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1604-VLZ3
16-Channel Mic/Line Mixer
OWNER’S MANUAL
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Important Safety Instructions 13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long 1. Read these instructions. periods of time. 2. Keep these instructions. 14. Refer all servicing to qualifi ed service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power- 3. Heed all warnings. supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have 4. Follow all instructions. fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been expos
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Owner’s Manual Other Nuggets of Wisdom Read This Page! For optimum sonic performance, the channel fad- We realize that you must be keen to ers and the MAIN MIX fader should be set near the “U” try out your new 1604-VLZ3. All we ask is (unity gain) markings. that you read this page NOW, and the rest can wait until you’re good and ready. But Always turn the MAIN MIX fader and CTL ROOM/ do read it — you’ll be glad you did. PHONES knob down before making connections to and from your 1604-VLZ3.
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Introduction Thank you for choosing a Mackie professional com- This icon marks infor mation that is critically pact mixer. The 1604-VLZ3 is equipped with our preci- important or unique to the 1 604-VLZ3. For your TM sion-engineered XDR2 Extended Dynamic Range own good, read them and remember them. They premium studio-grade mic preamp. will be on the fi nal test. Now that you have your 1604-VLZ3, fi nd out how to get This icon will lead you to in-depth explana- the most from it. That’s where
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Owner’s Manual Contents IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ........................ 2 CHANNEL STRIP DESCRIPTION ............................... 15 INTRODUCTION ...................................................... 4 “U” LIKE UNITY GAIN ............................ 15 HOOKUP DIAGRAMS............................................... 6 25. CHANNEL FADER ..................................... 15 CONVERTING TO RACKMOUNT MODE ...................... 8 A CLEAN FADE ........................................ 15
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HOOKUP DIAGRAMS Mic 1-2 Guitar Bass Processors Stereo Compressor Keyboard Drum Machine Multi-track Digital Recorder Stereo Compressor and Stereo EQ Stereo Tape Deck HR824s or Reverb other Powered Studio Monitors Delay Mono in Stereo out Headphones Recording System 6 1604-VLZ3 1604-VLZ3 STEREO MONO PHONES SUB OUTS C/R OUT TAPE TAPE MAIN MAIN OUT BAL/UNBAL BAL/UNBAL BAL/UNBAL 4 3 2 1 OUT OUT IN INSERT CHANNEL INPUTS STEREO RETURNS AUX SENDS DIRECT OUT CHANNEL INSERTS BAL/UNBAL BAL/UNBAL 2 1 4 3
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Owner’s Manual Stereo Compressors Mics 1-4 Guitar Processor Drum Machine Active Stage Monitors Keyboard or other line-level input Left and Right Active PA Speakers Mono EQ Mono EQ CD/DVD Player Stereo Compressor and Stereo EQ Reverb Multi-track Digital Recorders Delay for Optional Live Recording Headphones Live Stereo PA System 7 Owner’s Manual STEREO MONO 8 7 6 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 PHONES SUB OUTS C/R OUT TAPE TAPE MAIN MAIN OUT BAL/UNBAL BAL/UNBAL BAL/UNBAL 5 4 3 2 1 OUT OUT IN INSERT CHANN
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Converting To Rackmount Mode Not only is the new 1604-VLZ3 a compact, profes- 7. Carefully install the pod-mounting screws in sional-quality tabletop mixer, it’s rack- mountable. The their new locations [d]. unique rotating input pod makes this possible. 8. Install the rack ears that came with the mixer, using the supplied packet of screws. These With a trusty phillips screwdriver, nerves of steel, grit, screws are a bit longer than the ones you have determination, your charming good looks,
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Owner’s Manual Patchbay Description 1 At the risk of stating the obvious, this is where you Professional ribbon, dynamic, and condenser mics plug everything in: microphones, line-level instruments will all sound excellent through these inputs. The and effects, headphones, and the ultimate destination 1604-VLZ3’s mic inputs will handle any kind of mic level for your sound: a tape recorder, PA system, etc. A few of you can toss at them, without overloading. Be sure to the features described
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6 5 4 2 2. LINE INPUTS 4. INSERT These 1/4" jacks share circuitry (but not phantom These unbalanced 1/4" jacks are for connecting serial power) with the mic preamps, and can be driven by effects processors such as compr essors, equalizers, balanced or unbalanced sources at almost any level. You de-essers, or fi lters. The insert point is after the GAIN can use these inputs for virtually any signal you’ll come [3] control, but before the channel’s EQ [32], LOW across, from instrument levels
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Owner’s Manual to some of the tracks, and the DIRECT OUT jacks to feed single-channel signals (like bass guitar) to the other tracks. multitrack machine The point is that you never listen directly to the source channels (1–8). You listen to the monitor chan- nels (9–16) and they’re listening to the multitrack that is listening to the source channels. (Make sure to assign sound sources the monitor channels 9-16 to the L/R mix, and not the source channels 1-8.) The main advantage is that y
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18 14 13 12 11 9 8 7 15 19 16 7. STEREO RETURNS 9. C-R OUTS (CONTROL ROOM OUTPUTS) This is where you connect the outputs of your parallel These 1/4" jacks are usually patched to the inputs of effects devices (or extra audio sources). They’ll accept your control room amplifi er or a headphone distribu- just about any pro or semipro effects device on the mar- tion amplifi er. To learn how signals are routed to these ket. To learn how signals are routed from these inputs, outputs, see CTL ROOM/
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Owner’s Manual a cord in this 1/4" jack, hand the other end to Mr. Mono, 12. TAPE INPUT and you’re done. He’s got his mono mix and you’ve still These unbalanced RCA jacks are designed to work got your stereo mix. The MONO output is nothing more with semipro as well as pro recorders. Connect your than a mix of the left and right main mix. 2-track tape recorder’s outputs here, using standard hi-fi RCA cables. To learn how signals are routed from these 16. MONO LEVEL inputs, see TAPE IN (LEV
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20 22 19 19. FUSE The 1604-VLZ3 is fused for your (and its own) 24 protection. If you suspect a blown fuse, disconnect the power cord, pop out the fuse drawer with a small fl at screwdriver, and replace the fuse with a 1A SLO BLO, 5x20mm, available at electronics stores or your dealer (or a 500 mA SLO BLO 5x20 mm if your 1604-VLZ3 is set to 220V-240V). If two fuses blow in a row, something is very wrong. Please call our toll-free number 1-800-898-3211 from within the U.S. (or call the dis
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Owner’s Manual Channel Strip Description The sixteen channel strips look alike 26. ASSIGN (1–2, 3–4, L–R) and function identically. So if you learn Alongside each channel fader are four buttons, one, you have learned them all. The only labeled SOLO, 1–2, 3–4 and L–R. The latter three are difference is that the eight on the left have collectively referred to as channel assignment switches. DIRECT OUT [5] jacks and the eight on 1, 3 and L are the left sides of these stereo pairs, and the
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27. SOLO 29. OL (MUTE) LED This lovable switch allows you to check signals in your Another LED that does two completely different phones or control room without having to assign them to things! First, the “OL” part: “OL” means overload, or the L-R, 1-2 or 3-4 mixes. You can solo as many channels clip. You don’t want that to happen. Ever. Clipping can as you like. SOLO does not interrupt any of the other happen to any mixer — it’s the point where the signal’s channels, buses or outputs — tha
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Owner’s Manual +15 The LOW EQ provides up to 31. PAN +10 15 dB boost or cut below 80 Hz. +5 This adjusts the amount of channel signal sent to the The circuit is fl at (no boost or 0 left versus the right outputs. PAN determines the fate –5 cut) at the center detent posi- of the L-R assignment, subgroups 1–2 and 3–4, and the –10 tion. This frequency represents –15 SOLO (in AFL mode). With the PAN knob hard left, the 20Hz 100Hz 1kHz 10kHz 20kHz the punch in bass drums, bass signal will feed
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We recommend going into a stereo reverb in 33. LOW CUT mono and returning in stereo. We have found This switch, often referred to as a high pass fi lter (all that on most “stereo” reverbs, the second depends on how you look at it), cuts bass frequencies input just ties up an extra aux send and adds below 75 Hz at a rate of 18 dB per octave. This ain’t no nothing to the sound. There are exceptions, so feel free thrown-in dime-store fi lter — an 18 dB per octave curve to try it both ways.
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Owner’s Manual Output Section Description You’ve just learned about the input channels and how 37. MAIN MIX FADER the signals get in and out. The signals come in via MIC This fader controls the levels of signals sent to the [1] and LINE [2] input jacks, are manipulated by the MAIN OUT [14] jacks and TAPE OUTPUT [11] RCA channels, and then sent to the output (master) section. jacks. All channels and STEREO RETURNs that are as- Things get a little more complicated, so put on your signed t
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If you want the subgroup to appear in the center of the 41. TAPE TO MAIN MIX main mix, engage both the ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX, LEFT Engaging this switch is just like engaging the L-R and RIGHT switches. The signal will be sent to both switch on a channel — the signal, stereo in this case, is sides, and will be attenuated just enough to preserve sent to the main mix. It does not interrupt other signals, constant loudness, just like the channel PAN [31] knobs just adds itself to them. This sw
