Recording Basics
Owner’s Manual
12
English
Monitor mix for musicians, external effects
One important mixer function is to send out signals for
signal processing via an external effect unit or to be
monitored by the musicians. For these purposes, mixers
feature AUX bus and Insert I/O.

■AUX buses for monitor sends

and overall effects

AUX (Auxiliary) buses are very convenient buses that
can be used for various purposes, such as: a) to create
a monitor mix that is separate from the main mix and
sent to the players for monitoring, and b) to process the
signal via an external effect unit and then bring it back
into the mix.
When you are using the AUX buses, you need to
consider whether you want a “pre-fader” signal (a signal
taken from a point before the channel fader) or a “post-
fader” signal (a signal taken from a point after the
channel fader) to be sent to the AUX buses.
On the n8/n12, a pre-fader signal is sent to the AUX
bus. Thus the bus signal is not affected by the channel
fader.
• Using AUX buses to create a monitor mix for players
Players prefer a pre-fader signal that maintains a proper
level balance. Since the pre-fader signal is sent to the
AUX bus on the n8/n12, even if you raise the input
channel fader for guitar during the guitar solo, the fader
operation does not affect the AUX bus output, which
remains independent of the main mix.
If a post-fader signal is routed to the AUX buses for
monitoring, the fader operation will affect the balance of
the monitor mix. This is something that you and the
players would probably like to avoid.
• Using AUX buses to process the signal via an
external effect unit
If you are using an AUX bus to send a pre-fader signal
to an external effect unit, you can adjust the level of the
input channel signal and the amount of effect
separately.
For example, if you operate the fader for the input
channel signal that is sent to the effect unit, the balance
between the dry signal (unprocessed) and the wet
signal (processed by the effect unit) will change. To
maintain the same balance between the dry and wet
signals, you must adjust the AUX send level whenever
you adjust the channel fader.

■Insert I/O for processing

individual channel signals

Insert I/O jacks function in a manner similar to the AUX
buses: they provide a send and a return for signal
processing via an external effect unit. However, unlike
AUX buses that “collect multiple channel signals, then
send them together to an effect unit,” insert I/O jacks
are used to “send an individual channel signal to an
external effect unit, then return it to the mixer.”
A channel signal that is routed to the insert out jack has
already been amplified or attenuated to an appropriate
level via the gain control. Connect a compressor, limiter,
equalizer or other effect unit that can control the overall
signal to the insert I/O jacks.
You can also connect a reverb or similar effect unit to
process only a single channel signal.
When you connect an effect unit to the insert I/O jacks,
the channel signal will be routed to the external effect
unit via the insert out jack. The signal will be processed
by the effect unit, then returned to the mixer via the
insert in jack. It then resumes its normal path.
PRE ON
OU
T
OU
T
AUX BUS
STEREO BUS
channel
fader
stereo fader
AUX send level
■ Built-in digital reverb
The n8/n12 features a REVERB bus that is dedicated
to the built-in digital reverb. This is almost identical to
the AUX bus, and can be used to send signals to the
built-in digital reverb.
The only difference from the AUX bus is that a post-
fader signal is routed to the REVERB bus. Therefore,
the send level is affected by the channel fader, so
the effect level always remains in proportion to the
channel signal when you adjust the channel fader.
POST
OUT
REVERB BUS
STEREO BUS
channel fader stereo fader
REVERB
send level
digital
reverb
INSERT
OUT
INPUT CHANNEL
INSERT
IN
effect unit
channel
fader