Adjusting For Nominal Input And Output Levels; Adding Final Mix Effects To The Main Outputs; Live Mixing; Setup - Mackie Digital 8 Bus Owner's Manual

Adjusting for Nominal Input and Output
Levels
The channel V-Pot indicates the relative send
level for the selected aux bus by the LED indica-
tors surrounding the pot. When the LED located
at 2 o'clock is lit, the signal going to the aux send
is unity gain.
Start with the channel aux send levels at unity
gain. If you find that you want the channel's sig-
nal to have more or less of the effect, you can
turn the aux send level up or down accordingly.
Adjust the overall aux send level using the
MASTER V-Pot. The overall aux send level is in-
dicated in the L-R meters when the SOLO button
next to the MASTER V-Pot is pressed. You'll
want the overall aux send level to be compatible
with the effects device to which it's being sent.
Most professional effects devices will accept a
+4 dBu level which corresponds to –15 dB FS. If
it has RCA-type connectors on it, it will probably
need a –10 dBV level, which corresponds to
–30 dB FS. Use the MASTER V-Pot to adjust the
aux send output level accordingly.
Patch the output of the reverb or delay unit to
an Effects Return input, which offers level and
pan controls as well as all the EQ and DSP ef-
fects, and assign switches to put your effect
where you want it. There are up to twelve chan-
nels available for Effects Returns (channels
12–24). This allows you to send and return to six
stereo effects units and bring all the reverbs and
echoes back in.
If you want more "wet" sound, turn the Effects
Return fader up a little more. If you want less
"dry" sound, turn the fader down a bit, and turn
up the appropriate AUX send to compensate and
keep the "wet" level the same.
You can use channels 13–24 as additional in-
puts to the console if you want. You can also use
channels 1–12 as reverb returns. Simply patch
the return into any LINE input.
Note: Be sure the aux send feeding that reverb is
turned fully down on the channels being used as
reverb returns. If you don't, every dog in the neigh-
borhood will come begging for treats (or mercy!).
Adding Final Mix Effects to the Main
Outputs
In addition to the various EQ and effects on in-
dividual tracks, you may want to add an effect to
the overall mix going to two-track.
If you want to add an external effect to the
overall mix, you have two options.
For a serial processing device:
Feed the Master Outputs from the console di-
rectly to the inputs of the external device. Then
run the outputs from the device to your two-track
recorder.
6-64
Starting a New Session
For a parallel processing device:
Assign all the channels to an unused
Submaster as well as to the L-R outputs. Con-
nect the Submaster output to the input of the
external device. Then connect the output from
the external device to an unused Effects Return
channel (13–24). Assign that Effects Return
channel to the L-R output. This is the "wet" sig-
nal, and you control the amount of "wet" signal
in the mix by adjusting the Effects Return fader
level (in Fader Bank 3).
Alternately, you can install the optional digital
or analog ALT I/O board in the rear panel card
cage of the Digital 8•Bus. You can assign the
Bus Out 1–8 to the ALT Output, and return the
processed signal to the left and right buses via
the ALT Input and RET 1–8 in Fader Bank 4.

Live Mixing

One of Mackie Designs' primary product
philosophies is to make our mixing consoles as
multipurpose as possible. This has always applied
to our analog consoles, and it also applies to our
digital mixing consoles. The Digital 8•Bus was
designed to operate like our analog mixing
consoles — the way you're used to mixing in the
studio and for live sound. See the hookup diagram
on page 6-79.
Although the mechanical design of the Digital
8•Bus is no less durable than our roadworthy
analog mixing consoles, the Remote CPU has a
built-in hard drive, so it is necessary to exercise
some caution in transporting it. Treat it as you
would any computer. A hard drive is a precision
instrument that could be damaged under ex-
treme conditions of vibration or shock. If the
Digital 8•Bus is going to spend some time on the
road, we recommend that you invest in a shock-
mount case for the Remote CPU. Better to be
safe than sorry.

Setup

From a features standpoint, the Digital 8•Bus
is easy to configure for public address and sound
reinforcement applications, whether you are mix-
ing the house, stage monitors or both at once.
Use the L-R main mix buses and the main L-R
outputs as your main signal path. If you want
separate headphone cue mixes, the PHONES/
CUE MIX 1 and 2 can be assigned to separate
mixes via the AUX 9–10 and AUX 11–12 buses,
or you can patch the Control Room outputs to a
suitable headphone amplifier. Refer to the "Live
Mixing Hookup Diagram" on page 6-79 while
reading this section.
First, let's take a moment and set everything
up sensibly. Just like in a recording session, it's
good to group your inputs by instruments, stage
position or whatever else suits you. Try to keep