17. GROUP and MAIN MIX ASSIGN Switches

Alongside each channel fader are three buttons referred to as channel assignment switches. Used in conjunction with the channel’s PAN knob, they are used to determine the destination of the channel’s signal.

With the PAN knob [13] at the center detent, the left and right sides receive equal signal levels (GROUPS 1-2, 3-4, and MAIN MIX L-R). To feed only one side or the other, turn the PAN knob accordingly.

If you’re doing a mixdown to a 2-track, for example, simply engage the MAIN MIX switch on each channel that you want to hear, and they’ll be sent to the MAIN MIX bus. If you want to create a subgroup of certain channels, engage either the 1-2 or 3-4 switches instead of the MAIN MIX, and they’ll be sent to the appropriate Group faders. From there, the groups can be sent back to the MAIN MIX (using the MAIN MIX assign switches

[70]next to the Group faders), allowing you to use the Group faders as a master control for those channels.

If you’re creating new tracks or bouncing existing ones, you’ll also use the GROUP ASSIGN switches, but not the MAIN MIX switch. Here, you don’t want the subgroups sent back into the MAIN MIX bus, but sent out, via the GROUP OUTS jacks [85], to your multitrack inputs. How- ever, if you’re printing tracks via the DIRECT OUTS [76], the channel assignment switches don’t matter because the DIRECT OUTS come before the ASSIGN switches.

18. PFL SOLO Switch

This handy switch allows you to hear signals through your headphones or monitor outputs without having to route them to the MAIN or GROUP mixes. Folks use solo in live work to preview channels before they are let into the mix, or just to check out what a particular channel is up to anytime during a session. You can solo as many channels at a time as you like. It won’t affect what is coming out the MAIN OUT or GROUP OUT jacks.

The Onyx 4•Bus has two solo modes. PFL (Pre-Fader Listen) is the default solo mode, and the mode used for inputs, including soloing individual channels and the Stereo Returns. AFL (After-Fader Listen) is activated whenever an AFL switch is pressed on an output, including an Aux Send, Matrix, or Group.

PFL solo mode always overrides any AFL solo mode. The Rude Solo LEDS [43] below the SOLO meters indicate which solo mode is active.

Soloed channels are sent to the PHONES output and MONITOR outputs, and also to the MAIN MIX meters. PFL mode (Pre-Fader Listen) sends the channel’s signal after the GAIN and EQ controls, but before the channel fader, to the PFL solo bus (and appears on the LEFT meter). AFL mode (After-Fader Listen), sends the signal post-fader (and appears on the LEFT and RIGHT meters), making it ideal for mixdown soloing.

 

VERY IMPORTANT: Remember, PFL

 

Owner’s

 

mode taps the channel signal before

 

 

the fader. If you have a channel’s fad-

 

 

er set way below “U” (unity gain), PFL

 

 

solo won’t know that and will send a

 

 

 

unity gain signal to the MONITOR OUT and PHONES

 

output. That may result in a startling level boost at

 

 

Manual

these outputs when switching to PFL solo mode.

 

 

 

 

Stereo Channel Strips

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Onyx 4•Bus mixers each have

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Σ

 

 

 

two stereo channels. The stereo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ÎÓ

 

 

 

 

 

channels have a pair of 1/4" TRS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-/,"

 

 

 

 

 

line input connectors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stereo channels can be used

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

as mono or stereo line-input chan-

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

nel strips, or to return the signal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

from an external effects processor

 

 

‡Óä`L

³Óä`L

 

 

 

 

 

 

connected to an Aux Send (if you

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

want to apply EQ or more flex-

 

 

 

1

+

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ible auxiliary routing to the signal

 

 

 

 

>?=>

 

 

 

 

 

than is available with the Stereo

 

 

 

 

'(a>p

 

 

 

 

 

 

‡£x

³£x

 

 

 

 

 

 

Returns). These versatile channel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

strips are nearly as full-featured as

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

the mono channel strips.

 

 

 

 

>?=>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C?:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

($+a>p

 

 

 

 

19. GAIN Control

 

 

‡£x

³£x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you haven’t already, please

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEM

 

 

 

 

read “Set the Levels” on page 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C?:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*&&>p

 

 

 

 

The GAIN control adjusts the

 

 

‡£x

³£x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

input sensitivity of the stereo line

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

inputs. This allows the signal from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BEM

 

 

 

 

the outside world to be adjusted to

 

 

 

 

.&>p

 

 

 

 

 

 

‡£x

³£x

 

 

 

 

 

 

optimal internal operating levels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

+

EKJ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

?D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is 20 dB of attenuation with

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18

 

 

 

 

 

the knob turned all the way down,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ramping up to 20 dB of gain fully up, with a “U” (unity

 

 

 

gain) mark at 12:00.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20. HIGH EQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This control gives you up to 15 dB boost or cut above

 

 

 

12 kHz, and it is also flat at the center detent. Use it to

 

 

 

add sizzle to cymbals, and an overall sense of transpar-

 

 

 

ency or edge to the keyboards, vocals, guitar, and bacon

 

 

 

frying. Turn it down a little to reduce sibilance, or to

 

 

 

hide tape hiss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21. HIGH MID EQ

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short for “midrange,” this knob provides 15 dB of

 

 

 

boost or cut at 2.5 kHz. Midrange EQ is often thought of

 

 

 

as the most dynamic because the frequencies that de-

 

 

 

fine any particular sound are almost always found in this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Owner’s Manual

 

13