Mackie Compact Mixer Reference Manual

Manual is about: Mackie Reference Guide Compact Mixer

Page of 14

Download

Print this page

Bookmark us

Compact Mixer Reference Guide

MIXER ANATOMY: CHAPTER 2

Inputs, Outputs, and Related Controls

Mackie E-Z Interfacing

Concerned about levels, balancing, impedance,

polarity, or other interface goblins? Don’t be. On

your Mackie mixer, you can connect almost anything

almost anywhere, with nary a care. Here’s why:

•

Every main input and output is balanced .

•

Every 1/4" input and output jack also accepts

unbalanced connections.

•

Every input is designed to accept virtually any

output impedance.

•

The main left and right mix outputs can de-

liver +28 dBu into a 600 ohm load (that’s hot!)

•

All the other outputs can deliver +22 dBu into

a 600 ohm load (that’s plenty).

•

All the outputs are in phase with the inputs.

All Mackie mixers have both microphone and line-

level inputs. Some channels have both, some chan-

nels have only line-level inputs. Consult your mixer’s

quick start guide (or just look at the connector

panel) for the exact arrangement. Below is the rear

panel of the 1604-VLZ PRO.

Mic? Line? – What’s The Difference?

Microphones produce a relatively low

voltage, generally in the range of 1 to 250

millivolts, depending on the sensitivity of

the mic, and how loud the sound is. Voltages in the

0.15 to 3 volt range are considered to be line-level.

These aren’t rules or standards, just ways of talking

about two widely different operating voltage ranges,

both of which are common in audio.

A microphone typically requires 20 to 60 dB of gain

in order to bring its signal up to the mixer’s operat-

ing level. A line-level signal requires little if any gain,

and may need to be brought down in level to match

the mixer. So, while there’s a wide adjustment range

for both mic and line inputs, the mic inputs have

higher gain.

Don’t forget the Level-Setting Proce-

dure at the beginning of this book. Mic

and line inputs are happiest when run-

ning at the optimum levels. That procedure will get

you there.

Check the Tips section and Glossary for more infor-

mation about terms we’ll be using here like operating

level, impedance, balanced, unbalanced, XLR, and

TRS. Also study the mixer block diagrams, as each

one is worth a thousand words or more.

Mic Inputs

Mackie mixers include phantom-powered, bal-

anced XLR microphone inputs just like the big studio

mega-consoles, and for exactly the same reason:

A fully balanced circuit is excellent at rejecting

hum and noise, and phantom powering means that

condenser mics can be used without external power

supplies or batteries.

You can plug in almost any kind of mic that has a

standard male XLR-type connector without fear of

overloading the preamp. Professional ribbon, dy-

namic, and condenser mics all sound great through

these inputs.

XLR Input Connectors – Mic wiring

Nearly all professional mics are designed to con-

nect to a low impedance input, and employ balanced

wiring terminating in an XLR-style plug. You’ll fi nd an

illustration and wiring diagram in the Tips section,

chapter 9. We use the wiring convention:

Pin 1 = shield

Pin 2 = positive (+ or hot)

Pin 3 = negative (- or cold)

UTILISE UN FUSIBLE DE RECHANGE DE MÊME TYPE. DEBRANCHER AVANT DE REMPLACER LE FUSIBLE

INSERT

LINE

INSERT

MIC 4

MIC 3

MIC 2

MIC 1

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

LINE

PHANTOM

POWER

120 VAC 50/60 Hz 20W

1A/250V SLO-BLO

MIC 16

INSERT

MIC 15

MIC 14

MIC 13

MIC 12

MIC 11

MIC 10

MIC 9

MIC 8

MIC 7

MIC 6

MIC 5

SUB OUT

C-R OUT

MAIN INSERT

(TIP SEND

RING RETURN)

TAPE

MAIN OUT

AUX SEND

DIRECT OUT

AUX RETURN

MONO

BAL/UNBAL

INPUT

OUTPUT

(MONO)

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

UN-

BAL

LINE

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF

FIRE REPLACE WITH SAME

TYPE FUSE AND RATING

CAUTION:

UTILISE UN FUSIBLE DE RECHANGE DE MÊME TYPE. DEBRANCHER AVANT DE REMPLACER LE FUSIBLE

CONCEIVED, DESIGNED, AND MANUFACTURED BY MACKIE DESIGNS INC • WOODINVILLE • WA • USA • MADE IN USA • FABRIQUE AU USA • COPYRIGHT ©1998 • THE FOLLOWING ARE TRADEMARKS OR REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF MACKIE DESIGN INC.: "MACKIE", "VLZ", "XDR", AND THE "RUNNING MAN" FIGURE • US PATENT NUMBER 29/049,129

XDR

EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE MIC PREAMPLIFIERS ARE PROPRIETARY TO MACKIE DESIGNS, INC.

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

XDR

MIC PRE

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Next › »

Summary of Compact Mixer

Page 1
17 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 inputs, outputs, and related controls mackie e-z interfacing concerned about levels, balancing, impedance, polarity, or other interface goblins? Don’t be. On your mackie mixer, you can connect almost anything almost anywhere, with nary a care...
Page 2: Line Inputs
18 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 even though microphones produce alter- nating current (ac), they have a defi nite polarity orientation. Be sure that you don’t reverse the wires between pins 2 and 3. Did you pick up a cool retro mic at a yard sale that has a 1/4" phone plug ...
Page 3: The Trim Control
19 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 always be sure to perform the level-setting pro- cedure when connecting to line inputs that have trim controls, and check the level and adjust it externally on the stereo inputs without trims. To connect balanced sources to the line-level inp...
Page 4: Auxiliary Return Inputs
20 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 in recording applications, the tape input jacks provide a convenient way to play back your mixes through the control room monitors. You’ll be able to listen to a mix, then rewind and try another pass without repatching or disturbing the mixer...
Page 5: Tape Outputs
21 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 main output level switch several compact mixer models are equipped with a switch that attenuates the xlr main outputs by 30 db, bringing them down to approximately the level of a microphone. If you’re submixing a group of instruments on stage...
Page 6: Bus/subgroup Outputs
22 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 bus/subgroup outputs in 4- and 8-bus consoles, the output of the pan control can be assigned to subgroup busses. The assign switches (1-2, 3-4, l-r) direct the channel out- put to pairs of busses. The subgroup bus outputs appear on the balanc...
Page 7: Aux Send Outputs
23 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 effectively muting its input. To use alt 3-4 as output busses, just connect the alt 3-4 outputs to whatever destination you desire. Pressing the mute button will remove the channel signal from the main bus and route it to the alt 3-4 outputs....
Page 8: Built-In Effects
24 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 aux send shift some mackie consoles have six aux send busses but only four aux knobs. The shift button selects whether their associated knobs send the channel signal to aux outputs 3 and 4 or outputs 5 and 6 on a channel-by-channel basis. Usi...
Page 9: Studio Output (8-Bus)
25 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 on some models, the headphones and control room share the same level control; on others, there’s a separate control for headphone level. Some models have two headphone jacks. The two jacks on the 1642-vlz pro are fed from the same point, and ...
Page 10: Utility Output (Cfx Series)
26 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 insert jack tricks – direct outputs and inputs besides being used for adding outboard signal pro- cessors to the channel signal path, the insert jacks can be used as pre-eq direct outputs. It’s a fact - mackie mic preamps have become so famou...
Page 11: Ppm Series Outputs
27 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 ppm series outputs the ppm mixers have two power amplifi ers built in. A fl exible arrangement of switches and jacks allow you to use those two amplifi ers for any combination of main and monitor speakers. Speaker out (ppm) these 1/4" ts jack...
Page 12: Cessory Power
28 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 amplifi ers are dedicated to the mains. If you want to connect a stage monitor, you’ll either need to use a powered speaker or an external power amplifi er con- nected to the monitor line out jack. The speaker outputs are affected by the main...
Page 13
29 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 bnc lamp socket those decidedly non-audio-looking bnc connec- tors on the top panel of several mackie mixers are for mounting and powering gooseneck lamps so you can fi nd the knobs in the dark. The bncs are wired with the center post at +12 ...
Page 14: Notes
30 compact mixer reference guide mixer anatomy: chapter 2 notes.