effectively muting its input.
To use ALT 3-4 as output busses, just connect the ALT 3-4 outputs to whatever destination you desire. Pressing the MUTE button will remove the channel signal from the MAIN bus and route it to the ALT 3-4 outputs.
The ALT 3-4 outputs are a good way to feed a mul- titrack recorder when you only need to record one or two tracks at a time, or a good way to feed a stereo sound card in a computer.
AUX Send Outputs
The Auxiliary Send section is like a bunch of mono mixers, one for each Auxiliary output. The AUX controls send a copy of the channel signal to the AUX bus where the signals are mixed and sent to the AUX output. On some of our mixers, these controls are labeled MONITOR and EFX (effects) since those are common uses.
Pre and Post Sends
Auxiliary Sends are designated as PRE or POST. Pre or post what? POST always means post-fader, PRE is always pre-fader. The output level of a PRE send is independent of the position of the channel fader, while the level of a POST send follows the channel fader. Both come after the LOW CUT filter (if any) but on some models, the PRE send is taken before the equalizer section while on others it comes after the EQ. It may come either before or after the MUTE switch. Here’s a summary for all of the Mackie mixers of where the Pre-fader AUX sends are taken:
Source for PRE Sends
Model | EQ | Mute |
| | |
1202/1402-VLZ PRO | Post | Pre |
| | |
1604-VLZ PRO | Pre | Pre |
| | |
1642-VLZ PRO | Pre | Pre |
| | |
Onyx | Post | Pre |
| | |
CFX | Post | Post |
| | |
DFX | Pre | Post |
| | |
SR | Post | Post |
| | |
8-Bus | Switched | Post |
| | |
PPM | Pre | NA |
| | |
That’s quite an assortment. The variations reflect both the most likely application, and what was in favor at the time the mixer was designed. Here are some common preferences:
MIXER ANATOMY: CHAPTER 2
Stage monitors are almost always fed from a pre- fader send, so that the engineer can create a mix for the musicians on stage and leave it alone once they’re happy. (Turn the drummer up really loud in his monitor and he’ll think he’s really loud in the house.) Then you can mix the house according to your good taste.
In larger sound reinforcement systems, pre-EQ sends for the monitors are nearly always preferred since there’s usually an outboard equalizer between the console and the monitor amplifier. If the monitors are fed after the channel equalizer, an EQ boost to bring out an instrument in the house might cause a blast of feedback on stage. Also, musicians don’t like to hear you messing with “their tone.”
Studio headphone cue feeds are similar to stage monitors only there’s no risk of feedback, so fidelity can come first. If an instrument sounds better in the control room with EQ, it will probably sound better to the musician too, so post-EQ monitor sends are usually preferred. A pre-fader send is a good idea, though, since a musician playing an overdub may want to hear a mix that helps him focus on his part, while the producer will want to hear a well balanced mix in the control room.
Effects sends are almost always post-fader and post-EQ. Generally you want to send a signal to the effects processor in proportion to its level in the mix. When you turn something down in a mix, you want the effect level to drop along with it. Sometimes, though, you may want the “dry” signal to fade out, leaving only the “effect”-ed version. Use a Pre-fader send to achieve this.
Having the pre-fader sends fed after the MUTE switch is very handy for live sound applications. When you mute a channel, it’s muted everywhere.
PRE/POST Switches
Some AUX sends are hardwired one way or the other, and are labeled as such on the panel. Some models have switches that allow you to change the feed point of the Send from the front panel.
| | | | MUTE | |
| | | LOW | PAN | ASSIGN |
INPUT | TRIM | INSERT | EQ | |
CUT | |
| | | FADER | |
| | | | |
| | | 'PRE' SIGNAL | 'POST' SIGNAL | AUX 1 |
| | | |
| | | | PRE SWITCH | AUX 2 |
| |
Compact Mixer Reference Guide | 23 |
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