Return To Aux 1; Jack Normalling - Mackie 1402VLZ4 Owner's Manual

Signals passing through these controls will proceed
directly to main mix, with one exception (see paragraph
below). The stereo returns do not have mute/alt 3-4
switches, so if you want these signals to get to the alt 3-4
mix, you'll have to patch the effects device's outputs into
one of the stereo channels, and mute/alt those channels.

42. Return To Aux 1

If you want to add reverb or delay to the stage monitor
mixes of aux 1, this is the switch for you.
With the switch up, stereo return 1 and 2 behave
normally — they deliver their signals into the main
mix. With the switch down, stereo return 1 still
behaves normally, but stereo return 2 will feed
aux send 1 instead of the main mix.
Still with us? Good. So far, with the switch down, we
have stereo return 1 feeding the main mix and stereo
return 2 feeding aux send 1. Now, suppose you only have
one effects device, and you want it to feed both the main
mix and aux send 1. That's where "jack normalling"
comes in:

Jack Normalling

Jack normalling (not to be confused with Jack
Normalling, Chicago Cubs utility infielder, 1952-61,
.267 LBA) is a feature found on almost every mixer,
keyboard and effects device. These jacks have special
spring-loaded pins that connect to the signal pins,
but when something is plugged into the jack, that
connection is broken.
These normalling pins can be used in all sorts of
ways. The ubiquitous phrase "left (mono)" means that
if you plug a signal into the left side and have nothing
in the right side, that signal is also fed to the right
input, courtesy of jack normalling. As soon as you plug
something in the right side, that normalled connection
is broken.
How does all this relate to the return to aux 1 switch?
Stereo return 1's inputs are normalled to stereo return
2. If you have one effects device, plug it into stereo
return 1. Plug nothing into stereo return 2. Now the
signals feeding the stereo return 1 inputs will also
be sent to the stereo return 2 inputs.
Engage the return to aux 1 switch, and now the stereo
return 2 knob will become an additional aux send 1
knob for the signal at aux return 1. Say that ten times
fast! Once again, aux return 1 will behave normally, as
always.
Congratulations! You've just read about all the
features of your 1402VLZ4. You're probably ready for
a cold one. Go ahead. The rest of the manual can wait.
Owner's Manual
19