Mackie 1202-VLZ3 User Manual

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1202-VLZ3

12-Channel Mic/Line Mixer

O W N E R ’ S M A N U A L

POWER	PHANTOM
ON	ON

L MAIN

BALANCED

CAUTION			WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT			SERIAL NUMBER		MANUFACTURING DATE
			EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE. DO NOT REMOVE COVER.
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK			NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
	DO NOT OPEN		AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE — NE PAS OUVRIR
			AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE — NE PAS OUVRIR
REPLACE WITH THE SAME TYPE FUSE AND RATING.				UTILISE UN FUSIBLE DE RECHANGE DE MÊME TYPE.
DISCONNECT SUPPLY CORD BEFORE CHANGING FUSE				DEBRANCHER AVANT DE REMPLACER LE FUSIBLE
				XDRTM EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE MIC PREAMPLIFIERS ARE PROPRIETARY TO MACKIE DESIGNS, INC.
	CONTROL			ALT		CHANNEL INSERT
	ROOM			OUTPUT		CHANNEL INSERT
	BAL/UNBAL		BAL/UNBAL		( PRE-FADER / PRE EQ		TIP SEND / RING RETURN )
R	L	R/4		L/3	4	3	2	1

MAIN

OUTPUT

LEVEL

MIC

PRE

BAL

UNBAL

LINE IN 1

LINE IN 2

LINE IN 3

LINE IN 4

LOW CUT

75 Hz

18dB/OCT

-10GBV

+15dB-45dB

GAIN

L /MONO	R
	1
L	R
	2
	MONO
	L
	BAL
	OR
	UNBAL

LINE IN 5–6

AUX

U AUX

+15

12kHz

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

MID

2.5kHz

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

LOW

80Hz

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

PAN

5/6

MUTE

ALT 3–4

PRE FADER

SOLO

ALL BAL/UNBAL	TAPE	TAPE	BAL/UNBAL
1	INPUT	OUTPUT	L
	L		L
2			R
	R		R
AUX SEND			MAIN OUT
MONO		MONO	MONO
L		L	L
BAL		BAL	BAL
OR		OR	OR
UNBAL		UNBAL	UNBAL
R		R	R
LINE IN 7–8	LINE IN 9–10 LINE IN 11–12

	U AUX			U AUX			U AUX
OO	+15		OO	+15		OO	+15
	U			U			U
OO	+15		OO	+15		OO	+15
	U	EQ		U	EQ		U	EQ	POWER
		EQ			EQ			EQ
		HI			HI			HI
		HI			HI			HI		LEFT RIGHT
		12kHz			12kHz			12kHz	CONTROL	LEFT RIGHT
									CONTROL	0dB=0dBu
-15	+15		-15	+15		-15	+15		ROOM
	U			U			U		SOURCE	20	CLIP
		MID			MID			MID		10
		2.5kHz			2.5kHz			2.5kHz		7
									MAIN MIX	7
-15	+15		-15	+15		-15	+15		MAIN MIX
-15	+15		-15	+15		-15	+15			4
	U			U			U			4
	U			U			U
		LOW			LOW			LOW		2
		LOW			LOW			LOW	ALT 3–4
		80Hz			80Hz			80Hz	ALT 3–4	0
-15	+15		-15	+15		-15	+15			2
		PAN			PAN			PAN	TAPE	4
										7	LEVEL
										10	SET
L	R		L	R		L	R			10
L	R		L	R		L	R			20
7/8			9/10			11/12				20
7/8			9/10			11/12				30
MUTE			MUTE			MUTE
ALT 3–4			ALT 3–4			ALT 3–4			ASSIGN	RUDE
									TO MAIN MIX	RUDE
PRE FADER			PRE FADER			PRE FADER				SOLO
PRE FADER			PRE FADER			PRE FADER				LIGHT
SOLO			SOLO			SOLO				LIGHT
SOLO			SOLO			SOLO
	U			U			U		U	U

+12dB

LEVEL

+12dB

LEVEL

+12dB

LEVEL

+12dB

LEVEL

+12dB

LEVEL

+12dB

LEVEL

+12dB

LEVEL

+12dB

LEVEL

MAX

CTL ROOM /SUBMIX

+12dB

MAIN MIX

1202-VLZ3

Important Safety Instructions

1.Read these instructions.

2.Keep these instructions.

3.Heed all warnings.

4.Follow all instructions.

5.Do not use this apparatus near water.

6.Clean only with dry cloth.

7.Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8.Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampliﬁers) that produce heat.

9.Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not ﬁt into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10.Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11.Only use attachments/accessories speciﬁed by the manufacturer.

12.Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table speciﬁed by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

PORTABLE CART WARNING

Carts and stands - The Component should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer.

A Component and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the Component and cart combination to overturn.

13.Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

14.Refer all servicing to qualiﬁed service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as powersupply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

15.This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and no object ﬁlled with liquids, such as vases or beer glasses, shall be placed on the apparatus.

16.This apparatus has been designed with Class-I construction and must be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing connection (the third grounding prong).

17.This apparatus has been equipped with an all-pole, rocker-style AC mains power switch. This switch is located on the rear panel and should remain readily accessible to the user.

18.This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B (whichever is applicable) limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

ATTENTION — Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant las limites applicables aux appareils numériques de class A/de class B (selon le cas) prescrites dans le réglement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par les ministere des communications du Canada.

19.Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing loss. Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss, but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to sufﬁciently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has speciﬁed the permissible noise level exposures shown in the following chart.

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 high sound pressure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation. Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn when operating the equipment in order to prevent permanent hearing loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here.

CAUTION	AVIS	Duration Per Day	Sound Level dBA,	Typical
		In Hours	Slow Response	Example
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK		8	90	Duo in small club
DO NOT OPEN
RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE		6	92
NE PAS OUVRIR
		4	95	Subway Train
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
		3	97
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE		2	100	Very loud classical music
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE CHOC		1.5	102
ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUN		1	105	Dave screaming at Steve about deadlines
ENTRETIEN DE PIECES INTERIEURES PAR L'USAGER. CONFIER
L'ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFIE.		0.5	110
AVIS: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE OU
D'ELECTROCUTION, N'EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE		0.25 or less	115	Loudest parts at a rock concert
A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITE

		The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral
		triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
		"dangerous voltage" within the product's enclosure, that may be
		of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
		Le symbole éclair avec point de flèche à l'intérieur d'un triangle
		équilatéral est utilisé pour alerter l'utilisateur de la présence à
		l'intérieur du coffret de "voltage dangereux" non isolé d'ampleur
		suffisante pour constituer un risque d'éléctrocution.
		The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to
		alert the user of the presence of important operating and maintenance
		(servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.
		Le point d'exclamation à l'intérieur d'un triangle équilatéral est
		employé pour alerter les utilisateurs de la présence d'instructions
		importantes pour le fonctionnement et l'entretien (service) dans le
		livret d'instruction accompagnant l'appareil.

	2	1202-VLZ3

WARNING — To reduce the risk of ﬁre or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.

Read This Page!

We realize that you must be dying to

try out your new 1202-VLZ3. All we ask is

that you read this page NOW, and the rest can wait until you’re good and ready. But

do read it — you’ll be glad you did.

WARNING: Before you plug the AC power

cord into the mixer, make sure the VOLTAGE SELECTOR switch is set to the same voltage

as your local AC mains supply (see page 12).

Level-Setting Procedure

Message to seasoned pros: do not set levels using the old “Turn the GAIN up until the clip light comes on, then back off a hair” trick. When a Mackie mixer clip light comes on, you really are about to clip. We worked and slaved to come up with a better system, one that provides low noise and high headroom.

Adjusting input levels (Chs. 1–4 only)

On the ﬁrst four channels, it’s not even necessary to hear what you’re doing to set optimal levels. But if you’d like to: Plug headphones into the PHONES jack, then set the CONTROL ROOM/SUBMIX knob about one-quar- ter of the way up.

The following steps must be performed one channel at

atime:

1.Turn the GAIN, LEVEL and AUX send knobs fully down (counterclockwise).

2.Set the EQ knobs at the center detent.

3.Connect the signal source to the input.

4.Engage (push in) the SOLO switch.

5.Play something into the selected input. This could be an instrument, a singing or speaking voice, or a line input such as a CD player or tape recorder output. Be sure that the volume of the input is the same as it would be during normal use. If it isn’t, you might have to readjust these levels during the middle of the set.

6.Adjust the channel’s GAIN control so that the display on the right LED meter stays around “0” and never goes higher than “+7.”

7.If you’d like to apply some EQ, do so now and return to step 6.

Other Nuggets of Wisdom

For optimum sonic performance, the channel LEVEL knobs and the MAIN MIX knob should be set near the “U” (unity gain) markings.

Always turn the MAIN MIX and CONTROL ROOM/ SUBMIX level controls down before making connections to and from your 1202-VLZ3.

If you shut down your equipment, turn off your ampliﬁer or powered speakers ﬁrst. When powering up, turn them on last.

Save the shipping box! You may need it someday.

Instant Mixing

Here’s how to get going right away, assuming you have a microphone and a keyboard:

1.Plug your microphone into channel 1’s MIC input.

2.Turn on the 1202-VLZ3.

3.Perform the Level-Setting Procedure.

4.Connect cords from the MAIN OUTS (XLR, 1⁄4" or RCA, your choice) to your ampliﬁer.

5.Hook up speakers to the amp and turn it on.

6.Turn up the 1202-VLZ3’s channel 1 LEVEL knob to the center detent and the MAIN MIX knob one quarter of the way up.

7.Sing like a canary!

8.Plug your keyboard into stereo channel 5-6.

9.Turn that channel’s LEVEL knob to the center detent.

10.Play like a madman and sing like a canary! It’s your ﬁrst mix!

Please write your serial number here for future reference (i.e., insurance claims, tech support, return authorization, make dad proud, etc.)

Purchased at:

Manual Owner’s

8.Disengage that channel’s SOLO switch.

9.Repeat for each of channels 1 through 4.

Date of purchase:

Part No. 0019814 Rev. A

(Only trained professional union stunt hamsters were used to staple this manual.)

Owner’s Manual

1202-VLZ3

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Mackie professional compact mixer. The 1202-VLZ3 is equipped with our pre- cision-engineered XDRTM Extended Dynamic Range premium studio-grade mic preamp.

Now that you have your 1202-VLZ3, ﬁnd out how to get the most from it. That’s where this manual comes in.

How To Use This Manual

Since many of you folks will want to hook up your 1202-VLZ3 immediately, the ﬁrst pages you will encounter after the table of contents are the ever-popular hookup diagrams. These show typical mixer setups for Record/Mixdown, and Stereo PA.

After this section is a detailed tour of the entire mixer. Every feature of the 1202-VLZ3 is described “geographically;” in other words, in order of where it is physically placed on the mixer’s top or rear panel. These descriptions are divided into the ﬁrst three sections, just as your mixer is organized into three distinct zones:

Patchbay: The patchbay along the top and back, where you connect things.

Channel Strip: The eight channel strips where you adjust each channel.

Output Section: The output section on the right.

Throughout these sections you’ll ﬁnd illustrations, with each feature numbered. If you’re curious about a feature, simply locate it on the appropriate illustration, notice the number attached to it, and ﬁnd that number in the nearby paragraphs.

This icon marks information that is critically important or unique to the 1202-VLZ3. For your own good, read them and remember them. They will be on the ﬁnal test.

This icon will lead you to in-depth explanations of features and practical tips. While not mandatory, they usually have some valuable nuggets of information.

Appendix A is a section on troubleshooting and repair information.

Appendix B is a section on connectors: XLR connectors, TRS balanced connectors, TS unbalanced connectors, and Insert connectors.

Appendix C shows the technical speciﬁcations, and a block diagram showing the internal signal path and general goings-on within the mixer.

Need help with your new mixer?

•Visit www.mackie.com and click Support to ﬁnd:

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), manuals, addendums, and user forums.

•Email us at: techmail@mackie.com.

•Telephone 1-800-898-3211 to speak with one of our splendid technical support representatives, (Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST).

1202-VLZ3

Contents

Important Safety Instructions ..................................		2	Output Section ......................................................		16
Read This Page! ......................................................		3	32.	MAIN MIX .............................................	16
Introduction ............................................................		4	33.	CONTROL ROOM SOURCE MATRIX..........	16
Hookup Diagrams....................................................		6	34.	CONTROL ROOM/SUBMIX .....................	16
Patchbay Description...............................................		8		A WORD ABOUT PRE-FADER SOLO (PFL)	17
1.	MIC INPUTS (Channels 1–4)......................	8	35.	RUDE SOLO LIGHT..................................	17
2.	LINE INPUTS (Channels 1–4).....................	8	36.	ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX............................	17
3.	LOW CUT (Channels 1–4)..........................	9	37.	METERS – MANY DISPLAYS IN ONE! .......	17
4.	GAIN (Channels 1–4) ...............................	9	38.	PRE or POST (AUX 1) ............................	18
5.	STEREO LINE INPUTS ................................	9	39.	AUX 1 MASTER......................................	18
6.	IMAGINARY CONTROL ............................	9	40.	STEREO RETURNS...................................	18
	EFFECTS: SERIAL OR PARALLEL? ................	9	41.	RETURN TO AUX 1 .................................	19
7.	STEREO RETURNS...................................	10		JACK NORMALLING................................	19
8.	AUX SEND 1&2......................................	10	Appendix A: Service Information ............................		20
9.	TAPE INPUT ...........................................	10	Appendix B: Connections........................................		21
10.	TAPE OUTPUT ........................................	10	Appendix C: Technical Information ..........................		24
11.	1⁄4" MAIN OUTS .....................................	10	Speciﬁcations..................................................		24
12.	PHONES ................................................	11	Block Diagram.................................................		25
13.	XLR MAIN OUTS ...................................	11	Track Sheet.....................................................		26
14.	XLR MAIN OUTPUT LEVEL SWITCH..........	11	1202-VLZ3 Limited Warranty................................		27
15.	CONTROL ROOM....................................	11
16.	ALT 3–4 OUTPUT ...................................	11
17.	CHANNEL INSERT (Channels 1–4 )...........	11
18.	POWER CONNECTION.............................	12
19.	FUSE......................................................	12
20.	VOLTAGE SELECTOR................................	12
21.	POWER SWITCH.....................................	12
22.	PHANTOM SWITCH ................................	12
Channel Strip Description .......................................		13
	“U” LIKE UNITY GAIN.............................	13
23. LEVEL......................................................		13
24.	PRE-FADER SOLO ...................................	13
25.	MUTE/ALT 3–4 ......................................	13
26.	PAN.......................................................	14
	CONSTANT LOUDNESS ! ! ! ......................	14
	3-BAND EQ ............................................	14
27.	LOW EQ.................................................	14
28.	MID EQ..................................................	14
29.	HI EQ.....................................................	15
	MODERATION DURING EQ ......................	15
30.	AUX 2 SEND ..........................................	15
31.	AUX 1 SEND ..........................................	15

Manual Owner’s

Owner’s Manual

1202-VLZ3

Hookup Diagrams

Vocal Mics

Direct

Boxes

Stereo Guitar Effects

Drum Machine

Keyboard or other line level input

Tape Player	Out
	(play)

In (record)

1	1
1
2	2
2
3	3
3
4	4
4
5	L
5	MONO
7	L	CHANNEL
6	R
	MONO
8	R	INPUTS
8	R
9	L
9	MONO
10	R
11	L
	MONO
12	R
L	R	OUT-TAPE-IN
L	R	OUT-TAPE-IN
L	R
	PHONES OUT
	OUTPUTS	RM CONTROL

	INSERTS	1	In	Mono Compressor
	INSERTS		Out


	CHANNEL	2
	CHANNEL	3	In	Stereo Compressor
			In
			Out
		4	In
		4	Out
	RETURNS		Out
	RETURNS	L
		1
		R
	STEREO	L	Digital Delay
	STEREO	L
		2
		R		Multi Effect
				Multi Effect
AUX	SEND	1		Processor
AUX	SEND

		2
ALT 3-4	OUT	L
ALT 3-4	OUT	R
MAIN OUT		L
MAIN OUT		R
		R
MAIN OUT

		Headphones
		for Studio
Powered		Powered
Studio Monitors	Headphone Distribution Amp	Powered
Studio Monitors	Headphone Distribution Amp	Studio Monitors
		for Studio

Recording System

1202-VLZ3

Bass Guitar

Guitar dad bought you for your birthday

Vocal Mics

Direct

Boxes

Stereo Guitar Effects

Drum

Machine

Keyboard or other line level input

	Tape Player	Out
	Tape Player	(play)
		(play)

In (record)

Way-cooler Guitar dad bought your kid brother for his

birthday

1	1
1
2	2
2
3	3
3
4	4
4
5	L
5	MONO
7	L	CHANNEL
6	R
	MONO
8	R	INPUTS
8	R
9	L
9	MONO
10	R
11	L
	MONO
12	R
L	R	OUT-TAPE-IN
L	R	OUT-TAPE-IN
L	R
	PHONES OUT
	OUTPUTS	ROOM CNTRL

INSERTS	1		In	Mono Compressor
INSERTS	1		Out
			Out
CHANNEL	2
CHANNEL	3		In	Stereo Compressor
			In
			Out
	4		In
	4		Out
RETURNS			Out
RETURNS	L
	1
STEREO	R
STEREO	L
	2
	R
AUX SEND	1			Multi Effect
AUX SEND	2			Processor
				Processor

ALT 3/4 OUT	L		Mono Power Stage Monitors
		Mono EQ	Mono Power Stage Monitors
	R	Mono EQ	Amplifier
MAIN OUT	L
MAIN OUT	R
	R
MAIN OUT

Headphones

This setup can be easily reconfigured to become a Mono PA setup.

A.Stereo sources should feed the left mono side of channel input only.

B.Pan each channel hard left.

C.Connect Mono PA system to Left main output.

	Stereo
	EQ
SRM450	SRM450
Powered	Powered
Speaker	Speaker

SWA1501	SWA1501
Powered	Powered
Subwoofer	Subwoofer

Manual Owner’s

Live Stereo PA System

Owner’s Manual

1202-VLZ3

Patchbay Description

MICM 1

MICM 2

MICM 3

MICM 4

L /MONO

ALL BAL/UNBAL

TAPE

BAL/UNBAL

IC P

INPUT

OUTPUT

BAL

AUX SEND

MAIN OUT

UNBAL

MONO

LINE IN 1

LINE IN 2

LINE IN 3

LINE IN 4

U M

LOW CUT

U M

LOW CUT

U M

LOW CUT

U M

LOW CUT

75 Hz

18dB/OCT

BAL

-10

UNBAL

IC GAIN

+15dB-45dB

LINE IN 5–6

LINE IN 7–8

LINE IN 9–10

LINE IN 11–12

GAIN

At the risk of stating the obvious, this is where you plug everything in: microphones, line-level instruments and effects, headphones, and the ultimate destination for your sound: a tape recorder, PA system, etc.

See Appendix B for further details and drawings of the connectors you can use with the 1202-VLZ3. Also see the Channel Strip description on page 13 for details of the signal routing from the XLR and Line inputs.

1. MIC INPUTS (Channels 1–4)

We use phantom-powered, balanced microphone inputs just like the big studio mega-consoles, for exactly the same reason: This kind of circuit is excellent at rejecting hum and noise. You can plug in almost any kind of mic that has a standard XLR male mic connector.

Professional ribbon, dynamic, and condenser mics will all sound excellent through these inputs. The 1202-VLZ3’s mic inputs will handle any kind of mic level you can toss at them, without overloading. Be sure to perform the Level-Setting Procedure on page 3.

Not every instrument is made to connect directly to a mixer. Guitars commonly need a Direct Injection (DI) box to connect to the mixer's MIC inputs. These boxes convert unbalanced line-level signals from your guitar, into balanced mic-level outputs, and provide signal and impedance matching. They also let you send your gifted guitar renditions over long cables or audio snakes, with minimum interference and high-frequency signal loss. Ask your dealer or guitar maker about their recommendations for a good DI box.

PHANTOM POWER

Most modern professional condenser mics are

		equipped for phantom power, which lets the mixer
		send low-current DC voltage to the mic’s electronics
		through the same wires that carry audio. (Semi-pro
		condenser mics often have batteries to accomplish the
		same thing.) “Phantom” owes its name to an ability to
		be “unseen” by dynamic mics (Shure SM57/SM58, for
		instance), which don’t need external power and aren’t
		affected by it anyway.


	8	1202-VLZ3

The 1202-VLZ3’s phantom power is globally controlled by the PHANTOM [22] switch on the rear panel. (This means the phantom power for channels 1-4 is turned on and off together.)

Never plug single-ended (unbalanced) microphones or instruments into the MIC [1] input jacks if the phantom power is on.

Do not plug instrument outputs into the MIC input jacks with phantom power on, unless you know for certain it is safe to do so.

2. LINE INPUTS (Channels 1–4)

These four line-inputs share circuitry (but not phantom power) with the mic preamps, and can be driven by balanced or unbalanced sources at almost any level. You can use these inputs for virtually any signal you’ll come across, from instrument levels as low as –40 dB to operating levels of –10 dBV to +4 dBu, since there is 40 dB more gain available than on channels 5–12.

To connect balanced lines to these inputs, use a 1⁄4" Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) plug, the type found on stereo headphones.

To connect unbalanced lines to these inputs, use a 1⁄4" mono (TS) phone plug or standard instrument cable.

The LINE IN inputs 1–4 are a good place to connect older instruments that need more gain. You can correct weak levels by adjusting the corresponding channel’s GAIN control.

3. LOW CUT (Channels 1–4)

Each LOW CUT switch, often referred to as a High Pass Filter (all depends on how you look at it), cuts bass frequencies below 75 Hz at a rate of 18 dB per octave.

We recommend that you use low-cut on every microphone application except kick drum, bass guitar, bassy synth patches, or recordings of earthquakes. These aside, there isn’t much down there that you want to hear, and ﬁltering it out makes the low stuff you do want much more crisp and tasty. Not only that, but low-cut can help reduce the possibility of feedback in live situations, and it helps to conserve ampliﬁer power.

Another way to consider low-cut’s function is that it actually adds ﬂexibility during live performances. With the addition of low-cut, you can safely use low equalization on vocals. Many times, bass shelving EQ can really beneﬁt voices. Trouble is, adding low EQ also boosts stage rumble, mic handling clunks and breath pops. Applying low-cut removes all those problems, so you can add low EQ without losing a woofer.

Here’s what the combination of low EQ and low-cut looks like in terms of frequency curves:

+15			+15
+10			+10
+5			+5
0			0
–5			–5
–10			–10
–15			–15
20Hz	100Hz	1kHz	10kHz 20kHz 20Hz	100Hz	1kHz	10kHz 20kHz
Low Cut			Low Cut with Low EQ

4. GAIN (Channels 1–4)

If you haven’t already, please read the Level-Setting Procedure on page 3.

GAIN adjusts the input sensitivity of the mic and line inputs connected to channels 1 through 4. This allows signals from the outside world to be adjusted to optimal internal operating levels.

	-1	d	V	If the signal originates through the
	0	B
	IC	G
	IC	AI
U	M		N	XLR jack, there will be 0 dB of gain with
U				XLR jack, there will be 0 dB of gain with
				the knob fully down, ramping to 60 dB
	0		60	of gain fully up.
+15dB-45dB
	GAIN			Through the 1⁄4" input, there is 15

dB of attenuation fully down and 45 dB of gain fully up, with a “U” (unity gain) mark at 10:00. This 15 dB of attenuation can be very handy when you are inserting a very hot signal, or when you want to add a lot of EQ gain, or both. Without this “virtual pad,” this scenario might lead to channel clipping.

5. STEREO LINE INPUTS

(Channels 5–6, 7–8, 9–10 and 11–12)

These fully balanced inputs are designed for stereo or mono, balanced or unbalanced signals, from –10 dBV to +4 dBu. They can be used with just about any professional or semi-pro instrument, effect or tape player.

In the stereo audio world, an odd-numbered channel usually receives the “left signal.” For example, you would feed the 1202-VLZ3’s line inputs 5-6 a stereo signal by inserting the device’s left output plug into the channel 5 jack, and its right output plug into the channel 6 jack.

When connecting a mono device (just one cord), always use the LEFT (MONO) input (jacks 5, 7, 9 or 11) and plug nothing into the RIGHT input (jacks 6, 8, 10 or 12)— this way the signal will appear on both sides. This trick is called “jack normalling.”

6. IMAGINARY CONTROL

This control is purely a ﬁgment of our imagination. It will come in handy after long hours of mixing, when you really would like a nice cup of tea, a vacation in Hawaii, or a trip to the outer reaches of the Solar System. This is the control for you. Be thankful, you bought a Mackie. We love you man!

EFFECTS: SERIAL OR PARALLEL?

The next two sections toss the terms “serial” and “parallel” around like hacky sacks. Here’s what we mean by them:

“Serial” means that the entire signal is routed through the effects device. Examples: compressor/limiters, graphic equalizers. Line-level sources can be patched through a serial effects device before or after the mixer, or preferably through the insert jacks located on the rear panel (CHANNEL INSERT [17] send/return).

	Insert	Insert
	Send	Return
	Signal Processor
Dry Signal	(e.g., Compressor)	Processed
		Signal

“Parallel” means that a portion of the signal in the mixer is tapped off to the device (AUX SEND), processed and returned to the mixer (STEREO RETURN) to be mixed with the original “dry” signal. This way, multiple channels can all make use of the same effects device. Examples: reverb, digital delay.

Aux	Aux	Output
Send	Return	Section
Signal Processor
(e.g., Reverb)		Wet Signal
		Mix	Processed
Channel Path		Stage	Signal
Channel Path
Dry Signal(s)		Dry Signal(s)

Manual Owner’s

Owner’s Manual

+ 19 hidden pages