Table Of Contents; Lend Me Your Ears; Introduction - Mackie SWA1501 User Manual

Lend Me Your Ears

Exposure to extremely
high noise levels may cause
permanent hearing loss. In-
dividuals vary considerably
in susceptibility to noise-
induced hearing loss, but nearly everyone will
lose some hearing if exposed to sufficiently in-
tense noise for a period of time. The U.S.
Government's Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) has specified the per-
missible noise level exposures shown in this
chart.
Duration Per Day Sound Level dBA, Typical
In Hours
8
6
4
3
2
1.5
1
0.5
0.25 or less
CONTENTS
Lend Me Your Ears ................................................... 3
INTRODUCTION ....................................................... 3
REAR PANEL DESCRIPTION .................................... 4
HOOKUP DIAGRAMS ............................................... 5
CONNECTIONS........................................................ 6
PLACEMENT ............................................................ 6
AC POWER .............................................................. 7

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing Mackie Designs'
active sound reinforcement speaker systems.
The SWA1501 is a high output active
subwoofer system. It features a high-precision
15˝ transducer combined with application-
specific amplifier technology. The system is
composed of a single, compact subwoofer cabinet
with built-in control and amplifier electronics.
Connecting and setting up the SWA1501 is
a breeze. It accepts a stereo or mono line-level
signal via female XLR input jacks. Male XLR
Thru jacks are provided for daisy-chaining the
signal to additional SWA1501 cabinets. The
built-in crossover separates the low frequencies
from the high frequencies, and routes the high
frequencies to the male XLR high-pass output
jacks. Connect these to the inputs of full-range
active speakers such as the Mackie Designs
SRM450s, or to an amplifier powering a pair of
passive speakers such as the combination of
Don't forget to visit our website at
for more information about this and other Mackie products.
Part No. 030068 Rev. B 01/03
©2003 Mackie Designs Inc. All Rights Reserved.
According to OSHA, any exposure in excess
of these permissible limits could result in some
hearing loss. To ensure against potentially
dangerous exposure to high sound-pressure
levels, it is recommended that all persons
exposed to equipment capable of producing
these levels use hearing protectors while this
unit is in operation. Ear plugs or protectors in
the ear canals or over the ears must be worn
when operating this amplification system in
order to prevent a permanent hearing loss if
exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here.
Slow Response Example
90 Duo in small club
92
95 Subway Train
97
100 Very loud classical music
102
105 Patrice screaming at Ron about deadlines
110
115 Loudest parts at a rock concert
Mackie Designs M•1400i and C300s. A Phase
switch gives you the option of reversing the
polarity of the signal to the subwoofer by 180º.
A Subwoofer Level control allows you to adjust
the balance between the subwoofer and the full-
range speakers.
continuous power. The amplifier module sits on
a heatsink that eliminates the need for fans,
dramatically extending life expectancy, and
eliminating maintenance cycles. A tremendous
benefit of having the amplifier located within
the subwoofer cabinet is that the SWA1501
functions as a system, optimizing acoustic, elec-
tronic, and mechanical designs to achieve the
highest level of performance and value.
multi-layered birch plywood. Carrying handles
are integrated into each side for easy loading
and transport.
THERMAL CONSIDERATIONS .................................. 7
SERVICE INFORMATION .......................................... 7
Warranty Service ............................................... 7
Troubleshooting ................................................. 7
Repair ............................................................... 9
SWA1501 SPECIFICATIONS ................................... 10
Architect's and Engineer's Specifications ......... 10
Frequency Response ....................................... 11
Dimensions ..................................................... 11
The built-in amplifier produces 500 watts of
The cabinet is constructed with 15mm thick
www.mackie.com
The SWA1501
can produce a
maximum SPL of
128 dB @ 1m
3