Mackie 1642-VLZ3 Output Section Description, 37. MAIN MIX FADER, 38. SUBGROUP FADERS, 39. ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX

VLZ3

Output Section Description

1642-

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 not 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-VLZ3

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 subgroup 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. All 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 a 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 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 don’t 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.

If 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 subgroup 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.