Mackie LM-3204 THE TOUR CONTINUES, AUX SENDS, LEFT AND RIGHT METERS, LEFT AND RIGHT MASTER FADERS, THE MASTER OUTPUT SECTION

In keeping with the stereo theme of this entire mixer, the engineers at Mackie have decided to provide stereo equalization as well. Just like the stereo Gain control, the EQ knobs have both left and right EQ sections ganged on a single shaft.

The LM-3204 EQ has three sections, each with a fixed knee or center frequency and bandwidth. Frequency curves are shown below.

+15
+10
+5
0
–5
–10
–15
20Hz	100Hz	1kHz	10kHz 20kHz

LM-3204 Lo shelving EQ ±15dB boost/cut.

+15
+10
+5
0
–5
–10
–15
20Hz	100Hz	1kHz	10kHz 20kHz

LM-3204 Mid peaking EQ ±12dB boost/cut.

AUX SENDS

The LM-3204 offers 4 separate sets of auxiliary sends from each input module. Two sets of sends per module can be selected at any one time. The Shift switch allows you to choose either sends 1 and 2, or sends 3 and 4 on any channel strip.

Sends 1 and 3 , selected alternately by the Shift button, are true stereo sends with left and right channels maintained separately throughout the auxiliary send circuitry.

Sends 2 and 4 , also selected alternately by the Shift switch, are mono sends. Within each channel strip, the left and right input signals are combined into a mono sum for sends 2 and 4, which appear at their output jacks as monaural signals.

All the sends on the LM-3204 are post-Gain control, post-EQ, post-Mute switch. Unfortu- nately, due to the incredibly dense surface mount circuitry inside this beast, modifications are not possible.

Each AUX send control has a “Unity” detent at the top of its travel, and, like the rest of the mixer, will deliver a “level in = level out” signal at the send outputs when set to “U.” Setting the aux send controls fully clockwise delivers a whopping +15dB of gain.

	U
	3
1 OO	+15
STEREO
	U
	4
2 OO	+15
MONO	SHIFT

AUX

UHI

12k

–15 +15

UMID

2.5k

–12 +12

ULO

GAIN

–15 +15

BALANCE

MUTE

ALT 3-4

SOLO

CHANNEL16 -20

+30dB

GAIN

+15
+10
+5
0
–5
–10
–15
20Hz	100Hz	1kHz	10kHz 20kHz

LM-3204 Hi shelving EQ ±15dB boost/cut.

The low-frequency equalizer is a shelving EQ with the knee of the shelf set at 80 Hz. The Lo section offers a swing of ±15dB.

The mid-frequency EQ is a peaking EQ, featuring a bell-shaped peak/dip curve centered at 2.5 kHz with a smooth-sounding

2-octave bandwidth. The Mid section can cut or boost over a range of ±12dB.

The high-frequency equalizer is a shelving EQ with the knee of the shelf set at 12 kHz. Like the Lo section, the Hi section offers a swing of ±15dB at a very useful frequency.

When any of the EQ knobs are set at their “Unity” detents, that section is effectively out of the circuit.

THE MASTER OUTPUT SECTION —	1		SOURCE
THE TOUR CONTINUES	1	OO +20	ALT 3-4
THE TOUR CONTINUES		U

+20 3

The Master Output section is that right-hand one-fifth of the LM-3204 we promised we’d talk about earlier in the manual. This section is home to the Master Faders, Control Room, Headphone and Solo level controls, the AUX Re-

2		AUX RETURN	OO +20 4
	OO +20	TO CONTROL
	LEVEL	ROOM ONLY	LEVEL

STEREO AUX RETURNS

LM-3204 STEREO LINE MIXER POWER

turns and, of course, the Rude Solo Light.

LEFT AND RIGHT MASTER FADERS

The mix level of the main Left and Right buses is controlled by the Left and Right Master Faders. The unity gain point for the mix output circuits is marked with a “U,” with 10dB of gain available beyond that point. When both channel strip Gain and the Left and Right Master Faders are set at

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