Master Section Features; Main Mix Fader; Meters; Rude Solo - Mackie CFX MKII Owner's Manual

MASTER SECTION FEATURES

We hope you've understood, if not memo-
rized, the CHANNEL STRIP FEATURES you
just read. If you're still confused, please look
them over again before you tackle this section.
Don't worry, it's easy to swallow as long as you
take it a bite at a time.

MAIN MIX FADER

As the name implies, this stereo fader
controls the levels of signals sent to the main
outputs: XLR and TRS MAIN OUT
TAPE OUTPUT
RCA jacks also receive the
main mix, but before the MAIN MIX Fader.
Signals feeding the MAIN MIX Fader, after
passing through the STEREO GRAPHIC EQ
, include: SUB ASSIGN
, STEREO EFX RETURN 1 and 2
the EMAC EFFECTS PROCESSOR
TAPE INPUT . All assigned SUB Faders
and EFX RETURNs
fully down will appear in the MAIN MIX.
The fader, set fully up, provides 10 dB of
gain. A "U" unity gain point is just below that.
When set fully down, the main mix is effectively
muted. This is the fader to pull down at the end
of the song when you want The Great Fade-Out.

METERS

The CFX mixer's peak metering system is
made up of two columns of twelve LEDs each,
with thresholds ranging from –30 dB up to
"CLIP" (+22 dBu at the TRS MAIN OUT
+28 dBu at the XLR MAIN OUT). The meters
display the main mix, post MAIN MIX Fader
, unless a SOLO PFL
When a SOLO PFL
the meters will instead display the solo infor-
mation, at unity gain (pre channel fader
Why, you ask? The meters, being a tool for the
engineer, must display what the engineer is lis-
tening to via the PHONES
You can get a good mix with the meter's
peaks fl ashing anywhere between –20 and +10
dB. Most amplifi ers clip at about +10 dB, and
some recorders aren't so forgiving either. For
best real-world results, try to keep your peaks
between "0" and "+7."
You may already be familiar
with "+4" (+4 dBu=1.23V)
and "–10" (–10 dBV=0.32V)
operating levels. Basically,
what determines the oper-
ating level is the relative 0 dB VU (or 0VU)
chosen for the meters.
out the back, will actually display 0 dB on its
meters. A "–10" mixer, with a –10 dBV signal
trickling out, will also display 0 dB. So ... when
is 0 dB actually 0 dB? Right now!
Mackie's compact mixers address the need of
both crowds by calling things as they are: 0 dBu
(0.775V) at the output shows as 0 dB VU on the
meters. What could be easier? (By the way, the
. The most wonderful thing about standards is that
there are so many to choose from.)
, MAIN INSERT
Diode) serves two purposes —- to remind you
that at least one SOLO PFL
(including
), and gaged, and to let you know that you're mixing
on a Mackie.
that are not turned
these features: PHONES
No other outputs are affected in any way.
of "QUICK START" (page 5) will get your level-
setting tasks accomplished, using the meters
Instead of one fl ickering LED, you can make
use of the 12-segment VU display in the meters.
How? Just engage a SOLO PFL
watch the meters.
,
switch is engaged.
gain), SOLO won't know that and will send a
switch is engaged,
unity gain signal to the PHONES
). That may result in a startling level boost in
your headphones.
output.
spectrum of the main mix, is the last thing in
the chain prior to the MAIN MIX Fader
MAIN OUT
for the STEREO GRAPHIC EQ, by setting all
the sliders to zero (center) you'll effectively
remove it from the signal path.
1. Set the GRAPHIC EQ sliders to zero (cen-
2. Set the GAIN
A "+4" mixer, with a +4 dBu signal pouring
At the risk of creating another standard,

RUDE SOLO

This infamous fl ashing LED (Light Emitting
Engaging a SOLO PFL
Although the "SET THE LEVELS" section
in PFL SOLO mode lets you really tune in.
WARNING: SOLO is pre-
fader and taps the channel
signal before the fader
If you have a channel's fad-
er set well below "U" (unity

STEREO GRAPHIC EQ

This equalizer, used to shape the frequency
XLR and TRS jacks.
Although there is no actual bypass switch
How to fi nd and reduce feedback:
ter).
levels, using the ZERO
LEVEL or SOLO PFL
switch is en-
switch affects
CLIP
and Meters .
ZERO
LEVEL
switch and
SET
.
output.
and
.
15
48v
POWER STATUS
LEFT RIGHT
22
10
7
4
2
0
2
4
7
10
20
30
0dB=0dBu
RUDE
SOLO
STEREO
STEREO
MAIN MIX
MAIN MIX
dB
10
5
U
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
O O