Mackie SR324-VLZ manual

SR24•4-VLZ PRO & SR32•4-VLZ PRO O W NER ’ S M A NU A L[...]

2 CAUTION AVIS RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK) NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUN ENTRETIEN DE PIECES IN[...]

3 INTRODUCTION Thank you for choosing a Mackie Designs professional sound reinforcement mixer! The 24•4-VLZ PRO and 32•4-VLZ PRO are equipped with our new precision-engineer ed XDR TM Extended Dynamic Range premium studio-grade mic preamps, featuring: • Full gain range from 0 to 60dB • Massive +22dBu line signal handling capability • 130d[...]

4 ABOUT THIS MANUAL The stuff you MUST read: First, you must read and follow all the safety instructions on page 2. Before you get to work, please r ead the “Quick Start” section on page 6. It’s a list of steps that will familiarize you with the mixer and help you set up a basic performance. The rest of the manual explains the mixer’ s fea-[...]

5 CONTENTS SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ............................... 2 INTRODUCTION ......................................... 3 ABOUT THIS MANUAL ................................ 4 QU ICK ST AR T ............................................ 6 APPLICA TIONS DIAGRAMS .......................... 9 P A TCHBA Y FEA TURES MI C ..................................[...]

6 QUICK ST AR T INSERT INSERT INSERT INSERT INSERT INSERT INSERT MIC 20 TAPE OUT TAPE IN TALK BACK MIC R R R (MONO) 4 L L L 3 2 1 L CONTROL ROOM OUT MAIN INSERTS 3 3 4 2 3 1 1 LL R RR L 24 23 21 22 20 MIC 19 19 LINE IN (BAL OR UNBAL) LINE IN (BAL OR UNBAL) LINE IN (BAL OR UNBAL) LINE IN (BAL OR UNBAL) LINE IN (BAL OR UNBAL) LINE IN (BAL OR UNBAL) L[...]

7 SR24•4 - VL Z PR O dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 dB 30 20 10 O O 40 50 5 5 U 60 10 O O U O O +15 U O O +15 O O U O O +1 5 MAX MAX U O O +2[...]

8 MAKE THE CONNECTIONS: 1. Make sure your amplifiers ar e turned off befor e making any connections. 2. Connect speakers to your amplifier’ s outputs (unless, of course, you have power ed speakers, such as the Mackie SRM 450 active monitors). 3. Plug all the sound system components into suitable AC outlets; properly grounded and capable of delive[...]

9 ch. device input insert assignment 1 kick mic gate submix 1 2 snare mic gate submix 1 3 hi hat mic submix 1 4 tom 1 mic gate submix 1 5 tom 2 mic gate submix 1 6 tom 3 mic submix 1 7 drum overhead mic L mic submix 1 8 drum overhead mic R mic compressor submix 1 ch. device input insert assignment 9 bass mic mic submix 2 10 bass direct line submix [...]

10 PHONES MAIN OUTS MAIN OUTS AUX RETURNS SUB INSERTS TAPE IN STEREO CHANNELS TAPE OUT SUB OUTS MAIN INSERTS TALKBACK 2LR L 1234 LRLR 12 LR LR LR 22 LR 24 21 23 LRLR 34 56 L R R LR MONO 1 12 12 34 34 5678 AUX SENDS CNTRL RM OUT Zone Speaker Effects Device Effects Device Harmonizer Cassette or DAT Playback Only (DAT, CD, etc.) Stage Monitor Stage Mo[...]

11 PHONES MAIN OUTS MAIN OUTS AUX RETURNS SUB INSERTS TAPE IN STEREO CHANNELS TAPE OUT SUB OUTS MAIN INSERTS TALKBACK 2LR L 1234 LRLR 12 LR LR LR 22 LR 24 21 23 LRLR 34 56 L R R LR MONO 1 12 12 34 34 5678 AUX SENDS CNTRL RM OUT Headphone Am plifier Harmonizer Stereo Reverb #1 Stereo Reverb #2 Stereo Reverb #3 Stereo EQ DAT Player Tape Cassette 8-tr[...]

12 PHONES MAIN OUTS MAIN OUTS AUX RETURNS SUB INSERTS TAPE IN STEREO CHANNELS TAPE OUT SUB OUTS MAIN INSERTS TALKBACK 2LR L 1234 LRLR 12 LR LR LR 22 LR 24 21 23 LRLR 34 56 L R R LR MONO 1 12 12 34 34 5678 AUX SENDS CNTRL RM OUT Effects Device Effects Device Video Deck #2 Video Deck #1 W/8 Ch. Audio Card Time Code Time Code Audio/Video Production St[...]

13 PHONES MAIN OUTS MAIN OUTS AUX RETURNS SUB INSERTS TAPE IN STEREO CHANNELS TAPE OUT SUB OUTS MAIN INSERTS TALKBACK 2LR L 1234 LRLR 12 LR LR LR 22 LR 24 21 23 LRLR 34 56 L R R LR MONO 1 12 12 34 34 5678 AUX SENDS CNTRL RM OUT Side Fills Stage Monitor Stage Monitor Graphic EQ Graphic EQ Graphic EQ Stage Monitor Stage Monitor Graphic EQ Graphic EQ [...]

14 P A TCHBA Y This is where everything gets plugged in: microphones, line-level instruments, effects devices, headphones and the ultimate destination(s): P A system, tape r ecorder , etc. 1. MIC The mono channels are equipped with Mackie’s cutting-edge XDR TM microphone preamplifiers; providing up to 60dB of rugged, low-noise, crystal-clear , ph[...]

15 3. INSER T With nothing plugged into this jack, the channel’s signal goes straight through the mic/ line preamp to the channel strip. W ith an ex- ternal effects device plugged into this jack, the channel’s signal leaves the mixer , goes through the effects device and back into the channel strip. Use these jacks to send the channel signal th[...]

16 5. T APE OUT Use these stereo jacks to captur e the entire performance to tape. The signal at these jacks is the main mix, post-MAIN INSERTS (13) and post-MAIN MIX F ADER (72). Signals at these jacks will depend on the levels set by the main mix fader . RCA unbalanced wiring: Tip = hot, sleeve = shield 6. T APE IN Patch the outputs of an intermi[...]

17 9. STEREO AUX RETURNS Patch the outputs of external parallel ef- fects devices (reverb, delay , etc.) to these inputs. When connecting a mono device (just one cord), always use the LEFT (MONO) input and plug nothing into the RIGHT input. A trick called “jack normalling” will cause the signal to appear on both sides. Accepts 1/4” TRS balanc[...]

18 18. PHONES The stereo signal from each of these identi- cal outputs is a high-current version of the signal from CONTROL ROOM OUT (11). Con- nect TRS headphones to either or both jacks. The ster eo signal at these jacks is the same as the MAIN OUTS (12) (16), except when SOLO (39) or T APE RETURN TO PHONES/C-R (69) is engaged. Its level is indep[...]

19 CHANNEL STRIP FEA TURES AUX SEND: (26 and 27) 26. AUX These knobs tap a portion of each channel signal and send it out, via the AUX SENDS (10) jacks, to an amp & speakers for stage monitors or to an ef- fects device for parallel effects processing. Each AUX knob’s level ranges from off, through unity (center detent position), on up to 15dB[...]

20 EQ: (28 through 34) The mixer has low shelving, mid peaking and high shelving EQ. “Shelv- ing” means that the circuitry boosts or cuts all frequencies past the specified frequency . For example, boosting the LOW EQ knob boosts bass frequencies at 80Hz and below . “Peaking” means that only a selected “hill” of frequencies sur - roundi[...]

21 35. THIS OL ’ LED This LED repr esents a bad thing: If a channel’s OL LED lights up, its signal is too hot, and subsequent circuitry may overload (clip). T o correct this, perform the SET THE LEVELS procedure on page 8. 36. -20 LED This LED repr esents a good thing: This LED will flicker in time with a channel’s signal when its level peaks[...]

22 MASTER SECTION FEA TURES In the master section, signals leaving the channel strips are mixed, manipulated and sent to the outputs in the patchbay . Addition- ally , there ar e four more ster eo inputs here, used to add effects to the main mix or other destinations. 45. LAMP This female BNC connector provides 12 volts on its center pin. Connect a[...]

23 STEREO AUX RETURNS: (48 to 52) 48. STEREO AUX RETURNS Having entered through the STEREO AUX RETURNS (9) jacks, effects returns ar e con- trolled by these knobs, and typically continue on to the MAIN MIX F ADER (72). Effect r e- turns are the “wet” signals, to be combined with the channels’ original “dry” signals in the main mix. T urne[...]

24 SUBGROUPS: (56 through 60) 56. AIR AIR is a high frequency peaking EQ cen- ter ed at 16kHz. T urned fully up, these controls provide 10dB of boost and fully down effec- tively bypasses the circuit. Use AIR to provide a crystalline effect to subgroups, helping them stand out in the overall mix. 57. SOLO Engaging this switch isolates the associate[...]

25 60. SUBGROUP F ADERS These faders provide 10dB of gain fully up, unity gain at the “U” label and are effectively muted fully down. Each fader is the master level control for a subgroup’s signal, affecting both the SUB OUTS (8) and the main mix, via L/R ASSIGN (59). SOLO: (61 through 65) 61. RUDE SOLO LIGHT Engaging any SOLO switch (39),(47[...]

26 70. PHONES/C-R LEVEL After the MAIN MIX F ADER (72), the main mix is sent to the MAIN OUTS (12) (16) and MONO MAIN OUT (14). It is also sent through this control, and exits at CONTROL ROOM OUT (11) and PHONES (18). This knob allows engineer’s listening levels to be set as desir ed without disturbing the main mix outputs. Engaging T APE RETURN [...]

27 Impedances Mic preamp input 1.5k Ω All other inputs >10k Ω All outputs 120 Ω Equalization Lo EQ Shelving 80Hz ± 15dB Mid EQ (mono ch) Peak 100–8kHz ± 15dB Hi EQ Shelving 12kHz ± 15dB Microphone Preamp E.I.N. (150 Ω terminated, max gain): –129.5dBm Power Requirements 60 watts W eight 24•4-VLZ PRO 31 lbs. (14 kg.) 32•4-VLZ PR[...]

28 • • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ?[...]

29 GAIN P A TH DIAGRAM — (all levels in dBu) level up +20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 max out +22 XLR max out +28 max out +22 max out +22 +22 max in +22 max in 45dB gain 15dB loss 0dB gain MIC INPUT LINE INPUT 0 0 0 0 (C) –6 –6 –6 +22 max in +22 max in gain up +3 MACKIE SR24•4/32•4-VLZ PRO GAIN STRUCTURE REV 1.0 3/2000 ALL LEVELS ARE IN dBu 20d[...]

30 Power • Our favorite question: Is the POWER (20) switch on? • T urn off the power from the wall, unplug the power cord and check the fuse (22). TROUBLESHOOTING If you think your Mackie product has a prob- lem, please do everything you can to confirm it before calling for service. Doing so might save you from the deprivation of your mixer and[...]

31 COLOPHON Manual composed, for the most part, by Jeff Gilbert. It was created in complete darkness, which gave him a whopping headache. He then read it over the telephone to Mackie’ s manual layout droid, the Steve Eborall 3000 Mk IIa, Rev B. “Mackie,” the “Running Man” figure, “XDR,” “24•4-VLZ PRO” and “32•4-VLZ PRO” ar[...]