Mackie CR1604 SENSITIVITY/LEVEL ADJUSTMENT — The long version, Repeat, SENSITIVITY ADJUSTMENT STEPS (repeat for each channel being used)

SENSITIVITY/LEVEL ADJUSTMENT — The long version

	QUICK	As we noted at the be-
	QUICK	ginning of this manual
	START	achieving the CR-1604’s im-
		pressive noise and
		headroom specs, requires

	VERY
	VERY	adjusting channel sensitiv-
	IMPORTANT	ity to your particular setup.
		Can you run the mixer
		without this adjustment?
		without this adjustment?

Sure. Chances are that you’ll get pretty good sound. But take a moment to adjust things properly and you’ll get excellent sound. After all, its your music.

SENSITIVITY ADJUSTMENT STEPS (repeat for each channel being used)

1.If you have some idea of how the chan- nel is going to be EQed, set it now. If not, it’s no biggie. EQ will affect levels somewhat, but not enough to totally knock things out of whack.

2.Rotate the channel’s PAN control hard RIGHT or hard LEFT. Leaving PAN in the center position will reduce level indica- tions by 6dB.

3. Set the channel’s Fader to the detent Unity position.

4.Turn the channel’s SENSITIVITY control fully counter clockwise (+4 UNITY). That’s the small knob just above the channel line input on the CR-1604’s input/output pod.

5.Press the SOLO TO MAIN button on the CR-1604’s output section. (Optional.)

6.Press the SOLO button on the channel you’re about to adjust. The level will appear on the CR-1604’s LED output meters.

7.Make some appropriate music through that channel. Don’t just play one sustained note, but rather jam away as you would normally. If you’re adjusting the level for a channel connected to a microphone, have the performer(s) sing/blow/strike/play at the

level they’re going to record or perform at.

8.If you’ve set PAN hard left, view the level on the left LED row. If panned hard right, the level will appear on the right LED row.

9. While the sound source is activated, turn the channel’s SENSITIVITY control clockwise until the level on the CR-1604 meter reads about OdB.

10.Un-SOLO the channel and return the PAN control to center or however you’re going to set it during use.

11.Repeat this procedure for each channel, using the appropriate kind of source which will be used with that particular channel.

•When in actual use, avoid running the level into the CLIP range of the meter, as your sound quality may suffer. It’s OK for the +2,+4, and +8 indicators to light up occa- sionally but only during peaks in the signal such as drum hits, or when the bass player accidently gooses one of the backup singers with the neck of his Steinberger, etc.

•Note that you must add 10dB to the markings on the SENSITIVITY control when using the and mic inputs.

•Once you have performed this simple calibration, there should seldom be a need to readjust your input sensitivity unless a different kind of input is being used with that channel.

•Adjusting the channel this way (with 0dB as maximum) is a conservative approach that assumes things could get louder later on. The sensitivity can be set just a tad higher, if you watch levels carefully during use.

LEVEL

SETTING

STEPS