O w n e r ’ s m a n u a l.
2 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions. 5. Do not use this apparatus near water. 6. Clean only with dry cloth. 7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions...
Part no. 0008668 rev. D1 8/04 ©2004 loud technologies inc. All rights reserved. 3 owner’s manual owner’ s manual don’t forget to visit our website at www.Mackie.Com for more information about this and other mackie products. Table of contents introduction.................................................
4 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 introduction thank you for choosing a mackie onyx 1620 profes- sional compact mixing console. The onyx series of mix- ers are designed for the digital era and offer the newest features and latest technologies for live sound reinforce- ment and analog or digital studio recordin...
5 owner’s manual owner ’s manual getting started read this page!! Even if you’re one of those people who never read manuals, all we ask is that you read this page now before you begin using the onyx 1620. You’ll be glad you did! Zero the controls 1. Turn down the channel gain, aux, and fader con- tr...
6 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 hookup diagrams stereo power amplifier out (play) in (record) stereo compressor mono compressor multi effect processor mono power amplifier stage monitors left pa speaker right pa speaker stereo eq mono eq headphones keyboard or other line level input stereo guitar effects dru...
7 owner’s manual owner ’s manual onyx 1620 multitrack recording in a studio (tracking) stereo compressor mono compressor multi effect processor keyboard or other line level input stereo guitar effects drum machine bass guitar electric guitar electric guitar vocal mics digital delay powered studio mo...
8 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 stereo compressor mono compressor multi effect processor keyboard or other line level input stereo guitar effects drum machine bass guitar electric guitar electric guitar vocal mics digital delay powered studio monitors for control room headphones sound card powered studio mon...
9 owner’s manual owner ’s manual onyx 1620 recording with firewire to a laptop stereo compressor mono compressor multi effect processor keyboard or other line level input stereo guitar effects bass guitar electric guitar electric guitar vocal mics digital delay powered studio monitors for control ro...
10 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 onyx 1620 features channel strips there are two kinds of channel strips on the onyx 1620: mono and stereo. The mono channel strips (channels 1-8) have mic and line input connectors. In addition, channels 1 and 2 have high-impedance instrument inputs so you can connect a guita...
11 owner’s manual owner ’s manual another way to use the low cut fi lter is in combination with the low eq on vocals during live performances. Many times, bass shelving eq can really ben- efi t voices. Trouble is, adding low eq also boosts stage rumble, mic handling clunks, and breath pops. Low cut ...
12 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 10. High mid eq short for “midrange,” this knob provides 15 db of boost or cut centered at the frequency determined by its freq knob (see freq next), or at 2.5 khz for the stereo channels. Midrange eq is often thought of as the most dynamic because the frequencies that defi n...
13 owner’s manual owner ’s manual to use this as an alt 3-4 switch, all you have to do is connect the alt 3-4 outputs (41) to whatever destina- tion you desire. Two popular examples: when doing multitrack recording, you can use the alt 3-4 outputs as a stereo or dual-mono feed to your multitrack. Wh...
14 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 control room matrix, metering, and phones i have the cd player plugged into the tape inputs, and that never gets to the main outputs!” oh, but it does. Simply engage this switch and your source matrix se- lection, after going through the control room level control, will feed ...
15 owner’s manual owner ’s manual warning: the headphone amp is designed to drive any standard head- phones to a very loud level. We’re not kidding! It can cause permanent hearing damage. Even intermediate levels may be painfully loud with some headphones. Be careful! Always start with the phones le...
16 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 auxiliary section this section includes the aux masters (sends) and the aux returns. These can be a bit confusing to the uninitiated, so here’s the whole idea behind aux sends and returns: sends are outputs and returns are inputs. Aux sends tap signals off the channels, via t...
17 owner’s manual owner ’s manual 32. Internal talkback mic this is where the built-in talkback microphone is located. This is an omni-directional dynamic microphone, so it will pick up your voice from anywhere in front of the mixer. 33. Talkback level use this knob to control the level of the talkb...
18 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 front panel connectors besides the channel strip mic and line input con- nectors, there are some other connectors located on the front panel for easy access. 40. Control rm outputs these 1/4" trs jacks provide a balanced line-level sig- nal that can be used to provide another...
19 owner’s manual owner ’s manual 50. Aux send 1-4 these 1/4" trs output connectors provide balanced or unbalanced line-level signals for connecting to the inputs of effects devices or stage monitor amplifi ers. 51. Aux return 1-4 these 1/4" trs input connectors accept balanced or unbalanced line-le...
20 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 besides being used for inserting external devices, these jacks can also be used as channel direct outputs; post-trim, post-low cut, and pre-eq. This is an unbalanced direct out, in contrast to the recording outs on the rear panel, which are balanced direct outputs, post-trim,...
21 owner’s manual owner ’s manual appendix a: service information • is there something plugged into the channel insert jack (52)? Try unplugging any insert devices (channels 1-8 only). • try the same source signal in another channel, set up exactly like the suspect channel. Bad output • is the assoc...
22 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 repair service for mackie products is available at a factory- authorized service center. Service for mackie products living outside the united states can be obtained through local dealers or distributors. If your onyx 1620 needs service, follow these instructions: 1. Review t...
23 owner’s manual owner ’s manual appendix b: connections 1/4" ts phone plugs and jacks “ts” stands for tip-sleeve, the two connection points available on a mono 1/4" phone jack or plug. They are used for unbalanced signals. Sleeve tip tip sleeve tip sleeve 1/4" ts unbalanced wiring: sleeve = shield...
24 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 • when connecting an unbalanced output to a bal- anced input, be sure that the signal high (hot) connections are wired to each other. The unbal- anced ground (earth) connection should be wired to the low (cold) and the ground (earth) connec- tions of the balanced input. If th...
25 owner’s manual owner’ s manual db25 connectors the recording outs on the back of the onyx 1620 provide balanced direct outputs for channels 1-16 on two female db25 connectors. These connectors are pin-for-pin compatible with the analog (not tdif) db25 connectors found on tascam dtrs recorders, wh...
26 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 appendix c: technical info maximum input levels mic input: +21 dbu, gain @ unity inst input: +21 dbu, gain @ –20 db mono channel line input: +30 dbu, gain @ –20 db stereo channel line input: +21 dbu, gain @ –20 db tape input: +15 dbu aux return: +21 dbu maximum voltage gain m...
27 owner’s manual owner ’s manual output impedance main: 150 Ω balanced, xlr outputs; 300 Ω trs outputs recording outputs: 300 Ω control room: 300 Ω alt 3/4: 300 Ω aux sends: 300 Ω tape output: 2.2 k Ω phones output: 25 Ω channel level set led (sensitivity) 0 dbu (normal operating level) vu meters m...
28 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 onyx 1620 block diagram l r au x 1 (po st) au x 2 (po st) so lo (p fl) so lo l (afl) so lo r (afl) so lo l og ic ma in solo logic l r so lo (p fl) so lo l og ic ma in control room le v e l main mix fa d e r a u x retur n 3 l r inser t hpf fa d e r le v e l pa n solo au x send...
29 owner’s manual owner ’s manual onyx 1620 track sheet (channels 1-8) alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 4 3 2 1 freq high 12khz low mid high mid u +15 -15 u +15 -15 u +15 -15 u +15 -15 low 80hz freq eq 5 6 8 aux 4 3 2 1 pan bal/ unbal bal/ unbal bal/ unbal bal/ unbal b...
30 onyx 1620 onyx 16 20 onyx 1620 track sheet (channels 9-16 and master section) main mix aux masters aux returns 4 3 2 1 4 3 2 1 fx to mon alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 alt 3/4 l (mono) r bal or unbal l (mono) r bal or unbal l (mono) r bal or unbal l (mono) r bal or unbal line in 9-10 line in 11-12 line ...
31 owner’s manual owner’ s manual onyx 1620 limited warranty a. Loud technologies inc. Warrants all materials, workmanship and proper operation of this product for a period of three years from the original date of purchase. If any defects are found in the materials or workmanship or if the product f...
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