Mackie CR1604 - VLZ owner manual Mute, Pan, Stereo Sources, Constant Loudness, Band MID-SWEEP EQ

Page 19

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.

If you need a quick reference to these LEDs, write this on the back of your hand:

name

color

flickering

glowing

–20 (SOLO)

green

signal is present

channel is soloed

OL (MUTE)

red

channel is clipping

channel is muted

MUTE

Engaging a channel’s MUTE switch pro- vides the same results as turning the fader all the way down: Any channel assignment to L-R, 1-2or 3-4will be interrupted. All the post AUX sends will be silenced, as will the DIRECT OUT signals on channels 1 through

8. And of course, that fun-loving OL (MUTE) LED will commence to glow. The PRE AUX sends , channel INSERT send and SOLO (in LEVEL SET (PFL) mode) will continue to function during MUTE.

Depending on the audio content in a chan- nel, engaging its MUTE switch may cause a slight popping sound. This is not a problem within the mixer, and it can be avoided: Sim- ply engage the LOW CUT switch on each channel (unless its low frequency content is vitally important, such as a kick drum or bass guitar). LOW CUT eliminates subsonic de- bris, which causes the pop, and its effect is usually transparent.

PAN

PAN adjusts the amount of channel signal sent to the left versus the right outputs. Pan de- termines the fate of the L-Rassignment, subgroups 1–2and 3–4, and the SOLO (in LEVEL SET (PFL) mode). With the PAN knob hard left, the signal will feed the left MAIN L-R MIX, subgroup 1, subgroup 3 and left NORMAL (AFL) solo mode (assuming their assignment switches are engaged). With the knob hard right, signal feeds the right MAIN L-R MIX, sub- group 2, subgroup 4 and right NORMAL (AFL) solo mode. With the PAN knob set somewhere in-between left and right, the signal will be di- vided between the left and right busses.

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” chan- nel (2, 4, 6, etc.). Then pan the odd channel hard left and the even channel hard right.

CONSTANT LOUDNESS ! ! !

The CR1604-VLZ’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 0dB, it must dip down about 4dB 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.

3-BAND MID-SWEEP EQ

The CR1604-VLZ has a 3-band, mid-sweep equalization: LOW shelving at 80Hz, MID sweep peaking from 100Hz to 8kHz, and HI shelving at 12kHz. It’s probably all the EQ you’ll ever need! (Shelving means that the circuitry boosts or cuts all frequencies past the specified frequency. For example, the CR1604-VLZ’s LOW EQ boosts bass frequencies starting at 80Hz and continu- ing down to the lowest note you never heard. Peaking means that certain frequencies form a “hill” around the center frequency.)

The LOW EQ provides up to 15dB boost or cut at 80Hz. 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.

+15

 

 

 

+10

 

 

 

+5

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

–5

 

 

 

–10

 

 

 

–15

 

 

 

20Hz

100Hz

1kHz

10kHz 20kHz

Used in conjunction with the LOW CUT 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 1.5 octaves. The MID knob sets the amount of boost or cut, up to 15dB, and is effectively bypassed at then center detent. The frequency knob sets the center frequency, sweepable from 100Hz to 8kHz.

TRIM

 

1

-10dBV

IC GAI

M

 

N

U

 

 

10

 

60

+10dB

 

-40dB

AUX

U

 

 

 

1

 

 

OO

 

+15

 

U

 

2

 

 

OO

 

+15

PRE

 

 

 

U

 

3

 

5

OO

 

+15

 

U

 

4

 

6

OO

 

+15

5/6

 

 

SHIFT

 

EQ

U

HI

 

 

12k

-15

 

+15

 

U

MID

-15

 

+15

800

200

 

2k

100

 

8k

 

U

LOW

 

 

80Hz

-15

 

+15

LOW CUT

 

75 Hz

 

 

18dB/OCT

 

PAN

 

 

L

 

R

1

 

 

MUTE

 

 

 

OL

 

 

-20

 

 

SOLO

 

 

1–2

 

 

3–4

 

 

L - R

 

 

OO

19

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Contents MIC/LINE Mixer Safety Instructions Other Nuggets of Wisdom LEVEL-SETTING ProcedureRead this Instant MixingArcane Mysteries Illuminated HOW to USE this ManualPlug for the Connectors Section IntroductionContents Hookup Diagrams Stereo EQ Video Setup Switching Positions Converting to Rackmount ModeMIC Inputs Phantom PowerPatchbay Description InterfaceDirect OUT Line InputsTrim InsertAUX Send Outputs Split MonitoringOutputs of the multitrack are then SUB Outs AUX Return InputsTape Output Phones OutputTape Input Mono Output Power ConnectionMain Insert Main OutsPhantom LED Power SwitchPower LED Phantom SwitchAssign 1-2, 3-4, L-R Clean FadeChannel Strip Description FaderDuring Normal AFL mode, the soloed SoloSolo LED OL Mute LEDConstant Loudness MutePAN Stereo SourcesAUX 1, 2, 3 LOW CUTShift PREAssign to Main MIX Output Section DescriptionVLZ MIX Architecture Subgroup FadersPhones Tape in LevelTape to Main MIX SourceRude Solo Light Ment switches post-EQLevel SET LED Solo LevelMeters vs. Reality MetersAUX Talk AUX Sends MasterMain MIX to Subs AUX RET AUX Sends SoloAUX Returns Level Effects to MonitorsReturns Solo Phns only AUX RETPlace the mixer upside-down on a dry, non- marring surface UL WarningMackie Disclaimer About JumpersCR1604-VLZ Source Mod OL Flicker CR1604-VLZ Block DiagramLOW MID High GainSpecifications Troubleshooting Service InfoRepair Aux ChorusingAssign AttenuateDBm DelayConsole CueingEqualization EchoEffects devices EQ curveGround GainGain stage Graphic EQLine level Input moduleKnee LevelPeaking Phantom powerPan, pan pot Parametric EQReturn RCA phono jack-orRCA jack or phono jackRCA phono plug RegenerationSweep EQ VolumeXLR connector Stereo⁄4 TRS Phone Plugs and Jacks XLR ConnectorsAppendix B Connections ⁄4 TS Phone Plugs and JacksSpecial Mackie Connections Switched 1⁄4 Phone JacksRCA Plugs and Jacks Unbalancing a LineTRS Send/Receive Insert Jacks Using the Send Only on an Insert JackMults and Ys Balanced Lines DON’T Phantom Power do & DON’T ChartDon’t use hardware-store light dimmers Do’s and Don’ts of Fixed InstallationsHere are some guidelines Free T-SHIRT OfferSession Date CR1604-VLZ0.5A