1220

26. AUX 1 and AUX 2 MASTER

The AUX MASTERS provide overall control over the

AUX SEND levels, just before they are delivered to the

ONYX

AUX SEND outputs (38). These knobs go from off (∞)

to +15 dB when turned all the way up.

This is usually the knob you turn up when the lead

singer glares at you, points at his stage monitor, and

sticks his thumb up in the air. (It would follow that if

 

 

the singer stuck his thumb down, you’d turn the knob

 

down, but that never happens.)

 

27. AUX 1 and 2 PRE/POST

 

The PRE/POST switches determine whether the AUX

 

SEND signal is tapped from the channel before the fader

 

(pre-fader) or after the fader and MUTE button (post-

 

fader). Typically, you use a pre-fader send for monitors

 

so you can control the monitor levels independently

 

from the MAIN MIX. Use a post-fader send for effects, so

 

that the “wet” signal level follows the “dry” signal level.

 

Both pre- and post-fader sends are affected by the EQ

 

controls (unless the EQ is bypassed, of course).

TALKBACK Section

The talkback feature allows the engineer to communicate with the talent either through the PHONES outputs

(42)or the AUX 1-2 outputs (38). A talkback microphone is built into the Onyx 1220, or you have the option of connecting an external microphone at the TALKBACK MIC XLR connector (45) on the rear panel, which may be preferable in live or noisy situations.

30. Internal TALKBACK MIC

This is where the built-in talkback microphone is lo- cated. This is an omni-directional dynamic microphone, so it will pick up your voice from anywhere in front of the mixer.

31. TALKBACK LEVEL

Use this knob to control the level of the talkback signal being routed to the PHONES or AUX 1-2 outputs. This controls the talkback level for either the internal or external TALKBACK MICs.

 

 

 

MUTE / ALT

 

 

FADER

PAN

 

 

 

INPUT

GAIN LOW CUT INSERT

EQ

 

 

 

EQ

 

 

 

IN/OUT

 

"POST" SIGNAL

"PRE" SIGNAL

Aux “Pre vs. Post”
Signal Flow Diagram

28. AUX 1 and 2 RETURN

"POST" SIGNAL OBEYS MUTE STATUS

AUX SEND 1 KNOB

TO AUX SEND 1

OUTPUT

AUX SEND 1 PRE/POST SWITCH (IN MASTER SECTION)

AUX SEND 2 KNOB

TO AUX SEND 2

OUTPUT

AUX SEND 2 PRE/POST SWITCH (IN MASTER SECTION)

You should start with the TALKBACK LEVEL control turned down, and then slowly turn it up until you get confir- mation from whoever is listening to headphones or monitors that they can hear you. Once you have set the level, you can leave it there for the duration of the session (or the gig).

These two controls set the overall level of effects received from the stereo AUX RETURN 1 and 2 inputs. These controls range from off (∞) to +10 dB of gain when fully clockwise, to compensate for low-level effects.

Signals passing through the AUX RETURN level controls proceed directly to the MAIN MIX bus where they are combined with the other channels just before the MAIN MIX fader (36).

29. FX TO MON Switch

This switch routes the signal from AUX RETURN 2 to the AUX 1 SEND instead of the MAIN MIX bus. This allows you to use an external effects device, like a reverb or delay, exclusively for the monitors. When this switch is pushed in, the effects signals coming into the AUX RETURN 2 jacks are combined with the signals coming from all of the channel AUX 1 send controls.

16

ONYX 1220

32. EXTERNAL MIC Switch

If you are in a noisy environment, the built-in talkback mic may not work as well because it picks up the ambient noise as well as your voice. You will probably have better results if you use an external microphone that you can talk directly into.

If you are using an external mic, you must push in the EXTERNAL MIC switch. The indicating LED lets you know when the switch is pushed. When the switch is out, the built-in TALKBACK MIC is used, regardless of whether or not you have an external mic plugged in. When the switch is pushed in, the built-in mic is disconnected and only the external mic is used.