Tapco Blend 6 User Manual

owner’s manual

by

CAUTION AVIS

pag

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 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 accom

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read Instructions — All the safety and operation instructions

should be read before this product is operated.

2. Retain Instructions — The safety and operating instructions

should be kept for future reference.

3. Heed Warnings — All warnings on this product and in these

operating instructions should be followed.

4. Follow Instructions — All operating and other instructions

should be followed.

5. Water and Moisture — This product should not be used near

water – for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink,
laundry tub, in a wet basement, near a swimming pool, etc.

6. Cleaning — Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Ventilation — This product should be situated so that its location

or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For
example, the Component should not be situated on a bed,
sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block any ventilation
openings, or placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase
or cabinet that may impede the fl ow of air through ventilation
openings.

8. Heat — This product should be situated away from heat

sources such as radiators, or other devices which produce
heat.

9. Power Sources — This product should be connected to a

power supply only of the type described in these operation
instructions or as marked on this product.

10. Power Cord Protection — Power supply cords should be routed

so that they are not likely to be walked upon or pinched
by items placed upon or against them, paying particular
attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and
the point where they exit this product.

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

objects do not fall on, and liquids are not spilled into, this
product.

nant l'appareil.

12. Damage Requiring Service — This product should be serviced

only by qualifi ed service personnel when:

A. The power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or
B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into this product; or
C. This product has been exposed to rain; or
D. This product does not appear to operate normally or

exhibits a marked change in performance; or

E. This product has been dropped, or its chassis damaged.

13. Servicing — The user should not attempt to service this

product beyond those means described in this operating
manual. All other servicing should be referred to the Tapco
Service Department.

14. To prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized plug with

an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the
blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure.

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

15. Grounding or Polarization — Precautions should be taken so

that the grounding or polarization means of this product is not
defeated.

16. Power Precaution — Unplug this product during lightning

storms or when unused for long periods of time.

17. This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B

(whichever is applicable) limits for radio noise emissions
from digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference
regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications.

ATTENTION —Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits radioélectriques
dépassant las limites applicables aux appareils numériques de class A/de class B
(selon le cas) prescrites dans le règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté
par les ministere des communications du Canada.

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 Packed garage concert

6 92

4 95 VW Bus Peace Train

3 97

2 100 Cranked psychedelic tunes

1.5 102

1 105 High speed chase on C.H.I.P.s

0.5 110

0.25 or less 115 Loudest parts at a Heavy Metal concert

WARNING — To reduce the risk of fi re or electric shock,

do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture.

2

Contents

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

Getting Started.............................................4

Introduction ..................................................6

Hookup Diagrams ........................................7

Blend 6 Features ...........................................8

Channel Inputs.........................................8

Channel Controls.....................................9

Equalization ............................................9

Auxiliaries ................................................9

Master Section .......................................11

Output Connections .............................12

Rear Panel Features ..............................12

Appendix A: Service Information .............13

Appendix B: Connections .........................14

Appendix C: Blend 6 Specifi cations.........15

Gain Structure Diagram........................16

Block Diagram .......................................17

Track Sheets............................................18

TAPCO Limited Warranty ...........................19

Don’t forget to visit our website at www.tapcogear.com

for more information about this and other TAPCO products.

What me, read a manual?

Before you begin, please make sure you read the Safety Instructions on page 2 and

Getting Started on page 4.

Your new TAPCO
We know it’s often seen as a sign of weakness to read a manual, along with asking for
directions when lost, but maybe you can read the rest when nobody is looking.

It is important to keep your receipt in a safe place, and not a bad idea to write your
product information here for future reference (i.e., insurance claims, tech support, return
authorization, etc.).

Date of purchase:

®

Blend 6 mixer is designed to set up quickly and operate easily.

Product Serial #:

Purchased at:

Part No. 0008813-90 Rev. A 1/04
©2004 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved.

3

Getting Started

The following steps will help you set up your mixer, and get the
levels and adjustments just right.

ZERO THE CONSOLE:

1. Turn everything off, including the mixer’s POWER

switch and PHANTOM POWER switch.

2. Turn down the channel strip GAIN, AUX 1, AUX 2,

and LEVEL controls.

3. Center the channel strip EQ and PAN controls.

4. Turn down the AUX RETURNS, CONTROL ROOM,

and PHONES controls.

5. Turn down the MAIN MIX control.

CONNECTIONS:

1. Connect your speakers to your amplifi er’s outputs

(unless, of course, you have powered speakers).

2. Plug all the sound system components into suitable

AC outlets, properly grounded and capable of
delivering adequate current.

3. Using TRS cables, make connections from your

mixer’s MAIN OUT to your amplifi cation system’s
line inputs.

4. Connect your microphones and instruments to the

mixer: Connect microphones to the mono channel
MIC jacks. (For condenser microphones, engage
the PHANTOM POWER switch.) Connect high­impedance line-level instruments (electric guitar,
bass guitar) to the mono channel INST IN, or other
line-level signal source to the stereo channel LINE
IN jacks.

Note: Normally, you would plug in only one

microphone or one instrument into each mono
channel.

5. Zero the console, as shown above.

6. Turn all the power switches on, leaving the

amplifi er’s switch for last.

7. Turn up the MAIN MIX control to the 9 o’clock

position, for now. We’ll crank it up later on.

8. Now you are ready to set the levels.

4. If necessary, apply channel EQ changes. (You may

need to compensate for level changes afterward
with the channel LEVEL control.)

5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the other Mic/Line

channel.

6. Stop making noise. Everyone: start making music.

7. Now turn up the MAIN MIX control to a

comfortable listening level.

SET THE LEVELS (Channels 3/4 and 5/6):

1. Make some noise with the mono or stereo

instrument connected to the LINE IN jacks on
Channels 3/4. Play it at its normal output level.

2. Raise that channel’s LEVEL control until it

is approximately equal in volume to the
microphones or instruments connected to
channels 1 and 2.

3. If necessary, apply channel EQ changes. (You may

need to compensate for level changes afterward
with the channel LEVEL control.)

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 for Channels 5/6.

TWEAK THE MIX:

1. If you are using an external processor connected

between the AUX SEND 2 and the AUX RETURN jacks,
use each channel’s AUX 2 FX control to send signal
to the processor, and add the processor’s signal to
the mix using the AUX RETURN TO MAIN MIX control.

2. Now that you have a rough mix going, you

may need to readjust the MAIN MIX control to
a comfortable listening level. The LED VU meters
should indicate by lighting most of the green LEDs
when music is playing, and occasionally light the
yellow LEDs.

3. Depending on how much time you have, keep

tweaking. Walk the room to see how it sounds
away from your mixer. Keep tweaking.

SET THE LEVELS (Channels 1 and 2):

1. Choose one of the microphones or instruments

you connected to the mono MIC or INST input.
Make some noise. If it’s a microphone, sing at your
normal singing volume. If it’s an instrument, play it
at its normal output level.

2. While making noise, turn up that channel’s GAIN

until the adjacent LEVEL SET LED starts blinking.

3. Raise that channel’s LEVEL to unity gain (U label).

You should be hearing your noise now.

4

BAL

UNBAL

BAL

UNBAL

MIC

INPUT

INPUT

INPUT

DS

IN

N MIX

L R

MON

FX

SEND

MON

FX

SEND

MON

FX

SEND

MON

FX

SEND

O M

N M

16

12

12

0 = +

TA

O

X1

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

+15

-15

LEVEL

SET

INPUT

LEVEL

SET

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

MAX

INPUT

INST

INPUT

MIC

U

+3 +50

-22dB +25dB

GAIN

MIC

12

INPUT

INST

INPUT

LEVEL

SET

MIC

+3 +50

-22dB +25dB

GAIN

AUX RETURN MAIN MIX

LINE IN

LEVEL

SET

U

BAL

AUX SENDS

L

(MONO)

IN

LINE IN

3/4

L

(MONO) (MONO)

R

/UNBAL

BAL

5/6

/UNBAL

MON

MON

OUT

FX

FX

L

R

1

2

CTRL R

OOM

OUT OUT

CD/ TAPE

L

R

IN OUT

L

RR

L

R

PHONES

EQ

HIGH

12kHz

-15

+15

LOW

80Hz

-15

+15

AUX

U

SEND

1

MON

MAX

U

2

FX

MAX

PAN PAN PAN PAN

RL

-15

-15

U

U

+15

+15

MAX

MAX

EQ

HIGH

12kHz

LOW

80Hz

AUX

SEND

1

MON

2

FX

RL

1234

U

MAX

LEVEL

A FEW PRECAUTIONS:

•

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

• Never plug amplifi er speaker-level outputs into

anything except speakers.

• Never use guitar cables to connect amplifi ers to

speakers.

U

MAX

LEVEL

-15

-15

EQ EQ

HIGH

12kHz

+15

LOW

80Hz

+15

AUX

U

SEND

1

MON

MAX

U

2

FX

MAX

RL

U

MAX

LEVEL

HIGH

12kHz

-15

+15

LOW

80Hz

-15

+15

AUX

U

SEND

1

MON

MAX

U

2

FX

MAX

RL

U U

MAX

LEVEL

POWER

48V

AUX

RETURN

TO

MAIN

MIX

TO

AUX1

MON

PE

NRM

PHANTOM

U

MAX

U

MAX

MAIN
CD/ TA

MAIN MIX

OFF
MAIN

CD/ TATAPE

AIN M

TO M

IX

12

8

4

0

4

12

24

0 = +

4dBu

PHONES

MAX

MAX

CTRL ROOM

MAX

MAIN MIX

LEFT RIGHT

16

OL

• Before making connections to an external
amplifi er, or reconfi guring an amp’s routing, turn
the amp’s level (gain) controls down, turn the
power off, make the changes, turn the power
back on, and then turn the level controls back up.

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

• Save the shipping box and packing material! The
box can also be turned into a unique hat, lunch
box, or handbag to accessorize your mixer.

5

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a TAPCO Blend 6 mixer by Mackie. The
TAPCO family of mixers hails back to the days of TAPCO Corporation,
Greg Mackie’s fi rst company. TAPCO revolutionized the audio industry
back in 1969 with the very fi rst 6-channel mixer specifi cally designed
for keyboards and rock ‘N’ roll PA.

The fi rst TAPCO mixer, although primitive by today’s standards, was
truly innovative for its time. It had the headroom to handle screaming
singers, was priced for the pocketbook of starving psychedelic musical
neophytes, and durable enough to withstand mammoth levels of
wear and tear on the road, and at now-legendary concerts.

In essence, TAPCO re-defi ned the price performance ratio and made high-quality
professional audio mixers accessible to virtually anyone. Today, TAPCO is reborn with the
same ideals and is backed by the world-class engineering and manufacturing horsepower
of Mackie.

This compact mixer is perfect for small to medium-sized live sound reinforcement
applications, keyboards and synths, video, and small-project studio applications.

Here’s a quick glance at all the features packed into this mixer:

TAPCO version of Greg

2 mono mic/line channels, with:

• Variable input trim (+3 to +50 dB for microphones,

and –22 to +25 dB for line-level inputs)

• Phantom power (globally switched)

• Level Set indicator LED

• XLR microphone input jack

• 1/4" TRS instrument line input jack

• Pre-fader aux (monitor) send

• Post-fader aux (effects) send

• 2-band EQ

• Pan control

• Rotary level control

2 stereo line channels, with:

• Left and right 1/4" TRS line input jacks

• Pre-fader aux (monitor) send

• Post-fader aux (effects) send

• 2-band EQ

• Pan control

• Rotary level control

Master section, with:

• Rotary stereo Main Mix control

• Balanced 1/4" TRS stereo main outputs

• 8-segment stereo LED VU metering

• 1/4" TRS Aux 1/Monitor send

• 1/4" TRS Aux 2/Effects send

• Two rotary stereo aux return controls (To Mains and

To Monitors)

• RCA tape out

• RCA tape in

• Master +48V phantom power switch with LED

indicator

• Left and Right 1/4" TRS Control Room outputs with
Level control

• Stereo 1/4" TRS Headphone output with Level
control

• Power LED indicator

• Inter-Planetary Space Drive control

• OK, we made that last one up, but we can pencil

it in for next time

6

TAPCO van (a.k.a. micro bus)