Solo; -20 (Solo) Led; Ol (Mute) Led - Mackie 1604-VLZ PRO Owner's Manual

If you're printing new tracks or bouncing ex-
isting ones, you'll also use the 1–2 and 3–4
switches, but not the L–R switch. Here, you
don't want the subgroups sent back into the
MAIN MIX, but sent out, via the SUB OUTS
jacks, to your multitrack inputs . However, if
TRIM
1
U you're printing tracks via the DIRECT OUT
jacks , all the channel assignment switches
0 60
+15dB -45dB
should be disengaged (up).
AUX
U
The 1604-VLZ PRO is what we call a "true
1
4-bus mixer." Each channel can be assigned or
+15
O O
U
unassigned to any of the subgroups without af-
2
fecting the other subgroups or settings within
+15
O O
the channel, and each subgroup has its own
PRE
U
master fader
5
3
fact, since there are 4 subgroups and the MAIN
+15
O O
U L–R MIX, it's actually a true 6-bus mixer. We
4 6
could have named it the CR1606-VLZ. Darn!
+15
O O
5/6

SOLO

SHIFT
EQ
HI
U
12k
This lovable switch allows you to check
signals through your PHONES output or C-R
-15 +15
U
OUTS
MID
L-R, 1-2 or 3-4 mixes. You can solo as many
-15 +15
channels as you like. SOLO does not interrupt
800
any of the other channels, buses or outputs —
200 2k
100 8k that's called nondestructive solo. Not only that,
LOW
U
80Hz
via the MODE switch
solo system comes in two flavors: NORMAL
-15 +15
LOW CUT
75 Hz (AFL) (sometimes called SIP, or solo-in-place)
18dB/OCT
PAN
and LEVEL SET (PFL) (sometimes called PFL,
or pre-fader-listen).
L R During NORMAL (AFL) mode, the soloed
1
channel's signal is sent directly to the C-R OUTS,
MUTE
PHONES output, and meter display just as it
OL
would sound to the channel's assignment
switches: post-EQ, post-fader and post-PAN.
- 20
The only difference is that SOLO works re-
SOLO
gardless of the channel's assignment positions,
and that makes it really handy — you can
1 – 2
check out a channel before you assign it.
3 – 4
NORMAL (AFL) is the preferred mode dur-
ing mixdown: If the channel has some
L - R
midrange boost at 4.236kHz, is panned a smid-
O O
gen to the left, and its fader is at –5.385dB,
that's exactly what you'll hear if you SOLO dur-
ing NORMAL (AFL) mode. It's just as if you
took the time to MUTE all the other channels.
LEVEL SET (PFL) solo is the key player in the
all-important Level-Setting Procedure . It'll
send the channel's actual internal levels to the
meters so you'll know just what's going on, level-
wise. This procedure should be performed every
time a new sound source is patched into a
channel's MIC or LINE input jacks.
18
and dedicated output
without having to assign them to the
, the 1604-VLZ PRO's
LEVEL SET (PFL) is also the preferred mode
for SR (sound reinforcement, or live sound), to
preview channels before they are let into the
mix. It won't give you stereo placement, but will
give you signal even if the fader is pulled down.
Remember, LEVEL SET (PFL) taps the chan-
nel signal before the fader. If you have a
channel's fader set way below "U" (unity gain),
SOLO won't know that and will send a unity
gain signal to the C-R OUTS, PHONES output
and meter display. That may result in a startling
level boost at these outputs, depending on the
position of the SOLO level knob
In a nutshell, soloed channels are sent to
the SOURCE mix
. In
C-R OUTS, PHONES output and meter display.
Whenever SOLO is engaged, all SOURCE se-
lections (MAIN MIX, 1–2, 3–4 and TAPE) are
defeated, to allow the soloed channel to do just
that — SOLO!
–20 (SOLO) LED
An LED that does two completely different
things! Saves space, but requires some expla-
nation. First, the "–20" part: Often referred to
as "signal activity," this LED will flicker in time
with the signal present in that channel. It's
handy for confirming that a channel is indeed
active, and may also lend a clue as to what the
signal is. For instance, a kick drum will cause
the LED to pulse in time with the drum, and a
synth pad will cause it glow a bit more steadily.
Now for the "SOLO" part. When a channel's
SOLO switch is engaged, this LED will glow
steadily, without flickering. It will also be
brighter than it would be as a –20 indicator. In
conjunction with the RUDE SOLO LIGHT ,
you can find a rogue SOLO switch very quickly.

OL (MUTE) LED

Another LED that does two completely differ-
ent things! First, the "OL" part: "OL" means
overload, or clip. You don't want that to happen.
Ever. Clipping can happen to any mixer — it's
the point where the signal's voltage exceeds the
supply voltages that power the circuitry. The
1604-VLZ PRO's OL LED will come on just be-
fore clipping, so if you see it, take immediate
action: Perform the Level-Setting Procedure .
If that doesn't help, check for excessive use of
EQ boost or fader gain. Like the –20 LED, it will
tend to flicker in time with that channel's signal.
Now for the "MUTE" part. Assuming your
levels are set correctly, the OL LED will never
.
, that ultimately feeds your