Part 2 — GETTING HOOKED: CONNECTION TIPS

Hook-up Diagrams in living Color!

Included with your MS 1202 is our color Application Guide which covers the common ways to hook up your new mixer. There are a zillion ways to connect a mixer as versatile as the MS 1202. An infinite number of monkeys mousing madly on Macintoshes couldn’t draw all the permutations. Because we only have four monkeys with four Macintoshes in our art department, we’ve included six typical application connections. If you didn’t get an Applications Guide (or the dog ate it), call a primate at 800/258-6883 and we’ll send you one.

Warning

Before connecting a microphone or line signal to an open, amplified channel, turn down that channel’s GAIN knob! Better yet, turn off your amp.

Connecting a stereo signal to the MS 1202

Use two separate plugs, rather than a “stereo plug”. For Channels 1–4, plug the left signal into an odd-numbered jack and the right signal into an even-numbered jack. For Channels 5–12, plug the left signal into the

Ljack and the right signal into the corre- sponding R jack. The AUX, EQ, and GAIN knobs of Channels 5–12 will control both L and R inputs equally, preserving the stereo integrity.

Connecting a mono signal to the MS 1202

Use either a Channel from 1 through 4 or use only the L jack (also labeled mono) — with nothing connected to the R jack — of Channels 5–12. This will feed the mono signal equally to both sides of the stereo mix.

You can connect two independent mono signals to a stereo pair of input jacks, if you want them routed separately to the left and right mix busses. The PAN pot will control their relative levels.

Connecting Effects and Processors

Most recording and PA setups use external boxes to enhance the sound: reverb, digital delay, and compressors are the most common, but you might also have a harmonizer or enhancer as well. All of these effects can be grouped into two categories — effects (parallel devices) and processors (series devices)— depending on what they do.

Effects

These generate additional sounds that you add to the mix, usually by making two simultaneous mixes: one of the unmodified dry signal that goes directly to the main outputs, and an auxiliary mix that is sent to the effect. The output of the effect is then mixed into the main output. The most common effects are echo or reverb, and digital delay. Effects devices can be connected to the MS 1202 via the AUX SENDS and AUX RETURNS.

Processors

These modify the original signal and completely replace it with the processed version. Usually they’re connected to only one micro- phone, instrument, or track at a time through a channel insert or before/after the mixer. You can add other processors after the MS 1202 if you want to affect the overall mix.

Odd ducks

Some newer digital “Swiss Army Audio Knives” can be switched for compression, echo, limiting, and whatever else struck the whim of the product designer. See their manuals for details: you’ll probably want to connect them based on what they’re doing to your mix.

Connecting an effect with stereo outputs

Use two separate cables and plug into a Left/Right pair of an AUX RETURN. The STEREO AUX RETURN knobs will control both sides of the effect equally.

Connecting an effect with mono output

Use just the left (L) AUX RETURN jack with nothing connected to the right, the MS 1202 will route the signal to both mix busses. If you want a signal to return to just the right AUX RETURN channel, plug the effect output into only the right (R) AUX RETURN. Because the left return is automatically mono, and therefore centered, you have to go to a bit more trouble to return a signal just to the left AUX RETURN channel: Plug the signal into the left (L) input and then insert a dummy plug into the right (R) AUX RETURN channel.

HOOK

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