+15
+10
+5
0
–5
–10
–15 20Hz
11. FREQ
Mid EQ
1kHz
100Hz
10kHz 20kHz
–15 20Hz
–10
–5
0
+5
+10
+15
Short for “midrange,” this knob provides 15 dB of boost or cut centered at the frequency deter- mined by the FREQ knob (see FREQ next), or at 2.5 kHz for the stereo channels. Midrange EQ is often thought of as the most dynamic because
the frequencies that define any particular sound are almost always found in this range. You can create many interesting and useful EQ changes by turning this knob down as well as up.
10. MID EQ

ONYX 1220

to the AUX 1 and AUX 2 controls, sending the combined signal to the AUX SEND outputs.

These are more than just effects and monitor sends. They can be used to generate separate mixes for record- ing, for another zone, or “mix-minuses” for broadcast.

15. PAN

PAN adjusts the amount of channel signal sent to the left versus the right outputs. On the stereo channels (channels 5-12), the PAN knob works like the balance control on your home stereo (panning left turns down the right channel, and panning right turns down the left channel).

100Hz1kHz

Mid EQ Freq Sweep

This knob ranges from 100 Hz to 8 kHz and determines the center frequency for the MID EQ.

This allows you to zero in on the precise narrow band of frequencies you

10kHz 20kHz

want to have affected by the MID EQ.

With the PAN knob hard left, the signal feeds either the MAIN LEFT (bus 1) or ALT LEFT (bus 3), depending on the setting of the ALT 3/4 switch. With the knob hard right, the signal feeds either the MAIN RIGHT (bus 2) or ALT RIGHT (bus 4).

Constant Loudness: The Onyx 1220’s

PAN control employs a design called

“Constant Loudness.” If you have a

channel panned hard left (or right)

and then pan to the center, the signal is attenuated about 3 dB to maintain

the same apparent loudness. Otherwise, it would make the sound appear much louder when panned center.

12. LOW EQ

+15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This control gives you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

up to 15 dB of boost or

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cut at 80 Hz. The circuit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

is flat (no boost or cut)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

at the center detent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

position. This frequency

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

represents the punch in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20Hz

 

 

 

 

100Hz

 

 

 

 

 

1kHz

 

 

 

 

 

10kHz 20kHz bass drums, bass guitar,

Low EQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

fat synth patches, and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

some really serious male

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

singers.

Note: Used in conjunction with the Low Cut switch, you can boost the LOW EQ without injecting tons of infrasonic debris into the mix.

13. and 14. AUX 1 and 2 Sends

These tap a portion of each channel’s signal out to

 

 

either an effects processor or for stage monitoring. The

 

 

AUX Send levels are controlled by the channel’s AUX

 

 

1 and AUX 2 knobs, and by the AUX MASTER 1 and 2

 

 

knobs (26).

 

 

Since the AUX Sends are mono, the left and right sig-

 

 

nals in the stereo channels are summed together prior

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12

ONYX 1220

 

 

 

16. MUTE/ALT 3-4

The dual-purpose MUTE/ALT 3-4 switch is a Mackie signature. When Greg was designing our first product, he had to include a mute switch for each channel. Mute switches do just what they sound like they do. They turn off the signal by “routing” it into oblivion. “Gee, what

a waste,” Greg reasoned. “Why not have the mute button route the signal somewhere else useful, like a separate stereo bus?” So MUTE/ALT 3-4 really serves two functions—muting (often used during mixdown or live shows), and signal routing (for multitrack and live work) where it acts as an extra stereo bus.

To use this as a MUTE switch, all you have to do is

not use the ALT 3-4 outputs (49). Then, whenever you assign a channel to these unused outputs, you’ll also be disconnecting it from the MAIN MIX, effectively muting the channel. The MUTE switch also disconnects the channel from the POST AUX SEND bus. The channel’s signal is still present on the PRE AUX SEND bus.

To use this as an ALT 3-4 switch, all you have to do is connect the ALT 3-4 outputs (49) to whatever destination you desire. Two popular examples:

When doing multitrack recording, you can use the ALT 3-4 outputs as a stereo or dual-mono feed to your multitrack.