SoundCraft MFX User Manual

USER GUIDE

IMPORTANT

Please read this manual carefully before using

your mixer for the first time.

Soundcraft is a trading division of Harman International Industries Ltd. Information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of the vendor. Soundcraft shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from the use of information or any error contained in this manual. No part of this manual may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, electrical, mechanical, optical, chemical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose without the express written permission of Soundcraft.

Harman International Industries Limited Cranborne House Cranborne Road POTTERS BAR Hertfordshire EN6 3JN UK

Tel: +44 (0)1707 665000 Fax: +44 (0)1707 660742 http://www.soundcraft.com

Contents

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 4 SAFETY SYMBOL GUIDE 6 INTRODUCTION 7 THE 60-SECOND GUIDE 8 WIRING UP 10 BLOCK DIAGRAM 14 MONO INPUT CHANNELS 15 STEREO INPUT CHANNELS 18 MASTER SECTION 20 Lexicon® FX PROCESSOR OVERVIEW 24 FX OPERATION 24 FX PROCESSOR CONTROLS 25 REVERBS 26 REVERB CONTROLS 27 DELAYS 28 DELAY CONTROLS 28 MODULATED EFFECTS 29 FACTORY RESET 31 EFFECTS DATA CHART 32 USING YOUR MFX CONSOLE 33 MARK-UP SHEETS 35 FITTING OPTIONAL RACK-MOUNT BRACKETS 36 DIMENSIONS 37 APPLICATIONS 38 TYPICAL CONNECTING LEADS 42 MFX TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS 44 WARRANTY 45 GLOSSARY 46

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

Read these instructions.

Keep these instructions.

Heed all warnings.

Follow all instructions.

Do not use this apparatus near water.

Clean only with a dry cloth.

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

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

Do not defeat the safety purpose of a polarised or grounding type plug. A polarised 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

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

Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

Use only with the 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.

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

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 fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

Note: It is recommended that all maintenance and service on the product should be carried out by Soundcraft or its authorised agents. Soundcraft cannot accept any liability whatsoever for any loss or damage caused by service, maintenance or repair by unauthorised personnel. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. Do not expose the apparatus to dripping or splashing and do not place objects filled

with liquids, such as vases, on the apparatus. No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus. Ventilation should not be impeded by covering the ventilation openings with items such as newspapers, table cloths, curtains etc. THIS APPARATUS MUST BE EARTHED. Under no circumstances should the safety earth be disconnected from the mains lead.

The mains supply disconnect device is the mains plug. It must remain accessible so as to be readily operable when the apparatus is in use.

If any part of the mains cord set is damaged, the complete cord set should be replaced. The following information is for reference only. The wires in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:

Earth (Ground): Green and Yellow (US - Green/Yellow) Neutral: Blue (US - White)

Live (Hot): Brown (US - Black) As the colours of the wires in the mains lead may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:

The wire which is coloured Green and Yellow must be connected to the terminal in

the plug which is marked with the letter E or by the earth symbol.

The wire which is coloured Blue must be connected to the terminal in the plug

which is marked with the letter N

The wire which is coloured Brown must be connected to the terminal in the plug

which is marked with the letter L

Ensure that these colour codes are followed carefully in the event of the plug being

changed

This unit is capable of operating over a range of mains voltages as marked on the rear panel.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense. This Class A digital apparatus meets the requirements of the Canadian InterferenceCausing Equipment Regulations. Cet appareil numérique de la Classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matériel brouilleur du Canada.

For your own safety and to avoid invalidation of the warranty please read this

section carefully.

SAFETY SYMBOL GUIDE

For your own safety and to avoid invalidation of the warranty all text marked with these symbols should be read carefully.

WARNINGS

The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, is intended to

alert the user to the presence of un-insulated “dangerous

voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of suffi-

cient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to

persons.

CAUTIONS

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is

intended to alert the user to the presence of important

operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the

literature accompanying the appliance.

NOTES

Contain important information and useful tips on the opera-

tion of your equipment.

HEADPHONES SAFETY WARNING

Contain important information and useful tips on headphone

outputs and monitoring levels.

Recommended Headphone Impedance >= 150 Ohms.

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing a Soundcraft MFX mixer. The MFX range is our most costeffective mixing solution, bringing you all the features and performance that you expect from a Soundcraft product, at an extraordinarily low price. The packaging, which your MFX arrived in, forms part of the product and must be retained for future use. Owning a Soundcraft console brings you the expertise and support of one of the industry’s leading manufacturers, and the results of nearly 3 decades of supporting some of the biggest names in the business. Our knowledge has been attained through working in close contact with leading professionals and institutes to bring you products designed to get the best possible results from your mixing. Built to the highest standards using quality components and surface mount technology, the MFX is designed to be as easy to use as possible. We have spent years researching the most efficient methods of control for two key reasons:

1) Engineers, musicians, writers and programmers all need to have very few interruptions to the creative process; our products have been designed to be almost transparent, allowing this process to breathe.

2) Whether performing or recording, time is a very expensive and rare commodity. Our products have a user interface which is recognised by millions to be the industry standard because of its efficiency. The sonic qualities of our products are exemplary - some of the same circuits which are used on our most expensive consoles are employed in the MFX, bringing you the great Soundcraft quality in a small format console without compromise. You will also be glad to know you have a one year warranty with your product from the date of purchase. The MFX has been designed using the latest high-end software based engineering packages. Every console from Soundcraft has been proven to stand up to all the stress and rigours of modern day mixing environments. The entire MFX is manufactured using some of the most advanced techniques in the world, from high density surface mount PCB technology, to computer aided test equipment able to measure signals well outside the range of normal hearing. As each console passes through to be quality checked before packing, there is also a human listening station. Something we have learnt over the years is that the human touch counts - and only by using people can you ensure the product meets the high demands of the user.

ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES

Although your new console will not output any sound until you feed it signals, it has the capability to produce sounds which when monitored through an amplifier or headphones can damage hearing over time. Please take care when working with your audio - if you are manipulating controls which you don’t understand (which we all do when we are learning), make sure your monitors are turned down. Remember that your ears are the most important tool of your trade, look after them, and they will look after you. Most importantly - don’t be afraid to experiment to find out how each parameter affects the sound - this will extend your creativity and help you to get the best from your mixer and the most respect from your artists and audience.

THE 60-SECOND GUIDE

To get you working as fast as possible, this manual begins with a 60-second guide. Here you can find quick information on any feature of the console.

1 MIC INPUT (XLR) Connect Microphones here. If you are using a condenser mic, ensure phantom

power is supplied by pressing the switch at the top of the master section.

WARNING: Do Not apply Phantom Power before connecting a microphone. 2 LINE INPUT (¼” Jack) Connect Line level sources here, e.g. Synth, Drum Machine, DI etc. 3 INSERT POINT (¼” Jack) Connect Signal processors here, e.g. Compressor, Gate etc. 4 GAIN CONTROL Adjust this to increase or decrease the level of the incoming signal. 5 PEAK LED This is used to indicate that the signal is close to distorting (clipping) on a specific

channel. 6 HPF The high-pass filter reduces the level of bass frequencies only. Use this in live PA

situations to reduce stage rumble or ‘popping’ from mics.

7 EQ STAGE Adjust these controls to change the signal tone (the character of the signal). 8 AUX 1 & 2 SENDS Adjust these controls to change the level of the signal to an artist’s monitors (head-

phones/in-ear/stage monitors). Aux 1 & 2 are globally switchable pre/post fade. 9 FX SEND This control sets the level of the post-fade signal being sent to the FX bus; from

there it is routed to the FX processor.

10 PAN CONTROL Use this control to position the signal within the stereo field. 11 MUTE SWITCH When this is pressed you will hear no signal from the channel (post-mute signals).

12 PFL When pressed the signal will appear on the monitor and headphone outputs - use

this to monitor the post-EQ signal from the channel.

13 MIX/SUB SWITCH When this switch is up, the channel’s post-pan-pot signal is routed to the Mix (left

and right) buses. When the switch is depressed, the post-pan-pot signal is routed to the Sub-group (left and right) buses.

14 SP LED The SP LED glows when a signal is present. The feed point for the LED is post-EQ,

pre-mute.

15 INPUT CHANNEL FADER This is used to control the level fed to the Mix Bus and post-fade sends. 16 MIX OUTPUTS (XLR) & MONO OUT (¼” Jack) Connect these to your analogue recording device, or to your

amplification system.

17 SUB-GROUP OUTPUTS (¼” Jack) These outputs can be connected to a separate amplifier system or to an external

processor.

18 SUB-GROUP ROUTING The sub-group mix can be routed to the main mix, in mono or stereo. 19 MASTER FADERS These faders control the overall level of the mix and sub-group outputs. 20 MAIN METERS These show the level of the mix outputs. When the AFL/PFL ACTIVE LED is lit, the

meters show the level of the selected AFL/PFL signal.

21 MONITOR OUTPUTS (¼” Jack) These are used to feed your monitoring system. This can be directly connected to

powered monitors, or indirectly via an amplifier to standard monitors.

22 MONITOR CONTROL This controls the level of the signal sent to your monitoring system. 23 MONITOR SELECT SWITCHES These switches select the signal source(s) to be monitored. More than one can be

selected at a time.

24 PHONES CONTROL This controls the level of the signal sent to the headphones jack socket. 25 HEADPHONES (¼” Jack) Plug your headphones into this socket. Recommended headphones impedance is

150 ohms or greater.

26 AUX 1 & 2 OUTPUTS (¼” Jacks) These outputs can be used to send the channel signal to an artist’s monitors

(headphones/in-ear/stage monitors). There are switchable pre/post fade.

27 AUX CONTROLS & AFL SWITCHES The rotary controls set the output levels of the two Aux Outputs. The After Fade

Listen (AFL) switches route their respective aux output signal to the monitor/headphones outputs.

28 AUX SWITCHES These switches globally changes their own AUX feed on all the input modules to be

either pre or post-fade.

29 STEREO INPUTS (¼” Jack) These two inputs can be used to connect line level stereo inputs from keyboards,

sound modules, samplers, computer based audio cards etc. These inputs pass through a stereo channel strip, with EQ, Auxes and a Balance control.

30 2-TRACK INPUTS 31 2-TRACK CONTROLS Use these to control the 2 Track signal. The MONITOR switch sends the signal to the

32 RECORD OUTPUTS 33 PHANTOM POWER Press this to switch the phantom power (48V) on for condenser microphones.

(RCA Phono)

You can connect the playback from your recording device here.

monitor outputs and phones, whilst the TO MIX switch sends it to the main mix.

You can connect these to the inputs of your recording device.

WARNING: Do Not apply Phantom Power before connecting a microphone.

34 STEREO RETURN INPUTS This pair of inputs accept 3-pole ‘A’ gauge (TRS) jacks. Use these inputs for sources

such as keyboards, drum machines, synths or CDs. The inputs are BALANCED. Mono sources may be used by plugging into the left jack only.

35 STEREO RETURN CONTROL This control sets the level of signal routed to the main mix busses. There is an

associated PK LED to warn of signals which are too high.

36 FX BUS OUTPUT This output carries the signal from the FX bus. It could be used as a second Aux

Output if desired, if the FX Processor is not needed at the time. The FX sends on the inputs channels to the FX bus are always post-fade.

37 FX CONTROL & PFL SWITCH The rotary control regulates the signal level being fed from the FX bus to the FX

processor and to the FX BUS OUTPUT socket. The Pre-Fade Listen (PFL) switch routes the post-FX signal to the monitor/headphones outputs.

38 FOOTSWITCH CONNECTOR This is used by the FX Processor, see page 25. 39 LEXICON® FX PROCESSOR See the information starting on page 24.

WIRING UP

Mic Input

The MIC input accepts XLR-type connectors and is designed to suit a wide range of BALANCED or UNBALANCED low-level signals, whether from delicate vocals requiring the best low-noise performance, or drum kits needing maximum headroom. Professional dynamic, condenser or ribbon mics are best because these will be LOW IMPEDANCE. While you can use low-cost HIGH IMPEDANCE mics, you do not get the same degree of immunity to interference on the microphone cable and as a result the level of background noise may be higher. If you turn the PHANTOM POWER on, the socket provides a suitable powering voltage for professional condenser mics.

DO NOT use UNBALANCED sources with the phantom power

switched on. The voltage on pins 2 & 3 of the XLR connector may

cause serious damage. BALANCED dynamic mics may normally be

used with phantom power switched on (contact your microphone

manufacturer for guidance)

The input level is set using the input GAIN knob. The LINE input offers the same gain range as the MIC input, but at a higher input impedance, and is 20dB less sensitive. This is suitable for most line level sources.

WARNING !

Start with the input GAIN knob turned fully anticlockwise when

plugging high level sources into the LINE input to avoid

overloading the input channel or giving you a very loud surprise!

Line Input

Accepts 3-pole 6.35mm (1/4") jacks, or 2-pole mono jacks which will automatically ground the ‘cold’ input. Use this input for sources other than mics, such as keyboards, drum machines, synths, tape machines or DI boxes. The input is BALANCED for low noise and immunity from interference, but you can use UNBALANCED sources by wiring up the jacks as shown, although you should then keep cable lengths as short as possible to minimise interference pick-up on the cable. Note that the ring must be grounded if the source is unbalanced. Set the input level using the GAIN knob, starting with the knob turned fully anticlockwise. Unplug any MIC connection when using the LINE input.

Insert Point

The unbalanced, pre-EQ insert point is a break in the channel signal path, allowing limiters, compressors, special EQ or other signal processing units to be added in the signal path. The Insert is a 3-pole 6.35mm (1/4") jack socket which is normally bypassed. When a jack is inserted, the signal path is broken, just before the EQ section. The signal from the channel appears on the TIP of the plug and is returned on the RING, with the sleeve as a common ground. The Send may be tapped off as an alternative pre-fade, pre-EQ direct output if required, using a lead with tip and ring shorted together so that the signal path is not interrupted.

A ‘Y’ lead may be required to connect to equipment with separate send and return jacks as shown below:

Stereo Inputs STEREO 1/2

These accept 3-pole 6.35mm (1/4") jacks, or 2-pole mono jacks which will automatically ground the ‘cold’ input. Use these inputs for sources such as keyboards, drum machines, synths, tape machines or as returns from processing units. The input is BALANCED for low noise and immunity from interference, but you can use UNBALANCED sources by wiring up the jacks as shown, although you should then keep cable lengths as short as possible to minimise interference pick-up on the cable. Note that the ring must be grounded if the source is unbalanced. Mono sources can be fed to both paths by plugging into the Left jack only.

Mix Outputs

The MIX outputs are on XLR’s, wired as shown, and incorporate impedance balancing, allowing long cable runs to balanced amplifiers and other equipment.

Aux and FX Bus Outputs

The Aux and FX Bus outputs are on 3-pole 6.35mm (1/4") jack sockets, wired as shown on the left, and are balanced, allowing long cable runs to balanced amplifiers and other equipment.

Headphones

The PHONES output is a 3-pole 6.35mm (1/4") jack, wired as a stereo output as shown, ideally for headphones of 150Ω or greater. 8Ω headphones are not recommended.

Polarity (Phase)

You will probably be familiar with the concept of polarity in electrical signals and this is of particular importance to balanced audio signals. Just as a balanced signal is highly effective at cancelling out unwanted interference, so two microphones picking up the same signal can cancel out, or cause serious degradation of the signal if one of the cables has the +ve and -ve wires reversed. This phase reversal can be a real problem when microphones are close together and you should therefore always take care to connect pins correctly when wiring audio cables.

Grounding and Shielding

For optimum performance use balanced connections where possible and ensure that all signals are referenced to a solid, noise-free earthing point and that all signal cables have their screens connected to ground. In some unusual circumstances, to avoid earth or ground ‘loops’ ensure that all cable screens and other signal earths are connected to ground only at their source and not at both ends. If the use of unbalanced connections is unavoidable, you can minimise noise by following these wiring guidelines:

• On INPUTS, unbalance at the source and use a twin screened cable as though it were balanced.

• On OUTPUTS, connect the signal to the +ve output pin, and the ground of the output device to -ve. If a twin screened cable is used, connect the screen only at the mixer end.

• Avoid running audio cables or placing audio equipment close to thyristor dimmer units or power cables.

• Noise immunity is improved significantly by the use of low impedance sources, such as good quality professional microphones or the outputs from most modern audio equipment. Avoid cheaper high impedance microphones, which may suffer from interference over long cable runs, even with well-made cables.

Grounding and shielding is still seen as a black art, and the suggestions above are only guidelines. If your system still hums, an earth/ground loop is the most likely cause. Two examples of how an earth loop can occur are shown below.

Warning!

Under NO circumstances must the AC power mains earth be disconnected

from the mains lead.

PROBLEM SOLVING

Basic problem solving is within the scope of any user if a few basic rules are followed.

• Get to know the Block Diagram of your console (see page 14).

• Get to know what all controls and/or connections in the system are supposed

to do.

• Learn where to look for common trouble spots. The Block Diagram is a representative sketch of all the components of the console, showing how they connect together and how the signal flows through the system. Once you have become familiar with the various component blocks you will find the Block Diagram is quite easy to follow and you will have gained a valuable understanding of the internal structure of the console. Each component has a specific function and only by getting to know what each part is supposed to do will you be able to tell if there is a genuine fault! Many “faults” are the result of incorrect connection or control settings which may have been overlooked. Basic Troubleshooting is a process of applying logical thought to the signal path through the console and tracking down the problem by elimination.

• Swap input connections to check that the source is really present. Check both Mic and Line inputs.

• Eliminate sections of the channel by using the insert point to re-route the signal to other inputs that are known to be working.

• Route channels to different outputs or to auxiliary sends to identify problems on the Master section.

• Compare a suspect channel with an adjacent channel which has been set up identically. Use PFL to monitor the signal in each section.

• Insert-point contact problems may be checked by using an insert bypass jack with tip and ring shorted together as shown below. If the signal appears when the jack is inserted it shows that there is a problem with the normalling contacts on the jack socket, caused by wear or damage, or often just dirt or dust. Keep a few in your gig tool box.

If in doubt please contact Soundcraft customer support.

PRODUCTS UNDER WARRANTY

UK customers should contact their local dealer. Customers outside the UK are requested to contact their territorial distributor who is able to offer support in the local time zone and language. Please see the distributor listings on our website (www.soundcraft.com) to locate your local distributor.

OUT-OF-WARRANTY PRODUCTS

For out-of-warranty consoles purchased in the United Kingdom, please contact the Customer Services Department (e-mail: csd@soundcraft.com) at the factory in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire: Telephone +44 (0)1707 665000. For all other out-of-warranty consoles, please contact the appropriate territorial distributor. When mailing or faxing please remember to give as much information as possible. This should include your name, address and a daytime telephone number. Should you experience any difficulty please contact Customer Services Department (e-mail: csd@soundcraft.com)

BLOCK DIAGRAM15MONO INPUT CHANNELS

1 Mic Input

The MIC input accepts XLR-type connectors and is designed to suit a wide range of BALANCED or UNBALANCED signals. Professional dynamic, condenser or ribbon mics are best because these will be LOW IMPEDANCE. You can use low-cost HIGH IMPEDANCE mics, but the level of background noise will be higher. If you turn the PHANTOM POWER on (top right-hand side of the mixer) the socket provides a suitable powering voltage for professional condenser mics.

ONLY connect condenser microphones with the +48V powering OFF, and

ONLY turn the +48V powering on or off with all output faders DOWN, to

prevent damage to the mixer or external devices.

TAKE CARE when using unbalanced sources, which may be damaged by the phantom power voltage on pins 2 & 3 of the XLR connector. Unplug any mics if you want to use the LINE Input. The input level is set using the GAIN knob.

2 Line Input

Accepts 3-pole 6.35mm (1/4") jacks. Use this input for sources other than mics, such as keyboards, drum machines, synths, tape machines or DI’d guitars. The input is BALANCED for low noise and top quality from professional equipment, but you can use UNBALANCED sources by wiring up the jacks as shown in the ‘wiring up’ section, although you should then keep cable lengths as short as possible. Unplug anything in the MIC input if you want to use this socket. Set the input level using the GAIN knob.

3 High-pass Filter

Pressing this switch activates the high-pass filter. This reduces the level of bass frequencies only. Use this in live PA situations to reduce stage rumble or ‘popping’ from mics.

4 Insert Point

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