Mute; Pan; 3-Band Mid-Sweep Eq - Mackie 1604-VLZ PRO Owner's Manual

come on as a result of clipping. That's pretty
boring. So, to liven things up, this LED will
glow steadily when that channel's MUTE
switch is engaged.
If you need a quick reference to these LEDs,
write this on the back of your hand:
name color flickering
–20 (SOLO) green signal is present
OL (MUTE) red channel is clipping channel is muted

MUTE

Engaging a channel's MUTE switch pro-
vides the same results as turning the fader all
the way down: Any channel assignment to
L-R, 1-2 or 3-4 will be interrupted. All the post
AUX sends
will be silenced, as will the
DIRECT OUT signals on channels 1 through
8. And of course, that fun-loving OL (MUTE)
LED will commence to glow. The PRE AUX
, channel INSERT send
sends
(in LEVEL SET (PFL) mode) will continue to
function during MUTE.
Depending on the audio content in a chan-
nel, engaging its MUTE switch may cause a
slight popping sound. This is not a problem
within the mixer, and it can be avoided: Sim-
ply engage the LOW CUT switch
channel (unless its low frequency content is
vitally important, such as a kick drum or bass
guitar). LOW CUT eliminates subsonic de-
bris, which causes the pop, and its effect is
usually transparent.

PAN

PAN adjusts the amount of channel signal
sent to the left versus the right outputs. Pan de-
termines the fate of the L-R assignment,
subgroups 1–2 and 3–4, and the SOLO (in
LEVEL SET (PFL) mode). With the PAN knob
hard left, the signal will feed the left MAIN MIX,
subgroup 1, subgroup 3 and left NORMAL
(AFL) solo mode (assuming their assignment
switches are engaged). With the knob hard
right, signal feeds the right MAIN MIX, sub-
group 2, subgroup 4 and right NORMAL (AFL)
solo mode. With the PAN knob set somewhere
in-between left and right, the signal will be di-
vided between the left and right busses.
Stereo Sources
Your life will be easier if you follow this
standard convention: When patching stereo
sound sources to a mixer, always plug the left
signal into an "odd" channel (1, 3, 5, etc.) and
the right signal into the adjacent "even" chan-
nel (2, 4, 6, etc.). Then pan the odd channel
hard left and the even channel hard right.
to do with living next to a freeway. As you turn
glowing
the PAN knob from left to right (thereby caus-
channel is soloed
ing the sound to move from the left to the
center to the right), the sound will appear to
remain at the same volume (or loudness).
If you have a channel panned hard left (or
right) and reading 0dB, it must dip down about
4dB on the left (or right) when panned center.
To do otherwise, like those Brand X mixers,
would make the sound appear much louder
when panned center.

3-BAND MID-SWEEP EQ

The 1604-VLZ PRO has a 3-band, mid-sweep
and SOLO
equalization: LOW shelving at 80Hz, MID sweep
peaking from 100Hz to 8kHz, and HI shelving at
12kHz. It's probably all the EQ you'll ever need!
(Shelving means that the circuitry boosts or
cuts all frequencies past the specified frequency.
For example, the 1604-VLZ PRO's LOW EQ
boosts bass frequencies starting at 80Hz and
on each
continuing down to the lowest note you never
heard. Peaking means that certain frequencies
form a "hill" around the center frequency.)
The LOW EQ provides up to 15dB boost or cut
at 80Hz. The circuit is flat (no boost or cut) at the
center detent position. This frequency represents
the punch in bass drums, bass guitar, fat synth
patches, and some really serious male singers.
+15
+10
+5
0
–5
–10
–15
20
Used in conjunction with the LOW CUT
switch , you can boost the LOW EQ without
injecting a ton of subsonic debris into the mix.
We recommend using the LOW CUT feature on
all channels, except low frequency signals, like
kick drums and bass guitars.
The MID EQ , or "midrange," has a fixed
bandwidth of 1.5 octaves. The MID knob sets
the amount of boost or cut, up to 15dB, and is
effectively bypassed at then center detent. The
frequency knob sets the center frequency,
sweepable from 100Hz to 8kHz.
CONSTANT LOUDNESS ! ! !
The 1604-VLZ PRO's
PAN controls employ a de-
sign called "Constant
Loudness." It has nothing
100 1k 10k
Hz Hz Hz
TRIM
U
0
+15dB -45dB
AUX
1
O O
2
O O
PRE
3
O O
4
O O
5/6
SHIFT
EQ
-15
-15
800
200
100
-15
LOW CUT
75 Hz
18dB/OCT
PAN
L
1
MUTE
20k
Hz Hz
19
1
60
U
+15
U
+15
U
5
+15
U
6
+15
HI
U
12k
+15
U
MID
+15
2k
8k
LOW
U
80Hz
+15
R
OL
- 20
SOLO
1 – 2
3 – 4
L - R
O O