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Mackie 1642-VLZ3 User's Manual

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1. i 20s 00 Dk 20k 20 00 Dk 20k Most of the root and lower harmonics that define a sound are located in the 100 Hz 8 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 frequen cies to disappear Sounds silly but it works Sometimes The HI EQ provides you up to 15 dB boost or cut above 12 kHz and it is also flat at the 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 5 m 8 0 5 1 5 2 00 ke Tk 20k With too much EQ you can screw things up royally We ve designed a lot of boost and cut into each equal izer circuit because we know everyone will occasionally need that But if you max the EQ on every channel you ll get mix mush Equalize subtly and use the left sides of the knobs cut as well asthe right boost If you find yourself repeatedly using full boost or cut c
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3. BAL UNBAL NM 5 5 e 9 9 ce Q 1 11 TAPE OUTPUT These unbalanced RCA jacks tap the main mix outputs to make simultaneous record ing and PA work more convenient Connect these to your 2 track recorder s inputs See MAIN MIX P O N MONO 13 En FADER 37 on 18 for details of the signal routing to these outputs EH Mono If you want to feed a mono signal to your tape deck or other device use the 1 4 MONO 15 output jack instead 12 TAPE INPUT These unbalanced RCA jacks are designed to work with semipro as well as pro recorders Connect your 2 track tape recorder s outputs here using quality hi fi RCA cables To learn how signals are routed from these inputs see page 19 TAPE IN LEVEL 40 Use these jacks for convenient playback of your mixes You ll be able to review a mix and then rewind and try another pass without repatching or disturbing the mixer levels You can also use these jacks with a portable tape or CD player to feed music to a PA system between sets NOTE Pushing TAPE TO MAIN MIX 41 in the output section automatically discon nects the TAPE 11 OUTPUT from the main outputs This prevents creating a feedback loop which could create quite a howl in your system and your audi ence VERY IMPORTANT 13 MAIN INSERT Thes
4. SLEEVE SLEEVE FigureC TS Plug TS jacks and plugs are used in many different applications always unbalanced The tip is connected to the audio signal and the sleeve to ground earth Some examples e Unbalanced microphones e Electric guitars and electronic instruments e Unbalanced line level connections Switched 1 4 Phone J acks Switches can be incorporated into 1 4 phone jacks which are activated by inserting the plug These switch es may open an insert loop in a circuit change the input routing of the signal or serve other functions Mackie uses switches in the channel insert and bus insert jacks input jacks and AUX returns We also use these switches to ground the line level inputs when nothing is plugged into them most cases the plug must be inserted fully to activate the switch Mackie takes advantage of this in some circuits specifying circumstances where you are to insert the plug only partially See Special Mackie Connections on the next page Owner s Manual 5 1642 VLZ3 RCA Plugs and Jacks RCA type plugs also known as phono plugs and jacks are often used in home stereo and video equip ment and in many other applications Figure D They are unbalanced and electrically identical to a 1 4 TS phone plug or jack See Figure C Connect the signal to the center post and the ground earth or shield to the surrounding basket SLEEVE TIP SLEEVE 7
5. FigureD RCAPlug Unbalancing a Line most studio stage and sound reinforcement situ ations there is a combination of balanced and unbal anced inputs and outputs on the various pieces of equipment This usually will not be a problem in making connections e When connecting a balanced output to an unbalanced input be sure the signal high hot connections are wired to each other and that the balanced signal low cold 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 e When connecting an unbalanced output to a balanced input be sure that the signal high hot connections are wired to each other The unbalanced ground earth connection should be wired to the low cold and the ground earth connections of the balanced input If there are ground loop problems try connecting the unbalanced ground earth connection only tothe input low cold connection and leaving the input ground earth connection discon nected n some cases you will have to make up special adapters to interconnect your equipment For example you may need a balanced XLR female connected to an unbalanced 1 4 TS phone plug 1642 173 Special Mackie Connections The balanced to unbalanced connection ha
6. E oo E 5 7 22 as n 0 0 WOOW 1081NO2 XVW oo O 0 2 O 0ov0 S3NOHd nap o eP 0 026 1291 n 0105 AINO 02 oo 5 38 5 4 5 n e 1402 14 1 Si oo n t n SNOILdO 955 Si C e C 3 Slt CO 02 oo n n 2 xnv xnv xnv xnv xnvol z oL L90 9P8L ZH SL ZH SL n lind MOT PSL gpsLe ro 5 5 SPsv gpsi SPSb EPSL Spar ses nC n n Migs N 2 5 e 6 21 mS AREV 20 SNUNTY 05945 NIVO NIVO NIVO NIVO NIVO NIVO NIVO 1 00 f A f A 9 1 4 p ass et 4 en 4 008 008 1642 173 Track Sheet 1 30 1642 VLZ3 Limited Warranty Please keep your sales receipt in a safe place A LOUD Technologies Inc warrants all materials workmanship and proper operation of this product for a perio
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8. ASSIGN OPTIONS 0 T 1 _ 1 2 sate 20 TOSUBS 3 4 U SOLO C R PHNS RETURNS 20 ONLY SOLO 48V PWR LEFT RIGHT MAX 20 0 dB 0 dBu PHONES TAPEIN 20 9 1 O 7 040 02 0 TAPE 0 2 040 21120 5085 1 2 10 Q MODE LEVEL ser 0O NORMAL AFL LEVEL SET PFL 03 O MA CONTROL ROOM SUBS 3 4 MAIN MIX SOURCE LESSE RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT L SOLO 1 2 3 4 MAIN 5 6 7 8 MIX dB 10 8 8 8 Vr 111 M o it EE e o m an oo PTT oun You ve just learned about the input channels and how the signals get in and out The signals come in via MIC 1 and LINE 2 input jacks are manipulated by the channels and then sent to the output section In the output section things get a bit more complicated so put on your thinking caps 37 MAIN MIX FADER This controls the levels of signals sent to the MAIN OUTS 14 and TAPE 11 OUTPUT jacks All channels and stereo returns that are assigned to the main mix that are n
9. limiter graphic equalizer Line level sources can also be patched through a serial effects device before or after the mixer Processed Signal Insert Return Insert Send L L 3JHBRRHH Signal Processor Dry Signal e g Compressor Parallel means that a portion of the signal in the mixer is tapped off to the device AUX SEND pro cessed and returned to the mixer STEREO RETURN to be mixed with the original dry signal This way multiple channels can all make use of the same effects device Examples reverb digital delay Aux Aux Out put Send Return Section 9 9 9 Signal Processor an Reverb Wet Signal 1 9 m gt Mix Processed Channel Path 407 Stage Signal Dry Signal s Dry Signal s 7 STEREO RETURN INPUTS This is where you connect the outputs of your parallel effects devices or extra audio sources There are four stereo returns They ll accept just about any pro or semi pro effects device on the market See page 22 for details of the STEREO RETURN 51 level controls Mono If you have an effects device with a mono output one cord plug that into the left input of a STEREO RETURN and leave the right input unplugged That way the signal will be sent to both sides magically appearingin the center as a mono signal 8 SUB OUTS These 1 4 jacks are usually patched to the inputs of a multitrack deck or to secondary amplifiers in a complex installation S
10. scribed in this section are on top of the mixer but some are on the rear panel See Appendix B for further details and drawings of the connectors you can use with the 1642 VLZ3 Also see the Channel Strip description on page 14 for details of the signal routing from the XLR and Line inputs OIEI Concerned about levels balancing imped ances polarity or other interface goblins Don t be On your 1642 VLZ3 you can patch anything almost anywhere with nary a care Here s why E Z INTERFACING e Every input and output is balanced except inserts phones and RCA jacks e Every input and output will also accept unbal anced lines except XLR jacks e Every input is designed to accept virtually any output impedance e The main left and right mix outputs can deliver 28 dBu into as low as a 600 ohm load e the other outputs can deliver 22 dBu into as low a 600 ohm load e the outputs are in phase with the inputs All we ask is that you perform the Level Setting Pro cedure on page 3 every time you patch in anew sound source So stop worrying and start mixing MIC AND LINE INPUT FLEXIBILITY Channels 1 8 are mono channels with MIC 1 and LINE 2 inputs featuring our XDR2 Extended Dynamic Range mic preamp circuitry Channels 9 10 and 11 12 are stereo pairs with left and right LINE inputs anda single MIC input feeding each pair Channels 13 14 and 15 16 are stereo pairs with LINE inputs only 1642 V
11. tures of your 1642 VLZ3 You re probably ready for a nice cup of tea Go ahead The rest of the manual can wait Owner s Manual 3 1 1642 VLZ3 Appendix A Service Information Warranty Service Details concerning the Limited Warranty are spelled out on page 31 of this manual If you think your 1642 VLZ3 has a problem please check out the following troubleshooting tips and do your best to confirm the problem Visit the Support section of our website www mackie com where you will find lots of useful information such as FAQs documentation and user forums You may find the answer to the problem without having to send your mixer away Troubleshooting Bad Channel e Are the channels assigned to the correct mix 1 2 34 L R 15 fader up e Try unplugging any insert devices from the INSERT 4 jacks Try the same source signal in another channel set up exactly like the suspect channel Bad Output e sthelevel control if any turned up e f you re listening to the OUTS 9 or PHONES 10 outputs has a SOURCE selection been made fit soneofthe MAIN OUTS 14 try unplug ging its companion For example if it s the 1 4 output unplug the RCA output If the problem goes away it s not the mixer e 65 astereo pair try switching them around For example if a left output is presumed dead switch the left and right cords at the mixer end If the left is still dea
12. 1 2 SUBS 3 4 and TAPE Selections made here deliver stereo signals to the control room headphones and meter display These signals are tapped off as follows post MAIN MIX 37 fader post SUBGROUP 38 faders and post TAPE IN 40 knob With no switches engaged there will be no signal at these outputs and no meter indication with two exceptions SOLO and STEREO RETURN 4 Regardless of the SOURCE selection engaging a SOLO 27 switch will replace that selection with the SOLO signal also sent to the control room headphones and meters This is what makes the Level Setting Procedure 50 easy to do Jenuey 54 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 two level controls 43 CONTROL ROOM AND PHONES These knobs control the level of the stereo C R OUTS 9 and PHONES 10 outputs You can use the control room outputs for other ap plications such as an additional main mix output with its own level control However should you do this be aware that if you engage a SOLO switch it will interrupt the mix Once again engaging a SOLO 27 switch will cause this dramatic turn of events Any existing SOURCE 42 matrix selections will be replaced by the SOLO signals appearing in the control room headphones and meters The audible solo levels are controlled by the SOLO 46 level knob The SOLO levels appearing
13. 2 or 3 4 mixes You can solo as many channels as you like SOLO does not interrupt any of the other channels buses or out puts that s called nondestructive solo When SOLO is pressed that channel s 20 SOLO LED 28 will light constantly so you can easily catch any channels which have been soloed by those naughty SOLO pixies Using the MODE 44 switch the 1642 VLZ35 solo system comes in two flavors NORMAL AFL some times called SIP or solo in place and LEVEL SET PFL sometimes called PFL or pre fader listen The MODE switch is described on page 20 LEVEL SET PFL taps the channel signal before the fader If you have a channel s fader set way below U unity gain SOLO wont know that and will send a unity gain signal to the con trol room headphones and meters That may result in a startling level boost at these outputs depending on the position of the SOLO 46 level knob In a nutshell soloed channels are sent to the SOURCE 42 mix that ultimately feeds your control room headphones and meters Whenever SOLO is engaged all SOURCE selections MAIN MIX 1 2 3 4 and TAPE are defeated to allow the soloed channel to do just that SOLO VERY IMPORTANT 28 20 SOLO LED An LED that does two completely different things This saves space but requires some explanation First the 20 part Often referred to as signal activ ity this LED will flicker in time with the signal present in th
14. RETURN 3 If the MAIN MIX TO SUBS 53 switch is disengaged the 1 2 3 4 switch does absolutely nothing Let s now assume it s engaged STEREO RETURN 35 stereo signal will not be sent to the main mix but to SUBGROUP FADERS 38 1and 2 this switch up or 3and 4 this switch down Let s say you ve made a stereo drum submix on SUB GROUP FADERS 1 and 2 so you can ride those two fad ers instead of the seven channels that the drums came from SUBGROUP FADER 1 has its ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX 39 left button engaged and SUBGROUP FADER 2 has its ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX right button engaged blending the drum submix back into the main mix The drum channels are also sending signals to your reverb via the AUX SENDS 6 and the reverb outputs are patched into STEREO RETURN 3 7 So far so good Even though you could send STEREO RETURN 3 di rectly to the main mix MAIN MIX TO SUBS 53 switch up you dont want to Instead engage the MAIN MIX TO SUBS switch and make sure the 1 2 3 4 switch is up Now the reverb return will be blended into the drum submix and as you ride those two faders the reverb level will follow Why do we want that Because if you had just sent the reverb directly to the main mix MAIN MIX TO SUBS switch up and you did a drum fade out using SUB GROUP 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 orig
15. all that debris so you can boost the LOW EQ without frying your woofer H ere s a frequency curve of LOW EQ combined with LOW CUT 35 AUX 1 2 3 amp 4 These four knobs tap a portion of each channel s signal mix them together and send them to the AUX SEND 6 outputs They are off when turned fully down deliver unity gain at the center detent and can provide up to 15 dB of gain turned fully up Chances are you ll never need this extra gain but it s nice to know it s there if you do The AUX SEND outputs can then be patched to paral lel effects processor inputs or stage monitor amp inputs AUX SENDS 1 and 2 levels are controlled not only by the channel s AUX knobs but also by the AUX SEND 49 master knobs AUX SENDS can also be used to generate separate mixes for recording or mix minuses for broadcast By using AUX 1 or 2 in the PRE 36 mode these mix levels can be obtained indepen dently of a channel s fader settings wey 9 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 the odd AUX 1 or 3 to feed its left input and the even AUX 2 or 4 to feed the right input Re member if
16. by LOUD Technologies to any location within the boundaries of the USA G LOUD Technologies warrants all repairs performed for 90 days or for the remainder of the warranty period This warranty does not extend to damage resulting from improper installation misuse neglect or abuse or to exterior appearance This warranty is recognized only if the inspection seals and serial number on the unit have not been defaced or removed H LOUD Technologies assumes no responsibility for the quality or timeliness of repairs performed by an authorized service center This warranty is extended to the original purchaser and to anyone who may subsequently purchase this product within the applicable warranty period A copy of the original sales receipt is required to obtain warranty repairs J This is your sole warranty LOUD Technologies does not authorize any third party including any dealer or sales representative to assume any liability on behalf of LOUD Technologies or to make any warranty for LOUD Technologies Inc K THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE IS THE SOLE WARRANTY GIVEN BY LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC AND ISIN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS AND IMPLIED INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF M ERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE SHALL BE STRICTLY LIMITED IN DURATION TO THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE FROM AN AUTHORIZED M ACKIE DEALER UPON EXPIRATION OF THE APPLICABLE WARRANTY
17. dB Equivalent Input Noise EIN Mic in to Insert Send out max gain 150 ohm termination 129 5 dBu 20 Hz 20 kHz Common Mode Rejection Ratio CMRR Mic in to Insert Send out max gain 1 kHz Maximum Levels better than 70 dB Mic in 22 dBu All other inputs 422 dBu Main Mix TRS out and XLR out 428 dBu All other outputs 22 dBu Impedances Mic in 2 5 kilohms Channel Insert return 2 5 kilohms All other inputs 10 kilohms or greater Tape out 1 1 kilohms All other outputs 120 ohms w Band EQ channels 1 8 igh Shelving Mid Peaking Low Shelving Low Cut Filter 4 Band EQ channels 9 16 15 db 12 kHz 15 dB sweep 100 Hz 8 kHz 15 db 80 Hz 18 dB octave 3 dB 75 Hz High Shelving Hi Mid Peaking 1642 173 15 dB 12 kHz 15 dB Q 2 5 kHz Low Mid Peaking 15 dB 400 Hz 15 dB 80 Hz 18 dB octave 3 dB 75 Hz Low Shelving Low Cut Filter Ch 9 12 Power Consumption 120 VAC 50 60 Hz 50 watts Fuse Ratings 100 120 VAC 1A Slo Blo 5 x 20 mm 220 240 VAC 0 5A Slo Blo 5 x 20 mm Dimensions H x W x D in Normal Pod Position 16 7 x 16 6 x 5 2 425 mm x 421 mm x 131 mm Weight 18 2 Ib 8 3 kg LOUD Technologies Inc is always striving to improve our prod ucts by incorporating new and improved materials components and manufacturing methods Therefore we reserve the right to change these specifications at
18. local AC mains supply see page 13 Level Setting Procedure Message to seasoned pros do NOT set levels using the old Turn the trim up until the clip light comes on then back off a hair trick When a Mackie mixer clip light comes on you really are about to clip This procedure really works it assures low noise and high headroom Please read on It s not even necessary to hear what you re doing to set optimal levels But if you d like to Plug headphones into the PHONES output jack then set the PHONES knob about one quarter of the way up The following steps must be performed one channel at a time 1 Turnthe GAIN AUX send and fader controls fully down 2 Besurethe 1 2 3 4 and L R channel assign ment switches are all disengaged 3 Setthe EQ knobs at the center detents 4 Connect the signal source to the MIC or LINE channel input 5 Engage push in the channel s SOLO switch 6 Pushinthe MODE switch in the output section LEVEL SET PFL mode the LEVEL SET LED will light 7 Play something into the selected input at real world levels 8 Adjustthe GAIN control so that the display on the meter stays around 0 Only the left meter is active in the Level Setting Procedure 9 If you d like to apply some EQ do so now and return to the previous step 10 Disengage that channel s SOLO switch 11 Repeat for each channel Part No 0019817 Rev D 02007 LOUD Technologies Inc All Rights Reserve
19. signals will proceed to take over the control room headphones and meters Once again LEVEL SET PFL SOLO taps E the channel signal before the fader If you have channel s fader set way below U unity gain LEVEL SET PFL SOLO won t know that and will send a unity gain signal to the control room headphones and meters That may result in a startling level boost at these outputs depending on the position of the SOLO level knob 47 RUDE SOLO LIGHT This flashing LED light emitting diode serves two purposes to remind you that you re in SOLO and to let you know that you re mixing on a Mackie No other company is so concerned about your level of SOLO awareness We even force the soloed channel s 20 LED to play along so you can find that rogue switch fast If you work on a mixer that has a SOLO function with no indicator lights and you happen to forget you re in SOLO you can easily be tricked into thinking that some thing is wrong with your mixer Hence the RUDE SOLO LIGHT It s especially handy at about 3 00 in the morn ing when no sound is coming out of your monitors even though your multitrack is playing back like mad 48 METERS The 1642 1 235 peak metering system is made up of two columns of twelve lobster hypnotizing LEDs Deceptively simple considering the multitude of signals that can be monitored by it If nothing is selected in the SOURCE 42 matrix and no channels are in SOLO 27 th
20. the multitrack without using the direct outputs For example a channel is assigned to SUB OUT 1 SUB OUT 15 output is patched to multitrack input 1 From there the multitrack output goes to the mixer s channel 3 LINE input as we just discussed 1642 VLZ3 mu wow 5 81185 8 ee INI Double Busing 5 N How on earth do you get four buses to feed eight tracks Double busing e Buslfeeds SUB OUT 1and SUB OUT 5 which in turn feed tracks 1 and 5 e Bus 2 feeds SUB OUT 2 and SUB OUT 6 which in turn feed tracks 2 and 6 e Bus 3 feeds SUB OUT SUB OUT 7 which in turn feed tracks 3 and 7 e Bus 4 feeds SUB OUT 4 and SUB OUT 8 which in turn feed tracks 4 and 8 Patch the 8 SUB 5 to the inputs of the 8 track deck Tracks in record mode will accept the signal and tracks in safe mode will ignore the signal The advantages You can assign any channel to any track without repatching You can assign multiple chan nels to one track and control the overall level of that subgroup You cant bounce tracks without this feature By returning the outputs of the effects processors to 13 14 EFX A and 15 16 EFX B you can choose to record or Monitor with effects 30 34 j3 E 3 4 34 34 1 5 54 50 1 50 8 UR ed UR UR s L R TRACK TRACK EFX EFX Perhaps the best recording method is a combinatio
21. you re also dealing with a ste reo source signal you ll want to follow the sides use the odd AUX on the channel carrying the left side and the even AUX on the channel carrying the right 7 36 PRE This switch determines the tap point of AUX 1 and 2 Generally post sends are used to feed effects devices and pre sends are used to feed your stage moni tors See the Pre vs Post diagram below AUX 3 and 4 are always in post mode In post mode switch up AUX 1and 2 will follow the EQ 32 LOW CUT 34 FADER 25 and MUTE 30 settings If you fade the channel you fade the send This is a must for effects sends since you want the levels of your wet signals to follow the level of the dry In PRE mode switch down AUX 1 and 2 follow the GAIN 3 and LOW CUT settings only EQ PAN 31 FADER and MUTE settings have no effect on the PRE sends This is the preferred method for setting up stage monitor feeds they ll be controlled independently of the fader and mute moves MUTE 2 1 SASUMO ASSIGN iNsERTI LOW bo A INPUT gt GAIN PRE SIGNAL gt PAN gt o FADER POST SIGNAL ni Owner s Manual o o PRE SWITCH AUX 2 1642 VLZ3 Output Section Description AUX MASTER STEREO RETURNS TO LA TO AUX UR 1 OO 20 OO 15 u 2 TOAUX L R 2 OO 420 OO 15
22. 0 00000000 0000 11111111 MM MM Mono Effects Guitar Mat Keyboard 2 XI Drum Machine DIRECT OUT BAL UNBAL Phono preamp Additional Mono M 1400i Amps Stereo source and C300 Passive Stage Monitors 25 e 95 Active 23 58 PA Speaker Subwoofer combination 9 Pole mounted 5 SRM450s and 9 SRS1500 active zr 5 Processor Subwoofers mue 22 Im pictured S Stereo Processor B mama 5 aa ur ep CD Player ra O ci 53 2 LL LS 20 C Digital Multitrack Recorder 4 gt Headphones i Live Stereo PA System Owner s Manual Patchbay Description 1642 VLZ3 GAIN 1548 4548 GAIN 1588 4548 GAIN 1548 4548 GAIN 41548 asd GAIN 1588 4548 GAIN GAIN 11 3 GAIN GAIN 1588 4548 N e AUX MASTER STEREO RETURNS Low mel Low cur Low cur Low cur 1 At the risk of stating the obvious this is where you plug everything in microphones line level instruments and effects and the ultimate destination for your sound a tape recorder PA system etc Many of the features de
23. 1642 VLZ3 16 Channel Mig Line Mixer OWNER S MANUAL 1 e OCCT 0 Q e e ee e e e 6 _ 1642 4173 CEO iol Q STEREO RETURNS El 5 SD 1642 VLZ3 Ui FP MJ Important Safety Instructions Read these instructions Keep these instructions Heed all warnings Follow all instructions Do not use this apparatus near water Clean only with a dry doth Do not block any ventilation openings Install in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions 8 Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators heat registers Stoves or other apparatus induding amplifiers that produce heat 9 Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or groundingtype plug A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the
24. 3 s phantom power is globally controlled by the PHANTOM 22 switch on the rear panel Semipro condenser mics often have batteries to ac complish the same thing Phantom owes its name to an ability to be unseen by dynamic mics Shure amp SM57 5 58 for instance that don t need external power and aren t affected by it Unless you know for certain it is safe to do so never plug single ended unbalanced microphones instruments ribbon mics or electronic devices into the MIC 1 input jacks if the phantom power is on IMPORTANT VEI 2 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 instru ment levels as low as 50 dB to operating levels of 10 dBV to 4 dBu asthere is 45 dB of gain available via the GAIN 3 knob Note that channels 1 8 line inputs are intially attenuated by 15 dB Always be sure to perform the Level Setting Proce dure page 3 when you connect a new input To learn how signals are routed from these inputs see the details lovingly described in the Channel Strip section To connect balanced lines to these inputs use a 1 4 tip ring sleeve TRS plug the type found on some stereo headphones Tip positive or hot Ring negative or cold Sleeve shield or ground To connect unbalanced lines to these inputs use a 1 4 mono TS phone plug or standard inst
25. 32 V operating levels Basically what makes a mixer one or the other isthe relative 0 dB VU or 0 VU chosen for the meter display A 4 mixer with a 4 dBu signal pouring out the back will actually read 0 VU on its meter display A 10 mixer with a 10 dBV signal trickling out will read you guessed it 0 VU on its meter display So when is 0 VU actually 0 dBu Right now At the risk of creating another standard Mackie s compact mixers address the need of both crowds by calling things as they are 0 dBu 0 775 V atthe output shows as 0 VU on the meter display What could be easier By the way the most wonderful thing about stan dards is that there are so many to choose from Thanks to the 1642 VLZ3 s wide dynamic range you can get a good mix with peaks flashing anywhere be tween 20 and 10 dB on the meter display Most ampli fiers clip at about 10 dB and some recorders aren t so forgiving either For best real world results try to keep your peaks between 0 and 7 Please remember Audio meter displays are just tools to help assure you that your levels are in the ballpark You don t have to stare at them unless you want to AUX DISCUSSION SENDS are outputs RETURNS are inputs The AUX 35 knobs tap the signal off the channel and sends it to the AUX SEND 6 outputs AUX 1 and 2 are sent to the AUX SENDS 1 and 2 49 master knobs before the AUX SEND outputs and AUX 3 through 6 are sent directly
26. 42 VLZ3 its power jack accepts a standard 3 prong IEC cord like those found on most professional recorders musical instruments and computers WARNING Before you plug the AC power cord into the 1642 VLZ3 you must make sure that the VOLTAGE SELECTOR 17 slide switch is set to the same voltage as your local AC mains supply d 19 FUSE The 1642 VLZ3 is fused for your and its own protec tion If you suspect a blown fuse disconnect the power cord pull the fuse drawer out located just below the cord receptacle and replace the fuse with a 1A SLO BLO 5x20mm available at electronics stores or your dealer or a 0 5 A SLO BLO 5x20mm if your 1642 VLZ3 is set to 220V 240V If two fuses blow in a row something is very wrong Please call our toll free number 1 800 898 3211 from within the U S or call the distributor in your country and find out what to do WARNING Disconnecting the plug s ground pin can be dangerous Please don t do it 20 POWER SWITCH Press the top of this rocker switch inwards to turn on the mixer The POWER LED 21 on the top surface of the mixer will glow with happiness or at least it will if you have the mixer plugged in to a suitable live AC mains supply Press the bottom of this switch to turn off the mixer whenever you feel that this would be a safe thing to do As a general guide you should turn on your mixer first before the power amplifier or powered speakers and tu
27. 8 PHANTOM POWER nnne 8 2 5 9 36 GAIN 9 4 9 5 DIRECT OUT ON REAR PANEL 10 RECORDING enne 10 DOUBLE BUSING 10 6 AUX SEND OUTPUTS 11 EFFECTS SERIAL OR PARALLEL 11 7 STEREO RETURN INPUTS 11 8 SUB OUTS 11 9 CONTROL ROOM OUTPUTS 11 10 PHONES OUTPUTS 11 11 OUTPUT 12 12 TAPE INPUT 12 13 MAIN INSERT 12 14 MAIN OUTS 12 15 MONO 12 16 MONO LEVEL ens 13 17 VOLTAGE SELECTOR 13 18 POWER CONNECTION nnne 13 19 FUSE isses 13 20 POWER SWITCH 13 21 POWER LED nnne 13 22 PHANTOM SWITCH 13 23 48V LED 13 24 BNC LAMP 50 13 5 CHANNEL STRIP DESCRIPTION 25 CHANNEL FADER sssini 14 26 ASSIGN 1 2 3 4 L 14 27 5010 a er 14 Z 28 20 SOLO LED sss 15 D 28 OL MUTE MED rtt 15 30 WA 15 31 PAN nnan 15 w STEREO SOURCES siss 15 CONSTANT LOUDNESS 16 32 3 BAND MID SWEEP 0 16 33 4 FIXED FREQUENCY 0 17 34 LOW CUT ssie 17 35 AUX 1 2 3 amp 17 36 BRE tec tides 17 OUTPUT SECTION DESCRIPTION 37 MAIN MIX FADER 18 38 SUBGROUP 5 18 39 ASSIGN T
28. E switch provides the same results as turning the fader all the way down Any chan nel assignment to L R 1 2 or 3 4 will be interrupted the post AUX sends will be silenced as will the DIRECT OUT 5 signals on channels 1 through 8 And of course that fun loving OL MUTE LED 29 will commence to glow The PRE AUX sends channel INSERT 4 send and SOLO 27 in LEVEL SET PFL mode will continue to function during MUTE Depending on the audio content in a channel engag ing its MUTE switch may cause a slight popping sound This is not a problem within the mixer and it can be avoided Simply engage the LOW CUT 34 switch on each channel unless its low frequency content is vitally important such as a kick drum or bass guitar LOW CUT eliminates subsonic debris which causes the pop and its effect is usually transparent 31 PAN PAN adjusts the amount of channel signal sent to the left versus the right outputs PAN determines the fate of the L R assignment subgroups 1 2 and 3 4 and the SOLO 27 in NORMAL AFL mode With the PAN knob hard left the channel signal will feed the left main mix subgroup 1 subgroup 3 and left NORMAL AFL solo mode assuming their assignment switches are engaged With the knob hard right the channel signal feeds the right main mix subgroup 2 subgroup 4 and right NORMAL AFL solo mode With the PAN knob set somewhere in between left and right t
29. IS POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D INCENDIE OU D ELECTROCUTION N EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE PLUIE OU A L HUMIDITE The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage within the product s enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons Le symbole clair avec point de fl che l int rieur d un triangle quilat ral est utilis pour alerter l utilisateur de la pr sence l int rieur du coffret de voltage dangereux non isol d ampleur suffisante pour constituer un risque d l ctrocution The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user of the presence of important operating and maintenance servicing instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance Le point d exclamation l int rieur d un triangle quilat ral est employ pour alerter les utilisateurs de la pr sence d instructions importantes pour le fonctionnement et l entretien service dans le livret d instruction accompagnant l appareil 13 Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time 14 Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel Servicing is required When the apparatus has been damaged in any way such as power supply cord or plug is damaged liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus t
30. Jenuey SISUMO These outputs are fed to the inputs of a reverb or other device From there the outputs of the external device are fed back to the mixer s STEREO RETURN 7 inputs Then these signals are sent through the STEREO RETURN 51 level controls and finally delivered to the main mix So the original dry signals come from the channels to the main mix and the affected wet signals come from the STEREO RETURNS to the main mix and once mixed together the dry and wet signals combine to cre ate a glorious sound Armed with this knowledge let s visit the Auxiliary World 49 AUX SENDS MASTER These knobs provide overall level control of AUX SENDS 1 and 2 just before they re delivered to their AUX SEND 6 outputs This is perfect for controlling the level of stage monitors since you ll be using AUX 1 and 2 for this with their PRE 36 switches engaged AUX SENDS 3 and 4 have no such control they just send their mixes directly to their AUX SEND outputs at unity gain These knobs go from off turned fully down to unity gain at the center detent with 10 dB of extra gain turned fully up As with some other level controls you may never need the additional gain but if you ever do you ll be glad you bought a Mackie These are usually the knobs you turn up when the lead singer glares at you points at his stage monitor and sticks his thumb in the air It would follow suit that if the singer stuck his thumb down
31. LZ3 LOW CUT 1 AT P PX LEX Low TI 1 MIC INPUTS We use phantom powered balanced microphone inputs just like the big studio mega consoles for exactly the same reason This kind of circuit is excel lent at rejecting hum and noise You can plugin almost any kind of mic that has a standard XLR type male mic connector Always be sure to perform the Level Setting Procedure If you wire your own connectors make them like this Pin 1 ground or shield Pin 2 positive or hot Pin 3 negative or cold Professional ribbon dynamic and condenser mics will all sound excellent through these inputs The 1642 VLZ3 s mic inputs will handle almost any kind of mic level you can toss at them without overloading Not every instrument is made to connect directly to a mixer Guitars commonly need a Direct Injection DI box to connect to the mixer s MIC inputs These boxes convert unbalanced line level signals from your guitar into balanced mic level outputs and provide signal and impedance matching They also let you send your gifted guitar renditions over long cables or audio snakes with minimum interference and high frequency signal loss Ask your dealer or guitar maker about their recommen dations for a good DI box PHANTOM POWER Most condenser mics require phantom power where the mixer sends low current DC voltage to the mic s electronics through the same wires that carry audio The 1642 VLZ
32. O MAIN 18 40 TAPEIN LEVEL enne 19 41 TAPE TO MAIN 19 42 CONTROL ROOM SOURCE 19 43 CONTROL ROOM AND PHONES nine 19 44 MODE SOLO AFL 20 45 LEVEL SET LED enne 20 46 SOLO LEVEL 20 47 RUDE SOLO LIGHT 20 48 METERS iine 20 METERS VS REALITY 21 AUX DISCUSSION 21 49 AUX SENDS MASTER 21 50 AUX SENDS SOLO AND 22 51 STEREO RETURNS LEVEL 22 52 TO AUX 1 AND TO AUX 2 22 53 MAIN MIX TO SUBS FOR RETURN 3 22 54 1 2 3 4 FOR RETURN 3 22 55 C R PHNS ONLY FOR RETURN 4 23 56 RETURNS 5010 23 APPENDIX A SERVICE INFORMATION 24 APPENDIX B CONNECTIONS 25 APPENDIX C TECHNICAL INFORMATION 28 SPECIFICATIONS 28 BLOCK DIAGRAM 29 TRACK SHEET nnns 30 1642 VLZ3 LIMITED WARRANTY nnne 31 Owner s Manual 5 lt HOOKUP DIAGRAMS CN NF NO From Mics Keys Drum machines etc E 5 Stereo Compressor In 1 8 Track Recorder bd b b EFXB Stereo Processor Powered Monitors Headphones NE Recording System Le 1642 VLZ3 4 ass Guitar ur GEI gt lt gt unn 3 ED Stereo Compressors uq Mic 1 5 jenuew SISUMO CHANNEL INSERTS OO 99 900
33. PERIOD LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC SHALL HAVE NO FURTHER WARRANTY OBLIGATION OF ANY KIND LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE MACKIE PRODUCT OR ANY WARRANTY CLAIM Some states do not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental special or consequential damages or a limitation on how long warranties last so some of the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you This warranty provides specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary from state to state SASUMO Owner s Manual 31 e 16220 Wood Red Road NE Woodinville WA 98072 USA United States and Canada 800 898 3211 Europe Asia Central and South America 425 487 4333 Middle East and Africa 31 20 654 4000 Fax 425 487 4337 www mackie com E mail sales mackie com
34. ROL ROOM 2 0 O TAPE e MAX SOLO 4 SUBS 1 2 e 6 Q 10 Q MODE LEVEL SUBS 3 4 6 NORMAL AFL LEVEL MAIN MIX SOURCE L RUDE SOLO LEFT LEFT LEFT LEFT ASSIGN TO RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT 40 TAPE IN LEVEL This knob controls the level of the stereo signal com ing from the TAPE 12 INPUT RCA jacks Its range is off when fully down unity at the center detent with 20 dB additional gain turned fully up which may come in handy if you ve patched in a device with wimpy output levels After the TAPE IN level is determined the stereo tape signal can be sent to either of two places the main mix or the SOURCE 42 matrix 41 TAPE TO MAIN MIX Engaging this switch is just like engaging the L R switch on a channel the signal stereo in this case is sent to the main mix It does not interrupt other signals just adds itself to them This switch can be very handy in a live sound situation when you want to play soothing elevator music to an anxious crowd 42 CONTROL ROOM SOURCE Typically the engineer sends the main mix to a live audience or to a mixdown deck if recording But what if the engineer needs to hear something other than the main mix With the 1642 VLZ3 the engineer has several choices of what to listen to Via these switches you can choose to listen to any combination of MAIN MIX SUBS
35. any time without notice Mackie and the Running Man are registered trademarks of LOUD Technologies Inc other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective hold ers and are hereby acknowledged Please check our website for any updates to this manual www mackie com 02007 LOUD Technologies Inc Rights Reserved po ooo oo ood pee 00 c O 67 5 425 oO a a a a 5 a a a 3 E a a 5 S 5 E n n o SZ 8 0000000000000 0000000000000 o o o o o o o o o o e s cut uou D D E E ED EP ED Soe s nnm 0606060900600 e eec 0000 9 11 485 mm optional Rack Mount Kit Owner s Manual 4002 994 36 ZWCVA IDDYN
36. ary Please write your serial number here for future reference i e insurance claims tech support return authorization make dad proud etc po Purchased at Date of purchase Owner s Manual E 1642 VLZ3 Introduction Thank you for choosing a Mackie professional com pact mixer The 1642 VLZ3 is equipped with our precision engineered XDR2 Extended Dynamic Range premium studio grade mic preamps Now that you have your 1642 VLZ3 find out how to get the most from it That s where this manual comes in How To Use This Manual Since many of you folks will want to hook up your 1642 VLZ3 immediately the first pages you will en counter after the table of contents are the ever popular hookup diagrams These show typical mixer setups for Recording and Stereo PA After this section is a detailed tour of the entire mixer Every feature of the 1642 VLZ3 is described geo graphically in other words in order of where it is physically placed on the mixer s top or rear panel These descriptions are divided into the first three sections just as your mixer is organized into three distinct zones Patchbay The patchbay along the top and back where you connect things Channel Strip The channel strips on the left where you adjust each channel Output Section The output section on the right Throughout these chapters you ll find illustrations with each feature numbered If you re curious about a feature si
37. at channel It s handy for confirming that a channel is indeed active and may also lend a clue as to what the signal is For instance a kick drum will cause the LED to pulse in time with the drum and a synth pad will cause it to glow a bit more steadily Now for the SOLO part When a channel s SOLO 27 switch is engaged this LED will glow steadily It will also be brighter than it would be as a 20 indicator In conjunction with the RUDE SOLO LIGHT 47 you can find a rogue SOLO switch very quickly 29 OL MUTE LED Another LED that does two different things First the OL part OL means overload or clip You don t want that to happen Ever Clipping can happen to any mixer it s the point where the signal s volt age tries to exceed the supply voltages that power the circuitry This OL LED will come on just before clipping 50 if you see it take immediate action Perform the Level Setting Procedure If that doesn t help check for excessive use of EQ boost or fader gain Like the 20 LED it will flicker in time with that channel s signal Now for the MUTE part Assuming your levels are set correctly the OL LED will never come on as a result of clipping That s pretty boring So to liven things up this LED will glow steadily when that channel s MUTE switch is engaged Here is a quick reference to these LEDs 20 5010 channel soloed OL MUTE channel clipping 30 MUTE Engaging a channel s MUT
38. d Printed in China Are your teeth really so brilliantly white that you can t stand it Do the popu lar kids all giggle as you walk past on the beach Me too Ever thought about a career as a technical writer Other Nuggets of Wisdom For optimum sonic performance the channel fad ers and the MAIN MIX fader should be set near the U unity gain markings Always turn down the MAIN MIX fader and CONTROL ROOM and PHONES knobs before making connections to your 1642 VLZ3 or turning PHANTOM POWER on If you shut down your equipment turn off your ampli fiers first When powering up turn them on last 1 sJSauA Save the shipping box You may need it someday Instant Mixing Here s how to get going right away using a microphone and a keyboard 1 Plugyour microphone into Channel 15 MIC input 2 Turn on the 1642 VLZ3 3 Perform the Level Setting Procedure Connect cords from the MAIN OUT jacks to your amplifier Hook up speakers to the amp and turn it on Set channel 1 s fader to the U mark Engage push in Channel 1 s L R switch Set the MAIN MIX fader one quarter of the way up 9 Sing like a canary 10 Plug your keyboard into channels 3 and 4 11 Turn channel 35 PAN knob fully left and chan nel 45 PAN knob fully right 12 Set those faders to the U mark 13 Perform the Level Setting Procedure 14 Engage the L R switch on these channels 15 Play like a madman and sing like a can
39. d it s not the mixer e Unplug everthing from the MAIN INSERT 13 Noise e Turn the channel faders and STEREO RETURN knobs down one by one If the sound disap pears it s either that channel or whatever is plugged into it so unplug whatever that is If the noise disappears it s from your whatever Power e Unplug the power cord and check the fuse 1642 173 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 1642 VLZ3 needs service follow these instructions 1 Review the preceding troubleshooting suggestions Please 2 Call Tech Support at 1 800 898 3211 7 am to 5 pm PST to explain the problem and request a Service Request Number Have your serial number ready You must have an Service Request Number before you can obtain warranty service 3 Keepthis owner s manual and the detachable line cord We don t need them to repair the unit 4 Packtheunit in its original package including end caps and box This is VERY IMPORTANT Mackie is not responsible for any damage that occurs due to non factory packaging 5 Include legible note stating your name shipping address no P O boxes daytime phone number a copy of your receipt Service Request Number and a detailed description of the problem including how we can duplicate it 6 Write t
40. d of three years from the original date of purchase If any defects are found in the materials or workmanship or if the product fails to function properly during the applicable warranty period LOUD Technologies at its option will repair or replace the product This warranty applies only to equipment sold and delivered within the U S by LOUD Technologies Inc or its authorized dealers B Failure to register online or return the product registration card will not void the three year warranty C Service and repairs of M ackie products are to be performed only at a factory authorized facility see D below Unauthorized service repairs or modification will void this warranty To obtain repairs under warranty you must have a copy of your sales receipt from the authorized M ackie dealer where you purchased the product It is necessary to establish the purchase date and determine whether your M ackie product is within the warranty period D To obtain factory authorized service 1 Call Mackie Technical Support at 800 898 3211 7 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday Pacific Time to get a Service Request Number Products returned without a Service Request Number will be refused 2 Pack the product in its original shipping carton Also include a note explaining exactly how to duplicate the problem a copy of the sales receipt with price and date showing and your return street address no P O boxes or route numbers please If we can
41. d Health Administration OSHA has specified the permissible noise level exposures shown in the following chart According to OSHA any exposure in excess of these permissible limits could result in some hearing loss To ensure against potentially danger ous exposure to high sound pressure levels it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pres sure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn when operating the equipment in order to prevent permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here 15 16 Sound Level dBA Slow Response Typical Example Duration Per Day In Hours Duo in small club Very loud classical music 8 6 4 Subway Train 3 2 15 1 Dave screaming at Steve about deadlines 0 5 0 25 or less Loudest parts at a rock concert WARNING reduce the risk of fire or electric shock do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture j Read This Page We realize that you must have a powerful Ss hankerin to try out your new 1642 VLZ3 Or you might be one of those people who never reads manuals All we ask is that you read this page NOW and read the rest later you ll be glad you did WARNING Before you plug the AC power cord into the mixer make sure the VOLTAGE SELECTOR switch is set to the same voltage as your
42. d of the channel path post GAIN 3 post EQ 32 post LOW CUT 34 post FADER 25 and post MUTE 30 Use these for record ing making the 1642 VLZ3 perfect for an 8 track studio RECORDING When recording you use the first two 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 patched from the channel s DIRECT OUT 5 jacks to any of your 8 multitrack inputs This allows recording of two tracks at a time By reconnecting the Direct Outs to the different tape inputs you can record to all of the 8 tracks Once the tracking is completed the outputs of the multitrack are then patched to channels 3 12 LINE 2 inputs on the 1642 VLZ3 multitrack out 1to LINE input 3 2 to 4 3105 etc Aha That s why it says TRACK 1 next to channel 35 fader TRACK 2 next to channel 4 and so forth These channels 3 12 will be assigned to the mixer s output section delivering the signals to their ultimate destination which may be your mixdown 2 track your control room system or your headphones 6 UR e UR e UR e L R REC REC TRACK TRACK 2 1 2 But let s not forget that the 1642 VLZ3 is a 4 bus mixer These buses lead to the SUB OUTS 8 and are designed to accomplish the task of getting channels to
43. e 1 4 jacks are for connecting serial effects such as compressors equalizers de essers or filters The IN SERT point is after the mix amps but before the MAIN MIX fader Insert cables must be wired thusly ENDt S processor ring ti sleeve TRS plug COo gt This plug connects to one of the ing mixer s Channel Insert jacks RETURN from processor Tip send to effects device inputs Ring return from effects device outputs Sleeve common ground connect shield to all three sleeves 14 MAIN OUTS Two sets of jacks are provided for the main out puts 1 4 TRS jacks and XLR jacks These are usually patched to the inputs of your 2 track mixdown deck unless you ve chosen to use the TAPE OUTPUT 11 RCA jacks or to the house amplifier during live sound Sessions In addition the XLR MAIN OUTS have a switch to match the signal level to the input of the device you re connecting them to Push the switch in to reduce the output by 40 dB so you can feed the mic input of another mixer for example Leave the switch out to connect to professional 4 dBu devices To learn how signals are routed to these outputs see page 18 MAIN MIX FADER 37 To use the 1 4 outputs to drive balanced inputs con nect 1 4 TRS Tip Ring Sleeve phone plugs like this Tip hot Ring cold Sleeve ground To use these outputs to drive unbalanced inputs con nect 1 4 TS Tip S
44. e meter display will just sit there To put them to work you must make a selection in the SOURCE matrix engage SOLO switch Why You want the meter display to reflect what the engineer is listening to and the engineer is listening either to the C R OUTS 9 or the PHONES 10 output The only difference is that while the listening levels are controlled by the CTL ROOM and PHONES 43 knobs the meter display reads the SOURCE mix before the controls giving you the real facts at all times even if you re not listening at all When the solo MODE 44 switch is set to LEVEL SET PFL down all soloed signals will be sent to the left meter only That combined with LEVEL SET LED 45 are along the path of enlightenment known as the Level Setting Procedure During NORMAL AFL mode the meters will behave normally AUX MASTER lo S STEREO ils tie U ASSIGN OPTIONS Qus 5085 3 21 18 a E 3 LEFT RIGHT 0 dB 0 dBu OO MAX OO 420 PHONES TAPEIN 2 9 10 Co MAIN MIX 0 0 CONTROL ROOM OO MAX SUBS 3 4 XNORMAL AFD LEVEL SET PFL MAIN MIX SOURCE L IL 1L Lr LEFT LEFT LEFT LEFT ASSIGN TO C C MAIN MIX RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT L RUDE SOLO Meters vs Reality You may already be an expert at the world of 4 4 dBu 1 23 V and 10 10 dBV 0
45. ee page 18 for details of the SUBGROUP FADERS 38 See also the discussion on double bus ing on the previous page 9 C R OUTS CONTROL ROOM OUTPUTS These 1 4 jacks are usually patched to the inputs of your control room amplifier or a headphone distribution amplifier See page 19 CONTROL ROOM and PHONES 43 for details of the signal routing to these outputs 1 10 PHONES OUTPUTS These stereo 1 4 phones jacks will driveanystan 7 dard headphone to very loud levels Walkperson type phones can also be used with an appropriate 2 adapter See page 19 CON Nath 9 TROL ROOM and PHONES T 43 for details of the signal routing to these outputs BAL UNBAL If you re wiring your own cable for the PHONES out put follow standard conventions Tip left channel Ring right channel Sleeve common ground WARNING When we say the headphone amp is loud we re not kidding It can cause permanent ear damage Even intermediate levels may be painfully loud with some earphones BE CAREFUL down before connecting headphones Keep it down until you ve put the phones on Then turn it up slowly Why Engineers who fry their ears find themselves with short careers VERY IMPORTANT Always turn the PHONES knob all the way VERY IMPORTANT Owner s Manual 1642 VLZ3 m m m fm lli TA 1 1
46. enter detent the left and right sides receive equal signal levels To feed only one side or the other just turn the PAN knob accordingly If you re doing a mixdown to 2 track simply engage the L R switch on each channel that you want to hear and they ll be sent to the main mix If you want to create a subgroup of certain channels engage either the 1 2 or 3 4 switches instead of the L R and they ll be sent to the appropriate subgroup faders From there the subgroups can be sent back to the main mix allowing you to use the subgroup faders as a master control for those channels If you re printing new tracks or bouncing existing 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 OUT 8 jacks to your multitrack inputs However if you re printing tracks via the DIRECT OUT 5 jacks all the channel assign switches should be disengaged up The 1642 VLZ3 is what we call a true 4 bus mixer Each channel can be assigned or unassigned to any of the subgroups without affecting the other subgroups or settings within the channel and each subgroup has its own master fader and dedicated output In fact since there are 4 subgroups and the main L R mix it s actually atrue 6 bus mixer 21 SOLO This lovable switch allows you to check signals in your headphones and control room without having to assign them to the L R 1
47. es interrupt the signal in that channel See Figure F on the next page NOTE Do not overload or short circuit the signal you are tapping from the mixer That will affect the internal signal A stereo signal having two plugs should be patched into the LEFT MONO and the RIGHT input or return jacks A jack switch in the RIGHT jack will disablethe Channel sert jack mono function and the signals will show up in stereo 2 Di with no signal int iont ter EE Feat on reo fist ed A mono signal connected to the RIGHT jack will show up in the right bus only You probably will only want to VN use this sophisticated effect for special occasions P MONO PLUG me lt Channel insert jack Mults and Y s Direct out with signal interruption to master Insert all way in to the second click A mult or Y connector allows you to route one output to two or more inputs by simply providing parallel wir Y EN ing connections You can make Y s and mults for the _ outputs of both unbalanced and balanced circuits Charne nse ack Remember Only mult or Y one output into For useas an effects loop 5 to effect RING RETURN from effect several i nputs If you need to combine several outputs into one input you must use a mixer not a mult or a Y VERY IMPORTANT FigureF Mackie Stereo Inputs and Returns Mono Stereo Whatever Stereo line inputs and stereo returns are a fine exa
48. evel inputs as they have no Mic inputs 4 INSERT Found only on channels 1 8 these 1 4 unbalanced jacks are for connecting serial effects processors such as compressors equalizers de essers or filters The insert point is after the GAIN 3 control but before the channel s EQ 32 LOW CUT 34 FADER 25 and MUTE 30 controls Insert cables must be wired thusly jenuewW SISUMO SEND to processor gt ri tb sleeve TRS plug This plug connects to one of the ring mixer s Channel Insert jacks RETURN from processor Tip send to effects device input Ring return from effects device output Sleeve common ground Even though channels 1 8 already have DIRECT OUT 5 jacks INSERT jacks can also be used as channel direct outputs as they are post GAI pre EQ pre LOW CUT pre FADER and pre MUTE Appendix B page 27 has a lovely diagram Figure F showing three ways you can use the INSERT jacks Owner s Manual 1642 VLZ3 CAUTION T MACKIE 1642 VLZ3 A OX ce MAIN OUTS MANDS INSERT CROUTS SYE OUTS Rus de CAUTION ro pepuce mae mx oF MOVE POWER CORD BEFORE 5 DIRECT OUT Only on channels 1 8 these 1 4 balanced jacks deliver the signal from the very en
49. he Service Request Number in BIG PRINT on top of the box Units sent without the SR number will be refused 7 Tech Support will tell you where to ship the unit for repair We suggest insurance for all forms of cart age 8 You will need to contact the authorized service center for their latest turn around times The unit should be packaged in its original packing box and must have the Service Request Number on the box Once it s repaired the authorized service center will ship it back by ground shipping pre paid if it was a warranty repair Note Under the terms of the warranty you must ship or drop off the unit to an authorized service center The return ground shipment is covered for those units deemed by us to be under warranty Note You must have a sales receipt from an authorized Mackie dealer for your unit to be considered for warranty repair Appendix B Connections 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 polarity side of the audio signal and pin 3 wired to the low cold or negative polarity side of the signal See Figure A This is all totally aboveboard and in full accord with the hallowed standards dictated by the AES Audio Engineering Society Use a male XLR type connector usually found on the nether end of what is called a mic cable
50. he apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture does not operate normally or has been dropped This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no object filled with liquids such as vases or beer glasses shall be placed on the apparatus This apparatus has been designed with Class construction and must be connected to mains socket outlet with a protective earthing con nection the third grounding prong 17 This apparatus has been equipped with an all pole rocker style AC mains power switch This switch is located on the rear panel and should remain readily accessible to the user 18 This apparatus does not exceed the Class A Class B whichever is applicable limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications ATTENTION pr sent appareil num rique n met pas de bruits radio lectriques d passant las limites applicables aux appareils num riques de dass de dass B selon le cas prescrites dans le r glement sur le brouillage radio lectrique dict par les ministere des communications du Canada 19 Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing loss Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noise induced hearing loss but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to sufficiently intense noise for a period of time The U S Government s Occupational Safety an
51. he signal will be divided between the left and right buses The PAN knob behaves a little differently for the ste reo channel strips Sincethere is a left and right input on these channels the PAN knob controls the relative balance between the left and right sides just like the balance control on your stereo system at home Stereo Sources Use channels 9 16 to connect stereo sound sources If you must use the mono channel strips 1 8 for stereo sources follow this standard convention 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 Owner s Manual 5 1642 VLZ3 VES AN 1 CONSTANT LOUDNESS The 1642 11 735 PAN 31 controls employ 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 ap pear to remain at the same volume or loudness If you have 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 32 3 BAND MID SW EEP EQ The eight mono channels have a 3 band mid sweep equaliza
52. if you ve turned phantom power off to connect something to the mic inputs wait until the LED stops glowing and then make your connections safely 24 BNC LAMP SOCKET Located in the top right corner of the output sec tion this 12V socket will drive any standard BNC type lamp a Littlite amp 4120 or 12G HI high intensity for instance Owner s Manual 1642 VLZ3 LOW CUT Channel Strip Description There are eight mono and four stereo channel strips Many of the functions are identical for the mono and stereo channels We ll start at the bottom and work our way up pointing out the differences as we go along U LIKE UNITY GAIN Mackie mixers have a U symbol on almost every level control This U stands for unity gain meaning no change in signal level Once you have performed the Level Setting Procedure you can set every control at U and your signals will travel through the mixer at optimal levels Also the labels on our controls are measured in decibels dB so you ll know what you re doing level wise if you choose to change a control s settings CLOSER JE 154 4548 25 CHANNEL FADER The fader is almost the last control in a channel s signal path It s placed after the EQ 32 and MUTE 30 post EQ post MUTE and before PAN 31 The U mark about three quarters of the way up indicates unity gain meaning no increase or dec
53. inal drum signals the dry That s because the reverb is being fed by the channel s AUX sends and they have no idea that you ve pulled down the SUBGROUP FADERS That s why we threw in these switches AUX MASTER 40 OO 410 40 OO 410 SEND SOLO OC SOLO Ci m 5 ASSIGN OPTIONS oce TOSUBS 48V PWR LEFT RIGHT CO 20 0 dB 0 dBu PHONES TAPE IN Q2 Q9 0 10 Q e CONTROL ROOM 2 2 O0o0 Q 2 Q Solo 5085 1 2 e MODE LEVEL SUBS 3 4 NORMAL AFL E LEVEL SET PFL Q SOURCE RUDESOLO 55 C R PHNS ONLY for RETURN 4 Once again the default for all the STEREO RETURNS 7 isto feed them directly into the main mix You ve just learned about the optional exceptions involving STEREO RETURN 3 Not wanting to be left out STEREO RETURN 4 also has an optional exception By engaging this C R PHNS switch you will remove STEREO RE TURN 4 s stereo signal from the main mix and send it di rectly to the CTL ROOM PHONES SOURCE 42 matrix It matters not if any of the SOURCE matrix switches are assigned but it will be interrupted as usual if a SOLO switch is engaged Let s pretend you re doing a live mix to a 2 track deck a house PA or both and you want to play along to a click track Y
54. leeve phone plugs like this Tip signal Sleeve ground 15 MONO OUTPUT It happens to everybody sooner or later The forces that govern your world will demand a monaural output from your painstakingly created stereo panorama The last thing you want to do is start twirling all your care fully placed PAN 31 settings to one side What to do Stick a cord in this 1 4 jack hand the other end to Mr Mono and you re done He s got his mono mix and you ve still got your stereo mix The MONO output is nothing more than a sum of the left and right main mix 16 MONO LEVEL If Mr Mono s main mono mix is maxed just reach for this knob and turn it down a bit J ust the thing for send ing mono signals to mic inputs like camcorders tele phone interface boxes even answering machines With the pot all the way up fully clockwise you ll have 6 dB of extra gain and unity gain is at the 12 o clock position 17 VOLTAGE SELECTOR m WARNING Before you plug the AC power cord into the 1642 VLZ3 you must make sure that this slide switch is set to the same volt age as your local AC main supply Only slide the voltage switch with the power cord unplugged Use a flat headed screwdriver to slide the switch if needed The switch allows you to use the mixer in dif ferent countries and voltages meet interesting people from other cultures and entertain them 18 POWER CONNECTION J ust in case you lose the cord provided with the 16
55. mple of the Mackie philosophy which we just made up of Maximum Flexibility with Minimum Headache The inputs and returns will automatically be mono or stereo depending upon how you use the jacks Here s how it works A mono signal should be patched into the input or return jack labeled Left MONO The signal will be routed to both the left and right sides of the return circuit and will show up in the center of the stereo pair of buses it s assigned to or it can be panned with the PAN control cL d RING RETURN TO MIXER CHANNEL INSERT TO PROCESSOR INPUT Y cord splitter cable Owner s Manual 1642 VLZ3 Appendix C Technical Information Specifications Main Mix Noise 20 Hz 20 kHz bandwidth 1 4 Main out channel gains 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 5 dBu 90 dB Signal to Noise Ratio ref 4 dBu Main Mix fader unity channel faders unity 86 dBu Total Harmonic Distortion THD 1 kHz 35 dB gain 20 Hz 20 kHz bandwidth Mic in to insert out 0 000796 Attenuation Crosstalk 1 kHz relative to 0 dBu 20 Hz 20 kHz bandwidth Line in 1 4 Main Out Gain Q unity Channel switch engaged 82 dBu Channel Gain knob down 82 dBu Frequency Response Mic input to any output 20 Hz to 40 kHz 0 dB 1 dB 20 Hz to 60 kHz 0 dB 3
56. mply locate it on the appropriate illustration notice the number attached to it and find that number in the nearby paragraphs This icon marks information that is critically important or unique to the 1642 VLZ3 For your own good read them and remember them They will be on the final test This icon will lead you to in depth explana tions of features and practical tips While not X mandatory they usually have some valuable nuggets of information VERY IMPORTANT Appendix A is a section on troubleshooting and repair information Appendix B is a section on connectors XLR connec tors TRS balanced connectors TS unbalanced connec tors and Insert connectors Appendix C shows the technical specifications and a block diagram showing the internal signal path and general goings on within the mixer Need help with your new mixer Visit www mackie com and click Support to find FAQs Frequently Asked Questions manuals addendums and user forums e Email us at techmail mackie com Telephone 1 800 898 3211 to speak with one of our splendid technical support chaps Monday through Friday from 7 a m to 5 p m PST 1642 173 Contents IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS s 2 INTRODUCTION 4 HOOKUP DIAGRAMS enne 6 PATCHBAY DESCRIPTION E Z 8 MIC AND LINE INPUT FLEXIBILITY 8 1 MIC INPUTS
57. n of both approaches Use the SUB OUTS to feed mul tichannel submixes like a drum kit to some of the tracks and the DIRECT OUT jacks to feed single chan nel signals like bass guitar tothe other tracks The point is that you never listen directly to the source channels You listen to the monitor channels 3 12 and they re listening to the multitrack that is listeningto the source channels The main advantage is that you won t be forced to constantly repatch your multitrack just set it up and forget it You ll also know for certain that the signals are indeed getting to the multitrack since you re constantly listening to it Another method of interfacing a multitrack is called in line monitoring and requires a mixing console dedicated to that like the Mackie 8 Bus Each of its channels is actually two channels one carrying the mic line sound source and the other carrying the multitrack output 6 AUX SEND OUTPUTS These 1 4 jacks usually patch to the inputs of your parallel effects devices or to the inputs of your stage monitor amps To learn how signals are routed to these outputs see the Aux discussion on page 21 EFFECTS SERIAL OR PARALLEL You ve heard us carelessly toss around the terms se rial 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 compressor
58. not duplicate the problem or establish the starting date of your Limited Warranty we may at our option charge for service time 3 Ship the product in its original shipping carton freight prepaid to the authorized service center The address of your closest authorized service center will be given to you by Technical Support IMPORTANT Make sure that the Service Request Number is plainly written on the shipping carton No receipt no warranty service E LOUD Technologies reserves the right to inspect any products that may be the subject of any warranty claims before repair or replacement is carried out LOUD Technologies may at our option require proof of the original date of purchase in the form of a dated copy of the original dealer s invoice or sales receipt Final determination of warranty coverage lies solely with LOUD Technologies F Any products returned to one of the LOUD Technologies factory authorized service centers and deemed eligible for repair or replacement under the terms of this warranty will be repaired or replaced within thirty days of receipt LOUD Technologies and its authorized service centers may use refurbished parts for repair or replacement of any product Products returned to LOUD Technologies that do not meet the terms of this Warranty will not be repaired unless payment is received for labor materials return freight and insurance Products repaired under warranty will be returned freight prepaid
59. o the MAIN MIX 37 fader with exceptions that we ll discuss in a moment Typically these knobs can just live at the center detent and the effects device s output control should be set at whatever they call unity gain check their manual If that turns out to be too loud or too quiet adjust the effects device s outputs not the mixer That way the mixer s knobs are easy to relocate at the center detent 52 TO AUX 1 and TO AUX 2 If you want to add reverb or delay to the stage monitor mixes these are the knobs for you Operating indepen dently of their respectively numbered STEREO RE TURNS 51 level controls these knobs are the same as the AUX 1 35 and 2 knobs in the channel strip These two knobs feed STEREO RETURN signals to their respective AUX SEND 6 outputs TO AUX 1 feeds STEREO RETURN 1to AUX SEND 1 49 master and TO AUX 2 feeds STEREO RETURN 2 to AUX SEND 2 master They are off when turned fully down deliver unity gain at the center detent and provide up to 15 dB of gain turned fully up STEREO RETURN 3 and 4 have no such knobs 53 MAIN MIX TO SUBS for RETURN 3 With this switch up STEREO RETURN 3 behaves like all the others it delivers a stereo signal regulated by its level knob to the main mix When you engage this switch the signals are removed from the main mix buses and sent to the 1 2 3 4 switch 54 which diverts the signal once more We re not finished Please read on 54 1 2 3 4 for
60. on the meter display are not controlled by anything you wouldn t want that You want to see the actual channel level on the meter display regardless of how loud you re listen ing Owner s Manual 1642 VLZ3 44 MODE NORMAL AFL LEVEL SET PFL You may have already seen some of this in the SOLO discussion but in case you missed it The 1642 VLZ3 s solo system comes in two flavors NORMAL AFL sometimes called SIP or solo in place LEVEL SET PFL sometimes called PFL or pre fader listen In NORMAL AFL the soloed channel s signal is sent directly to the control room headphones and me ters just as it would sound to the channel s assignment switches post E Q 32 post FADER 25 and post PAN 31 The only difference is that SOLO works regardless of the channel s assignment positions and that makes it really handy you can check out a channel before you assign it NORMAL AFL is the preferred mode during mix down For example if the channel has some midrange boost at 4 2 kHz is panned a smidgen to the left and its fader is at 5 dB that s exactly what you ll hear if you SOLO during NORMAL AFL mode It s just as if you took the time to MUTE all the other channels LEVEL SET PFL solois the key player in the all im portant Level Setting Procedure It ll send the channel s actual internal levels to the meters so you ll know just what s going on level wise This procedure should be perfo
61. onsider altering the sound source such as placing a mic differently trying a different kind of mic changing the strings or gargling 33 4 BAND FIXED FREQUENCY EQ The stereo channels 9 16 have a 4 band fixed fre quency equalization LOW shelving at 80 Hz LOW MID peaking at 400 Hz HI MID peaking at 2 5 kHz and HI shelving at 12 kHz Each of these filters provides up to 15 dB of boost or cut As with the mono channels the circuit is flat no boost or cut at the center detent positions 34 LOW CUT The LOW CUT switch not present on channels 13 16 often referred to as a high pass filter cuts bass frequencies below 75 Hz at a rate of 18 dB per octave This ain t no thrown in dime store filter an 18 dB per octave curve requires an elaborate circuit Nothing but the best for you We recommend that you use this on every sound source except kick drum bass guitar bassy synth patch es or recordings of earthquakes These aside there isn t much down there that you want to hear and filtering it out makes the low stuff you do want much more crisp and tasty Not only that but low cut can help reduce the possibility of feedback in live situations and it helps to conserve amplifier power With LOW CUT you can safely boost LOW EQ Many times bass shelving eq can really benefit voices Trouble is adding LOW EQ also boosts the subsonic debris Stage rumble mic handling clunks wind noise and breath pops LOW CUT removes
62. ot muted or turned fully down will appear at the MAIN OUTS Before the main mix gets to this fader the signals pass through the MAIN INSERT 13 1642 173 The main mix signals are off with the fader fully down the U marking is unity gain and fully up provides 10 dB of additional gain This additional gain will typically never be needed but it s nice to know it s there The fader itself is a stereo version of the channel and sub group faders same supersmooth custom taper same dead silence when turned fully down This is the fader to pull down at the end of the song when you want The Great Fade Out 38 SUBGROUP FADERS As you might expect these faders control the levels of signals sent to the SUB OUT 8 jacks channels that are assigned to subgroups not muted and not turned fully down will appear at the SUB OUTS Unlike the MAIN OUTS 14 the subgroup signals do not pass through an insert jack on their way to the subgroup faders That s no problem should you want to send these signals through serial effects processor simply patch from the SUB OUTS to the effect s input and from the effect s output to whatever the final destination is usually a multitrack recorder The subgroup signal is off when its fader is fully down the U marking is unity gain and fully up provides 10 dB additional gain Remember that if you re treating two subgroups as a stereo pair subgroup 1 and 2 for example make
63. other A grounding ype plug has two blades and a third grounding prong The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet 10 Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs convenience receptades and the point where they exit from the apparatus 11 Only use attachments accessories specified by the manufacturer 12 Use only with a cart stand tripod bracket or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus When a cart is used use caution when moving the cart apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip over PORTABLE CART WARNING Carts and stands The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer A Component and cart combination should be moved with care Quick stops excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn A 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 ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE AUCUN ENTRETIEN DE PIECES INTERIEURES PAR L USAGER CONFIER L ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFIE AV
64. ou could run the click track directly into the main mix but you don t want the mixdown deck and or audience to hear it By gum this is the switch for you Similarly it can be used for voice over tracks narration anything you want heard by the engineer and players but not by the audience and mixdown deck 56 RETURNS SOLO This switch operates just like the channel SOLO 27 switches engaging it sends signals to the control room headphones and meters and interrupts whatever happened to be there before you soloed It follows the MODE 44 switch setting as well The only difference is that when you engage this RETURNS SOLO switch it sends all four STEREO RETURNS signals to the SOLO circuit Assume you want to solo the snare drum Hit that channel s SOLO switch and you get the dry no effects snare only That helps but you want to hear it with the reverb you have patched into a STEREO RETURN Leaving that channel s SOLO switch engaged also engage the RETURNS SOLO switch and now you ll get the dry snare and its reverb Since it is a global feature you ll also get the signals from all the other STEREO RETURNS so there may be some sounds that you didn t want to hear If they offend your sensibilities simply turn down the STEREO RE TURNS LEVELS 51 you don t want to hear or MUTE 30 the channels feeding the unwanted signal to the effects device you do want to hear Congratulations You ve just read about all the fea
65. rease of signal level All the way up provides an additional 10 dB should you need to boost a section of a song If you find that the overall level is too quiet or too loud with a fader near unity you ll want to confirm the GAIN setting by performing the Level Setting Procedure E Clean Fade Faders are not rocket science they operate by dragging a metal pin the wiper across a carbon based strip the track Itis possible for airborne crud to land on the track Should that hap pen you may hear scratchy noises or signal dropouts as the wiper stumbles over the crud Do all you can to keep airborne crud out of your profession Use air conditioned rooms whenever possible avoid smoking near the mixer keep food and drink away from the mixer and for pity s sake never put the mixer in your kitchen We also recom mend exercising the faders give them a walk up and down once a week or so and that will help scarethe crud away We do not recommend spray cleaners 1642 173 26 ASSIGN 1 2 3 4 Alongside each channel fader are four buttons labeled SOLO 1 2 3 4 and L R The bottom three are collectively referred to as channel assignment switches 1 L are the left sides of these stereo pairs and 2 4 and R are the right sides Used in conjunction with the channel s PAN 31 knob these switches determine the destination of a channel s signal With the PAN knob set at the c
66. rmed every time a new sound source is patched into a channel s MIC 1 or LINE 2 input jacks LEVEL SET PFL is also the preferred mode for SR sound reinforcement or live sound to preview chan nels before they are let into the mix It won t give you stereo placement but will give you signal even if the fader is turned down Remember LEVEL SET PFL taps the channel signal before the fader If you have a channel s fader set way below U unity gain SOLO won t know that and will send a unity gain signal to the control room headphones and meters That may result in a startling level boost at these out puts depending on the position of the SOLO level knob 45 LEVEL SET LED To quote step 6 of the Level Setting Procedure Push in the MODE 44 switch in the output section LEVEL SET PFL mode the LEVEL SET LED will light When the solo MODE switch is engaged it s in LEVEL SET PFL mode the mode you must be in to set levels Now when you engage any solo switch this LED will be a green light to set levels If you tried to set levels during NORMAL AFL mode the meter display would be at the mercy of the channel fader and that would be a big problem 1642 173 46 SOLO LEVEL This knob controls the level of the signals coming from the SOLO system It s range is off when fully down unity at the center detent with 10 dB additional gain turned fully up After the SOLO level is determined the SOLO
67. rn it off last This will reduce the possibilities of any turn on or turn off thumps in your speakers 21 POWER LED You ve probably already figured this out but if the POWER 201 switch is on this LED light emitting do hicky will light If the switch is off well you get the idea If the SF POWER 20 switch is on and the LED does not glow one of three things has happened Somebody tripped over the power cord and yanked it from PREMIUM MIC LINE MIXER Jenuey STEREO RETURNS n OOO Qe the outlet your electricity has ae been turned off due to nonpay ment or the FUSE 19 has V blown 22 PHANTOM SWITCH This switch controls the phantom power supply for condenser microphones as discussed on page 8 When turned on or off the phantom power circuitry takes a few moments for voltage to ramp up down This is perfectly normal 23 48V LED This is just to let you know which way you have the PHANTOM 22 switch set If your dynamic mics work and your condensers don t chances are this LED is off so turn the PHATOM switch on You ll notice that when you turn the phantom power off the LED stays on for a while This is a natural phe nomenon the LED is actually a voltmeter telling you that the phantom power takes time to ramp itself down to zero volts So
68. rument cable Tip signal Sleeve ground 3 GAIN uw X These controls not in the patchbay but C3 they are the top row of knobs the channel Wee strip section They are so vitally linked with pu the inputs this seemed like a good place to describe them gt Everytime you plug something into a e MIC 1 or LINE 2 input jack you should v perform the Level Setting Procedure and that O procedure is basically how to use the GAIN knob p GAIN adjusts the input sensitivity of the e MIC and LINE inputs This allows signals from the outside world to be adjusted to Ge optimal internal operating levels Through the XLR jack MIC there GAIN 1 will be 0 dB of gain with the knob fully down ramping to 60 dB of gain fully up Through the 1 4 input LINE there is 15 dB of attenuation fully down and 45 dB of gain fully up with unity gain U at 10 00 60 15dB 45dB This 15 dB of attenuation can be very handy when you are inserting a signal that is very hot or you want to add alot of EQ gain or both Without this virtual pad scenario like this might lead to channel clipping The GAIN controls for stereo channels 9 10 and 11 12 are only used to adjust the Mic inputs The line inputs are set to unity gain The GAIN controls for channels 13 14 and 15 16 only adjust the line l
69. s been anticipated in the wiring of Mackie jacks A TS plug inserted into a V4 TRS balanced input for example will automatically unbalance the input and make all the right connections Conversely Y4 TRS plug inserted into a Ya unbalanced input will automatically the ring low or cold to ground earth TRS Send Receive Insert Jacks Mackie s single jack inserts are the three conductor TRS type 1 4 phone They are unbalanced but have both the mixer output send and the mixer input return signals in one connector SeeFigure E SEND to processor tp sleeve 2 This plug connects to one of the ning mixer s Channel Insert jacks RETURN from processor FigureE The sleeve is the common ground earth for both signals The send from the mixer to the external unit is carried on the tip and the return from the unit to the mixer is on the ring Using the Send Only on an Insert Jack If you insert a TS mono 1 4 plug only partially to the first click into a Mackie insert jack the plug will not activate the jack switch and will not open the insert loop in the circuit thereby allowing the channel signal to continue on its merry way through the mixer This allows you to tap out the channel or bus signal without interrupting normal operation If you push the 1 4 TS plugin to the second click you will open the jack switch and create a direct out which do
70. sure that both subgroup faders ride together to maintain the left right balance 39 ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX One popular use of the subgroups is to use them as master faders for a group of channels on their way to the main mix Let s say you ve got a drum kit hogging up seven channels and you re going to want to fade them out at a different rate than the other channels You dont want to try that with seven hands or seven fingers so just un assign these channels from L R reassign them to subgroup 1 2 engage the ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX LEFT on subgroup 1 and RIGHT on subgroup 2 Now you can ride the entire stereo drum mix with two faders 1 and 2 f you engage just one of these switches per subgroup left or right the signal sent to the main mix will be the same level as the SUB OUTs 8 If you want a sub group to appear in the center of the main mix engage both left and right switches for that subgroup The signal will be sent to both sides and will be attenuated just enough to preserve constant loudness just like the channel PAN 31 knobs when set in the center AUX MASTER STEREO RETURNS U 21 TO AUX L R 1 OO 10 TOAUX OO 410 SEND ASSIGN OPTIONS 3 Pun TOSUBS SOLO m PHNS 20 48V PWR U LEFT RIGHT OO 20 0 dB 0 dBu PHONES TAPE IN Q Q 060 10 e 1 55 MAX MAIN MIX 0 0 CONT
71. tion LOW shelving at 80 Hz MID sweep peaking from 100 Hz to 8 kHz and HI shelving at 12 kHz It s probably all the EQ you ll ever need Shelving means that the circuitry boosts or cuts all frequen cies past the specified frequency For example the 1642 VLZ3 s LOW EQ boosts bass frequencies starting at 80 Hz and continuing down to the lowest you never heard Peaking means thatcertain frequencies form a hill around the center frequency The LOW EQ provides up to 15 dB boost or cut below 80 Hz The circuit isflat no boost or cut at the center detent position This frequency repre lt sents the punch in bass drums bass REC guitar fat synth patches and some 1 really serious male singers o o 111771 111111 1 8 8 0 5 D 5 2 Used in conjunction with the LOW CUT 34 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 1642 VLZ3 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 5 5 m m 2
72. to connect to a female XLR jack V4 TRS Phone Plugs and J acks TRS stands for Tip Ring Sleeve the three connections available on a stereo V4 or balanced phone jack or plug See Figure B RING SLEEVE RING SLEEVE TRS jacks and plugs are used in several different ap plications e Stereo Headphones and rarely stereo micro phones and stereo line connections When wired for stereo a 1 4 TRS jack or plug is connected tip to left ring to right and sleeve to ground earth Mackie mixers do not directly accept 1 plug type stereo microphones They must be separated into a left cord and a right cord which are plugged into the two mic preamps You can cook up your own adapter for a stereo microphone adapter Y two cables out of a female 1 4 TRS jack to two male XLR plugs one for the Right signal and one for the Left e Balanced mono circuits When wired as a bal anced connector 1 4 TRS jack or plug is con nected tip to signal high hot ring to signal low cold and sleeve to ground earth e Unbalanced Send Return circuits When wired as send return Y connector a 1 4 TRS jack or plug is connected tip to signal send output from mixer ring to signal return input back into mixer and sleeve to ground earth V4 TS Phone Plugs and Jacks TS stands for Tip Sleeve the two connections avail able on a mono 1 4 phone jack plug See Figure C 1
73. you d turn the knobs down but that never happens Owner s Manual Im 1642 VLZ3 50 AUX SENDS SOLO and LED In live sound situations AUX SEND 6 outputs 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 buttons are for AUX 3 and 4 have no such switch Beside each switch is a green LED that just like the channel s 20 LED helps you find the rogue SOLO switch The only thing different about AUX SENDS SOLO is that it s not really PFL pre fader listen and it s not really SIP solo in place it s actually AFL after fader listen Read on In the NORMAL AFL position of the MODE 44 switch you ll get AUX SEND 15 solo signal post AUX SENDS 49 master level in the left side of the control room headphones and meters and AUX SEND 2 on the right side If you ever use AUX 1 and 2 to create stereo monitor mix you ll understand why In the LEVEL SET PFL position of the MODE switch you ll get the signal dead center but still post AUX SENDS master level 51 STEREO RETURNS LEVEL These four controls set the overall level of effects received from the STEREO RETURN 7 input jacks These controls are designed to handle a wide range of signal levels each knob goes from off to unity gain at the detent to 20 dB gain fully clockwise to compensate for low level effects Signals passing through these trols proceed directly t

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