO base station transceiver to a MIMO mobile unit as dictated by a channel model; and also for emulating signals from a MIMO mobile unit to a massive MIMO BS transceiver, as dictated by a channel model. The system uses a phase matrix combiner to emulate the angular behavior of the propagation using virtual probes, combined with a radio channel emulator to create the temporal, multipath, and correlation behavior of the propagation. Using a phase matrix function increases the number of antenna elements that can be utilized in a massive MIMO array emulation while keeping the required number of fading channels within the radio channel emulator at a reduced number, thus forming a cost effective, yet realistic test system for massive MIMO testing.