Mackie ONYX1620 User Manual

OWNER’S MANUAL

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.

ONYX 1620

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 amplifi ers) 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 fi t 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 specifi ed by the manufacturer.

12.

Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specifi ed 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.

CAUTION AVIS

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE

NE PAS OUVRIR

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL

ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES RISQUES DE CHOC

ELECTRIQUE, NE PAS ENLEVER LE COUVERCLE. AUCUN

ENTRETIEN DE PIECES 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

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 clair avec point de fl che l’int rieur d’un triangle

quilat ral est utilis pour alerter l’utilisateur de la pr sence
l’int rieur du coffret de "voltage dangereux" non isol d’ampleur
suffisante pour constituer un risque d’ l ctrocution.

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 l’int rieur d’un triangle quilat ral est
employ pour alerter les utilisateurs de la pr sence d’instructions
importantes pour le fonctionnement et l’entretien (service) dans le
livret d’instruction accompagnant l’appareil.

13.

Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long

periods of time.

14.

Refer all servicing to qualifi ed 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 Onyx mixer 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).

16.

This Onyx mixer 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.

17.

This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B (whichever is

applicable)
set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department

limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as

of Com mu ni ca tions.

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 com mu ni ca tions du Canada.

18.

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
suffi ciently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Government’s
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specifi ed
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 Sound Level dBA, Typical
In Hours Slow Response Example

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 Tami screaming at Adrian about deadlines

0.5 110

0.25 or less 115 Loudest parts at a rock concert

WARNING — To reduce the risk of fi re or

electric shock, do not expose this apparatus

to rain or moisture.

2

ONYX 1620

Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................................................4

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

Zero the Controls.......................................................................................................................................5

Connections.................................................................................................................................................5

Set the Levels ..............................................................................................................................................5

Instant Mixing.............................................................................................................................................5

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

Onyx 1620 Features .................................................................................................10

Channel Strips...........................................................................................................................................10

Control Room Matrix, Metering, and Phones..................................................................................14

Auxiliary Section...................................................................................................................................... 16

TALKBACK Section...................................................................................................................................16

Owner’s Manual

Front Panel Connectors..........................................................................................................................18

Rear Panel...................................................................................................................................................18

Appendix A: Service Information........................................................................ 21

Warranty Service...................................................................................................................................... 21

Troubleshooting....................................................................................................................................... 21

Repair ..........................................................................................................................................................22

Appendix B: Connections ......................................................................................23

Appendix C: Technical Info .................................................................................. 26

Onyx 1620 Specifi cations...................................................................................................................... 26

Onyx 1620 Block Diagram..................................................................................................................... 28

Onyx 1620 Track Sheet........................................................................................................................... 29

Onyx 1620 Limited Warranty ................................................................................31

Don’t forget to visit our website at www.mackie.com for more

information about this and other Mackie products.

Part No. 0008668 Rev. D1 8/04
©2004 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Owner’s Manual

3

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Mackie Onyx 1620 profes­sional compact mixing console. The Onyx Series of mix­ers are designed for the digital era and offer the newest
features and latest technologies for live sound reinforce­ment and analog or digital studio recording in a durable,
road-worthy package.

ONYX 1620

The Onyx 1620 is equipped with eight of our new
premium precision-engineered studio-grade Onyx mic
preamps. Mackie is renowned for the high-quality mic
preamps used in our mixers, and the Onyx mic pre’s are
better than ever, with specifi cations rivaling expensive
stand-alone mic preamplifi ers.

Channels 1 and 2 feature high-impedance instrument/
line-level inputs so you can connect an acoustic, elec­tric, or bass guitar directly into the mixer, eliminating
the need for an external direct box.

Each of the eight mono channels has individual
phantom power switches, low-cut fi lters, pre-EQ chan­nel inserts, and an all new four-band EQ design with
sweepable mids and EQ bypass switch.

Channels 9 through 16 are four stereo pairs of line
inputs, featuring a three-band EQ and EQ bypass switch
for each stereo pair.

All mono channels and stereo pairs have four Aux
sends, Pan, Mute/Alt 3-4, Solo, 60 mm Fader, and four
signal level indicators.

A built-in Talkback mic with routing switches allows
you to communicate through the Aux Sends 1-2 or the
Phones output.

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

We know that many of you can’t wait to get your new
mixer hooked up, and you’re probably not going to read
the manual fi rst (sigh!). So the fi rst section after the
table of contents is a Quick-Start Guide to help you get
the mixer set up fast so you can start using it right away.
Right after that are the ever popular hook-up diagrams
that show typical mixer setups for live sound, recording
and mixdown.

Then, when you have time, read the Features Descrip­tion section. This describes every knob, button, and
connection point on the Onyx 1620, roughly following
the signal fl ow through the mixer from top to bottom
and left to right.

Throughout this section you’ll fi nd illustrations with
each feature numbered. If you want to know more about
a feature, simply locate it on the appropriate illustra­tion, notice the number attached to it, and fi nd that
number in the nearby paragraphs.

This icon marks information that is
critically important or unique to the
Onyx 1620. For your own good, read
them and remember them. They will
be on the fi nal test.

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

All sixteen channels have balanced direct outputs
on two DB-25 connectors for multitrack recording.
An optional FireWire card provides all sixteen direct
outputs and the L-R Main Mix on a FireWire interface
for streaming digital audio to a laptop for multitrack
recording in a live situation, or connecting to a DAW in a
home studio.

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

Purchased at:

Date of purchase:

4

ONYX 1620

A PLUG FOR THE CONNECTOR SECTION

Appendix B is a section on connectors: XLR connec­tors, balanced connectors, unbalanced connectors, and
special hybrid connectors.

More resources on our website at www.mackie.com.

THE GLOSSARY: A Haven of Non-Techiness for
the Neophyte

The “Glossary of Terms” is a fairly comprehensive
dictionary of pro-audio terms. If terms like “clipping,”
“noise fl oor,” or “unbalanced” leave you blank, refer to
this glossary for a quick explanation.

ARCANE MYSTERIES ILLUMINATED

“Arcane Mysteries” discusses some of the down ‘n’
dirty practical realities of microphones, fi xed installa­tions, grounding, and balanced versus unbalanced lines.
It’s a goldmine for the neophyte, and even the seasoned
pro might learn a thing or two.

Getting Started

READ THIS PAGE!!

Even if you’re one of those people
who never read manuals, all we ask
is that you read this page now before
you begin using the Onyx 1620. You’ll
be glad you did!

Zero the Controls

1. Turn down the channel GAIN, AUX, and Fader con­trols, and center the channel EQ and PAN controls.

Owner’s Manual

a line input such as a CD player or tape recorder
output. Be sure that the volume of the input source
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.

3. Adjust the channel’s GAIN control so that the LEDs
on the RIGHT meter stay around “0” and never go
higher than “+7.”

4. If you’d like to apply some EQ, do so now and return
to step 3. Remember to push in the EQ IN/OUT but­ton or the EQ controls won’t do anything.

5. Disengage that channel’s SOLO switch.

6. Repeat for each channel.

2. Set all push button switches to their “out” positions.

3. In the output section (right hand side), turn all the
rotary knobs “down,” the switches “out,” and the
MAIN MIX fader down.

4. Turn the POWER switch off.

Connections

If you already know how you want to connect the Onyx
1620, go ahead and connect the inputs and outputs
the way you want them. If you just want to get sound
through the mixer, follow these steps:

1.

Plug a microphone or other signal source into
channel 1’s MIC or LINE input.

2. Plug in the detachable linecord, connect it to an AC

outlet, and turn on the Onyx 1620’s POWER switch.

3. Connect cords from the Onyx 1620’s MAIN OUTS

(XLR connectors on the rear panel and 1/4" TRS
connectors on the front panel) to your amplifi er.

4. Hook up speakers to the amp and turn it on. If the

amplifi er has level controls, set them however the
manufacturer recommends (usually all the way up).

Instant Mixing

1. Leave the microphone plugged into channel 1 and
connect a keyboard, guitar or other instrument to
channel 2. Be sure to “Set the Levels” for channel 2
as described above.

2. To get sound out of the speakers, turn up channel 1
and 2 faders to the “U” mark and slowly turn up the
MAIN MIX fader to a comfortable listening level.

3. Sing and play. You’re a star! Adjust the faders for
channels 1 and 2 to bring your voice and your
instrument up and down to create your own mix.

Other Nuggets of Wisdom

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

• Always turn the MAIN MIX fader and CONTROL
ROOM knob down before making connections to
and from your Onyx 1620.

• When you shut down your equipment, turn off the
amplifi ers fi rst. When powering up, turn on the
amplifi ers last.

Set the Levels

To set the channel GAIN controls, it’s not even neces-
sary to hear what you’re doing at the outputs of the
mixer. If you want to listen while you work, plug head­phones into the PHONES jack on the front panel, then
set the PHONES knob about one-quarter of the way up.

The following steps must be performed one channel at
a time.

1. Push in the channel’s SOLO switch. Make sure the

SOLO MODE switch is up (PFL).

2. Play something into the selected input. This could

be an instrument, a singing or speaking voice, or

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

• Save the shipping box! You may need it someday,
and you don’t want to have to pay for another one.

That’s it for the “Getting Started” section. Next comes
the “Hookup” section that shows you some typical ways
that you might use the Onyx 1620 in real applications.
After that, you can take the grand tour of the mixer,
with descriptions of every knob, button, input, and
output. We encourage you to take the time to read all of
the feature descriptions, but at least you know it’s there
if you have any questions.

Owner’s Manual

5

Hookup Diagrams

s

ONYX 1620

Bass Guitar Electric Guitar

This hookup diagram demonstrates how
you can do a live multitrack recording
using the RECORDING OUTs or the op­tional FireWire card.

The RECORDING OUTs provide an
analog balanced direct output for each
channel, and the FireWire card provides
a digital direct output for each channel.

Electric Guitar

Vocal Mics

Stereo Guitar Effects

Keyboard or other
line level input

(record)

Drum
Machine

In

Headphones

Out

(play)

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

L

L

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

R

R

OUT

OUTPUTS

1-8

1

2

3

4

5

CHANNEL INSERTS

6

7

8

L

L

CHANNEL

3

1

R

R

L

L

INPUTS

4

2

AUX RETURNS

R

R

1

2

AUX

SEND

3

4

IN-TAPE-OUT

L

OUT

R

ALT 3/4

L

PHONES

OUT

MAIN

R

CNTRL ROOM

OUT

MAIN

RECORDING OUT

9-16

RECORDING OUT

Mono EQ

Mono Compressor

In
Out

In

Stereo Compressor

Out
In
Out

Multi Effect
Processor

Mono Power
Amplifier

Stereo EQ

Stereo Power

Amplifier

Stage Monitor

FIREWIRE

(OPTION)

Left PA Speaker

Right PA Speaker

Digital Multitrack Recorder

Laptop Computer

Onyx 1620 Live Mix and Multitrack Recording

6

ONYX 1620

Bass Guitar Electric Guitar

Owner’s Manual

Electric Guitar

Vocal Mics

Stereo Guitar Effects

Keyboard or other
line level input

(record)

Drum
Machine

In

Out

(play)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

L

L

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

R

R

PHONES

OUT

CNTRL ROOM

OUTPUTS

CHANNEL INSERTS

L

CHANNEL

1
R

L

INPUTS

2

AUX RETURNS

R

AUX

SEND

IN-TAPE-OUT

OUT

ALT 3/4

OUT

MAIN

OUT

MAIN

Mono Compressor

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

L
3
R

L
4

R

1

2

3

4

L

R

L

R

In
Out

In
Out
In
Out

Digital Delay

Stereo Compressor

Multi Effect
Processor

Powered

Studio Monitors

for Control Room

Digital Multitrack Recorder

The RECORDING OUTs provide an analog balanced
direct output for each channel, tapped after the
GAIN control but before the EQ controls.

Onyx 1620 Multitrack Recording in a Studio (Tracking)

RECORDING OUT

1-8

9-16

RECORDING OUT

Headphone Distribution

Amp

Powered

Studio Monitors

for Studio

Headphones

for Studio

Owner’s Manual

7

Bass Guitar Electric Guitar

ONYX 1620

Electric Guitar

Vocal Mics

Stereo Guitar Effects

Keyboard or other
line level input

Headphones

Drum
Machine

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

L

L

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

L

MONO

R

R

R

OUT

OUTPUTS

1-8

1

2

3

4

5

6

CHANNEL INSERTS

7

8

L

CHANNEL

1
R

L

INPUTS

2

AUX RETURNS

R

AUX

SEND

IN-TAPE-OUT

OUT

ALT 3/4

PHONES

OUT

MAIN

CNTRL ROOM

OUT

MAIN

RECORDING OUT

9-16

RECORDING OUT

Mono Compressor

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

L
3
R

L
4

R

1

2

3

4

L

R

L

R

In

Out

In

Out

In

Out

Digital Delay

Stereo Compressor

Multi Effect
Processor

Sound Card

LINE

IN

LINE

OUTS

MIC

IN

L

R

1

2

3

4

Powered
Studio Monitors
for Control Room

In this hookup diagram, the tracking channels have
the MUTE/ALT 3-4 button pushed in. This routes their
signals to the ALT 3-4 OUT and on to the Sound Card
or other analog audio interface to your DAW.

IMPORTANT: The playback channels (channels 15-16
in this case) should have their MUTE/ALT 3-4 buttons
out or you will get feedback. Ouch!

Onyx 1620 Computer Recording

8

ONYX 1620

Powered

Studio Monitors

for Studio

Bass Guitar Electric Guitar

Owner’s Manual

Electric Guitar

Stereo Guitar Effects

Keyboard or other

Submixer

for Drums

line level input
Drum
Mics

Vocal Mics

1202-VLZPRO

(record)

Mono Compressor

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

L

9

MONO

R

10

L

11

MONO

R

12

L

13

MONO

R

14

L

15

MONO

R

16

R

L

L

In

R

OUT

OUTPUTS

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

CHANNEL

INPUTS

IN-TAPE-OUT

PHONES

CNTRL ROOM

1

2

3

4

5

CHANNEL INSERTS

6

7

8

L

L

3

1

R

R

L

L

4

2

AUX RETURNS

R

R

1

2

AUX

SEND

3

4

L

OUT

R

ALT 3/4

L

OUT

MAIN

R

OUT

MAIN

In
Out

In
Out
In
Out

Digital Delay

Stereo Compressor

Multi Effect
Processor

RECORDING OUT

Headphones

Powered

Studio Monitors

for Control Room

1-8

FIREWIRE
(OPTION)

9-16

RECORDING OUT

Powered

Studio Monitors

for Studio

Laptop Computer

The optional FireWire card provides a digital direct output for each channel,
tapped after the GAIN control but before the EQ controls, as well as the L-R Mix.
Two tracks can be returned to the Onyx from the computer for playback monitor­ing in the Control Room Outputs, or mixdown to two tracks at the TAPE OUT.

Onyx 1620 Recording with FireWire to a Laptop

Owner’s Manual

9

Onyx 1620 Features

z

Channel Strips

There are two kinds of channel strips on the Onyx 1620:
Mono and Stereo. The mono channel strips (channels
1-8) have mic and line input connectors. In addition,

ONYX 1620

channels 1 and 2 have high-impedance instrument
inputs so you can connect a guitar directly to the mixer.

The stereo channel strips (channels 9-16), have
two line input connectors per channel strip, left and

right. The stereo path is maintained

1

M

I

C

R

D

X

U

203040

U

60

+40dB

-20dB

GAIN

OUT
IN

U

+15-15

2k

8k400

U

+15-15

400

2k100

U

+15-15

U

+15-15

OO

MAX

OO

MAX

OO

MAX

OO

MAX

LR

Mono Channel

10

ONYX 1620

P

R

E

HI-Z

48V48V

EQ

HIGH

12kHz

FREQ

HIGH

MID

FREQ

LOW

MID

LOW

80Hz

AUX

1

2

3

4

PAN

throughout the channel strip, sharing
the channel’s controls (the controls
work on both left and right signals at
the same time).

1

1. MIC Input (Channels 1-8)

MIC
HI-Z

This is a female XLR connector, which
accepts a balanced microphone input
from almost any type of microphone.
The microphone preamps feature our
new Onyx design, with higher fi delity
and headroom rivaling any standalone
mic preamp on the market today.

The XLR inputs are wired as follows:
Pin 1 = Shield or ground
Pin 2 = Positive (+ or hot)
Pin 3 = Negative (– or cold)

2. HI-Z Instrument Input (Channels 1-2)

This is a 1/4" connector, which ac­cepts an unbalanced instrument-level
input signal from a high-impedance
instrument like a guitar.

3. LINE Input (Channels 3-16)

This is a 1/4" TRS connector, which ac­cepts a balanced or unbalanced line-level
input signal from almost any source.

When connecting a balanced signal to
the LINE inputs, wire them as follows:
Tip = Positive (+ or hot)
Ring = Negative (– or cold)
Sleeve = Shield or ground

When connecting an unbalanced
signal, wire them as follows:
Tip = Positive (+ or hot)

Sleeve = Shield or ground

Note: For the stereo channels 9-16, if a signal is
plugged into the LEFT (MONO) side and nothing is
plugged into the RIGHT side, the signal is automatically
connected to both LEFT and RIGHT sides. This is called
jack normalling. As soon as something is plugged into
the RIGHT side, the normalled connection is broken
and the LEFT and RIGHT inputs become stereo inputs
(LEFT goes to the LEFT MAIN OUT and RIGHT goes to
the RIGHT MAIN OUT).

4. MIC/HI-Z Switch

Channels 1 and 2 have an extra button for switching
between the MIC and HI-Z inputs. When the button
is out (MIC), the XLR MIC input is used and the HI-Z
input is disconnected. When the button is pushed in
(HI-Z), the 1/4" HI-Z input is used and the XLR MIC in­put is disconnected. The input stage of the HI-Z inputs
is specially designed for the high-impedance pickups on
guitars.

Plugging a guitar into a lower-impedance
line input (like those on channels
3-16)

can result in the loss of high
frequencies, causing an unnatural and
dull sound.

Normally, you must use

a direct box between a guitar and a

mixer’s input, which serves to convert the impedance of
the guitar from high to low. The HI-Z inputs on chan­nels 1 and 2 make the need for a direct box unnecessary.
HOWEVER: The HI-Z inputs are unbalanced, so if you’re
doing a live show and running a long cord between the
instrument and the mixer (say over 25 or 30 feet), it is
best to use a direct box with a balanced output to avoid
picking up noise over the length of the cord.

5. Low-Cut Switch (Channels 1-8)

The Low-Cut switch, often referred to as a high-pass
fi lter, cuts bass frequencies below 75 Hz at a rate of 18 dB
per octave.

+15

+10

+5

0

–5

–10

–15

20Hz100

Hz

1k

Hz

Low Cut

you want to hear, and fi ltering it out makes the low stuff
you do want much more crisp and tasty. Not only that,
but the Low-Cut fi lter can help reduce the possibility of
feedback in live situations and it helps to conserve the
amplifi er power.

We recommend that
you use the Low-Cut fi lter
on every microphone
application except kick
drum, bass guitar, bassy
synth patches, or record­ings of earthquakes.

10kHz20k

H

These aside, there isn’t
much down there that