1604-vlz pro 16-channel mic/line mixer owner’s manual 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 pan aux 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 eq 5 4 6 5/6 shift pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre trim 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 solo l...
Caution avis risk of electric shock do not open risque de choc electrique ne pas ouvrir caution: to reduce the risk of electric shock do not remove cover (or back) no user-serviceable parts inside refer servicing to qualified personnel attention: pour eviter les risques de choc electrique, ne pas en...
3 we realize that you must have a powerful hankerin’ to try out your new 1604-vlz pro. Or you might be one of those people who never reads manuals. Either way, all we ask is that you read this page now, and the rest can wait until you’re good and ready. But do read it — you’ll be glad you did. Other...
4 pan aux 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 eq 5 4 6 5/6 shift pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre trim 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 so...
5 contents pre ............................................................... 21 5/6 shift ..................................................... 21 output section description ............................ 22 main mix fader .......................................... 22 vlz mix architecture .............
6 1604-vlz pro 8-track tracking 8 7 6 5 4 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 21 1 2 3 4 r l r r l r l r l r l r 1 2 3 4 5 6 direct out bal/unbal channel inserts aux returns main insert c/r out bal/unbal main out bal/unbal mono stereo phones out aux sends bal/unbal 12 3 4 sub outs bal/unbal channel i...
7 1604-vlz pro stereo p.A. 8 7 6 5 4 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 21 1 2 3 4 r l r r l r l r l r l r 1 2 3 4 5 6 channel inserts aux returns main insert mono stereo phones out 12 3 4 channel inputs l l l r l r tape out tape in 16 15 1 4 1 3 12 1 1 10 987654321 3 2 1 direct out bal/unbal c/r ou...
8 1604-vlz pro video setup 8 7 6 5 4 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 21 1 2 3 4 r l r r l r l r l r l r 1 2 3 4 5 6 channel inserts aux returns main insert mono stereo phones out 12 3 4 channel inputs l l l r l r tape out tape in 16 15 1 4 1 3 12 1 1 10 987654321 3 2 1 direct out bal/unbal c/r ou...
9 converting to rackmount mode not only is the new 1604-vlz pro a compact, professional-quality tabletop mixer, it’s rack- mountable! Its unique rotating input pod makes this possible. One of the things that revolutionized the compact mixer industry was the “convertible pod” found on the original, c...
10 at the risk of stating the obvious, this is where you plug everything in: microphones, line-level instruments and effects, and the ulti- mate destination for your sound: a tape recorder, pa system, etc. A few of the features described in this section are on top of the mixer, but most are out back...
11 line inputs these 1 / 4 " jacks share circuitry (but not phantom power) with the mic preamps. You can use these inputs for virtually any signal you’ll come across, from instrument levels as low as –50db to operating levels of –10dbv to +4dbu, as there is 60db of gain available via the trim knob ....
12 split monitoring with split monitoring, you use the first eight channels for your sound sources: vocal mics, drum mics, keyboard/synth outputs, guitar effects outputs, that sort of thing. From there, the channels manipulate the sound, but are not assigned to the output section. Instead, they’re p...
13 effects: serial or parallel? You’ve heard us carelessly toss around the terms “serial” and “parallel.” here’s what we mean by them: “serial” means that the entire signal leaves the mixer ( insert send), is routed through the effects device, and returns to the mixer ( insert return). Examples: com...
14 this method is exactly the same as the double- busing feature found in other mixers. Built-in double busing is nothing more than y-cords living inside the mixer instead of hanging out the back. If we had room for the extra jacks, we would have thrown them in, but we don’t, so we didn’t. Sonically...
15 main insert these 1 / 4 " jacks are for connecting serial effects such as compressors, equalizers, de- essers, or filters . The insert point is after the mix amps, but before the main mix fader. Insert cables must be wired thusly: “tip” this plug connects to one of the mixer’s channel insert jack...
16 power switch if this one isn’t self-explanatory, we give up. You can leave this switch on all the time; the 1604-vlz pro is conservatively designed, so heat buildup isn’t a problem even in 24-hour-a- day operation. There’s nothing that will burn out or get used up. You may notice that the 1604-vl...
17 channel strip description a clean fade faders are not rocket science — they operate by dragging a metal pin (the wiper) across a carbon-based strip (the track). It is possible for airborne crud to land on the track. Should that happen, you may hear scratchy noises or signal drop- outs as the wipe...
18 if you’re printing new tracks or bouncing ex- isting ones, you’ll also use the 1–2 and 3–4 switches, but not the l–r switch. Here, you don’t want the subgroups sent back into the main mix , but sent out, via the sub outs jacks, to your multitrack inputs . However, if you’re printing tracks via th...
19 constant loudness ! ! ! The 1604-vlz pro’s pan controls employ a de- sign called “constant loudness.” it has nothing to do with living next to a freeway. As you turn the pan knob from left to right (thereby caus- ing the sound to move from the left to the center to the right), the sound will appe...
20 20 hz 100 hz 1k hz 10k hz 20k hz –15 –10 –5 0 +5 +10 +15 20 hz 100 hz 1k hz 10k hz 20k hz –15 –10 –5 0 +5 +10 +15 most of the root and lower harmonics that define a sound are located in the 100hz–8khz frequency range, and you can create drastic changes with these two knobs. Many engineers use mid...
21 we recommend going into a stereo reverb in mono and returning in stereo. We have found that on most “stereo” reverbs, the second input just ties up an extra aux send and adds nothing to the sound. There are exceptions, so feel free to try it both ways. Should you choose to use two aux sends, use ...
22 aux send stereo aux return effects to monitors to aux send 2 to aux send 1 1 2 pwr phan solo solo 1 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 c-r / phns only returns solo main mix to subs assign options 1–2 3–4 u o o +20 u o o +20 u o o +15 u o o +15 u o o +20 u o o +20 u o o +10 u o o +10 left right phones lamp 12v 0.5a ta...
23 now you know how to select the signals you want to send to the engineer’s control room and/or phones. From there, these signals all pass through the same level control, aptly named: ctl room/phones as you might expect, this knob controls the levels of both the stereo c-r outs and phones output . ...
24 mode (normal (afl)/level set (pfl)) you may have already seen this, but in case you missed it: the 1604-vlz pro’s solo system comes in two flavors: normal (afl) (sometimes called sip, or solo-in-place) and level set (pfl) (sometimes called pfl, or pre-fader-listen). In normal (afl) , the soloed c...
25 meters the 1604-vlz pro’s peak metering system is made up of two columns of twelve leds. Decep- tively simple, considering the multitude of signals that can be monitored by it. If nothing is selected in the source matrix and no channels are in solo , the meter display will just sit there. To put ...
26 aux sends solo once again, in a live sound situations aux send 1 and 2 are likely to feed your stage monitors. You’ll want to check the mix you’re sending them, and that’s what these two but- tons are for. ( aux 3 through aux 6 have no such switch.) beside each switch is a green led that, just li...
27 ( main mix to subs switch up) and you did a drum fade-out using subgroup faders 1 and 2 , the “dry” signals would fade out, but the “wet” signals would keep on singing. All you would hear is the drum reverb (the “wet”), and none of the original drum signals (the “dry”). That’s be- cause the rever...
28 modifications about jumpers we recommend solid (non-stranded) wire, 26–28 gauge (wire-wrapping variety). When in- stalling jumpers, do not run their ends through holes in the circuit board. Rather, solder them flat against the desired pad (the flat silver area, possi- bly with a hole in the middl...
29 ul warning caution! These modi- fication instructions are for use by qualified per- sonnel only. To avoid electric shock, do not perform any servicing other than changing the fuse unless you are qualified to do so. Refer all servicing and modifying to qualified personnel. Mackie disclaimer any mo...
30 1604-vlz pro block diagram main l sub 3 main r sub 2 sub 1 sub 4 aux 1 aux 2 aux 3 aux 4 aux 5 aux 6 sip l sip r pfl logic 75hz hpf mid hi 80 100–8k 12k lo l r 1 2 3 4 sip l sip r pfl phantom power (global switch trim mic in line in direct out (ch's 1–8 only) insert low cut –20 (flicker) solo (gl...
31 gain structure diagram +22dbu max in 15db loss, trim down 45db gain, trim up line in, all channels mic in, all channels 60db gain, trim up 0db gain, trim down +22dbu max in +15db up –15db down –15db down –15db down low +15db up mid +15db up high +10db up fader pan –4db center eq mix 0db 1/4" unba...
32 specifications main mix noise 20hz–20khz bandwidth, 1 ⁄ 4 " main out, channel trims @ unity gain, channel eqs flat, all channels assigned to main mix, odd channels panned left, even channels panned right main mix fader unity, channel faders down: –86.5dbu (90db signal to noise ratio, ref +4dbu) m...
33 service info details concerning warranty service are spelled out on the warranty card included with your mixer (if it’s missing, let us know and we’ll rush one to you). If you think your 1604-vlz pro has a problem, please do everything you can to confirm it before call- ing for service. Doing so ...
34 this glossary contains brief definitions of many of the audio and electronic terms used in discussions of sound mixing and recording. Many of the terms have other meanings or nuances or very rigorous technical definitions which we have sidestepped here because we figure you already have a lot on ...
35 console a term for a sound mixer, usually a large desk-like mixer. Cueing in broadcast, stage and post-production work, to “cue up” a sound source (a record, a sound effect on a cd, a song on a tape) means to get it ready for playback by making sure you are in the right position on the “cue,” mak...
36 echo the reflection of sound from a surface such as a wall or a floor. Reverberation and echo are terms that can be used interchangeably, but in audio parlance a distinction is usually made: echo is considered to be a distinct, recogniz- able repetition (or series of repetitions) of a word, note,...
37 second, which gives us the sensation of pitch, harmonics, tone and overtones. Frequency is measured in units called hertz (hz). One hertz is one repetition or cycle per second. Gain the measure of how much a circuit ampli- fies a signal. Gain may be stated as a ratio of input to output values, su...
38 input module a holdover from the days when the only way that real consoles were built was in modular fashion, one channel per module. See channel strip . Knee a knee is a sharp bend in an eq response curve not unlike the sharp bend in your leg. Also used in describing dynamics processors. Level a...
39 pan, pan pot short for panoramic potentiometer. A pan pot is used to position (or even move back and forth) a monaural sound source in a stereo mixing field by adjusting the source’s volume between the left and right channels. Our brains sense stereo position by hearing this dif- ference in loudn...
40 equals the center frequency divided by the dif- ference between the upper and lower –3db frequencies. A peaking eq centered at 10khz whose –3db points are 7.5khz and 12.5khz has a q of 2. Rca phono jack— or rca jack or phono jack an rca phono jack is an inexpensive con- nector (female) introduced...
41 stereo believe it or not, stereo comes from a greek word that means solid. We use stereo or stereophony to describe the illusion of a con- tinuous, spacious soundfield that is seemingly spread around the listener by two or more re- lated audio signals. In practice, stereo often is taken to simply...
42 appendix b: connections “xlr” connectors mackie mixers use 3-pin female “xlr” connectors on all microphone inputs, with pin 1 wired to the grounded (earthed) shield, pin 2 wired to the “high” (”hot” or positive po- larity) side of the audio signal and pin 3 wired to the “low” (“cold” or negative ...
43 goes to the ground (earth) connection at the unbalanced input. In most cases, the balanced ground (earth) will also be connected to the ground (earth) at the unbalanced input. If there are ground-loop problems, this connection may be left disconnected at the balanced end. • when connecting an unb...
44 input, for example, will automatically unbalance the input and make all the right connections. Conversely, a 1 ⁄ 4 " trs plug inserted into a 1 ⁄ 4 " unbalanced input will automatically tie the ring (low or cold) to ground (earth). Trs send/receive insert jacks mackie’s single-jack inserts are th...
45 mults and “y”s a mult or “y” connector allows you to route one output to two or more inputs by simply providing parallel wiring connections. You can make “y”s and mults for the outputs of both unbalanced and balanced circuits. Remember: only mult or “y” an output into sev- eral inputs. If you nee...
46 appendix c: balanced lines, phantom powering, grounding and other arcane mysteries what is it, exactly? The obvious external power source for any modern microphone is a battery. About the only electronic advantage that a battery has is that its output is pure dc. The only other advantage is to th...
47 the dc power is applied common-mode. The audio travels via pins 2 and 3, the power trav- els between pins 2 and 3 simultaneously, and pin 1 is the ground for both audio and power. Microphones that do not require power simply ignore the dc present between pin 2/pin 3 and pin 1. If you measure with...
48 do’s and don’ts of fixed installations if you install sound systems into fixed installa- tions, there are a number of things that you can do to make your life easier and that increase the likelihood of the sound system operating in a predictable manner. Even if you don’t do fixed installations, t...
49 many “authorities” tell you that shields should only be connected at one end. Some- times this can be true, but for most (99%) audio systems, it is unnecessary. If you do every- thing else correctly, you should be able to connect every component of your audio system using standard, off-the-shelf ...
Pan aux 3 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 eq 5 4 6 5/6 shift pre pre pre pre pre pre pre pre trim 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 solo l - r 3–4 1–2 ol -20 ol -20 ol -20 ol -20 ol...
Utilise un fusible de rechange de mÊme type. Debrancher avant de remplacer le fusible 4 3 2 1 insert insert insert line insert mic 4 mic 3 mic 2 mic 1 bal un- bal bal un- bal bal un- bal bal un- bal line line line o o +6 phantom on power on 120 vac 50/60 hz 20w 1a/250v slo-blo 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9...
