Mackie CR-1604 User Manual

CR-1604 OWNER’S MANUAL

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MIC INPUTS

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CR1604 16 CHANNEL MIC/LINE MIXER

LAMP 12 VAC

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1

CAUTION AVIS

RISK OF ELECTRIC

DO NOT OPEN

RISQUE DE

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 INTERIEURES PAR L'USAGER. CONFIER

L'ENTRETIEN AU PERSONNEL QUALIFIE.

AVIS: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES D'INCENDIE OU

D'ELECTROCUTION, N'EXPOSEZ PAS CET ARTICLE

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.

CHOC

NE PAS OUVRIR

A LA PLUIE OU A L'HUMIDITE

SHOCK

ELECTRIQUE

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read Instructions — All the safety and operation instructions should be read before the CR-1604 is operated.

2. Retain Instructions and Packaging — The safety and operating instructions should be kept for future reference. Also keep the box and end caps, in case the unit needs to be returned for service.

3. Heed Warnings — All warnings on the CR-1604 and in these operating instructions should be followed.

4. Follow Instructions — All operating and other instructions should be followed.

5. Water and Moisture — The CR-1604 should not be used near water — for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool, swamp or salivating St. Bernard dog, etc.

6. Heat — The CR-1604 should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, or other devices which produce heat.

7. Power Sources — The CR-1604 should be connected to a power source only of the type described in these operation instructions or as marked on the CR-1604.

8. Power Cord Protection — Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked upon or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit the CR-1604.

9. Object and Liquid Entry — Care should be taken so that

objects do not fall into and liquids are not spilled into the inside of the CR-1604.

10. Damage Requiring Service — The CR-1604 should be serviced only by qualified service personnel when:

A. Objects have fallen onto, or liquid has spilled into the

CR-1604; or

B. The CR-1604 has been exposed to rain; or C. The CR-1604 does not appear to operate

normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or

D The CR-1604 has been dropped, or its chassis damaged.

11. Servicing — The user should not attempt to service the

CR-1604 beyond those means described in this operating manual. All other servicing should be referred to the Mackie Service Department. See page 21.

12. To prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure.

Pour préevenir les chocs électriques ne pas utiliser cette fiche polariseé avec un prolongateur, un prise de courant ou une autre sortie de courant, sauf si les lames peuvent être insérées à fond sans laisser aucune pariie à découvert.

13. Grounding or Polarization — Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of the CR-1604 is not defeated.

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 règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par les ministere des communications du Canada.

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

Thank you!!

There are a lot of makes and models of mixers out there today, all competing for your hard earned dough... but you have voted with your wallet for the folks in W oodinville who specialize in mixers.

And you are in good company !! The CR-1604 is the compact mixer of choice for some of the world’s top performing groups, studio players, producers and soundtrack composers. Even when they could buy anything they wanted, they chose the CR-1604. So congratulations on joining the other

V 4.1 2/95, Part No. 820-001-00

2

IF YOU IGNORE MANUALS OR ARE JUST HOT TO GET ST ARTED…

DESCRIPTION OF CONTROLS

BEGINS ON PG. 4

CONTRO LS

& FEA TURES

Please at least read the sections marked

with these two icons:

VER Y IMPOR T ANT

START

They cover information that is absolutely critical or is unique to the CR-1604. But it’s still a good idea to read the whole manual through at some point. W e worked and slaved to make this manual readable, understandable and informative and it’s bound to have a few nifty nuggets of knowledge you haven’t picked up from the school of hard nox.

A CL O SER LOOK

marked with A CLOSER LOOK icon include indepth information...or at least our own opinions.

QUICK

In particular , sections

Our Engineering Manager thinks this looks like a bomb. But actually it’s a genuine Buck Rogers-style space ship.

INPUT/OUTPUT “POD”

SECTION DESCRIPTION, PG. 11

CONNECTION TIPS &

HOOKUP , PG. 15

DET AILED LEVEL-SETTING

PROCEDURE, PG. 19

POD ROT A TION INSTRUCTIONS

PG. 20

SER VICE, BLOCK DIAGRAM,

AND SPECS PG. 21-26

INPUT

OUTPUT

POD

HOOK

UP

LEVEL

SETTING

STEPS

CHANGING

THE POD

TECH

STUFF

discerning musicians/recordists who have found in this product the quality and performance that has long been considered unattainable in this class and price range.

Okay, enough stroking. Time to dig in!

There are only two things that we ask:

Read this manual. Sounds obvious, but in all the excitement that goes along with the purchase of a new piece of gear the new owner often neglects to become as familiar as they should with the product, and as a result runs the risk of missing out on many of the cool features and convenience that it can offer.

If this is your first pro-mixer , please flip through the whole book. If you’re a seasoned pro, at least read the sections with “QUICK START” or “VERY IMPORTANT” icons next to them. (However, we’ve found that truly experienced engineers usually read their owner’s manuals cover-to-cover anyway… so they can continue to make those big bucks.)

The following chapters will take you on a guided tour of your new mixer and explain the inner workings of each control, as well as how it relates to the rest of the mixer and your particular application.

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Part1— A GUIDED T OUR OF THE CR -1604’S CONTROLS

VER Y IMPOR T ANT

IMPOR T ANT SENSITIVITY

1

QUICK

ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE

START

and headroom specs, you should “tune” channel sensitivity of each channel to your particular setup.

Can you run the mixer without this adjustment? Sure. Chances are that you’ll get pretty good sound. But take a moment to adjust things properly and you’ll get excellent sound. After all, it’s your music.

Because we really want you to make this adjustment, we’ve included a slightly more detailed description of the process on page 19.

The basic procedure for adjustment is as follows. A. Set EQ controls approximately the way

they’ll be used for that channel. If you don’t

know in advance, just set them flat . B. Turn the channel’s PAN control all the way

to either the right or left.

C. Set Channel Fader to Unity (center detent). D.Turn the channel’s SENSITIVITY control

D

fully counter clockwise (+4 UNITY). E. Press the channel’s SOLO button and the

SOLO TO MAIN button over on the main

output section of the mixer . F. Play through the channel at the same

volume and intensity that the channel is

F

going to handle during use. Turn the

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channel’s SENSITIVITY control clockwise

until the level on the CR-1604 meter (left

or right side, depending on which way you

have the PAN set) reads around OdB. G. Set the EQ the way you think you’ll want it,

then repeat step F. H.T urn the channel’s SOLO button off and

return the PAN control to center detent

position. I. Repeat this procedure for each channel,

using the appropriate kind of source which

will be used with that channel.

To fully achieve the

CR-1604’s impressive noise

All the knobs and buttons on the CR-1604’s front panel can be broken down into sixteen identical input modules (channel strips) plus one Master Output section that’s divided into Aux Return and General Output sections (see nifty diagram at right).

Each input channel strip can be divided into four specific sections:

• The AUX SENDs, with knobs color-coded RED

• EQUALIZATION, color-coded BLUE

• PAN control, color-coded black, and

• the channel LEVEL CONTROL faders

All modern mixing boards utilize some variation of this input module arrangement. Once you’ve mastered the CR-1604’s input module layout, you should feel ready to take on that old 132-channel Neve mixing desk gathering dust in your Aunt Hattie’s garage.

1

AUX SENDS

AUX 1, 2, 3 & 4

These controls are used to send the signal out to outboard parallel effects processors such as reverbs and delays. You may also use an Aux Send to create a separate monitor mix for stage monitors or headphone cues or generate separate mixes for recording.

There are a total of seven Aux Sends on each CR-1604 channel strip. A combination of four may be used at the same time.

VER Y IMPOR T ANT

NOTE: All of the CR-1604’s Aux sends have a very wide range of gain. The first half of the control’s rotation reaches

from the off position to Unity Gain (0dB). This half of the control’s range corresponds to the full range of a conventional mixer . The second half of the control’s rotation provides you with even more gain, from Unity to +15dB. For example, when you want a sound super-“wet” (mostly reverb), the extra gain allows you to bring the channel fader down (and the send way up) so that the sound is composed of predominantly reverb return with just a touch of “dry” signal.

AUX 1/MON

This particular Aux control could be viewed as the King of Sends, because of its varied functions.

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CR1604 16 CHANNEL MIC/LINE MIXER

LAMP 12 VAC

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STEREO AUX RETURNS

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ALT PREVIEW

MAIN OUTPUT

MUTE

SOLO

TO

MAIN

SOLO LEVEL

SOLO/PHONES

+10

U

00

Send 1 may be routed to AUX OUT 1 which taps the signal downstream from the EQ circuitry and Channel Fader (we call this Post-Fader/Post-EQ, meaning that the signal will reflect any adjustments made to the fader or EQ controls.)

Send 1 can also be routed to the MONITOR OUT by pressing the MON button. This signal is intercepted ahead of the EQ circuitry and Channel Fader (known as pre-EQ/pre-Fader… the signal will be the same as it was when it first entered the input module, unaffected by the control adjustments made with the EQ or fader controls).

This arrangement allows for two separate sends. Y ou can use Send 1 on Channels 1–6 as a stage monitor mix for vocals (with mic inputs), and Send 1 on Channels 7–16 as a reverb send (with synth inputs, for example).

AUX 2

This send is Post EQ and Post Fader. Since it’s affected by EQ and gain adjustments, we recommend that it be used as your main reverb send.

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AUX 3 & 4

These two sends are also post-EQ/post-Fader.

The “hidden” sends: 5 & 6

The 5/6 SHIFT button “converts” AUX 3 and 4 to AUX Sends 5 and 6. In other words, after you press this button, signal is sent to AUX 5 and AUX 6 but controlled by the AUX 3 and 4 Knobs. We did this to add the flexibility of extra sends without making the mixer so big that it looks like an airport landing strip.

T o review

The CR-1604s Aux sends are used to route a portion of the signal out to another source for processing or sub-mixing. They allow you to control how much effect is mixed with each channel.

• All channel strips have four Aux sends

feeding a total of seven outputs.

• All sends are fully off in the extreme

counterclockwise position.

A CL O SER LOOK

WUTZA DEEE-TENT?

Occasionally in this manual you will see a reference to detents. A detent is a simple but effective control feature that will aid in easy resetting of your mixers controls. It’s simply a notch in the movement of the control component, which determines a neutral setting, such as Unity on faders or center on the PAN control. This way you’re either in de tent or out of de tent, as we say when camping up here in the Northwest.

5

A CLO SER LOOK

1

MON

2

3

4

5/6

SHIFT

SOLO

1

MUTE

ALT 3/4

AUX

U

0

EQ

0

PAN

• We r ecommend going into a stereo reverb

in mono and returning in stereo. We have found that most “stereo” reverbs’ second input just ties up an extra AUX send and

+1500

adds little or nothing to the sound.

• All send buses are isolated from each other

and have separate mix amps.

formation is contained in this range, a little midrange EQ goes a long way. It can increase presence of a mix, enhance intelligibility of a vocal or back off a strident instrument.

EQ LO

15dB boost or cut at 80Hz. This control

affects the lower frequencies of your input sig-

+1500

5

+1500

6

+1500

HI

+15–15

MID

+12–12

LO

is taken ahead of the EQ and Fader circuitry. When in AUX mode the signal will be taken downstream of the EQ and Fader circuitry. Remember that this means that the signal will reflect any changes brought about by settings made to EQ and channel fader controls, but still can be used.

2

Equalization Controls

These three controls offer you a surprising

amount of control over the sonic personality of your mix (although they are not intended to take the place of a parametric or

2

graphic equalizer).

Through the creative use of the CR-1604’s

A CLO SER LOOK

AUX SENDS AND LIVE MIXING

When using microphones in a live performance, we recommend that AUX 1 be set to MONITOR position.

In MONITOR mode, the signal

1

/3-octave

nal. It can be used to put punch in bass drums, bass guitar , fatten synth patches and add bottom end to male vocals. Cutting the LO EQ slightly can do wonders for muddy tracks and boomy room acoustics as well as helping fix poppy microphones.

3

PAN

This control positions a signal within the stereo sound field. Also a way to “assign” a channel to just left or right for sub-grouping to the mono or ALT-3/4 outputs.

The Mackie CR-1604 incorporates constantpower pan pots which maintain constant acoustic power as you move the channel’s signal to left or right. This is a way cool feature which is explained in detail on the next page.

EQ controls, samplers and other instruments

+15–15

can be contoured to better reflect the real world sound signature they are trying to emulate, mixes can be punched up, vocalists rescued from obscurity , etc.

3

RL

OL

+20

U

00

We’ve carefully selected different points for our equalization and have used circuity which provides an extremely “musical” effect. Some heavy-duty pros have complemented us on how useful they are. So before you immediately plug in an outboard equalizer , give the controls a chance. If all you’ve used are conventional small mixers, you’re in for a pleasant surprise.

EQ HI

15dB boost or cut at 12kHz. There is no effect at the center detent position. This shelving control will affect the higher frequencies of the incoming signal. By shelving, we mean that the circuitry boosts or cuts all frequencies past the specified point, instead of just creating a bump or dip in response the way a graphic equalizer would. Use this control to add sizzle to cymbals and vocals and give a sense of transparency or edge to keyboards and guitars. It can also be turned down a little to reduce sssssibilance.

EQ MID

12dB boost or cut at 2.5 kHz with a 3.3 octave bandwidth (this is NOT a shelving control). Because the majority of musical in-

The best EQ is none at all. In other words, in live recording situations, you should start by selecting the right mic, positioning it correctly and recording in the right acoustic environment. When mixing direct inputs, time spent on tweaking with the synth patch, boldly going where the tone module preset hasn’t been before or adjusting the instrument’s own tone controls beats the heck out of “saving it in the mix.”

Save the CR-1604’s EQ for solving problems you can’t work out in advance — particularly in live PA situations (where anything can happen and probably will) or final mix where you’re going for a particular overall sound.

EQ POINTS: Some of you may have probably noticed that theCR-1604 does not have it’s EQ points in the usual (Yawn) “standard” frequency locations.

Why? You may ask.

Well, the story goes that sometime in the Sixties, “Zoltan” (Bureaucratic High Moron from the Drumless planet of Vocal Frustration) descended upon the mixing board designers in Countries to the East and proclaimed the proper EQ points for mixers:

“10kHz for HF and 100Hz for LF”

We can’t figure out why. 100Hz is too high and 10kHz is too low. They might be holdovers from really ancient mixing boards or radio equipment back in the days when recording bandwidth was a lot narrower. It’s irrational and not founded on any particular acoustic or musical principle...but then, Zoltan never visited us.

Being musicians ourselves (and having cursed Zoltanesque EQ in other boards for years), we decided to start from scratch and determine the points which sounded best from a musical standpoint. It goes without saying that Zoltan was not pleased with the Rebels From The Rainforest.

But we trust that you will be.

LECTURE TIME: CONCERNING EQUALIZATION

MODERATION: Proper EQ can focus a mix. Improper EQ can cause distortion. Too much EQ results in mix mush.

6

4

SOLO

This control does just what it’s name implies. By pushing the SOLO button, you can listen in on only that channel while muting the rest of the mixer’s output.

In order to make this function really useful, we have designed the CR-1604’s SOLO section to allow for multiple inputs to be soloed together while retaining the original stereo placement of each channel in the mix. This feature is not often found outside of large mixing consoles, even though it adds significant application potential to the solo function.

• The effect of this button follows the setting

of the SOLO TO MAIN button (i.e. if SOLO

TO MAIN is pressed IN, the main and

headphone outputs are replaced with the

soloed signals. If it’s left in the OUT

position, only the headphones will get the

soloed signals).

IMPORTANT : The master level of the SOLO

signal is controlled by the HEADPHONE/

SOLO fader , not the master faders.

A CLO SER LOOK

WHAT CONSTANT POWER PAN POTS MEAN TO YOU

When you sit between a pair of monitors and pan from side to side, the apparent loudness at

no matter where the source is positioned.

The CR-1604’s constant power pan pots are so named because they incorporate special circuitry that maintains consistent acoustic power while panning center to side.

When the input module is set to the center detent, what you will hear is equal amounts of both left and right outputs.

When the module is panned away from center, you will begin to hear only one side. The side that you are panning into must therefore grow louder to make up for the loss of the other side. The effect is a more realistic shift in dimensional perception (Ooooo… sounds pretty cosmic, doesn’t it? )

Here is an example of how stereo sound behaves in real life, why you would want to duplicate the same effect in your productions and how constant power pan pots help:

Imagine that a sax player was standing in front of you playing his horn. You get the same amount of sound at both ears and your ear-brain processing center sez, “This cat is right in front of me.” Now the sax player moves to the left. More sound arrives at your left ear and your brain sez , “He’s over on the left.” But the total amount of sound arriving at your ears is still the same.

Constant power pan pots do the same thing. They move the sound, but don’t reduce the overall amount of sound. Other small mixers don’t have this feature. But like many other of the CR-1604’s nifto-features, we wanted the mixer to perform to the demanding standards of higher priced gear, so that it could be used for professional recording, broadcasting, and film sound where the need for true panning integrity is often an unavoidable reality. And low and behold, the CR-1604 IS being used extensively by Hollywood pros for TV and film sound tracks. End of commercial.

your ears should stay the same

• While a channel is in SOLO mode, its

signal level is sent to the CR-1604 Level Meters in the Master Output section so you can observe its working level. This allows level setting for each individual channel using just one meter pair.

• The SOLO indicator LED will also blink to

remind you that you are in the solo mode. We designed it to be so obnoxiously bright that you can get a suntan from it if you get too close for too long. If you’ve ever used a board with a tiny, obscur e SOLO light, you know why we made ours large and rude.

5

MUTE-AL T 3/4 (3rd & 4th buses)

Think of this as a “mute button PLUS.” First, it works in the conventional way:

push MUTE and that channel goes away, just like you’d expect. But, we reasoned, why send the channel’s output into the ozone when it could go someplace useful? Such as another set of output buses.

So when you press MUTE, the signal is

reassigned to the ALT 3/LEFT and 4/RIGHT stereo outputs.

VER Y IMPOR T ANT

NOTE: There is no master level control for the ALT-3/4 buses. With the channel set at Unity, the signal will come out at

Unity gain just as if you had a master fader at the center detent position.

There are lot of possibilities via the ALT 3/4 buses with the channel fader set at Unity. Especially combined with the ALT PREVIEW button over in the CR-1604’s Master Output section. For example, you can create two stereo pairs for output to 4-track. Or bounce multiple tracks onto one or two more tracks. Or preview a sound source that hasn’t been introduced into the mix yet.

One of the most common applications for ALT 3/4 is for creating submixes from various combinations of channels. By panning one set of channels hard left and another hard right, you can create two submixes (one from the LEFT ALT and one from the RIGHT ALT output) that can be routed back into spare channels on the board, or AUX returns. (See page 16 for more details.)

OL

6

The OverLoad LED is a visual indicator that warns you when you’re overdriving the channel. Because it monitors multiple points in the channel’s circuitry, it detects more than just input overload.

4

5

1

MON

2

3

4

5/6

SHIFT

SOLO

1

MUTE

ALT 3/4

AUX

U

0

EQ

0

PAN

+1500

5

+1500

6

+1500

HI

+15–15

MID

+12–12

LO

+15–15

RL

OL

6

+20

U

00

7

1

MON

2

3

4

5/6

SHIFT

SOLO

1

MUTE

ALT 3/4

AUX

U

0

EQ

0

PAN

Basically, the OL lights should never blink. If they do, you’re courting the potential of audible distortion.

+1500

• If you adjust the channel’s input SENSI-

TIVITY too high and compensate by pulling

the faders down, the OL light will still flash

— even though you’re seeing conservative

levels on the meters.

+1500

• If you set SENSITIVITY properly but add a

LOT of EQ while mixing, you might also

5

+1500

trigger the OL indicator. In this case,

lowering the channel’s SENSITIVITY trim

pot will keep from over driving the EQ,

6

+1500

which may be clipping.

7

CHANNEL FADER

Controls the overall output of the channel.

HI

All of the AUX SENDS with the exception of AUX 1/MON in Monitor mode are affected by

+15–15

MID

this control (AUX 1/MON in Monitor mode is not affected because it is placed upstream of the Fader and EQ, remember?)

Most mixer channel faders are labeled with

+12–12

LO

arbitrary and confusing ranges of digits (such as 1 thru 10) that don’t correspond to anything. This often leads to mis-adjustment, as

+15–15

well as distortion, noise or all of the above.

On the CR-1604, proper gain settings are facilitated by the click-detent Unity Setting half way up the slider . When the channel’s in-

RL

put control has been adjusted properly, Unity represents NO LOSS OR GAIN when panned left or right.

This means you have a known setting which is easily repeatable, even in the dark. Because levels can be set properly from this

OL

reference point, you can achieve very high headroom and low noise at the same time.

And, unlike any other mixer , you have 20dB

+20

MORE gain above Unity.

Part 2 — THE MAIN OUTPUT SECTION

Now that you have become more familiar with the CR-1604’s channel strips, let’s move our guided tour on to the Master control center .

We will start at the top of the section with the Stereo Aux Returns.

8

STEREO AUX RETURNS LEVEL

Located at the upper left of the Master Section, these four controls set the overall level for signals received via the four stereo Aux Returns from whatever effects you’ve connected from the Aux Sends.

As with the sends, these controls are designed to handle a very wide range of signal levels (which is a good thing considering the wildly varying output levels of many outboard signal processors). Remember how the gain was divided on the Aux Send controls? The same approach is used on these controls. The first half of the knob’s rotation operates from off to Unity Gain (0dB) center position. The second half of the rotation provides gain from 0dB up to 20dB gain which can be very useful for bringing the level of some low output effects up to professional operating levels.

9

AUX RETURN BALANCE

The four Aux Return Balance controls are used to control the left/right balance of each return’s signal (just like on your stereo) within the main mix.

AUX RETURN MONO

10

These four buttons are used to combine left and right Stereo Aux Return signals into a monaural signal, which is then sent on in equal proportions to the left and right Master Mix Buses.

NOTE: If all four Stereo Aux Returns are

U

set to mono, a total of 8 separate mono feeds can be routed to the main mix.

If you are connecting an effects device

7

00

which only has a mono out, pressing the AUX RETURN MONO button will route the effect to both the Left and Right main buses.

11

AUX RETURN SOLO

This button is used to solo the four Aux Returns for more detailed scrutiny . This function is the same as that of the Solo control on the individual channel strips, except that it solos all four AUX returns at the same time.

8

STEREO AUX RETURNS

U

1

+2000

U

2

+2000

U

3

+2000

U

4

+2000

LEVEL BALANCE

8

C

1

RL

C

2

RL

C

3

RL

C

4

RL

1

2

3

4

MONO

AUX

SOLO

11

9

• The effect of this button follows the setting of

the SOLO TO MAIN button (i.e. if SOLO TO MAIN is pressed IN, the phones and the main output are replaced with the Aux Return signals. If it’s left in the OUT position, only the headphones will get the soloed Aux Return signals).

12

ALT PREVIEW

This button allows all channels assigned

to the ALT 3/4 to be monitored through the headphone output.

VER Y IMPOR T ANT

This can come in very handy when you need to hear a cue from one of the tracks that is currently assigned to the ALT 3/4 Bus

(Muted). All the inputs that are currently assigned to the ALT 3/4 output can be heard through your headphones when the ALT PREVIEW button is depressed.

Y ou can also use this feature to monitor a second mix if you have decided to hook up a second tape deck to the ALT 3/4 outputs.

13

MAIN OUTPUT MUTE

This button mutes the main stereo and mono outputs of the CR-1604. All other outputs are blissfully unaffected.

• A useful application for this control is to

help reduce perceived noise from your

multitrack tape machine and musical

instruments prior to the start of the song.

Mute the mixer while monitoring the count

down or click track in your headphones, and then just before the down beat, UNmute the CR-1604.

• For live performance intermissions, use

the MAIN OUTPUT MUTE to kill hum and

10

noise from the room and prevent drunken head bangers from mounting the stage and screaming the name of a rival band.

• When recording at home and the tele-

phone rings, hit the MAIN mute instead of pulling down your main faders. Now you can monitor that quality near field loudspeaker in your answering machine and decide whether or not to SOLO the caller .

14

SOLO TO MAIN

This switch determines what happens when

you press channel or Aux Return SOLO buttons.

• IN — The CR-1604’s Main output is

interrupted whenever a Solo button is activated.

• OUT — Only the Headphone

output is interrupted during solo monitoring. This is great for live work so that the sound person can solo into his phones without affecting the main mix. Sorry, but this button is not effective against poorly played or excessively lengthy guitar solos. If the problem persists, consult a physician or perhaps try the MUTE-ALT 3/4 on the offending player’s channel.

• In the studio, SOLO TO MAIN

can allow you to listen to your solo channels through the same speakers that you use for the mixdown if you are using the Main Outputs for your control room monitoring.

15

HEADPHONE JACK

The stereo PHONE jack will drive

any standard headphones. W alk-Per son-type mini phones can also be used with an appropriate adaptor .

VER Y IMPOR T ANT

WARNING:

When we say the headphone amp is loud, we’re not

kidding. Even intermediate levels may be unpleasantly loud with some headphones. Be care- ful, please!

12

ALT PREVIEW

13

MAIN OUTPUT

14 15

SOLO/PHONES

LEVEL

00

MUTE

SOLO

TO

MAIN

INPUT

OUTPUT

POD

9

Always turn the SOLO/PHONES LEVEL con-

0

5

H

O

trol down before you put the phone on. Then advance it for best levels with a typical sound source. Engineers who fry their ears find themselves with short careers.

Y ou can also use the PHONES output to in-

INPUT

OUTPUT

POD

dependently drive a separate tape recorder, PA system or studio monitor amp. Instead of using a low-cost “headphone amp” chip, we use a high-current version of our main output amplifier circuity — which is why it can really clean out your cochlea if you crank it up too far . But that’s also what makes it a very clean signal source that’s, in fact, identical to the quality of the other outputs (see APPLICATIONS GUIDE for various hookups which use the PHONES output).

NOTE: When you press any SOLO button, a slight click will be heard in the headphones when a solo switch is activated.

16

SOLO/PHONES LEVEL

This control adjusts the Solo and Headphone levels simultaneously . The control range is from off to loud enough to cause a frontal lobotomy

CLIP

+8 +4 +2

0

18

-4

-8

-12

-16

-20

POWER

SOLO

LEVEL

1/LEFT 2/RIGHT LEVEL

ALT PREVIEW

MAIN OUTPUT

MUTE

SOLO

TO

MAIN

SOLO/PHONES

(see warning on the previous page). Because SOLO/ PHONES LEVEL is completely independent of the Master Faders, you can use it to preview your mix before fading up the main outputs.

CAUTION: To avoid speaker damage, this control should never be set higher than the Main Output (1/LEFT 2/ RIGHT) level prior to activating the SOLO TO MAIN button.

1/LEFT 2/RIGHT

17

(MAIN OUTPUT LEVEL FADERS)

VER Y IMPOR T ANT

The outputs on the other end are capable of delivering up to +28dBm. Many amplifiers or other equipment inputs will go into clipping before that. Consult the specs on your amplifier/device. Y ou may have to keep the CR-1604’s Main and Phone faders below the Unity gain level.

18

LEVEL

This 10-segment meter reflects the “unbalanced” output signal strength at the left and right main outputs.

• When the meter shows “0”, the unbalanced

output level is 0dBu (0.775 VAC RMS).

• Remember that “balanced” output levels

are 6dB hotter than the level indicated on

the bar graph meter.

L

BNC LAMP CONNECTOR

The CR-1604 includes a socket and power supply for a 12-volt goose-neck lamp. We recommend LittleLite lamps PN #12G or 12G-HI (with high-intensity bulb). Consult your dealer for the gory details.

NOTE: When the CR-1604 has been “Rotopodded” (pod jack to the front) the BNC lamp connector becomes inaccessable.

This concludes our guided tour of the CR-1604’s controls. After a short intermission, we will re-board the bus (HA! Get it? Pun?

bus......? Oh well.) and explore the CR-1604’s

input/output “pod.”

This gallant team stands guard over your precious main output level. They prefer to be stationed below or at the “U” (Unity) setting.

17

U

+10

00 00

10

2345678910111213

16

1

CR1604 16 CHANNEL MIC/LINE MIXER

L

LAMP 12 VAC

AUX

U

1

+1500

MON

U

2

+1500

U

345

+1500

U

6

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+1500

MON

U

2

+1500

U

345

+1500

U

6

+1500

6

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

MON

2

345

5/6

SHIFT

1

+1500

MON

U

2

+1500

U

345

+1500

U

6

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

U

1

MON

2

345

5/6

SHIFT

1

+1500

MON

U

2

+1500

U

345

+1500

U

6

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+1500

U

+1500

U

+1500

U

6

+1500

AUX

U

1

MON

2

345

5/6

SHIFT

1

+1500

MON

M

U

2

+1500

U

345

3

+1500

U

6

4

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

S

+1500

U

+1500

U

+1500

U

6

+1500

5/6

Part 3 — INPUT/OUTPUT POD

•

RIGHT

•

–10

+4 –25

U

MAINS PHANTOM

LEFT

4

MONITOR

16

+48V

AUX OUTPUTSMONOBAL MAIN OUT

36251

–10

+4 –25

U

ALT 3/4 OUT

LEFT

RIGHT

15

–10

BUSS INSERT

LEFT

RIGHT

+4 –25

U

14

L

R

–10

+4 –25

U

13

•

–10

+4 –25

U

12

UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

AUX RETURNS

–10

•

+4 –25

U

11

4321

•

–10

+4 –25

U

10

CHANNEL ACCESS TIP=OUT RING=IN

5

–10

+4 –25

U

•

9

–10

+4 –25

U

8

4

37261

8

–10

•

+4 –40

U

6

•

+4 –40

5

BALANCED/UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

LOW Z BALANCED MICROPHONE INPUTS

+4 –40

U

7

6 5 4 3 2 1

–10

•

+4 –40

U

4

+4 –40

U

4

SENSITIVITY

–10

ADD 8dB FOR

MIC INPUTS

•

+4 –40

U

4

INPUT

OUTPUT

POD

•

OUTPUTS/SENDS

19

INPUT SENSITIVITY CONTROLS

RETURNS/INSERTS

The first set of items on our tour are the sensitivity controls for the 16 input channels. These knobs adjust the input sensitivity of the mic and line inputs so signals from the outside world are brought into the mixer at optimum internal operating levels. INPUT SENSITIVITY controls for channels 1–6 have up to 40dB of gain for line inputs and 50dB for XLR inputs; controls for channels 7–16 have 25dB of gain. Note that all SENSITIVITY controls are marked with a –10 setting. This is the amount of gain needed to raise –10dBv operating level equipment up to professional +4dB levels.

•

–10

+4 –40

U

15

21

20

16

PHANTOM

MICROPHONE INPUTS (Channels1–6)

–10

+4 –40

U

–10

+4 –40

U

13

14

•

–10

+4 –40

U

12

UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

•

11

•

W e use true phantom-powered, balanced inputs just like the big, studio mega-consoles for

the same reason they do: This kind of circuit is excellent at rejecting hum and noise. Y ou can plug in any kind of professional microphone that has a standard “XLR-type male” mic connector , an impedance of between 50 ohms and 600 ohms.

If you wire your own male XLR’s, connect them like this:

Pin 2= Positive (+ or hot) Pin 3= Negative ( – or cold) Pin 1= Shield (ground)

Basically, Inputs 1–6 will handle any kind of mic level you can toss at them. Professional ribbon, dynamic and condenser mics will all sound excellent through these inputs — especially if you follow the Level Setting instructions on page 19. Lower-cost electret-type, unbalanced mics should be plugged into Inputs 7–16 but will require additional gain and thus not be as quiet.

–10

+4 –40

U

INPUTS

• When using microphone XLR input jacks,

you will get 10dB more gain than what the SENSITIVITY trim marking indicates.

21

PHANTOM POWER SWITCH

What is Phantom Power? No, it’s not the arch

enemy of Captain America or anything like that. Most modern professional condenser mics are equipped for Phantom Power , which lets the mixer send DC power to the mic’ s electronics over the same wires that carry audio (hence “phantom” since the DC voltage is “unseen” by dynamic and ribbon mics which don’t need external power and are unaffected by it anyway).

•

–10

+4 –40

U

9

10

–10

+4 –40

U

19

8

–10

+4 –40

U

–10

•

+4 –40

U

7

6

•

+4 –40

U

6

5 4 3 2 1

U

5

BALANCED/UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

LOW Z BALANCED MICROPHONE INPUTS

–10

•

+4 –40

U

4

U

3

2

SENSITIVITY

–10

ADD 8dB FOR

MIC INPUTS

•

+4 –40

U

1

20

NEED MORE THAN SIX MIC INPUTS?

We have determined that six mic inputs takes care of most users’ needs. But if you’re miking a complex drum kit, lots of vocalists or a complete musical (our mixers have been used in several hit Broadway shows, by the way), you can add the XLR10 Mic Input Expander. It adds 10 more high quality discrete, balanced preamplifiers just like the ones on the CR-1604’s Channels 1–6. The unit installs in minutes and forms an integral, structural part of the mixer (in pod-to-back or tabletop configuration, it doesn’t take up any more rack space either). Plus, you can still use the line inputs on the CR-1604’s Channel’s 7–16! Such a deal. Ask your Mackie dealer for more details.

11

A CLO SER LOOK

OUTPUT

INPUT

POD

•

PHANTOM

–10

+4 –40

U

•

16

–10

+4 –40

U

–10

+4 –40

U

14

15

–10

+4 –40

U

13

•

–10

+4 –40

U

12

UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

–10

•

+4 –40

U

11

–10

+4 –40

U

•

10

• DC Power is applied to Pins 2 and 3. Maximum

current is 10mA per microphone.

• When turned off, the phantom power circuitry

takes a moment for voltage to bleed to zero. Do not attempt to adjust your set.

• There is only one “freak” way to damage a

ribbon mic with phantom power . If the connector on the mic cable is worn, it may not make contact with both “hot” pins exactly at the same time when being plugged in. This could cause a momentary DC spike that could, in turn, damage or dislodge the ribbon. To avoid this remote possibility , always plug in ribbon mics before you turn the PHANTOM power switch on or off.

WARNING: If you’re connecting electret-

type microphones, plug them into Channel 7–16. Avoid the temptation to use Channel

1

1–6 XLR sockets via

/4"-to-XLR adaptors and then turn on the PHANTOM switch. If you do, the microphone will be toast. Also, don’t connect electronically balanced components such as CD players or the output of a tape deck to the XLR inputs. Use Channel

1

1–6 balanced

22

BALANCED LINE INPUTS (Channels1–6)

/4" inputs instead.

These six line inputs share circuitry (but not phantom power) with the six mic preamps, and can be driven by balanced and unbalanced devices. In other words, you can use these inputs for virtually any signal you’ll come across, from instrument levels to –10dBV to +4dBu, since there is 40dB of gain available.

• To connect these inputs to balanced sources,

use a Tip-Ring-Sleeve (3-conductor) plug:

Tip = Positive (+ or hot)

Ring = Negative ( – or cold)

Sleeve = Shield (ground)

• To connect unbalanced sources to the

balanced inputs, use a mono phone plug or

standard instrument cable. The jack on the

CR-1604 input will sense the plug and

disable the balancing circuits.

• Line inputs 1–6 are a good place to connect

instruments which have low output such as older

keyboards. Or keyboards in general for that matter ,

since you can adjust the corresponding channel

INPUT SENSITIVITY controls so the mixer has

plenty of gain, but you can still keep the keyboard

volume set around the halfway mark.

23

–10

+4 –40

U

•

9

–10

+4 –40

U

8

23

UNBALANCED INPUTS (Channels 7–16)

–10

•

+4 –40

U

7

6

•

+4 –40

U

6

5 4 3 2 1

U

5

BALANCED/UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

LOW Z BALANCED MICROPHONE INPUTS

–10

•

+4 –40

U

4

3

•

These inputs are designed for mono unbalanced signals from instrument level to –10dBV or +4dBu. They can be used with just about any pro or semipro instrument, effect or tape recorder .

MAINS

24

If you leave this switch in the OFF position, you won’t hear anything. Y ou can leave the CR-1604’s MAINS power switch ON all the time since the mixer is conservatively designed so that heat buildup isn’t a problem, even in 24-hour-a-day operation. Or just plug everything into a good quality, grounded power strip for 1-button turn-on.

If you leave it on all the time, don’t worry about the top of the pod being warm to the touch. W e use the pod chassis as a heatsink for the voltage regulators which in turn dissipates a very mild amount of heat constantly throughout the chassis. All is well.

25

AC RECEPT ACLE

Look mom, no wall wart! Plug the AC power cord in here, and enjoy the convenience of the CR-1604’s built-in power supply . The other end goes to your power source. If some nasty

25

MAINS PHANTOM

26

+48V

24

WHY NO WALL WART?

Building a power supply into the CR-1604 wasn’t any picnic. But we think that you’ll appreciate it for several reasons:

regulated power supplies for the audio, meter, 12VAC lamp and microphone phantom circuits. That’s part of why it sounds so good. No wall wart can provide this kind of sophisticated power.

•Wall warts and “line lumps” are inconvenient, generate huge hum fields, hog extra jacks on your power strip and get in the way when you move.

•The thin cable coming out of a wall wart or in-line power supply breaks easily, especially on the road. Then you need a whole new one, possibly of some esoteric breed that’s only available from the manufacturer on alternate Thursdays via an unlisted phone number. If the rugged cord on the CR-1604 wears out, you can score one anywhere fast. Except maybe in the far reaches of the galaxy.

• The CR-1604 has separate

+4 –40

U

–10

2

•

+4 –40

U

ON OFF

SENSITIVITY

–10

ADD 8dB FOR

MIC INPUTS

•

1

22

12

34

BUSS INSERT

ALT 3/4 OUT

LEFT

3

RIGHT

6

33

LEFT

RIGHT

MONITOR

AUX OUTPUTSMONOBAL MAIN OUT

2

1

31

5

4

32

fate befalls the cord, you can use any standard IEC cord like those found on most professional recorders, musical instruments and computers (for example Radio Shack #278-1257 {6-ft} or #278-1261 {12-ft.}). NOTE: Disconnecting the plug’s ground pin can be dangerous. Don’ t do it.

26

FUSE

The CR-1604 is fused for your (and its own) protection. If you suspect a blown fuse, disconnect the power cord, pull the fuse drawer just below the AC receptacle and replace the fuse with a 1-amp SLO BLO fuse (or 1/2-amp SLO BLO fuse if the unit is a 230V model). 230V models have a bright red 230V sticker both on the shipping box and on the mixer itself. If two fuses blow in a row, something is very wrong. Call our toll-free number and find out what to do.

27

CHANNEL ACCESS, TIP=OUT , RING=IN

This is where you connect series processors such as compressors, equalizer , de-essers, or filters. Since most people don’t have more than a few of these gadgets, we’ve included connections for just the first eight channels. If you want to use this kind of processing on Channels 9–16, simply plug into and out of the device before you plug into the CR-1604 channels. Connecting a processor here will affect only the associated channel.

• Tip=output (send to external device),

Ring=input (return from external device)

• The insert points are after the mic preamps,

channel faders and equalizers (Post-Fader/

Post-EQ). This can be modified with a little

technical knowledge found on pages 33–34.

• CHANNEL ACCESS outputs are low-imped-

ance (120-ohm) and are capable of driving all

processors (except Cuisinart food processors).

• For best results the device should be capable

of at least +18dB input/output (any profes-

sional unit). Do not use “stomp box”-style

devices. They simply can’t keep up with the

operating level needed to match CR-1604

performance.

• The CR-1604’s CHANNEL ACCESS jacks are of

a special design that gives more flexibility than

regular jacks. What kind of plug you use and

how far you plug it in varies the function of

2930

LEFT

RIGHT

AUX RETURNS

L

R

28

CHANNEL ACCESS TIP=OUT RING=IN

1

4321

5

2

6

3

7

27

CHANNEL ACCESS jacks For example, a mono plug inserted only to the first click does not interrupt the master (main outputs, headphone output, ALT-3/4 outputs). Plugged all the way in, it becomes a direct out and interrupts. This may seem weird at first, but it’s the way . See page 16 for a picture describing the plug and inserts.

28

AUX RETURNS TO MASTER

This is where you connect the output of your effects devices or , in some cases, return the signal of a multitrack tape machine/mixdown deck.

Many mixers simply have a passive input circuit for AUX returns. W e have active input gain circuitry which allows use of a wider range of external devices. The circuits will handle stereo or mono unbalanced signals at instrument level or –10dBV to +4dBu.

These eight inputs can be used for a variety of effects. (For more detailed information on functions and their relationships to practical application in the production of your music, see the Applications Guide in our In Your Face magazine.

29

BUS INSERT

These are the send and receive jacks for inserting an effect such as final compression, limiting or EQ into the Main Left/Right Buses. Inserting a processor here will affect your entire mix. See page 16 for a picture describing the plug and inserts.

The BUS INSERTS can also be used as an output with no interuption to signal.

NOTE: The BUS INSERTS are pre-main faders. If you are using them for output, make sure the connecting device has some way to adjust incoming level.

• Tip=output (send to external device),

Ring=input (return from external device)

• The BUS INSERT is before the Master fader

controls and after the main L/R mix amps.

• Inputs and outputs are unbalanced and

designed to work with pro devices with at least

18dB of input/output.

• The BUS INSERT can also be used as a tape

out if plugged in the first “click”. Master

adjustments will not affect level.

4

8

INPUT

OUTPUT

POD

13