MASTER SECTION FEATURES
We hope you�ve understood, if not memorized, 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. A �+4� mixer, with a +4 dBu signal pouring 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! At the risk of creating another standard, 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 most wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from.)
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 . The 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 , MAIN INSERT , STEREO EFX RETURN 1 and 2 (including the EMAC EFFECTS PROCESSOR ), and TAPE INPUT . All assigned SUB Faders and EFX RETURNs that are not turned 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.
RUDE SOLO
This infamous flashing LED (Light Emitting Diode) serves two purposes �- to remind you that at least one SOLO PFL switch is engaged, and to let you know that you�re mixing on a Mackie. Engaging a SOLO PFL switch affects these features: PHONES and Meters . No other outputs are affected in any way. Although the �SET THE LEVELS� section of �QUICK START� (page 5) will get your levelsetting tasks accomplished, using the meters in PFL SOLO mode lets you really tune in. Instead of one flickering LED, you can make use of the 12-segment VU display in the meters. How? Just engage a SOLO PFL switch and watch the meters. WARNING: SOLO is prefader and taps the channel signal before the fader . If you have a channel�s fader set well below �U� (unity gain), SOLO won�t know that and will send a unity gain signal to the PHONES output. That may result in a startling level boost in your headphones.
48v POWER STATUS
LEFT RIGHT
CLIP
22 10 7 4 2 0 2 4
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 switch is engaged. When a SOLO PFL switch is engaged, the meters will instead display the solo information, at unity gain (pre channel fader ). Why, you ask? The meters, being a tool for the engineer, must display what the engineer is listening to via the PHONES output. You can get a good mix with the meter�s peaks flashing anywhere between �20 and +10 dB. Most amplifiers 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 operating level is the relative 0 dB VU (or 0VU) chosen for the meters.
ZERO LEVEL SET
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
STEREO GRAPHIC EQ
This equalizer, used to shape the frequency spectrum of the main mix, is the last thing in the chain prior to the MAIN MIX Fader and MAIN OUT XLR and TRS jacks. Although there is no actual bypass switch for the STEREO GRAPHIC EQ, by setting all the sliders to zero (center) you�ll effectively remove it from the signal path. How to find and reduce feedback: 1. Set the GRAPHIC EQ sliders to zero (center). 2. Set the GAIN levels, using the ZERO LEVEL or SOLO PFL .
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