Mackie PPM608 User Manual

PPM608

8-Channel, 2 x 500 W Professional Powered Mixer

OWNER’S MANUAL

PPM608

Important Safety Instructions

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 PA S 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 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.

PORTABLE CART

WARNING

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 grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not ﬁt into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10.

Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at

plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11.

Only use attachments/accessories speciﬁed by the manufacturer.

12.

Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table

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

13.

Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or

when unused for long periods of time.

14.

Refer all servicing to qualiﬁed service personnel. Servicing is required

when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as powersupply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

15.

Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result in a

risk of ﬁre or electric shock.

16.

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.

17.

This apparatus has been designed with Class-I construction and must

be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing connection (the third grounding prong).

18.

This apparatus has been equipped with an all-pole, rocker-style AC

mains power switch. This switch is located on the rear panel and should remain readily accessible to the user.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21.

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 Greg and Ben screaming at Troy

0.5 110

0.25 or less 115 Loudest parts at a rock concert

Sound Level dBA, Slow Response

Typical Example

about deadlines

WARNING — To reduce the risk of ﬁre or electric shock, do not

expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.

Owner’s Manual

Read This Page!

We realize that you must be really keen to try out your new powered mixer, but please read the safety instructions on page 2, and this page ﬁrst.

Setup

The PPM608 powered mixer is designed for ease of

operation, and to be set up quickly and easily.

Place the powered mixer in a position where it is easy to reach the controls. All the controls and input connection points are located on the front panel so you can make quick adjustments and connections on stage.

Make sure there is at least 6 inches of airspace behind the powered mixer for ventilation. There are two fans inside the cabinet to cool the power ampliﬁer section. Use the powered mixers in a nice clean and dry environment, free from dryer lint and dust bunnies.

Connections

1. Be sure the rear-panel power switch is off before making any connections.

2. Push the linecord securely into the IEC connector on the rear panel, and plug the other end into a 3-prong AC outlet that is properly conﬁgured for the voltage of your powered mixer.

3. Plug a balanced microphone into one of the mic XLR (3-pin) connectors on the front panel. Or you can connect any line-level signal (keyboard, or guitar preamp) to a line input jack using a TS or a TRS 1/4" plug.

4. You can connect a guitar directly to inputs 5 or 6 without need for a DI box, if you press the hi-z switch on these channels.

5. The insert jacks are used if you want to connect an external effects or dynamics processor into the signal chain. See page 13 for more details.

6. Plug the speakers (4 ohms or greater) into the speaker output jacks on the rear panel. If you plug two speakers into a side, each speaker must be 8 ohms or greater to maintain a 4-ohm minimum load on the ampliﬁer. Use at least 18 gauge speaker cable with 1/4" TS plugs or

Speakon power amp mode switch to stereo mains.

Don’tuseguitarcordsforspeakercables!

They’re not designed to handle speaker-level signals and could overheat.

plugs. For now, set the rear panel

Ready, steady, go!

1. Turn the channel level, mon 1, and FX/mon 2 controls fully down.

2. Turn down the compressor controls (ch. 1–4).

3. Set all the EQ controls to the center, including the graphic EQ sliders.

4. Turn down the main level and monitor 1 level controls, and turn on the powered mixer.

5. For each channel, press the gain switch in (low gain) if you are using a line-level source. Press it out (high gain) if you are using a microphone or other low-level source.

6. For condenser mics, push in the phantom power switch. If you are using both condenser and dynamic mics, don’t worry. Phantom power will not hurt most dynamic mics. Check the micro phone’s user manual if you’re not sure.

7. Play something into an input at real-world levels, and turn up the channel level to U (unity).

8. In normal playing, the channel's OL LED should only light occasionally. If it stays on for a large portion of your performance, check that the gain switch is set correctly.

9. Slowly turn up the main level control until you hear the signal in your speakers.

10. Repeat steps 5 to 8 for the remaining channels.

11. If needed, apply some EQ wisely.

12. Adjust the levels to get the best mix. Keep the level controls fully down on unused channels.

Other Notes

• Onlyconnectthepoweredmixer'sspeaker-level

outputs to passive loudspeakers.

• Whenshuttingdown,turnoffanyexternal

ampliﬁers or powered loudspeakers ﬁrst. When powering up, turn on any external ampliﬁers or powered loudspeakers last.

• Savetheshippingbox!

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:

Part No. SW0681 Rev. E ©2009 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved. Loosely based on a dream sequence in which the entire Mackie marketing department tap-dance their way into downtown Woodinville for lunch.

PPM608

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Mackie professional powered mixer. These powerful mixers are designed to meet the needs of almost any small to medium-sized club, meeting room, sanctuary, or outdoor gathering.

At Mackie, we know what it takes to be roadworthy. After all, our mixers have traveled all over the world under the worst of conditions and the best of conditions, and we’ve applied what we’ve learned to the mechanical design of our powered mixers.

Reliability is paramount to sound reinforcement. That’s why our engineers have subjected our powered mixers to the most rigorous and ﬁendish tests imaginable to ﬁne-tune the design, and extend its limits beyond those of ordinary powered mixers.

Features

• Twointernalpowerampliers,eachratedat

500 watts peak into 4 ohms

• Threeselectableampliermodes(stereo

mains, mono-main/monitor 1, mon 1/mon 2)

• 8channels(6mono,2stereo)

• Micinputsonallchannels

• Line-levelinputs(6mono,2stereo)

• RCAinputsonstereochannels.

• Insertjacksonmonochannels

• Channels5and6allowdirectconnectionof

guitars and basses without a DI box

• 3-bandEQoneachchannel

• Monitor1send

• Mainmixstereolineoutputs

• Mainmixmonosubout

• Amplierline-levelinputsallowtheconnection

of external mixers if more channels are needed

• FootswitchconnectionforFXmute/unmute

• FX/monitor2send(selectablepre/post)

• +48vPhantompowercanbeappliedtoallmics

• Built-incompressorsontherst4monoinputs

(dedicated in-line compression)

• 24built-inRunningMan32-biteffectswith

input gain, tap delay, and a footswitch mute/unmute

• Independent7-bandgraphicEQswith 

constant-Q ﬁlters on the main and monitor outputs

• Tape/CDstereoRCAoutputs

• 12-segmentstereooutputmetersonmainmix,

and mono meter on monitor 1

• Breakswitchmutesallmonochannels

• Speakonand1/4"powerampoutputs

• Precisionpassiveswitchforenhancedclarity

and low-frequency response with Mackie passive speakers

• Ruggeddesignwithpolycarbonatesidesand

built-in metal handles

• Modernandstylishdesignfromourmodernand

stylish, hip and trendy design team (runners-up in the coveted Golden Lock-Washer of Waltonon-Naze design award)

How To Use This Manual

The ﬁrst pages after the table of contents are the hookup diagrams. These show typical setups for fun times with your powered mixer.

Next is a detailed tour of the entire mixer. The descriptions are divided into sections, just as your mixer is organized into distinct zones:

• Rearpanel:TheACinput,powerswitch,speaker-level outputs and ampliﬁer mode switch

• Patchbay:Thelowerfrontsection,whereyou

connect microphones and guitars etc.

• ChannelStrip:Thechannelstripswhereyou

adjust and control each channel

• MasterSection:Thesectionontheright,with

graphic EQ and main level controls

• StereoEffectProcessor

Throughout these sections you’ll ﬁnd illustrations with each feature numbered and described in the nearby paragraphs.

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

This icon will lead you to some explanations of features and practical tips. Go ahead and skip these if you really need to go.

Appendix A: Service information.

Appendix B: Connectors.

Appendix C: Technical information.

Appendix D: Table of Effects Presets

The thickness of the manual makes it ideal for ﬁtting under wobbly table legs, or for defending yourself against packs of angry ferrets.

Owner’s Manual

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ........................ 2

READ THIS PAGE! .................................................... 3

INTRODUCTION ...................................................... 4

HOOKUP DIAGRAMS............................................... 6

REAR PANEL FEATURES ......................................... 10

1. POWER CONNECTION ............................. 10

2. POWER SWITCH ..................................... 10

3. SPEAKER-LEVEL OUTPUTS ....................... 10

4. POWER AMP MODE SWITCH .................. 11

5. VENTILATION AND REAR PANEL .............. 11

6. HANDLES ............................................... 11

FRONT PANEL FEATURES ....................................... 12

PATCHBAY

7. MIC INPUTS ........................................... 12

8. MONO LINE INPUTS (CH. 1 TO 4) ............ 13

9. LINE/INSTRUMENT INPUTS (CH. 5, 6) ..... 13

10. STEREO LINE INPUTS (CH. 7 AND 8) ........ 13

11. RCA INPUTS (CH. 7 AND 8) .................... 13

12. INSERT (CH. 1 TO 6) ............................... 13

13. TAPE OUTPUTS ...................................... 13

14. BREAK SWITCH AND LED ....................... 13

15. FX/MON 2 SEND OUTPUT ..................... 14

16. FX FOOTSWITCH .................................... 15

17. MON 1 SEND ........................................ 15

18. MAIN SUB ............................................. 15

19. MAIN OUTPUTS .................................... 15

20. POWER AMP INPUTS ............................ 15

CHANNEL CONTROLS

21. MON 1 .................................................. 17

22. FX/MON 2 ............................................ 17

23. HIGH EQ ................................................ 17

24. MID EQ .................................................. 17

25. LOW EQ ................................................. 17

26. OVERLOAD (OL) LED ............................... 18

27. CHANNEL LEVEL ..................................... 18

28. GAIN SWITCH ........................................ 18

29. COMPRESSOR ........................................ 19

30. HI-Z SWITCH ......................................... 19

MASTER CONTROLS

31. POWER LED ........................................... 20

32. MAIN MASTER GRAPHIC EQ ................... 20

33. FX TO MAIN .......................................... 20

34. MAIN LEVEL ........................................... 20

35. 100 HZ RUMBLE REDUCTION SWITCH ..... 21

36. MAIN MIX METERS ................................ 21

37. MONITOR 1 MASTER GRAPHIC EQ .......... 21

38. FX TO MON 1 ........................................ 21

39. MONITOR 1 LEVEL ................................. 21

40. 100 HZ RUMBLE REDUCTION SWITCH ..... 21

41. MONITOR 1 METER ................................ 21

42. PHANTOM SWITCH ................................ 22

43. PRECISION PASSIVE EQ .......................... 22

44. POWER AMP LIMITER LEDS .................... 22

STEREO EFFECTS PROCESSOR

45. FX/MON 2 SEND MASTER ...................... 22

46. SIG/OL LED ........................................... 22

47. FX SEND (POST)/MON 2 SEND (PRE) ...... 23

48. PRESET DISPLAY .................................... 23

49. PRESET SELECTOR, TAP DELAY AND LED ... 23

50. INTERNAL FX MUTE ................................ 23

APPENDIX A: SERVICE INFORMATION .................... 24

APPENDIX B: CONNECTIONS.................................. 25

APPENDIX C: TECHNICAL INFORMATION ................ 27

APPENDIX D: TABLE OF EFFECTS PRESETS ............... 30

PPM608 LIMITED WARRANTY ............................... 31

Need help with your new mixer?

• Visit www.mackie.com and click Support to nd: FAQs, manuals, addendums, and documentation.

• Email us at: techmail@mackie.com.

• Telephone 1-800-898-3211 to speak with one of our splendid technical support chaps (Monday through Friday, normal business hours, PST).

PPM608

Hookup Diagrams

Po wered Subwoofers

(plays main mix below 100 Hz)

Microphones

press HI-Z

button

Keyboards

SRM450v2 Po wered Stage Monitors

(plays mon 1 output)

Po rtable Recorder

Rear Panel

Front Panel

Po wer Amp Mode

switch set to

Stereo Main

Adjust

Vocal

Compression

press HI-Z

button

Pa ssive Speakers

(plays stereo main mix)

This diagram shows microphones attached to channels 1 and 2, electric guitars connected directly to channels 5 and 6 (with hi-z switch pressed in), and a keyboard attached to channel 7's stereo inputs. A portable recorder is attached to the stereo tape outputs to record the performance.

Mackie SRM450v2 powered speakers are connected to the monitor 1 send, and are set up as stage monitors. The mon 1 controls of each channel allow you to create a stage monitor mix that is independent of the main mix. Use the monitor 1 graphic EQ to adjust the stage monitor EQ as desired.

Passive speakers are connected to the speaker-level power output of the powered mixer, and they play the main stereo mix to your audience. Powered subwoofers are connected to the main mix sub out, to reinforce the low end in your system.

Club System

Owner’s Manual

Microphones

press HI-Z

button

Keyboards

Drum

Machine

C300z Passive Speakers

House System

(plays mono main mix)

C200 Passive Stage Monitors

(plays mon 1 output)

Po wer Amplifier

dual-mono mode

Rear Panel

Front Panel

Po wer Amp Mode

switch set to

Mains/Mon 1

Adjust

Vocal

Compression

SRM150 Po wered Monitor

(plays mon 1 output)

Passive Subwoofers

(plays main mix below 100 Hz)

Acoustic Guitar

and Mic

This diagram shows microphones attached to the mic inputs of channels 1 to 4, an electric guitar connected directly to channel 5 (with hi-z switch pressed in), an acoustic guitar microphone connected to channel 6 mic in, a keyboard attached to channel 7's stereo inputs, and a drum machine to channel 8.

A Mackie SRM150 powered monitor is connected to the monitor 1 send, and acts as a personal stage monitor to the keyboard player. The mon 1 knobs of each channel allow you to set up a monitor mix that is independent of the main mix. Use the monitor 1 graphic EQ to adjust the stage monitor EQ as desired.

The power amp mode switch is set to play the mono main mix on ch. A, and monitor 1 mix on ch. B.

Mackie C300z passive speakers are connected to the channel A speaker-level power output of the powered mixer, and they play the main mono mix to your audience.

C200 passive stage monitors are connected to the channel B speaker-level power output of the powered mixer. These play the stage monitor mix 1 to your performers.

Passive subwoofers are powered by a power ampliﬁer connected to the main mix sub out, to reinforce the low end in your main mix.

House of Worship

PPM608

Microphones

Wireless

Microphone

Rear Panel

Front Panel

Po wer Amp Mode

switch set to Stereo Mains

LINE MIC

PGM 2

MAIN OUT MIC

LLLLLR

PHONO CD

SEND

BOOTH

GND

LINE PHONO

RETURN

L(MONO)

LIVE

RECORD

100-240 VAC 50-60Hz 20W

PGM 1

LINE PHONO

GND

PHONO CD

Wireless Mic Receiver

Graphic EQ

Tu rntables with phono-level output

Mackie d.2 Pr o

DJ Pr oduction Console

iPodTM Docking Station

Po wered Subwoofer (left main mix)

Po wered Subwoofer (right main mix)

HD1521 Po were d Speaker

Passive Speakers

(plays stereo main mix)

This diagram shows a wireless microphone receiver connected to the channel 1 line input, a graphic EQ connected to channel 1's insert jack (to help control feedback in the wireless mic), a microphone connected to channel 2, and an iPod docking station attached to channel 8's RCA inputs.

A Mackie d.2 Pro is connected to two turntables, and its RCA output connects to the powered mixer's channel 7 stereo RCA inputs. Use the d.2 Pro's advanced DJ controls to get the best performance from your records. Use the powered mixer to play the d.2 Pro output, and control the mics and iPod.

The power amp mode switch is set to play the stereo main mix in the passive speakers, connected to the speaker-level power outputs.

Mackie HD1521 powered speakers and powered subwoofers are connected to the line-level main mix outputs, and also play the stereo main mix to your audience.

DJ System

Owner’s Manual

Microphones

press HI-Z

buttons

Guitar Pr ocessor

(connected to INSERT)

Send

Return

Keyboards

C300z Passive Stage Monitors

(plays mon 1 output)

HD1531 Po wered Speaker

C200 Passive Stage Monitors

(plays mon 2 output)

Rear Panel

Front Panel

Po wer Amp Mode

switch set to Mon 1/Mon 2

Adjust

Vocal

Compression

Electronic Drum Kit

Po wered Subwoofer (plays left main mix)

Po wered Subwoofer (plays right main mix)

This diagram shows microphones attached to the mic inputs of channels 1 to 4, electric guitars connected directly to ch. 5 and 6 (with hi-z switch pressed in), a guitar processor connected to ch.6 insert, a keyboard attached to channel 7's stereo inputs, and an electronic drum kit attached to channel 8. Add vocal compression as required, by tweaking the compression knobs on channels 1 to 4.

The power amp mode switch is set to play the monitor 1 mix on channel A, and monitor 2 mix on channel B. Note: Press in the front panel FX send/mon 2 send switch, or monitor 2 will not play.

Mackie HD1531 powered speakers and powered subwoofers are connected to the line-level main mix outputs, and play the stereo main mix to your audience.

C200 passive stage monitors are connected to the channel B speaker-level power output of the powered mixer. These play the stage monitor mix 2 to your performers. C300z passive stage monitors are connected to the channel A speaker-level power output, and play stage monitor mix 1.

Large Band System

PPM608

Rear Panel Features

COLD

HOT

1–

2–

1. POWER CONNECTION

This jack accepts the supplied 3-prong IEC AC power cord.

Before you plug the AC power cord into the powered mixer, make sure that the voltage of

your unit is the same voltage as your local AC mains supply. Use only the power cord supplied. Also, disconnecting the plug’s ground pin is dangerous. Please don’t do it.

2. POWER SWITCH

Press the top of this rocker switch inwards to turn on the mixer. The front panel power LED [31] will glow with happiness, or at least it will if you have the mixer plugged into a suitable live AC mains supply.

3. SPEAKER-LEVEL OUTPUTS

These output connections provide speaker-level output power from the internal power ampliﬁers to your passive speakers. The power output of the PPM608 is 300 watts rms per channel into 4 ohms.

Only passive loudspeakers should be connected to these speaker-level outputs.

The outputs can be selected with the amp mode switch [4] to be either the stereo main mix, mono main mix/monitor 1, or monitor 1/monitor 2.

Two common types of connector are provided for your convenience: Speakons and 1/4" TS.

• SpeakonoutputsarewiredPin1+positive

(hot) and Pin 1– negative (cold).

Press the bottom of this switch to turn off the mixer, whenever you feel that this would be a safe thing to do. Half-way through a heavy metal guitar solo might not be such a good time.

As a general guide, you should turn on your mixer ﬁrst, before any external power ampliﬁers or powered speakers, and turn it off last. This will reduce the possibilities of any turnon, or turn-off thumps in your speakers.

Mono Speakon Connection

+ 22 hidden pages

Mackie PPM608 User Manual

Important Safety Instructions

Read This Page!

Introduction

Contents

Hookup Diagrams

Rear Panel Features

1. POWER CONNECTION

2. POWER SWITCH

3. SPEAKER-LEVEL OUTPUTS