RUDE
SOLO
LIGHT
LEVEL
SET
LEFT RIGHT 0 dB=0 dBu
28
10
7
4
2
0
2
4
7
10
20 30

 

U

OO MAX

OO +20

CTL ROOM / PHONES

TAPE IN

 

TAPE

TAPE TO

 

MAIN MIX

SUBS 1–2

 

 

OO MAX

SUBS 3–4

SOLO

MAIN MIX

MODE

CTL ROOM

NORMAL (AFL)

SOURCE

LEVEL SET (PFL)

MODE (NORMAL (AFL)/LEVEL SET (PFL))

You may have already seen this, but in case you missed it: The 1604-VLZ PRO’s solo system comes in two flavors: NORMAL (AFL) (sometimes called SIP, or solo-in-place) and LEVEL SET (PFL) (sometimes called PFL, or pre-fader-listen).

In NORMAL (AFL), the soloed channel’s signal is sent directly to

the C-R OUTS, PHONES output

and meter display just as it would sound to the channel’s assign-

ment switches: post-EQ,

post-fader and post-PAN. 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 dur-

ing mixdown: If the channel has some midrange boost at 4.236kHz, is panned a smidgen to the left, and its fader is at –5.385dB, 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) solo is the key player in the all-important 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 performed every time a new sound source is patched into a channel’s MIC or LINE input jacks.

LEVEL SET (PFL) is also the preferred mode for SR (sound reinforcement, or live sound), to preview channels 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 C-R OUTS, PHONES output and meter display. That may result in a startling level boost at these outputs, depending on the position of the SOLO level knob .

LEVEL SET LED

To quote step 6 of the Level-Setting Procedure , “Push in the MODE 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.

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 10dB additional gain turned fully up. After the SOLO level is determined, the SOLO signals will proceed to take over the C-R OUTS, PHONES output and meter display .

Once again, LEVEL SET (PFL) SOLO taps the channel signal before the fader. If you have a 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 C-R OUTS, PHONES output and meter display. That may result in a startling level boost at these outputs, depending on the position of the SOLO level knob.

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 chan- nel’s –20LED 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 something is wrong with your mixer. Hence the RUDE SOLO LIGHT. It’s especially handy at about 3:00 in the morning, when no sound is coming out of your monitors, even though your multi- track is playing back like mad.

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