Mackie Mix12FX Users Manual

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

Compact Mixers

OWNER’S MANUAL

MIC MIC

BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL

LINE IN LINE IN

U

G

A

C

C

I

I

N

I

M

M

+50

U U

GAIN

1 2

-20dB +30dB

GAIN

-20dB +30dB

L L L L

BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL

U

G

A

I

N

+50

R R R R

LINE IN LINE IN

3/4

5/6

L R

BAL /

UNBAL

MAIN OUT

PHONES

AUX

CR OUT

RETURN AUX SEND

U

-15
U

-15
U

-15

U

OO

OO

U

U

EQ

EQ

HI

12kHz

+15

MID

2.5kHz

+15

LOW
80Hz

+15

AUX

+15

LEVEL

+10

HI

12kHz

+15

-15

-15

U

MID

2.5kHz

+15

-15

-15

U

LOW
80Hz

-15

-15

+15

AUX

U

+15

OO

OO

LEVEL

OO

OO

+10

U

EQ

EQ

HI

12kHz

+15

U

MID

2.5kHz

+15

U

LOW
80Hz

+15

AUX

U

+15

HI

12kHz

TO CR /

+15

-15

PHONES

U

MID

2.5kHz

TO MAIN

+15

-15
U

LOW
80Hz

-15

+15

AUX

U

OO

+15

OO

AUX

MASTER

48V

LEVEL

+10

CR / PHONES

LEVEL

OO

OO

+10

L

R

IN OUT

U

-OL

+6

+15

0

-20

MAIN MIX

OO

MAX

+10

48V

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 a 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 grounding­type 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,

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

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

PORTABLE CART

WARNING

apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury
from tip-over.

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 power-supply 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. Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result in a risk of

fire
or electric shock.

17. The MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is used as the disconnect device,

so the disconnect device shall remain readily operable.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK! DO NOT OPEN!

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT

REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within
an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user
to the prescence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage”
within the product’s enclosure, that may be of significant
magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user of the prescence of important
operating and maintaining (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

18. NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits

for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate
radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this device not expressly approved

by LOUD Technologies Inc. could void the user's authority to operate the
equipment under FCC rules.

19. 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.

20. 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:

Duration,
per day in
hours

8 90 Duo in small club
6 92
4 95 Subway Train
3 97
2 100 Very loud classical music

1.5 102
1 105 Matt screaming at Troy about deadlines

0.5 110

0.25 or less 115 Loudest parts at a rock concert

Sound Level dBA,
Slow Response

Typical Example

WARNING — To reduce the risk of fire or electric

shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.

Correct disposal of this product: This symbol indicates that this product should not be disposed of with your household
waste, according to the WEEE directive (2012/19/EU) and your national law. This product should be handed over to
an authorized collection site for recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Improper handling of this type
of waste could have a possible negative impact on the environment and human health due to potentially hazardous substances
that are generally associated with EEE. At the same time, your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product will
contribute to the effective usage of natural resources. For more information about where you can drop off your waste
equipment for recycling, please contact your local city office, waste authority, or your household waste disposal service.

2

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

Laite on liitettävä suojakoskettimilla varustettuun pistorasiaan.

Apparatet må tilkoples jordet stikkontakt.

Apparaten skall anslutas till jordat uttag.

Contents

Owner’s Manual

Important Safety Instructions .................................. 2

Contents ................................................................. 3

Features / Introduction ........................................... 4

Getting Started ....................................................... 5

Hookup Diagrams .................................................... 6

Mix Series Mixers ................................................... 8

Front and Rear Panel Features ........................... 9

1. Power In and LED ..................................... 9

2. Mic Ins .................................................... 9

3. Phantom Power ........................................ 9

4. Line Ins .................................................... 9

5. Gain ..................................................... 10

6. Hi EQ .................................................... 10

7. Mid EQ ................................................. 10

8. Low EQ ................................................. 10

9. Low Cut Switch ..................................... 11

10. +4 / –10 Switch .................................... 11

11. Aux ....................................................... 11

12. FX ......................................................... 11

13. Pan / Bal .............................................. 12

14. OLD LEDs ............................................... 12

15. Level ..................................................... 12

16. Main Out ............................................... 12

17. CR Out [Control Room Out] ..................... 12

18. Phones Out ............................................ 13

19. Aux Send ............................................... 13

20. Aux Return ............................................ 13

21. FX Send ................................................ 13

22. Tape In .................................................. 14

23. Tape Out ................................................ 14

24. Tape To Main .......................................... 14

25. Tape To CR / Phones .............................. 14

26. CR / Phones .......................................... 14

27. Aux Master Send.................................... 14

28. Main Mix ............................................... 15

29. Meters .................................................. 15

30. Preset Select .......................................... 15

31. FX to Main ............................................. 15

32. FX Sig / OL LED ..................................... 15

Appendix A: Service Information ............................ 16

Appendix B: Technical Information .......................... 17

Specifications .................................................. 17

Dimensions ..................................................... 18

Block Diagrams .......................................... 19-21

Appendix C: Table of Effects Presets ....................... 22

Limited Warranty .................................................. 23

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

Purchased at:

Date of purchase:

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Part No. SW1073 Rev. B 09/14
©2014 LOUD Technologies Inc.
All Rights Reserved.

Owner’s Manual

3

Features

Introduction

• 5, 8 and 12-channel compact mixers with

proven high-headroom, low-noise performance

• Mic/line inputs with studio-level audio quality

• Multi-band EQ with clean, precise tone
shaping

• Pan, level and overload indication

• Phantom power for studio condenser mics

• Low cut filter (75 Hz) [Mix12FX]

• Multiple stereo 1/4" line inputs

• +4/-10 dB and balance operation [Mix12FX]

• One aux send with stereo 1/4" returns [Mix8]

• 12 great-sounding integrated effects including

reverbs, choruses and delays [Mix12FX]

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

• Dedicated stereo RCA inputs/outputs

for playback or recording

• Main L/R outputs

• Headphone output

• Stereo control room outputs [Mix8 / Mix12FX]

• Rugged, reliable design built to last

• Extremely compact and portable

Mix Series Compact Mixers are reliably rugged,
with the proven quality you expect from the world
leader in compact mixer design.

With proven high-headroom, low-noise design
preamps, Mix Series mixers sound great and maintain
audio quality from any source. Plus, with their rugged
metal chassis and high-quality components throughout,
they are a solid investment in reliability.

An amazing value, Mix delivers a straightforward
feature set that's easy to use and the sound quality
you need in rugged designs built to last.

How To Use This Manual

After this introduction, a getting started guide will
help you get things set up fast. The hookup diagrams
show some typical setups, while the remaining sections
provide details of the Mix Series mixers.

This icon marks infor mation that is critically
important or unique to your mixer. For your
own good, read and remember them.

This icon will lead you to in-depth
explanations of features and some
practical tips. They usually have some
valuable nuggets of information.

Need help with your mixer?

• Visit www.720trees.com and click Support to find: FAQs, manuals and other useful information.

• Email us at: [e-mail].

• Telephone [phone] to speak with one of our splendid technical support chaps
(Monday through Friday, normal business hours, Pacific Time).

4

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

Getting Started

Owner’s Manual

Things to Remember

We realize that you must be really keen to try out
the mixer. Please read the safety instructions on page
2, then have a look through some of the features and
details in this manual.

1. Place the mixer in a nice clean and dry
environment, free from dryer lint and dust
bunnies.

2. Fully turn down all the knobs and faders
to minimum, except for the channel EQ
and pan controls, which should be centered.

3. Make sure all buttons are in the out position.

4. With the mixer unplugged, connect cords from
the main outs to powered speakers (or to
an amplifier connected to passive speakers).

5. Push the power supply connector securely
into the mixer’s connector and plug the other
end into an AC outlet. The mixer may accept
the appropriate voltage as indicated near the
connector. The mixer will turn on automatically
when connected.

6. Turn the powered speakers (or amplifiers) on.

7. Plug signal sources into the mixer, such as:

• Microphones plugged into the mic inputs.
(Engage phantom power if needed.)

• Line-level sources such as keyboards,
drum machines, or CD players plugged
into the line-level inputs.

8. Be sure that the volume of the input is the
same as it would be during normal use.

9. Turn up that channel’s level knob to the “U”
(unity gain) position.

10. Slowly bring up the main mix to a comfortable
listening level.

11. Repeat steps 7 to 9 for the other channels.

12. If needed, apply some channel EQ wisely.

13. Adjust the channel level knobs to get the best
mix. Keep the gain controls and levels fully
down on unused channels.

14. During the performance, if you notice a channel
OL LED turning on during peaks, carefully turn
down that channel's gain/level control until OL
does not turn on.

• Never listen to loud music for prolonged
periods. Please see the Safety Instructions on
page 2 for information on hearing protection.

• Always turn down the main mix and control
room/phones knob down when making
connections to the mixer.

• As a general guide, the Mix should be turned
on first, then the speakers. As such, the mixer
should also be turned off last. This will reduce
the possibility of any turn-on or turn-off thumps
and other noises generated by any upstream
equipment from coming out of the speakers.

• Save the shipping boxes and packing materials!
You may need them someday. Besides, the cats
will love playing in them and jumping out at
you unexpectedly. Remember to pretend that
you are surprised!

• Save your sales receipt in a safe place.

Owner’s Manual

5

Hookup Diagrams

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

48V

Mix Series mixers are powerful tools that offer a lot of features, but are still easy to set up and use.

Let's take a look at an example of using a Mix12FX in a live PA environment.

In this example, a microphone is connected to the channel 1 mic input, the rhythm guitar to the channel
2 mic input via Direct Injection (DI), the lead guitar plays through a stereo effects processor plugged into
the channel 5/6 line inputs and a synth is connected to the channel 11/12 line inputs.

The FX send jack connects to an external effects processor which is routed back into the channel 9/10
line inputs, while an MP3 player is connected to the RCA tape inputs to provide entertainment between
sets. The 1/4" L/R main outs connect to a pair of SRM450v3 powered loudspeakers to please your
audience.

Live Stereo PA System

6

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

MIC MIC

BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL

LINE IN LINE IN

U

G

A

I

C

N

I

M

+50

U U

-20dB +30dB

GAIN

1 2

L L L L

BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL

U

G

A

R R R R

I

C

N

I

M

+50

-20dB +30dB

LINE IN LINE IN

GAIN

3/4

AUX

RETURN AUX SEND

5/6

Owner’s Manual

L R

MAIN OUT

PHONES

CR OUT

U

U

U

EQ

EQ

HI

HI

12kHz

12kHz

+15

+15

-15

-15

U

U

MID

MID

2.5kHz

2.5kHz

+15

+15

-15

-15

U

U

LOW

LOW

80Hz

-15

OO

80Hz

-15

+15

+15

AUX

AUX

U

U

+15

OO

+15

OO

LEVEL

LEVEL

OO

+10

+10

U

EQ

EQ

HI

HI

12kHz

12kHz

+15

+15

-15

-15

U

U

MID

MID

2.5kHz

2.5kHz

+15

+15

-15

-15

U

U

LOW

LOW

80Hz

-15

OO

80Hz

-15

+15

+15

AUX

AUX

U

U

+15

OO

+15

OO

LEVEL

LEVEL

OO

+10

+10

TO CR /
PHONES

TO MAIN

U

OO

AUX

MASTER

48V

CR / PHONES

OO

L

R

IN OUT

-OL

+6

+15

0

-20

MAIN MIX

OO

+10

MAX

As mentioned in the previous hookup diagram, Mix Series mixers are powerful tools that offer a lot of
features, but are still easy to set up and use. Now let's take a look at an example of using a Mix8 as a
recording mixer.

In this example, a microphone is connected to the channel 1 mic input, the lead guitar plays through
an effects processor plugged into the channel 2 line input and a synth is connected to the channel
5/6 line inputs.

A pair of MR8mk3 studio monitors are connected to the control room outputs to listen to playback
of your latest masterpiece.

The RCA tape inputs and outputs are connected to a laptop. It's an easy way to get a stereo recording
for posterity and use the same setup as playback of that very recording.

Recording System

Owner’s Manual

7

Mix5 • Mix8

1

L R

1720

CR OUT

BAL /

16

UNBAL

MAIN OUT

PHONES

2

MIC MIC

BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL

4 18

LINE IN LINE IN

U

G

A

C

I

N

I

M

5 19

+50

U U

-20dB +30dB

GAIN

U

G

A

C

I

N

I

M

+50

-20dB +30dB

GAIN

1 2

L L L L

BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL BAL / UNBAL

R R R R

LINE IN LINE IN

3/4

AUX

5/6

RETURN AUX SEND

U

12kHz

6

+15

-15
U

2.5kHz

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX

7
8

11

+15

-15
U

-15

+15

U

+15

OO

13

LEVEL

15 26 28

OO

+10

Mix12FX

2

EQ

HI

MID

LOW
80Hz

AUX

14

OO

AUX

U

+15

MAX

22 23

L

R

IN OUT

-OL

+6

0

-20

MAIN MIX

OO

+10

1

29

U

+15

-15
U

+15

-15
U

-15

+15

U

+15

OO

LEVEL

OO

+10

2.5kHz

12kHz

U

EQ

HI

+15

-15
U

MID

+15

-15
U

LOW
80Hz

-15

+15

AUX

U

+15

OO

LEVEL

OO

+10

12kHz

2.5kHz

U

EQ

HI

MID

LOW
80Hz

AUX

EQ

HI

12kHz

25

LEVEL

+10

MID

2.5kHz

LOW
80Hz

AUX

27

3

24

TO CR /

PHONES

TO MAIN

MASTER

48V

CR / PHONES

OO

+15

-15
U

+15

-15
U

-15

+15

U

+15

OO

OO

1

16 17 1821

4

5

6
7
8

9

12

13

15

22 23

1

29

48V

32

26

24
2530 31

3

10

14 28

8

Mix5 • Mix8 • Mix12FX