User manual MACKIE 1604-VLZ3

[. . . ] 1604-VLZ3 16-Channel Mic/Line Mixer OWNER'S MANUAL 1604-VLZ3 Important Safety Instructions 1. Donotblockanyventilationopenings. Installinaccordancewiththe manufacturer'sinstructions. Donotinstallnearanyheatsourcessuchasradiators, heatregisters, stoves, orotherapparatus(includingamplifiers)thatproduceheat. Donotdefeatthesafetypurposeofthepolarizedorgrounding-type plug. Apolarizedplughastwobladeswithonewiderthantheother. [. . . ] 0 The circuit is flat (no boost or cut) at the center detent position. This frequency represents the punch in bass drums, bass guitar, fat synth patches, and some really serious male singers who eat broken glass for breakfast. +15 +10 +5 ­5 ­10 ­15 20Hz 100Hz 1kHz Owner's Manual 10kHz 20kHz Stereo Sources Your life will be easier if you follow this standard convention: When patching stereo sound sources to a mixer, always plug the left signal into an "odd" channel (1, 3, 5, etc. ) and the right signal into the adjacent "even" channel (2, 4, 6, etc. ). Then pan the odd channel hard left and the even channel hard right. Used in conjunction with the LOW CUT [33] switch, you can boost the LOW EQ without injecting a ton of subsonic debris into the mix. We recommend using the LOW CUT feature on all channels, except low frequency signals, like kick drums and bass guitars. The MID EQ , or "midrange, " has a fixed bandwidth of 1 octave. The MID knob sets the amount of boost or cut, up to 15 dB, and is effectively bypassed at the center detent. The frequency knob sets the center frequency, sweepable from 100 Hz to 8 kHz. +15 +10 +5 +15 +10 +5 CONSTANT LOUDNESS !! The 1604-VLZ3's PAN controls employ a design 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 causing the sound to move from the left to the center to the right), the sound will appear to remain at the same volume (or loudness). If you have a channel panned hard left (or right) and reading 0 dB, it must dip down about 4 dB on the left (or right) when panned center. To do otherwise, like those Brand X mixers, would make the sound appear much louder when panned center. 0 ­5 ­10 ­15 20Hz 100Hz 1kHz 10kHz 20kHz 0 ­5 ­10 ­15 20Hz 100Hz 1kHz 10kHz 20kHz Most of the root and lower harmonics that define a sound are located in the 100 Hz­8 kHz frequency range, and you can create drastic changes with these two knobs. Many engineers use MID EQ to cut midrange frequencies, not boost them. One popular trick is to set the MID fully up, turn the frequency knob until you find a point where it sounds just terrible, then back the MID down into the cut range, causing those terrible frequencies to disappear. The HI EQ provides you up to 15 dB boost or cut above 12 kHz, and it is also flat at the 0 detent. Use it to add sizzle to cymbals, an overall sense of transparency, or an edge to keyboards, vocals, guitar and bacon frying. Turn it down a little to reduce sibilance or to mask tape hiss. +15 +10 +5 ­5 ­10 ­15 20Hz 100Hz 1kHz 32. 3-BAND MID-SWEEP EQ The 1604-VLZ3 has a 3-band, mid-sweep equalization: LOW shelving at 80 Hz, MID sweep peaking from 100 Hz to 8 kHz, and HI shelving at 12 kHz. (Shelving means that the circuitry boosts or cuts all frequencies past the specified frequency. For example, the 1604-VLZ3's LOW EQ boosts bass frequencies below 80 Hz and continuing down to the lowest note you never heard. Peaking means that certain frequencies form a "hill" around the center frequency. ) 10kHz 20kHz With too much EQ, you can screw things up royally. We've designed a lot of boost and cut into each equalizer circuit because we love you, and know that everyone will occasionally need that. Equalize subtly and use the left sides of the knobs (cut), as well as the right (boost). [. . . ] You can make "Y"s and mults for the outputs of both unbalanced and balanced circuits. If you need to combine several outputs into one input, you must use a mixer, not a mult or a "Y. " Direct out with signal interruption to master. Insert all the way in to the second "click. " STEREO PLUG Channel Insert jack For use as an effects loop. (TIP = SEND to effect, RING = RETURN from effect. ) Figure F Mackie Stereo Inputs and Returns: Mono, Stereo, Whatever Stereo line inputs and stereo returns are a fine example of the Mackie philosophy (which we just made up) of Maximum Flexibility with Minimum Headache. [. . . ]