Ctrl-Rm Out; Sub Outs; Aux Returns 1-4; Aux Sends 1-6 - Mackie ONYX 1640i Owner's Manual

16. CTRL-RM OUT

These 1/4" TRS jacks provide balanced left and right-
line-level outputs to run studio monitors in the control
room. Connect these outputs to the inputs of an ampli-
fier, powered speakers, or recording device.
The source that plays in the control room, head-
phones, and meters can be selected using the switches
[44, 45] in the control room/phones source matrix:
• The main mix, if main mix is selected as the
control room/phones source
• Tape outputs, if tape is selected
• Sub outputs if sub outs 1-2 / 3-4 is selected
• A 2-track FireWire feed from your computer if
FW 1-2 is selected
• A combination of all four above
Except for main mix, whatever is playing in these out-
puts can also be routed to the main mix if assign to main
mix [46] is engaged. The main mix input to the control
room is disconnected if assign to main mix is engaged.
The headphones and meters play the same program
as the control room. The meters show the levels prior to
the control room and phones level controls.
Control-room out is long for ctrl-rm out, which trans-
lated from the ancient language of the Pacific North-
Western I-405 corridor people means "I'll have a double
latté with chocolate sprinkles, and a bagel with cream
cheese, and I agree, it does look like it will start raining
again, but it might stop in time for the Mariners game."

17. SUB OUTS

These 1/4" TRS jacks are usually patched to the in-
puts of a multitrack deck, or to secondary amplifiers in a
complex installation.

18. AUX RETURNS 1-4

These 1/4" TRS stereo input connectors allow you to
add the stereo processed output from external effects
processors or other devices to the main mix.
Level adjustment of the incoming signals is made with
the aux return controls [59].
You can also use these inputs to add any stereo line-
level signals to your main mix, so it could be another
line-level source, not just an effects processor.
If you are connecting a mono source, use the left
(mono) aux return input, and the mono signals will ap-
pear on both sides of the main mix.

19. AUX SENDS 1-6

These 1/4" TRS connectors allow you to send balanced
or unbalanced line-level outputs to external effects
devices, headphone amplifiers, or stage monitors. These
could either be passive stage monitors powered by an
external amplifier, or powered stage monitors with built-
in power amplifiers. All six auxes are independent of
each other, so you can set up to six separate aux mixes.
The aux sends can either be pre or post fader, de-
pending on the position of the pre/post switches [56].
For stage monitor work, use pre, so the stage monitors
do not increase in volume when the channel level is
adjusted. Imagine how upsetting that can be to big hairy
drummers. This allows you to set up the monitor mix
and levels just right, and not have it change every time a
channel level is adjusted.
For external processors, use post. In this way, the
feed to external processors will vary with the channel
level, so the level of any returned effect (like an echo)
will also change if the channel level is changed, keeping
them in the same ratio (wet/dry).

20. RECORDING OUTS

These two DB-25 connectors provide balanced direct
outputs for channels 1-8 and 9-16, respectively. They are
designed to be connected directly to a recorder's analog
inputs, and use the TASCAM standard pinout for analog
signal connections (the same standard used on the ana-
log cards for the Mackie D8B and Hard Disk Recorder).
The signal at the Recording Outs comes just after
the input gain control [26], and before the Low-Cut
switch [23], insert jacks [6], and EQ [29-34]. This way
you may EQ a channel, connect a compressor or other
dynamics processor to the insert jack [6], and adjust
the channel fader to suit your live mix, but it has no
effect on the signal going to the recorder. This provides
maximum flexibility for the mixdown stage.
See Appendix B (Figure H) for a wiring diagram of these
connectors.

21. TURD POLISHER

If the songs are no good, engage this switch to polish
them up. It will instantly transform your songs to Top-40
status without all of the hard work. Congratulations, you
just polished a turd!
Owner's Manual 13