Mackie CFX SERIES MASTER SECTION FEATURES, MAIN MIX FADER, METERS, RUDE SOLO, STEREO GRAPHIC EQ

MASTER SECTION FEATURES

We hope you’ve understood, if not memo- rized, the CHANNEL STRIP FEATURES you just read. If you’re still confused, please look them over again before you tackle this section. Don’t worry, it’s easy to swallow as long as you take it a bite at a time.

MAIN MIX FADER

As the name implies, this stereo fader controls the levels of signals sent to the main outputs: XLR and TRS MAIN OUT . The TAPE OUTPUT RCA jacks also receive the main mix, but before the MAIN MIX Fader.

Signals feeding the MAIN MIX Fader, after

passing through the STEREO GRAPHIC EQ , include: SUB ASSIGN , MAIN INSERT , STEREO EFX RETURN 1 and 2 (including the EMAC EFFECTS PROCESSOR ), and TAPE INPUT . All assigned SUB Faders

and EFX RETURNs that are not turned fully down will appear in the MAIN MIX.

The fader, set fully up, provides 10 dB of gain. A “U” unity gain point is just below that. When set fully down, the main mix is effectively muted. This is the fader to pull down at the end of the song when you want The Great Fade-Out.

METERS

The CFX Mixer’s peak metering system is made up of two columns of twelve LEDs each, with thresholds ranging from –30 dB up to “CLIP” (+22 dBu at the TRS MAIN OUT , +28 dBu at the XLR MAIN OUT). The meters display the main mix, post MAIN MIX Fader

, unless a SOLO PFL	switch is engaged.
When a SOLO PFL	switch is engaged,

the meters will instead display the solo infor- mation, at unity gain (pre channel fader ). Why, you ask? The meters, being a tool for the engineer, must display what the engineer is listening to via the PHONES output.

You can get a good mix with the meter’s peaks flashing anywhere between –20 and +10 dB. Most amplifiers clip at about +10 dB, and some recorders aren’t so forgiving either. For best real-world results, try to keep your peaks between “0” and “+7.”

You may already be familiar

with “+4” (+4 dBu=1.23V)

and “–10” (–10 dBV=0.32V)

operating levels. Basically, what determines the operat-

ing level is the relative 0 dB VU (or 0VU) chosen for the meters.

A “+4” mixer, with a +4 dBu signal pouring out the back, will actually display 0 dB on its meters. A “–10” mixer, with a –10 dBV signal trickling out, will also display 0 dB. So ... when is 0 dB actually 0 dB? Right now!

At the risk of creating another standard, Mackie’s compact mixers address the need of both crowds by calling things as they are: 0 dBu (0.775V) at the output shows as 0 dB VU on the meters. What could be easier? (By the way, the most wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.)

RUDE SOLO

This infamous flashing LED (Light Emitting Diode) serves two purposes —- to remind you that at least one SOLO PFL switch is en- gaged, and to let you know that you’re mixing on a Mackie.

Engaging a SOLO PFL switch affects these features: PHONES and Meters . No other outputs are affected in any way.

Although the “SET THE LEVELS” section of “QUICK START” (page 5) will get your level- setting tasks accomplished, using the meters

in PFL SOLO mode lets you really tune in. Instead of one flickering LED, you can make use of the 12-segment VU display in the meters. How? Just engage a SOLO PFL switch and watch the meters.

WARNING: SOLO is pre-

fader and taps the channel

signal before the fader . If you have a channel’s fader set well below “U”

(unity gain), SOLO won’t know that and will send a unity gain signal to the PHONES output. That may result in a startling level boost in your headphones.