Unless you know for certain it is safe to do

so, never plug single-ended (unbalanced) microphones, instruments, ribbon mics, or electronic devices into the MIC [1] input jacks if the

phantom power is on.

2. LINE INPUTS

These 1/4" jacks share circuitry (but not phantom power) with the mic preamps. You can use these inputs for virtually any signal you’ll come across, from instrument levels as low as –50 dB to operating levels of –10 dBV to +4 dBu, as there is 45 dB of gain available via the GAIN [3] knob. Note that channels 1-8 line inputs are intially attenuated by 15 dB.

Always be sure to perform the Level-Setting Procedure (page 3) when you connect a new input.

To learn how signals are routed from these inputs, see the details lovingly described in the Channel Strip section.

To connect balanced lines to these inputs, use a 1/4" tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) plug, the type found on some stereo headphones:

Tip = positive (+ or hot)

Ring = negative (– or cold)

Sleeve = shield or ground

To connect unbalanced lines to these inputs, use a 1/4" mono (TS) phone plug or standard instrument cable:

Tip = signal (+)

Sleeve = ground

 

3. GAIN

 

These controls are not in the patchbay, but

3

they are the top row of knobs in the channel

strip section. (They are so vitally linked with

 

the inputs, this seemed like a good place to

 

describe them.)

Every time you plug something into a MIC [1] or LINE [2] input jack, you should perform the Level-Setting Procedure, and that procedure is basically “how to use the GAIN knob.”

GAIN adjusts the input sensitivity of the MIC and LINE inputs. This allows signals from the outside world to be adjusted to optimal internal operating levels.

Through the XLR jack (MIC), there will be 0 dB of gain with the knob fully down, ramping to 60 dB of gain fully up.

Through the 1/4" input (LINE), there is 15 dB of attenuation fully down and 45

dB of gain fully up, with unity gain (U) at 10:00.

are only used to adjust the Mic inputs. The line inputs

Owner’s

This 15 dB of attenuation can be very handy when you

 

are inserting a signal that is very hot, or you want to add

 

a lot of EQ gain, or both. Without this “virtual pad,” a

 

scenario like this might lead to channel clipping.

 

The GAIN controls for stereo channels 9-10 and 11-12

 

are set to unity gain.

 

 

 

 

 

Manual

The GAIN controls for channels 13-14 and 15-16 only

 

adjust the line-level inputs, as they have no Mic inputs.

 

4. INSERT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Found only on channels 1–8, these 1/4" unbalanced

 

jacks are for connecting serial effects processors such

 

as compressors, equalizers, de-essers, or filters. The

 

insert point is after the GAIN [3] control, but before the

 

channel’s EQ [32], LOW CUT [34], FADER [25] and

 

MUTE [30] controls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insert cables must be wired thusly:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ring

SEND to processor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“tip”

 

 

 

tip

sleeve (TRS plug)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This plug connects to one of the

 

 

 

“ring”

 

 

 

mixer’s Channel Insert jacks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RETURN from processor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip = send (to effects device input)

Ring = return (from effects device output)

Sleeve = common ground

Even though channels 1–8 already have DIRECT OUT

[5]jacks, INSERT jacks can also be used as channel direct outputs (as they are post-GAIN, pre-EQ, pre-LOW CUT, pre-FADER, and pre-MUTE).

Appendix B, page 27 has a lovely diagram (Figure F) showing three ways you can use the INSERT jacks.

Owner’s Manual

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