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31. PAN

This 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 (in AFL mode). With the PAN knob hard left, the 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, signal feeds the right main mix, subgroup 2, subgroup 4 and right NORMAL (AFL) solo mode. With PAN set somewhere in-between left and right, the signal will be divided between the left and right buses.

Stereo Sources

Your life will be easier if you follow this standard con- vention: When patching stereo sound sources to a mixer, always plug the left signal into an “odd” channel (1, 3, 5, etc.) and the right signal into the adjacent “even” channel (2, 4, 6, etc.). Then pan the odd channel hard left and the even channel hard right.

CONSTANT LOUDNESS ! ! !

The 1604-VLZ3’s PAN controls employ a de-

sign called “Constant Loudness.” It has noth-

ing to do with living next to a freeway. As you turn the PAN knob from left to right (thereby causing the sound to move from the left to the center to

the right), the sound will appear to remain at the same volume (or loudness).

If you have a channel panned hard left (or right) and reading 0 dB, it must dip down about 4 dB on the left (or right) when panned center. To do otherwise, like those Brand X mixers, would make the sound appear much louder when panned center.

32. 3-BAND MID-SWEEP EQ

The 1604-VLZ3 has a 3-band, mid-sweep equalization: LOW shelving at 80 Hz, MID sweep peaking from 100 Hz to 8 kHz, and HI shelving at 12 kHz. 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 1604-VLZ3’s LOW EQ boosts bass frequencies below 80 Hz and continuing down to the lowest note you never heard. Peaking means that certain frequencies form a “hill” around the center frequency.)

The LOW EQ provides up to 15 dB boost or cut below 80 Hz. The circuit is flat (no boost or cut) at the center detent posi- tion. This frequency represents

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the punch in bass drums, bass 20Hz100Hz1kHz10kHz 20kHz guitar, fat synth patches, and some really serious male singers who eat broken glass for breakfast.

Used in conjunction with the LOW CUT [33] switch, you can boost the LOW EQ without injecting a ton of subsonic debris into the mix. We recommend using the LOW CUT feature on all channels, except low frequency signals, like kick drums and bass guitars.

The MID EQ , or “midrange,” has a fixed bandwidth of

1 octave. The MID knob sets the amount of boost or cut, up to 15 dB, and is effectively bypassed at the center detent. The frequency knob sets the center frequency, sweepable from 100 Hz to 8 kHz.

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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 frequencies 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.

With too much EQ, you can screw things up royally. We’ve designed a lot of boost and cut into each equalizer circuit because we love you, and know that everyone will occasionally need that. 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 as the right (boost). If you find yourself repeatedly using full boost or cut, consider altering the sound source, such as placing a mic differently, trying a different kind of mic, changing the strings, or gargling.

Manual Owner’s

Owner’s Manual

17