Mackie 1202-VLZ3 Musical Instrument User Manual
Contents
1. 393006 a LNO tiv lt 1210 amp XIN 144 0106 M wo NIVIA 4 XIN 444 03 3100 Iva apog o mm 1110 va 110 ca 1100 34 Gz OG 635 APP LEK wo S gt gt CEP m 401 13NNVH2 ONOW AUX SEND 2 POST AUX SEND 1 POST AUX SEND 1 PRE LOGIC SOLO AUR ALT L Ne 13471 J336N p T3NNVHO 044316 1NI IN MACKIE 1202 VLZ5 BLOCK DIAGRAM 5 06 ur 33M04 WOLNVHA Owner s Manual 7 XIN 5 Wood 112 13441 aPZl XVW aPZl 8 8 8 8 8 8 pum pe pum pet Enos O 1OS OTOS 9 aioe a2. OR UNBAL UNEAL e e uNEINS 6 LNEIN7 8 LINEIN9 10_ LINEIN 11 12 AUX AUX Us AUX Us AUX AUX AUX Us AUX AUX AUX1 MASTER RETURNS MUDD co s wo to s vo co d HS co 0 n M n m SEND 2 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 iH vo Hs vo Hs x s s wo HS eo 2 EQ SNN EQ EQ hah EQ NN EQ EQ p EQ Power rate D jG p quy p p 2 quy D SOREL LEFT RIGHT sag MS rns DN DN DN Ed d ROOM Er Ue zr mr 0 o 0 0 St 5 MAI MX pen m n m 5 ALT 34 0 As As HS Mss ses Put 5 0 2 0 gt gt PAN PAN zan PAN PAN PAN PAN zat p 0 4 0 UR UR UR Br H 9 9 SUBMIX 128 MAIN MACKIE e 2 1202 VLZ3 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 dry cloth C gt Do not block any ventilation openings Install in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions 8 Do not install near any heat sources such as
3. gt TO AUX SEND 2 LEVEL C Uses AUX 1 KNOB SN TO AUX SEND 1 LEVEL v AUX SEND 1 PRE POST SWITCH IN MASTER SECTION Owner s Manual 5 3 Output Section SEND STEREO U RETURNS 20 PRE POST AUX 1 U mE E RETURN TO 20 POWER LEFT RIGHT OdB 0dBu Q 2 p cup D 10 Q CONTROL SOLO LIGHT U 12dB ROOM SUBMIX MAIN MIX 32 MAIN MIX This knob controls the levels of signals sent to the main outputs XLR 13 and 1 4 11 and RCA TAPE OUTPUT 10 channels and STEREO RETURNS 7 that are not muted or turned fully down will wind up in the main mix Fully counterclockwise is off the center detent is unity gain and fully clockwise provides 12 dB of addi tional gain This additional gain will typically never be needed but once again it s nice to know it s there This is the knob to turn down at the end of the song when you want The Great Fade Out 1202 VLZ3 33 CONTROL ROOM SOURCE MATRIX Typically the engineer sends the main mix to an audience if live or a mixdown deck if recording But what if the engineer in the control room needs to hear something other than the main mix With the 1202 VLZ3 the engineer has several choices of what to listen to This is one of those tricky parts so brace yourself Via these SOURCE switches y
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5. n Xnv n on Xnv n Xnv n l LL NI ANI 01 6 NI ANI 8 NI 3NI1 9 6 NI eps aps 8 8 L 09 0 0 0 a ap My ow n ow a oe ies sare Tos iva iva iva va 9 o o oal 1 1 ONOW ONOW ONOW ONOW NIVIA awas XNV 165 Ix ONON L1 LI E1 CI El EI EI EI EI EI ET ET Lrs OJO 221 4 1 3dVl Hv8Nn 1va TY ONOW 1 Track Sheet NOISS3S TvaNn 1v8 ZU COCL 1202 VLZ3 Limited Warranty Please keep your sales receipt in a safe place A LOUD Technologies Inc warrants all materials workmanship and proper operation of this product for a period of three years from the original date of purchase If any defects are found in the materials or workmanship or if the product fails to function properly during the applicable warranty period LOUD Technologies at its option will repair or replace the product This warranty applies only to equipment sold and delivered within the U S by LOUD Technologies Inc or its authorized dealers B Failure to register online or return the product registration card will not void the three year warranty C Service and repairs of Mackie products are to be performed only at a factory authorized facility see D below Unauthorized service repairs or modification will void this warranty To obtain rep
6. LINE IN 5 6 LINE IN 7 8 LINE IN 9 10 LINE IN 11 12 7 STEREO RETURNS This is where you connect the outputs of your par allel effects devices or extra audio sources These balanced inputs are similar to the stereo LINE IN 2 inputs without EQ Aux Sends Pan Mute and Solo The circuits will handle stereo or mono balanced or unbalanced signals either instrument level 10 dBV or 4 dBu They can be used with just about any pro or semipro effects device on the market The signals com ing into these inputs can be adjusted using the STEREO RETURN 40 knobs before passing onto the main mix bus see page 19 One Device If you have just one parallel effects device two cords use STEREO RETURN 1 and leave STEREO RETURN 2 unplugged That way the unused STEREO RETURN 2 level control can be used to feed STEREO RETURN 1 to your stage monitors via the RETURN TO AUX 1 41 switch Mono Device If you have an effects device with a mono output one cord plug that into STEREO RETURN 1 L MONO and leave STEREO RETURN 1 RIGHT unplugged This way the signal will be sent to both sides magically appearing in the center as a mono signal This won t work with STEREO RETURN 2 you ll need a Y cord 8 AUX SEND 1 amp 2 The AUX SEND 31 knobs tap a portion of each channel s signal to provide an output here to feed exter nal parallel effects processors or stage monitoring See the AUX SEND details on page 15
7. These 1A jacks are balanced outputs capable of de livering 22 dBu into a 600 ohm balanced or unbalanced load 9 TAPE INPUT These RCA jacks are designed to work with semipro as well as pro recorders To compensate for typically low levels signals coming in here will be automatically boosted by 6 dB Connect your tape recorder s outputs here using standard hi fi RCA cables 1202 VLZ3 Use these jacks for convenient tape playback of your mixes You ll be able to review a mix and then rewind and try another pass without repatching or disturbing the mixer levels You can also use these jacks with a portable tape or CD player to feed music to a PA system between sets WARNING Engaging both the TAPE and ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX buttons in the CON TROL ROOM SOURCE 33 matrix can create a feedback path between TAPE INPUT and TAPE OUT PUT Make sure your tape deck is not in record record pause or input monitor mode when you engage these switches or make sure the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX 34 level knob is fully counterclockwise off VERY IMPORTANT 10 TAPE OUTPUT These unbalanced RCA connections tap the main mix output to make simultaneous recording and PA work more convenient Connect these to your recorder s inputs See also MAIN MIX 32 on page 16 Mono Out If you want to feed a mono signal to your tape deck or other device simply use an RCA Y cord to combine these outputs Do not attempt this with any other out
8. PAN 14 CONSTANT 1000 551 1 14 tineis ees 14 p LOW qoc m 14 28 14 29 15 MODERATION DURING 15 30 AUX 2 SEND ctia cinis Seo too 15 31 AUX 1 SEND m 15 Output Section meme 16 32 16 33 CONTROL ROOM SOURCE MATRIX 16 34 CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX 16 WORD ABOUT PRE FADER SOLO PFL 17 35 RUDE SOLO 16 17 36 ASSIGN TO MAIN 17 37 METERS MANY DISPLAYS IN ONE 17 36 PRE or POST AUX 1 18 39 AUX 1 18 40 STEREO 18 41 RETURN TO AUX 1 19 19 Appendix A Service Information 20 Appendix B Connections enn 21 Appendix C Technical Information 24 Mrs 24 Block 25 o f e 26 1202 VLZ3 Limited 27 Owner s Manual 5 S JOU A yenueyy Hookup Diagrams 1202 V Mono Compressor
9. So OR In ae Out Stereo XI EID ie in Out S Stereo Guitar I es e Digital Delay 2 Multi Effect Processor 5 amp THNNVH ru Ma Keyboard or other line level input SEND STEREO RETURN AUX D Tape Player Pin DO cpm ake a 2 Headphones for Studio Studio Monitore for Studio Studio Monitore Headphone Distribution Amp Recording System Le 1202 VLZ3 p 4 Bass Guitar Way cooler Guitar dad Guitar dad bought bought you your kid brother for your for his birthday birthday Vocal Mics oe Stereo Compressor Q 2 N XI or CORO KG Keyboard or other line level input STEREO RETURNS CHANNEL INSERTS EJ AUX SEND SLAdNI E ALT 3 4 OUT INOOH 15139 S3NOHd 1f10 3dV L NI gt Tape Player o S record J QS d EO Headphones SRM450 Powered Speaker This setup can be easily reconfigured to become a Mono PA setup A X Stereo sources should feed the left mono side of channel input only B Paneach channel hard left C Connect Mono system to Left main output SWAI1501 Powered Subwoofer Mono EQ UMO o 7 gt gt 0 In Mono Compressor C ye Out CU je In Multi Effect
10. the form of a dated copy of the original dealer s invoice or sales receipt Final determination of warranty coverage lies solely with LOUD Technologies Any products returned to one of the LOUD Technologies factory authorized service centers and deemed eligible for repair or replacement under the terms of this warranty will be repaired or replaced within thirty days of receipt LOUD Technologies and its authorized service centers may use refurbished parts for repair or replacement of any product Products returned to LOUD Technologies that do not meet the terms of this Warranty will not be repaired unless payment is received for labor materials return freight and insurance Products repaired under warranty will be returned freight prepaid by LOUD Technologies to any location within the boundaries of the USA SASUMO G LOUD Technologies warrants all repairs performed for 90 days or for the remainder of the warranty period This warranty does not extend to damage resulting from improper installation misuse neglect or abuse or to exterior appearance This warranty is recognized only if the inspection seals and serial number on the unit have not been defaced or removed H LOUD Technologies assumes no responsibility for the quality or timeliness of repairs performed by an authorized service center I This warranty is extended to the original purchaser and to anyone who may subsequently purchase this product wi
11. tions and it helps to conserve amplifier power Another way to consider low cut s function is that it actually adds flexibility during live performances With the addition of low cut you can safely use low equaliza tion on vocals Many times bass shelving EQ can really benefit voices Trouble is adding low EQ also boosts stage rumble mic handling clunks and breath pops Applying low cut removes all those problems so you can add low EQ without losing a woofer Here s what the combination of low EQ and low cut looks like in terms of frequency curves 15 5 10 10 5 5 5 10 40 5 cines alas tede eee eee ac 6 20 100 the TOk 20k 20 100 LS 10 20k Low Cut Low Cut with Low EQ 4 GAIN Channels 1 4 If you haven t already please read the Level Setting Procedure on page 3 GAIN adjusts the input sensitivity of the mic and line inputs connected to channels 1 through 4 This allows signals from the outside world to be adjusted to optimal internal operating levels If the signal originates through the i U XLR jack there will be 0 dB of gain with the knob fully down ramping to 60 dB 07820 of gain fully up 15dB 45dB GAIN Through the 1A input there is 15
12. ALT those channels 41 RETURN TO AUX 1 If you want to add reverb or delay to the stage monitor mixes of AUX 1 this is the switch for you With the switch up STEREO RETURN 1 and 2 behave normally they deliver their signals into the main mix With the switch down STEREO RETURN 1 still behaves normally but STEREO RETURN 2 will feed AUX SEND 1 instead of the main mix Still with us Good So far with the switch down we have STEREO RETURN 1 feeding the main mix and STEREO RETURN 2 feeding AUX SEND 1 Now sup pose you only have one effects device and you want it to feed both the MAIN MIX and AUX SEND 1 That s where jack normalling comes in JACK NORMALLING Jack normalling not to be confused with Jack Normalling Chicago Cubs utility infielder 1952 61 267 LBA is a feature found on almost every mixer keyboard and effects device These jacks have special spring loaded pins that connect to the signal pins but when something is plugged into the jack that connection is broken These normalling pins can be used in all sorts of ways The ubiquitous phrase LEFT MONO means that if you plug a signal into the LEFT side and have nothing in the RIGHT side that signal is also fed to the right input courtesy of jack normalling soon as you plug some thing in the RIGHT side that normalled connection is broken How does all this relate to the RETURN TO AUX 1 41 switch STEREO RETURN 1 s inputs are norma
13. Processor Stage Monitors Mono Power Amplifier SRM450 Powered Speaker SWAI501 Powered Subwoofer Live Stereo PA System Owner s Manual 1202 VLZ3 Patchbay Description ALL BAL UNBAL INPUT OUIPUT 2424 1202 VLZ3 PREMIUM MIC LINE MIXER 214 LINE IN 5 6 LINE IN 7 8 LINE IN 9 10 LINE IN 11 12 At the risk of stating the obvious this is where you plug everything in microphones line level instruments and effects headphones and the ultimate destination for your sound a tape recorder PA system etc See Appendix B for further details and drawings of the connectors you can use with the 1202 VLZ3 Also see the Channel Strip description on page 18 for details of the signal routing from the XLR and Line inputs 1 MIC INPUTS Channels 1 4 We use phantom powered balanced microphone inputs just like the big studio mega consoles for exactly the same reason This kind of circuit is excellent at re jecting hum and noise You can plug in almost any kind of mic that has a standard XLR male mic connector Professional ribbon dynamic and condenser mics will all sound excellent through these inputs The 1202 VLZ3 s mic inputs will handle any kind of mic level you can toss at them wit
14. TEN CHIN RIGHT 2006 gt AND THE NG MAN S RE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNO PATENT PENDING 17 1 SASUMO loed channels or the Tape input The volume is adjust able with the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX 34 knob These balanced outputs are capable of delivering 22 dBu into a 600 ohm balanced or unbalanced load 16 ALT 3 4 OUTPUT These 14 outputs are the sum of any channels that have the MUTE ALT 3 4 25 switch pressed in see page 19 for the tender details These balanced outputs are capable of delivering 22 dBu into a balanced or unbalanced load 17 CHANNEL INSERT Channels 1 4 These rear panel jacks are where you connect serial effects such as compressors equalizers de essers or filters Since most people don t have more than a few of these gadgets we ve included inserts for just the first four channels If you want to use this kind of process ing on channels 5 through 12 simply patch through the processor before you plug into the 1202 VLZ3 The channel insert points are after the GAIN 4 and LOW CUT 3 controls but before the channel s EQ 27 and LEVEL 23 controls The send tip is low impedance 120 ohms capable of driving any line level device The return ring is high impedance over 2 5 k ohms and can be driven by almost any device SEND to puse ring m 5 plug This plug connects to one of the 2 Channel Insert
15. and AUX 2 are post LOW CUT post EQ and post LEVEL That is the sends obey the settings of these controls AUX 1 in PRE mode follows the EQ and LOW CUT settings only and LEVEL have no effect on the PRE send see diagram below LEVEL PAN mu INPUT gt GAIN io CUT INSERT Pre vs Post Each AUX send level ranges from off through unity the center detent position on up to 15 dB of extra gain when turned fully clockwise Chances are you ll never need this extra gain but it s nice to know it s there if you do S JOUAA Channel 5 12 AUX knobs control the mono sum of the channel s stereo signals for each AUX send For instance channel 5 L and 6 R mix together to feed that channel s AUX send knobs We recommend going into a stereo reverb in mono and returning in stereo We have found that on most stereo reverbs the second input just ties up an extra AUX send and adds nothing to the sound There are exceptions so feel free to try it both ways If your effects device is true stereo all the way through use AUX 1 to feed its left input and AUX 2 to feed the right input Jenueyw Still with us Good for you Here come the tricky parts the output or master section where the mixing is really done We have even started it on a new page MAIN ALT POST SIGNAL OBEYS d MUTE STATUS AUX 2 Signal Flow Diagram POST SIGNAL SIGNAL
16. extra gain when turned fully clockwise When MAIN MIX is your control room source selec tion those signals will now pass through two level con trols on the way to your control room amp and phones the MAIN MIX 32 knob and this CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX knob This way you can send a nice healthy level to the main output MAIN MIX knob at U and a quiet level to the control room or phones CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX knob wherever you like it When ALT 3 4 or is selected or SOLO 24 is engaged the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX knob will be the only one controlling these levels channel controls not withstanding Whatever your selection you can also use the CON TROL ROOM 15 outputs for other applications Its sound quality is just as impeccable as the MAIN OUTS 11 and 13 It can be used as additional main mix output which may sound silly since there are already three but this one has its own level control However should you do something like this be sure that you do not engage a SOLO switch as that will interrupt your SOURCE selection A WORD ABOUT PRE FADER SOLO PFL Engaging a channel s SOLO 24 switch will cause this dramatic turn of events Any existing control room source selections will be replaced by the solo signal appearing in the control room headphones and in the right meter The audible solo levels are then controlled by the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX 34 knob The solo levels appearing on the right met
17. lowest note you never heard Peaking means that certain frequencies form a hill around the center frequency 2 5 kHz in the case of the MID EQ 27 LOW EQ This control gives you up to 15 dB boost or cut below 80 Hz The circuitis flat no boost or cut at the center detent position This frequency represents the punch in bass drums bass E 100 106 20 guitar fat synth patches Low EQ and some really serious male singers 0 Used in conjunction with the LOW CUT 3 switch you can boost the LOW EQ without injecting a ton of Wee 1 subsonic debris into the Low EQ with Low Cut mix 28 MID EQ Short for midrange 4 this knob provides 15 dB of boost or cut centered at 2 5 kHz also flat at the cen y ter detent Midrange EQ E is often thought of as the LICHE 1 1 most dynamic because the Mid EQ frequencies that define any particular sound are almost always found in this range You can create many interesting and useful EQ changes by turning this knob down as well as up 29 HI EQ This control gives you up to 15 dB boost or cut above 12 kHz a
18. 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 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 INSID
19. 1202 VLZ3 12 Channel Mic Line Mixer OWNER S MANUAL POWER ON 100 120 Soomtv250VSLO BLO 2202400 2501250810810 ur CAUTION ro REDUCE THE OF FIRE REPLACE WITH CORRECT TYPE FUSE REMOVE POWER CORD BEFORE CHANGING VOLTAGE JONAC 120 MACKIE CAUTION WARNING ro enoc me msr fre on ace oo oor SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE PES UP TO BAN OA MISTE DOT GR ISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK ENEURE HESSE RES SRST OE 1202 VLZ3 AVIS ems onem premium mic suine mixer CAUTION ATTENTION XDR EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE MIC PREAMPLIFIERS ARE PROPRIETARY TO MACKIE DESIGNS INC CONTROL ALT xu MAIN ROOM CHANNEL INSERT TEND RNGRETUN 629844 Quos X G3 ce s DESIGNED BY MACKOIDS IN WOODINVILLE WA USA MANUFACTURED IN CHINA FABRIQUE EN CHINE COPYRIGHT 2006 MACKIE AND THE RUNNING FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC PATENT PENDING 1 1 1 1 1 ea 1 I EEE TAER IONS INPUT OUTPUT 22 1202 VLZ3 STEREO RETURNS AUX SEND OUT MONO BAL OR MONO BAL OR
20. 20 VAC 50 60 Hz 25 watts Fuse Rating 100 120V 500 mA slo blo 5 x 20 mm 220 240V 250 mA slo blo 5 x 20 mm Dimensions H x W x D 11 2 x 11 9 x 3 0 284 mm x 303 mm x 75 mm Weight 6 5 Ib 3 0 kg LOUD Technologies Inc is always striving to improve our prod ucts by incorporating new and improved materials components and manufacturing methods Therefore we reserve the right to change these specifications at any time without notice Mackie and the Running are registered trademarks of LOUD Technologies Inc All other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective hold ers and are hereby acknowledged 02006 LOUD Technologies Inc Rights Reserved Owner s Manual z ANAS xnv m XAY OL N NLIJ ie 1 0 WOO 1031NO2 LaNae xnv XIN e TaA31 1 1504 i 1431 1 0 y OL NOIGGV 0108 4 SANOHA f SS9Sr uaousr 988 000000000000 OOOOOOOOOOO00 XIW S3NOH 9WOO3T10HINOO 4410105 31100 3NH Nain OANAIS 0106 2
21. ABRIQUE EN CHINE COPYRIGHT 2006 MACKIE AND THE RUNNING MAN FIGURE ARE TRADEMARKS OF LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC PATENT PENDING 21 POWER SWITCH Press the top of this rocker switch inwards to turn on the mixer The power LED on the top surface of the mix er will glow with happiness or at least it will if you have the mixer plugged in to a suitable live AC mains supply 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 Mad Mike s Heavy Metal guitar solo might not be such a good time As a general guide you should turn on your mixer first before the power amplifier or powered speakers and turn it off last This will reduce the possibilities of any turn on or turn off thumps in your speakers 22 PHANTOM SWITCH This global rocker switch controls the phantom power supply for condenser microphones plugged into channel MIC 1 inputs see page 8 Press the top of the switch inwards to engage phan tom power to the four MIC inputs Press the bottom of the switch to turn it off When turned on or off the phantom power circuitry takes a few moments for voltage to ramp up or down This is perfectly normal Just like me Oh and my imagi nary friend Lazlo who helps me write all the manuals Say hello to the nice folks Lazlo Channel Strip Description The eight channel strips look alike and function iden tically The only diffe
22. E 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 ALA 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 quali
23. Hookup 5 6 Patchbay 8 1 MIC INPUTS Channels 1 4 8 2 LINE INPUTS Channels 1 4 8 3 LOW CUT Channels 1 4 9 4 GAIN Channels 1 4 9 5 STEREO LINE INPUTS e 9 6 IMAGINARY CONTROL 9 EFFECTS SERIAL OR PARALLEL 9 7 STEREO 10 8 AUX SEND 1 amp 2 taies 10 9 TAPE INPUT 10 10 OUTPUT 10 11 MAIN 5 10 12 PHONES 11 13 XLR MAIN 07 1 14 XLR MAIN OUTPUT LEVEL SWITCH 11 15 CONTROL 00 11 16 ALT 3 4 OUTPUT 11 17 CHANNEL INSERT Channels 1 4 11 18 POWER CONNECTION 12 19 12 20 VOLTAGE 1 12 21 POWER SWITCH 12 22 PHANTOM SWITCH 2 12 Channel Strip 13 U LIKE UNITY 13 pRMIIIO 13 24 PREFADER 010 13 25 MUTE MLT 3 4 13 26
24. airs under warranty you must have a copy of your sales receipt from the authorized Mackie dealer where you purchased the product It is necessary to establish the purchase date and determine whether your Mackie product is within the warranty period D To obtain factory authorized service 1 Call Mackie Technical Support at 800 898 3211 7 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday Pacific Time to get a Service Request Number Products returned without a Service Request Number will be refused 2 Pack the product in its original shipping carton Also include a note explaining exactly how to duplicate the problem a copy of the sales receipt with price and date showing and your return street address no P O boxes or route numbers please If we cannot duplicate the problem or establish the starting date of your Limited Warranty we may at our option charge for service time 3 Ship the product in its original shipping carton freight prepaid to the authorized service center The address of your closest authorized service center will be given to you by Technical Support IMPORTANT Make sure that the Service Request Number is plainly written on the shipping carton No receipt no warranty service E LOUD Technologies reserves the right to inspect any products that may be the subject of any warranty claims before repair or replacement is carried out LOUD Technologies may at our option require proof of the original date of purchase in
25. and Canada 800 898 3211 Europe Asia Central and South America 425 487 4333 Middle East and Africa 31 20 654 4000 Fax 425 487 4337 www mackie com E mail sales mackie com
26. asily be tricked into thinking that something is wrong with your mixer Hence the RUDE SOLO LIGHT It s especially handy at about 3 a m when no sound is coming out of your monitors but your multitrack is playing back like mad 36 ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX Let s say you re doing a live show Intermission is near ing and you ll want to play a soothing CD for the crowd to prevent them from eating the furniture Then you think But I have the CD player plugged into the TAPE inputs and that never gets to the MAIN OUTS Oh but it does Simply engage this switch and your control room source selection after going through the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX 34 knob will feed into the main mix just as if it were another stereo channel O S JOUAA Another handy use for this switch is to enable the ALT 3 4 mix to become a submix of the main mix using the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX knob as its level control Jenueyw Side effects 1 Engaging this switch will also feed any soloed channels into the main mix which may be the last thing you want 2 If you have MAIN MIX as your control room source selection and then engage AS SIGN TO MAIN MIX the main mix lines to the control room will be interrupted to prevent feedback Then again why would anyone want to assign the main mix to the main mix 37 METERS MANY DISPLAYS IN ONE The 1202 VLZ3 s peak metering system is made up of two columns of twelve LEDs Deceptively simple consid ering
27. considerably in susceptibility 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 danger ous exposure to high sound pressure levels it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pres sure 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 Sound Level dBA Slow Response Duration Per Day In Hours Typical Example Duo in small club 8 6 4 Subway Train 3 2 Very loud classical music 15 1 Dave screaming at Steve about deadlines 0 5 0 25 or less Loudest parts at a rock concert WARNING To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock do not expose this apparatus fo rain or moisture We realize that you must be dying to try out your new 1202 VLZ3 All we ask is e Read This Page that you read this page NOW and the rest can wait until you re good and ready But do read it you ll b
28. dB of attenuation fully down and 45 dB of gain fully up with a U unity gain mark at 10 00 This 15 dB of attenuation can be very handy when you are inserting very hot signal or when you want to add a lot of EQ gain or both Without this virtual pad this scenario might lead to channel clipping 5 STEREO LINE INPUTS Channels 5 6 7 8 9 10 and 11 12 These fully balanced inputs are designed for stereo or mono balanced or unbalanced signals from 10 dBV to 4 dBu They can be used with just about any profes sional or semi pro instrument effect or tape player In the stereo audio world an odd numbered chan nel usually receives the left signal For example you would feed the 1202 VLZ3 s line inputs 5 6 a stereo signal by inserting the device s left output plug into the channel 5 jack and its right output plug into the chan nel 6 jack When connecting a mono device just one cord always use the LEFT MONO input jacks 5 7 9 or 11 and plug nothing into the RIGHT input jacks 6 8 10 or 12 this way the signal will appear on both sides This trick is called jack normalling 6 IMAGINARY CONTROL This control is purely a figment of our imagination It will come in handy after long hours of mixing when you really would like a nice cup of tea a vacation in Hawaii or a trip to the outer reaches of the Solar System This is the control for you Be thankful you bought a Mackie We love y
29. e glad you did WARNING Before you plug the AC power cord into the mixer make sure the VOLTAGE SELECTOR switch is set to the same voltage as your local AC mains supply see page 12 VERY IMPORTANT Level Setting Procedure Message to seasoned pros do not set levels using the old Turn the GAIN up until the clip light comes on then back off a hair trick When a Mackie mixer clip light comes on you really are about to clip We worked and slaved to come up with a better system one that provides low noise and high headroom Adjusting input levels Chs 1 4 only On the first four channels it s not even necessary to hear what you re doing to set optimal levels But if you d like to Plug headphones into the PHONES jack then set the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX knob about one quar ter of the way up The following steps must be performed one channel at a time 1 Turnthe GAIN LEVEL and AUX send knobs fully down counterclockwise Set the EQ knobs at the center detent Connect the signal source to the input Engage push in the SOLO switch Sr we Ge DS Play something into the selected input This could be an instrument a singing or speaking voice or a line input such as a CD player or tape recorder output Be sure that the volume of the input is the same as it would be during normal use If it isn t you might have to read just these levels during the middle of the set 6 Adjust the channel s GAIN control so t
30. er display are not con trolled by anything you wouldn t want that You want to see the actual channel level on the meter display regardless of how loud you re listening PRE FADER SOLO means that the channel signal is being tapped before the channel s LEVEL 23 knob not really a fader in this case but we were afraid you d laugh if we called it Pre Knob Solo It does however obey GAIN 4 LOW CUT 3 and EQ 27 settings making it the perfect tool for quick inspections of sus pect channels The channel s PAN 26 and MUTE ALT 3 4 25 settings have no effect on the solo signal Note For stereo channels 5 12 the solo signal is the mono sum of the left odd numbered and right even numbered signals for that channel strip WARNING PRE FADER SOLO 24 taps the channel signal before the LEVEL knob If you have a channel s LEVEL knob set below U unity gain SOLO won t know that and will send a unity gain signal to the control room phones and meter display that may result in a startling level boost at these outputs VERY IMPORTANT 35 RUDE SOLO LIGHT This flashing Light Emitting Diode serves two purpos es to remind you that at least one channel is in solo and to let you know that you re mixing on a Mackie No other company is so concerned about your level of solo awareness If you work on a mixer that has a solo func tion with no indicator lights and you happen to forget you re in solo you can e
31. fied service personnel Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way such as power supply cord or plug is damaged liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus the apparatus has been exposed 10 rain or moisture does not operate normally or has been dropped 15 This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no object filled with liquids such as vases or beer glasses shall be placed on the apparatus 16 This apparatus has been designed with Class construction and must be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing con nection the third grounding prong 17 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 18 This apparatus does not exceed the Class A Class B whichever is applicable limits for radio noise emissions trom digital apparatus as set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications ATTENTION Le pr sent appareil num rique n met pas de bruits radio lectriques d passant las limites applicables aux appareils num riques de dass A de class B selon le cas prescrites dans le r glement sur le brouillage radio lectrique dict par les ministere des communications du Canada 19 Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing loss Individuals vary
32. h ALT3 4 12 use stereo controls and so they m may feel slightly different Not a r problem 24 PRE FADER SOLO This lovable switch allows you to hear signals through your head phones or control room without having to route them to the main mix or ALT 3 4 mix You don t even have to have the channel s LEVEL 23 knob turned up Folks use solo in live work to preview chan nels before they are let into the mix or to just check out what a particular channel is up to anytime during a session You can solo as many chan nels at a time as you like Solo is also the key player in the Level Setting Proce dure on page 3 Soloed channels are sent to the SOURCE mix which ultimately feeds your control room phones and meter display Whenever SOLO is engaged all SOURCE selec tions MAIN MIX ALT 3 4 and are defeated to allow the soloed signal to do just that solo WARNING PRE FADER SOLO taps the channel signal before the LEVEL knob If you have a channel s LEVEL knob set below U unity gain SOLO won t know that and will send unity gain signal to the control room phones and meter display That may result in a startling level boost at these outputs VERY IMPORTANT 25 MUTE ALT 3 4 The dual purpose MUTE ALT 3 4 bus is a Mackie signature When Greg was designing our first product he had to include a mute switch for each channel Mute switches do just what they sound like they do They turn off t
33. hat the display on the right LED meter stays around 0 and never goes higher than 7 lfyou dlike to apply some EQ do so now and return to step 6 8 Disengage that channel s SOLO switch 9 Repeat for each of channels 1 through 4 Part 0019814 Rev 92006 Technologies Inc Rights Reserved Only trained professional union stunt hamsters were used to staple this manual Other Nuggets of Wisdom For optimum sonic performance the channel LEVEL knobs and the MAIN MIX knob should be set near the U unity gain markings Always turn the MAIN MIX and CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX level controls down before making connections to and from your 1202 VLZ3 If you shut down your equipment turn off your ampli fier or powered speakers first When powering up turn them on last Save the shipping box You may need it someday Instant Mixing Here s how to get going right away assuming you have a microphone and a keyboard 1 Plug your microphone into channel 15 MIC input 2 Turnon the 1202 VLZ3 3 Perform the Level Setting Procedure 4 Connect cords from the MAIN OUTS XLR 1 4 or RCA your choice to your amplifier 5 Hook up speakers to the amp and turn it on 6 Turn up 1202 VLZ3 s channel 1 LEVEL knob to the center detent and the MAIN MIX knob one quarter of the way up Singlike a canary 8 Plugyour keyboard into stereo channel 5 6 9 Turnthat channel s LEVEL
34. he return from the unit to the mixer is on the ring Using the Send Only on an Insert Jack If you insert TS mono 1 4 plug only partially to the first click into a Mackie insert jack the plug will not activate the jack switch and will not open the insert loop in the circuit thereby allowing the channel signal to continue on its merry way through the mixer This allows you to tap out the channel or bus signal without interrupting normal operation If you push the 1A TS plug in to the second click you will open the jack switch and create a direct out which does interrupt the signal in that channel See Figure F on the next page NOTE Do not overload or short circuit the signal you are tapping from the mixer That will affect the internal signal Channel Insert jack MONO PLUG Direct out with no signal interruption to master Insert only to first click P MONO PLUG Direct out with signal interruption to master Insert all the way in to the second click LES LES Channel Insert RI For use ae an effecte loop SEND to effect RING RETURN from effect Vara Channel Insert jack Figure F Mackie Stereo Inputs and Returns Mono Stereo Whatever Stereo line inputs and stereo returns are a fine example of the Mackie philosophy which we just made up of Maximum Flexibility with Minimum Headache The inputs and returns will automatically be mono or stereo depending upon how you
35. he signal by routing it into oblivion Gee what waste Greg reasoned Why not have the mute button route the signal somewhere else useful like a sepa rate stereo bus So MUTE ALT 3 4 really serves two functions muting often used during a mixdown or live show and signal routing for multitrack and live work where it acts as an extra stereo bus To use this as a MUTE switch all you have to do is not use the ALT 3 4 16 outputs Then whenever you press this switch you will assign a channel to these un used outputs disconnecting it from the main mix and effectively muting the channel To use this as an ALT 3 4 switch all you have to do is connect the ALT 3 4 outputs to whatever destination you desire Here are two popular examples When doing multitrack recording use the ALT 9 4 outputs to feed your multitrack With most decks you can mult the 8 4 16 outputs using Y cords or mults to feed multiple tracks So take ALT OUTPUT L and send it to tracks 1 9 5 and 7 and ALT OUTPUT and send it to tracks 2 4 6 and 8 Now tracks that are in Record or Input modes will hear the ALT 3 4 signals and tracks in Playback or Safe modes will ignore them When doing live sound or mixdown it s often handy to control the level of several channels with one knob That s called subgrouping Simply assign these channels to the ALT 3 4 mix engage ALT 3 4 in the SOURCE 98 matrix and the signals will ap
36. hout overloading Be sure to perform the Level Setting Procedure on page 3 Not every instrument is made to connect directly to a mixer Guitars commonly need a Direct Injection DI box to connect to the mixer s MIC inputs These boxes convert unbalanced line level signals from your guitar into balanced mic level outputs and provide signal and impedance matching They also let you send your gifted guitar renditions over long cables or audio snakes with minimum interference and high frequency signal loss Ask your dealer or guitar maker about their recommen dations for a good DI box PHANTOM POWER Most modern professional condenser mics are equipped for phantom power which lets the mixer send low current DC voltage to the mic s electronics through the same wires that carry audio Semi pro condenser mics often have batteries to accomplish the same thing Phantom owes its name to an ability to be unseen by dynamic mics Shure 5 57 5 58 for instance which don t need external power and aren t affected by it anyway 1202 VLZ3 The 1202 VLZ3 s phantom power is globally controlled by the PHANTOM 22 switch on the rear panel This means the phantom power for channels 1 4 is turned on and off together Never plug single ended unbalanced microphones or instruments into the MIC 1 input jacks if the phantom power is on Do not plug instrument outputs into the MIC input jacks with phantom power on unless you k
37. im unity gain channel EQs flat all channels assigned to Main Mix channels 1 and 3 Pan left 2 and 4 Pan right Main Mix knob down channel Gain knobs down 100 dBu Main Mix knob unity channel Gain knobs down 86 5 dBu 90 dB Signal to Noise Ratio ref 4 dBu Main Mix knob unity channel Gain knobs unity 84 5 dBu Total Harmonic Distortion THD 1 kHz 35 dB gain 20 Hz 20 kHz bandwidth Mic pre insert 0 000796 Attenuation Crosstalk 1 kHz relative to 0 dBu 20 Hz 20 kHz bandwidth Line in 1 4 Main Out Trim unity Main Mix knob down 75 dBu Channel Alt Mute switch engaged 85 dBu Channel Gain knob down 87 dBu Frequency Response Mic input to any output 20 Hz to 60 kHz 0 dB 1 dB 20 Hz to 100 kHz 0 dB 3 dB Equivalent Input Noise EIN Mic in to Insert Send out max gain 150 ohm termination 129 5 dBu 20 Hz 20 kHz Common Mode Rejection Ratio CMRR Mic in to Insert Send out max gain 1 kHz better than 70 dB 1202 VLZ3 Maximum Levels Mic in 22 dBu Tape in 16 dBu other inputs 22 dBu Main Mix XLR out 28 dBu other outputs 22 dBu Impedances Mic in 2 5 kilohms Channel Insert return 2 5 kilohms other inputs 10 kilohms or greater Tape out 1 1 kilohms other outputs 120 ohms EQ High Shelving x15 dB 12 kHz Mid Peaking x15 dB Q 2 5 kHz Low Shelving 15 dB 80 Hz Power Consumption 91
38. ine cord We don t need them to repair the unit 4 Packthe unit in its original package including end caps and box This is VERY IMPORTANT Mackie is not responsible for any damage that occurs due to non factory packaging 5 Include a legible note stating your name shipping address no P O boxes daytime phone number Service Request Number a copy of your sales receipt and a detailed description of the problem including how we can duplicate it 6 Write the Service Request Number in BIG PRINT on top of the box Units sent without the SR number will be refused Tech Support will tell you where to ship the unit for repair We suggest insurance for all forms of cart age 8 You will need to contact the authorized service center for their latest turn around times The unit should be packaged in its original packing box and must have the Service Request Number on the box Once it s repaired the authorized service center will ship it back by ground shipping pre paid if it was a warranty repair Note Under the terms of the warranty you must ship or drop off the unit to an authorized service center The return ground shipment is covered for those units deemed by us to be under warranty Note You must have a sales receipt from an authorized Mackie dealer for your unit to be considered for warranty repair Appendix B Connections XLR Connectors Mackie mixers use 8 pin female XLR connectors on all
39. is in some circuits specifying circumstances where you are to insert the plug only partially See Special Mackie Connections on the next page Owner s Manual Im 1202 VLZ3 RCA Plugs and Jacks RCA type plugs also known as phono plugs and jacks are often used in home stereo and video equip ment and in many other applications Figure D They are unbalanced and electrically identical to a 1 4 TS phone plug or jack See Figure C Connect the signal to the center post and the ground earth or shield to the surrounding basket SLEEVE SLEEVE gt Figure D RCA Plug Unbalancing a Line In most studio stage and sound reinforcement situ ations there is a combination of balanced and unbal anced inputs and outputs on the various pieces of equipment This usually will not be a problem in making connections e When connecting a balanced output to an unbalanced input be sure the signal high hot connections are wired to each other and that the balanced signal low cold goes to the ground earth connection at the unbalanced input In most cases the balanced ground earth will also be connected to the ground earth at the unbalanced input If there are ground loop problems this connection may be left disconnected at the balanced end e When connecting an unbalanced output to a balanced input be sure that the signal high hot connections are wired to each other The unbalanced g
40. jacks RETURN from processor See Appendix B for details and drawings about Insert cables and a diagram showing three ways to use the jacks Besides being used for inserting external devices these jacks can also be used as channel direct outputs post GAIN post LOW CUT and pre EQ In fact Mackie mic preamps have become so famous that people buy these mixers just to have four of these in their arsenal Owner s Manual m 1202 VLZ3 100 120 500 250 POWER Zoo zov 250 250 V SLO BLO ON ANC CAUTION WARNING vivens o aerae svoo onu RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK A Vs SARE PS RESTO PERSONEL DO NOT OPEN SERIAL NUMBER MANUFACTURING DATE AVIS is uvam PREMIUM MIC LINE MIXER CAUTION crosses ATTENTION acera rmv rnc UTILSE UN FUSIBLE DE RECHANGE DE MEME TYPE CONTROL XDR EXTENDED DYNAMIC RANGE MIC PREAMPLIFIERS ARE PROPRIETARY MACKIE DESIGNS INC BAL UNBAL L CHANNEL INSERT BAL UNBAL PRE FADER PREEQ SEND RING RETURN R 4 L 3 4 amp 266 18 POWER CONNECTION Just in case you lose the cord provided with the 1202 VLZ3 its power jack accepts a standard 3 prong cord like those found on most professional recorders musical instruments and computers WARNING Before you pl
41. knob goes from off turned fully down to unity gain at the center detent with 10 dB of extra gain turned fully up As with some other level controls you may never need the additional gain but if you ever do you ll be glad you bought a Mackie This is usually the knob you turn up when the lead singer glares at you points at his stage monitor and sticks his thumb up in the air It would follow suit that if the singer stuck his thumb down you d turn the knob down but that never happens 40 STEREO RETURNS These two controls set the overall level of effects re ceived from STEREO RETURN 7 inputs 1 and 2 These controls are designed to handle a wide range of signal levels from off to unity gain at the detent with 20 dB gain fully clockwise to compensate for low level effects Typically these knobs can just live at the center detent and the effects device s output control should be set at whatever they call unity gain check their manual If that turns out to be too loud or too quiet adjust the effects device s outputs not the mixer That way the mixer s knobs are easy to relocate at the center detent Signals passing through these controls will proceed directly to main mix with one exception see paragraph below The STEREO RETURNS do not have MUTE ALT 3 4 switches so if you want these signals to get to the ALT 3 4 mix you ll have to patch the effects device s outputs into one of the stereo channels and MUTE
42. knob to the center detent 10 Play like a madman and sing like a canary It s your first mix Please write your serial number here for future reference i e insurance claims tech support return authorization make dad proud etc E Purchased at Date of purchase S JOUAA yenueyy Owner s Manual E 1202 VLZ3 Introduction Thank you for choosing a Mackie professional com pact mixer The 1202 VLZ3 is equipped with our pre cision engineered XDR Extended Dynamic Range premium studio grade mic preamp Now that you have your 1202 VLZ3 find out how to get the most from it That s where this manual comes in How To Use This Manval Since many of you folks will want to hook up your 1202 VLZ3 immediately the first pages you will en counter after the table of contents are the ever popular hookup diagrams These show typical mixer setups for Record Mixdown and Stereo PA After this section is a detailed tour of the entire mixer Every feature of the 1202 VLZ3 is described geographi cally in other words in order of where it is physically placed on the mixer s top or rear panel These descrip tions are divided into the first three sections just as your mixer is organized into three distinct zones Patchbay The patchbay along the top and back where you connect things Channel Strip The eight channel strips where you adjust each channel Output Section The output sectio
43. lanced mono circuits When wired as a bal anced connector a 1 4 TRS jack or plug is con nected tip to signal high hot ring to signal low cold and sleeve to ground earth Jenueyw e Unbalanced Send Return circuits When wired as a send return Y connector a 4 TRS jack or plug is connected tip to signal send output from mixer ring to signal return input back into mixer and sleeve to ground earth V4 TS Phone Plugs and Jacks TS stands for Tip Sleeve the two connections avail able on a mono 1A phone jack or plug See Figure C SLEEVE SLEEVE Figure TS Plug TS jacks and plugs are used in many different applications always unbalanced The tip is connected to the audio signal and the sleeve to ground earth Some examples Unbalanced microphones e Electric guitars and electronic instruments e Unbalanced line level connections Switched 1 4 Phone Jacks Switches can be incorporated into 14 phone jacks which are activated by inserting the plug These switch es may open an insert loop in a circuit change the input routing of the signal or serve other functions Mackie uses switches in the channel insert and bus insert jacks input jacks and stereo returns We also use these switches to ground the line level inputs when nothing is plugged into them In most cases the plug must be inserted fully to activate the switch Mackie takes advantage of th
44. lled to STEREO RETURN 2 If you have one effects device plug it into STEREO RETURN 1 Plug nothing into STEREO RETURN 2 Now the signals feeding the STEREO RETURN 1 inputs will also be sent to the STEREO RETURN 2 inputs L MONO R ALL BAL UNBAL 22 _ STEREO RETURNS AUXSENDI RETURNS AUX SEND Engage the RETURN TO AUX 1 switch and now the STEREO RETURN 2 knob will become an additional AUX SEND 1 knob for the signal at AUX RETURN 1 Say that ten times Once again AUX RETURN 1 will behave normally as always Congratulations You ve just read about all the fea tures of your 1202 VLZ3 You re probably ready for a cold one Go ahead The rest of the manual can wait Owner s Manual O 5 JOUAA Jenueyw T2012 V LES Appendix A Service Information Warranty Service Details concerning the Limited Warranty are spelled out on page 27 of this manual If you think your 1202 VLZ3 has a problem please check out the following troubleshooting tips and do your best to confirm the problem Visit the Support section of our website www mackie com where you will find lots of useful information such as FAQs documentation and user forums You may find the answer to the problem without having to send your mixer away Troubleshooting Bad Channel e 5 the MUTE ALT 8 4 switch in the correct position e 5 the LEVEL knob turned up e Try unplugging any INSERT devices Channels 1 4 only e Try the same s
45. microphone inputs with pin 1 wired to the grounded earthed shield pin 2 wired to the high hot or positive polarity side of the audio signal and pin 3 wired to the low cold or negative polarity side of the signal See Figure A This is all totally aboveboard and in full accord with the hallowed standards dictated by the AES Audio Engineering Society Use a male XLR type connector usually found on the nether end of what is called a mic cable to connect to a female XLR jack Figure A XLR Connectors V4 TRS Phone Plugs and Jacks TRS stands for Tip Ring Sleeve the three connections available on a stereo 1 4 or balanced phone jack or plug See Figure B TRS jacks and plugs are used in several different ap plications RING HEINE SLEEVE RING TIP RING TIP SLEEVE Figure B 14 TRS Plugs e Stereo Headphones and rarely stereo micro phones and stereo line connections When wired for stereo a 1 4 TRS jack or plug is connected tip to left ring to right and sleeve to ground earth Mackie mixers do not directly accept 1 plug type stereo microphones They must be separated into a left cord and a right cord which are plugged into the two mic preamps O You can cook up your own adapter for a stereo microphone adapter Y two cables out of a female 1A TRS jack to two male XLR plugs one for the Right signal and one for the Left 5 JO9UAA e Ba
46. n on the right Throughout these sections you ll find illustrations with each feature numbered If you re curious about feature simply locate it on the appropriate illustration notice the number attached to it and find that number in the nearby paragraphs This icon marks information that is critically important or unique to the 1202 VLZ3 For your own good read them and remember them They will be on the final test 5 This icon will lead you to in depth explana tions of features and practical tips While not mandatory they usually have some valuable nuggets of information VERY IMPORTANT Appendix A is a section on troubleshooting and repair information Appendix B is a section on connectors XLR connec tors TRS balanced connectors TS unbalanced connec tors and Insert connectors Appendix C shows the technical specifications and a block diagram showing the internal signal path and general goings on within the mixer Need help with your new mixer Visit www mackie com and click Support to find FAQs Frequently Asked Questions manuals addendums and user forums e Email us at techmail mackie com Telephone 1 800 898 3211 to speak with one of our splendid technical support representatives Monday through Friday from 7 a m to 5 p m PST 1202 VLZ3 Contents Important Safety Instructions 2 Read This Page 3 itodo chioscain 4
47. nd it is also flat E at the detent Use it to add sizzle to cymbals and an 5 overall sense oftranspar ency or edge to keyboards vocals guitar and bacon frying Turn it down a little to reduce sibilance or to hide tape hiss 10 20k MODERATION DURING EQ With EQ you can also screw things up royally We ve designed a lot of boost and cut into each equalizer cir cuit because we know everyone will occasionally need that But if you max the EQs on every channel you ll get mix mush Equalize subtly and use the left sides of the knobs cut as well as the right boost Very few gold record album engineers ever use more than about 3 dB of EQ If you need more than that there s usually a better way to get it such as placing a mic differently or using a different kind of mic entirely 30 AUX 2 SEND 31 AUX 1 SEND These knobs allow you to tap a portion of each chan nel signal out to another source for parallel effects processing or stage monitoring AUX send levels are con trolled by these knobs and by the AUX 1 MASTER 39 These are more than just effects and monitor sends They can be used to generate separate mixes for record ing or mix minuses for broadcast By using AUX 1 in the PRE mode these mix levels can be obtained inde pendently of the channel s LEVEL control AUX 1 in post mode
48. now for certain it is safe to do so VERY IMPORTANT VERY IMPORTANT 2 LINE INPUTS Channels 1 4 These four line inputs share circuitry but not phan tom power with the mic preamps and can be driven by balanced or unbalanced sources at almost any level You can use these inputs for virtually any signal you ll come across from instrument levels as low as 40 dB to operating levels of 10 dBV to 4 dBu since there is 40 dB more gain available than on channels 5 12 To connect balanced lines to these inputs use a 1 4 Tip Ring Sleeve TRS plug the type found on stereo headphones To connect unbalanced lines to these inputs use 1 4 mono TS phone plug or standard instrument cable The LINE IN inputs 1 4 are good place to connect older instruments that need more gain You can correct weak levels by adjusting the corresponding channel s GAIN control 3 LOW CUT Channels 1 4 Each LOW CUT switch often referred to as a High Pass Filter all depends on how you look at it cuts bass frequencies below 75 Hz at a rate of 18 dB per octave We recommend that you use low cut on every micro phone application except kick drum bass guitar bassy synth patches or recordings of earthquakes These aside there isn t much down there that you want to hear and filtering it out makes the low stuff you do want much more crisp and tasty Not only that but low cut can help reduce the possibility of feedback in live situa
49. o connections y to Land R inputs the PAN knob QU works like the balance control NT on your home stereo W PAN determines the fate of the main mix and ALT 3 4 mix a v5 With the PAN knob hard left rx the signal will feed either MAIN OUT L bus 1 or ALT OUTPUT LR L bus 3 depending on the 1 position of the ALT 3 4 switch MUTE With the knob hard right the signal feeds MAIN OUT R bus i o 2 or ALT OUTPUT R bus 4 U 1202 VLZ3 CONSTANT LOUDNESS The 1202 VLZ3 s PAN controls employ a design called Constant Loudness It has nothing to do with living next to an all night disco As you turn the PAN 26 knob from left to right thereby causing the sound to move from the left to the center to the right the sound will appear to remain at the same volume or loudness If you have a channel panned hard left or right and reading 0 dB it must dip down about 4 dB on the left right when panned center To do otherwise the way Brand X compact mixers do would make the sound appear much louder when panned center 3 BAND EQ The 1202 VLZ3 has 3 band equalization at carefully selected points LOW shelving at 80 Hz MID peaking at 2 5 kHz and HI shelving at 12 kHz Shelving means that the circuitry boosts or cuts all frequencies past the specified frequency For example rotating the LOW EQ knob 15 dB to the right boosts bass starting at 80 Hz and continuing down to the
50. ou can choose to listen to any combination of main mix ALT 3 4 and Tape By now you probably know what the main mix is ALT 3 4 is that additional stereo mix bus Tape is the stereo signal coming in from the TAPE INPUT 9 jacks Selections made in the source matrix deliver stereo signals to the control room phones and meter display With no switches engaged there will be no signal at these outputs and no meter indication The exception is the solo function Regardless of the source selection engaging a channel s SOLO 24 switch will replace that selection with the solo signal also sent to the control room phones and right meter the left meter becomes inactive This is what makes the Level Setting Procedure so easy to do WARNING Engaging both the TAPE and ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX 36 buttons can create a feedback path between TAPE INPUT 9 and TAPE OUTPUT 10 Make sure your tape deck is not in record record pause or input monitor mode when you engage these switches or make sure the CON TROL ROOM SUBMIX 34 level knob is fully counter clockwise off VERY IMPORTANT Now you know how to select the signals to send to the engineer s control room or phones From there these signals all pass through the same level control 34 CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX This knob controls the levels of both the stereo CON TROL ROOM 15 and PHONES 12 outputs The con trol range is from off through unity gain at the detent with 10 dB of
51. ou man EFFECTS SERIAL OR PARALLEL The next two sections toss the terms serial and parallel around like hacky sacks Here s what we mean by them Serial means that the entire signal is routed through the effects device Examples compressor limiters graphic equalizers Line level sources can be patched through a serial effects device before or after the mixer or preferably through the insert jacks located on the rear panel CHANNEL INSERT 17 send return Processed Signal Insert Return 0 0 Insert Send Dry Signal e g Compressor Parallel means that a portion of the signal in the mixer is tapped off to the device AUX SEND pro cessed and returned to the mixer STEREO RETURN to be mixed with the original dry signal This way multiple channels can all make use of the same effects device Examples reverb digital delay Aux Aux Output Send Keturn Section 0 0 7 Signal Processor e g Reverb Wet Signal P Mix Processed Pa 2 Channel Path Stage Signal Dry Signal s Dry Signal s Owner s Manual 5 S JOUAA Jenueyw 1202 VL Z3 L 2 TAPE INPUT OUTPUT STEREO AUX SEND OUT PREMIUM MIC LINE MIXER MONO MONO ES BAL BAL R o e o
52. ource signal in another channel set up exactly like the suspect channel Bad Output e 5 the associated level knob if any turned up e If it s one of the MAIN OUTS try unplugging all the others For example if it s the 1 4 Left Main out unplug the RCA and XLR Left outputs If the problem goes away its not the mixer e If it s a stereo pair try switching them around For example if a left output is presumed dead switch the left and right cords at the mixer end If the problem switches sides it s not the mixer Noise e Turn the channel LEVEL and AUX RETURN knobs down one by one If the sound disap pears it s either that channel or whatever is plugged into it so unplug whatever that is If the noise disappears it s from your whatever Power e Unplug the power cord and check the fuse 1202 VLZ3 Repair Service for Mackie products is available at a factory authorized service center Service for Mackie products living outside the United States can be obtained through local dealers or distributors If your 1202 VLZ3 needs service follow these instructions 1 Review the preceding troubleshooting suggestions Please 2 Call Tech Support at 1 800 898 3211 7 am to 5 pm PST to explain the problem and request a Service Request Number Have your serial number ready You must have an Service Request Number before you can obtain warranty service 3 Keep this owner s manual and the detachable l
53. ow Owner s Manual 1202 VLZ3 At the risk of creating another standard Mackie s compact mixers address the need of both crowds by calling things as they are 0 dBu 0 775 V at the output shows as 0 dB VU on the METERS What could be easier By the way the most wonderful thing about standards is that there are so many to choose from Remember audio meters are just tools to help assure you that your levels are in the ballpark You don t have to stare at them unless you want to A Word About Aux First of all there is no particular alliance between AUX SEND 1 or 2 and STEREO RETURN 1 or 2 They re just numbers They re like two complete strang ers SENDS are outputs RETURNS are inputs The chan nel AUX 30 and 31 knobs tap the signal off the chan nel and sends it to the AUX SEND 8 outputs AUX 1 signal is sent to the AUX 1 MASTER 39 knob before going to the AUX SEND 1 8 output and the AUX 2 signal goes directly to the AUX SEND 2 8 output ow 7 LL 8 POST 70 0 20 RNS POWER LEFT RIGHT OdB 0dBu Q 2 Q cup 09 0 60 7 6 CONTROL M RUDE SOLO LIGHT U 12dB CTL ROOM SUBMIX MAIN MIX 1202 VLZ3 These outputs can be fed to the inputs of a reverb or other device From there the outputs of this external device are fed back to the mixer s STEREO RETURN 7 jacks Then these signals are sent th
54. pear at the CON S JO9UAA Jenueyw Owner s Manual 3 1202 VLZ3 TROL ROOM 15 and PHONES 12 outputs If you want the ALT 3 4 signals to go back into the main mix engage the ASSIGN TO MAIN MIX 36 switch and the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX 34 level control becomes the one knob to control the levels of all the channels assigned to ALT 8 4 Another way to do the same thing is assign the chan nels to the ALT 3 4 mix then patch out of the ALT 3 4 OUTPUT 16 back into an unused stereo channel LINE INPUT 2 If that s your choice don t ever engage the MUTE ALT 3 4 switch on that stereo channel or you ll have every dog in the neighborhood howling at your feedback loop Another benefit of the ALT 3 4 feature is that it can act as SIP Solo In Place just engage a channel s MUTE ALT 3 4 switch and the ALT 3 4 switch in the SOURCE matrix and you ll get that channel all by itself in the control room and phones MUTE ALT 8 4 is one of those controls that can bewil der newcomers so take your time and play around with it Once you ve got it down you ll probably think of a hundred uses for it gt AUX 26 PAN 1 PAN adjusts the amount of co 18 channel signal sent to the left versus the right outputs On C 2 mono channels ch 1 4 or 15 5 12 with connections to the L EO input only these controls act QU 101 as pan pots On stereo channels reset 5 12 with stere
55. puts on the 1202 VLZ3 11 4 MAIN OUTS These outputs feed the main mix out into the waiting world You can feed your amplifiers this way or through the XLR MAIN OUTS 13 These balanced outputs are capable of delivering 22 dBu into a 600 ohm balanced or unbalanced load To use these outputs to drive balanced inputs con nect 1 4 TRS Tip Ring Sleeve phone plugs like this Tip hot Ring cold Sleeve Ground For most music recording and PA applications unbal anced lines are fine To drive unbalanced inputs con nect 1 4 TS Tip Sleeve phone plugs like this Tip hot Sleeve Ground CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN 1202 VLZ3 CAUTION Seir coser ATTENTION rsa UTILISE UN FUSIBLE DE Ts DE MEME TYPE PHANTOM NIC ROL NOM IDED DYNAMIC RANGE MIC PREAMPLIFIERS ARE PROPRIETARY TO MACKIE DESIGNS INC ALT R MAIN BALANCED BALANCED l BAL UNBAL R L CHANNEL INSERT BAL UNBAL 4 D 9 Mic OF FIRE REMOVE ER CORD en 120 240VAC 1 OUTPUT 12 PHONES This stereo jack will drive any standard headphone to very loud levels Walkperson type phones can also be used with an appropriate adapter To learn how signals are routed to these outputs see SOURCE MATRIX 33 on page 16 If you re wiring yo
56. rence is that the four on the left are for individual mics or mono instruments and have more gain available while the next four are for either stereo or mono line level sources Each of the stereo channel strips is actually two complete circuits The controls are linked together to preserve stereo We ll start at the bottom and work our way up U LIKE UNITY GAIN Mackie mixers have a U symbol on almost every level control This U stands for unity gain meaning no change in signal level Once you have adjusted the input signal to line level you can set every control at U and your signals will travel through the mixer at optimal levels What s more all the labels on our level controls are measured in decibels dB so you ll know what you re doing level wise if you choose to change a control s settings You won t have to check it here and check it there as you would with some other mixers In fact 15 U some don t even have any refer EO 2 ence to actual dB levels at all You were smart you bought a 7 Mackie EO HI 6 23 LEVEL prs This adjusts the channel s level from off to unity gain at the detent on up to 12 dB of ad U ditional gain 80Hz The LEVEL knob is the equiva _215 5 lentofa channel fader so some gt gt times we lapse and say the word fader ni Channels 1 through 4 use mono Am controls and channels 5 throug
57. rough the STEREO RETURN 40 level controls and finally delivered to the main mix So the original dry signals go from the channels to the main mix and the affected wet signals go from the STEREO RETURN 7 to the main mix and once mixed together the dry and wet signals combine to create a glorious sound So armed with this knowledge let s visit the Auxiliary World 38 PRE or POST AUX 1 Besides being used to work effects into your mix Aux Sends serve another critical role that of delivering cue mixes to stage monitors so musicians can hear what they re doing On the 1202 VLZ3 AUX SEND 1 can play either role depending on the position of this switch With this switch up disengaged AUX SEND 1 will tap a channel pre fader LEVEL and pre MUTE ALT 3 4 meaning that no matter how you manipulate those controls as they feed the main mix the AUX SEND will continue to belt out that channel s signal This is the preferred method for setting up stage monitor feeds EQ settings will affect all AUX SENDs With the switch down the AUX SEND 1 becomes an ordinary effects send post fader LEVEL and post MUTE ALT 3 4 This is a must for effects sends since you want the levels of your wet signals to follow the level of the dry 39 AUX 1 MASTER This knob provides overall level control of AUX SEND 1 just before it s delivered to the AUX SEND 1 8 out put AUX SEND 2 has no such control This
58. round earth connection should be wired to the low cold and the ground earth connections of the balanced input If there are ground loop problems try connecting the unbalanced ground earth connection only to the input low cold connection and leaving the input ground earth connection discon nected e nsome cases you will have to make up special adapters to interconnect your equipment For example you may need a balanced XLR female connected to an unbalanced 1 4 TS phone plug Im 1202 VLZ3 Special Mackie Connections The balanced to unbalanced connection has been anticipated in the wiring of Mackie jacks TS plug inserted into a TRS balanced input for example will automatically unbalance the input and make all the right connections Conversely a V4 TRS plug inserted into a unbalanced input will automatically tie the ring low or cold to ground earth TRS Send Receive Insert Jacks Mackie s single jack inserts are the three conductor TRS type 1 4 phone They are unbalanced but have both the mixer output send and the mixer input return signals in one connector See Figure E SEND to 42555295 ring p dine TRS plug This plug connects to one of the ma mixer s Channel Insert jacks RETURN from processor Figure E The sleeve is the common ground earth for both signals The send from the mixer to the external unit is carried on the tip and t
59. the multitude of signals that can be monitored by it If nothing is selected in the SOURCE matrix and no channels are in SOLO the METERS will just sit there and do nothing To put them to work you must make a selection in the SOURCE matrix or engage a SOLO switch Why You want the meter display to reflect what the engineer is listening to and as we ve covered the en gineer is listening either to the CONTROL ROOM 15 outputs or the PHONES 12 outputs The only differ ence is that while the listening levels are controlled by the CONTROL ROOM SUBMIX 34 knob the meters read the SOURCE mix before that control giving you the real facts at all times even if you re not listening at all Thanks to the 1202 VLZ3 s wide dynamic range you can get a good mix with peaks flashing anywhere between 20 and 10 dB on the METERS Most ampli fiers clip at about 10 dB and some recorders aren t so forgiving either For best real world results try to keep your peaks between 0 and 7 You may already be an expert at the world of 4 4 dBu 1 23 V and 10 10 0 32 V operating levels Basically what makes a mixer one or the other is the relative 0 dB VU or 0 VU chosen for the meters A 4 mixer with a 4 dBu signal pouring out the back will actually read 0 VU on its meters 10 mixer with a 10 dBV signal trickling out will read OVU on its meters So when is 0 VU actually 0 dBu Right n
60. thin the applicable warranty period A copy of the original sales receipt is required to obtain warranty repairs J This is your sole warranty LOUD Technologies does not authorize any third party including any dealer or sales representative to assume any liability on behalf of LOUD Technologies or to make any warranty for LOUD Technologies Inc K THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE IS THE SOLE WARRANTY GIVEN BY LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC AND IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS AND IMPLIED INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE THE WARRANTY GIVEN ON THIS PAGE SHALL BE STRICTLY LIMITED IN DURATION TO THREE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL PURCHASE FROM AN AUTHORIZED MACKIE DEALER UPON EXPIRATION OF THE APPLICABLE WARRANTY PERIOD LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC SHALL HAVE NO FURTHER WARRANTY OBLIGATION OF ANY KIND LOUD TECHNOLOGIES INC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL SPECIAL OR CONSEOUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE MACKIE PRODUCT OR ANY WARRANTY CLAIM Some states do not allow exclusion or limitation of incidental special or consequential damages or a limitation on how long warranties last so some of the above limitations and exclusions may not apply to you This warranty provides specific legal rights and you may have other rights which vary from state to state Owner s Manual MACKIE e 16220 Wood Red Road NE Woodinville WA 98072 USA United States
61. ug the AC power cord into the 1202 VLZ3 you must make sure that the VOLTAGE SELECTOR 20 slide switch is set to the same voltage as your local AC mains supply WARNING Disconnecting the plug s ground pin can be dangerous Please don t do it VERY IMPORTANT 19 FUSE The 1202 VLZ3 is fused for your and its own protec tion If you suspect a blown fuse disconnect the cord pull the fuse drawer out located just below the cord receptacle and replace the fuse with a 500 mA 0 5 amps SLO BLO 5x20mm available at electronics stores or your dealer Use a 250 mA fuse if your local voltage is 220 240 VAC If two fuses blow in a row something is very wrong Please call our toll free number 1 800 898 3211 from within the U S or the distributor in your country and find out what to do 20 VOLTAGE SELECTOR WARNING Before you plug the AC power cord into the 1202 VLZ3 you must make sure that this slide switch is set to the same volt age as your local AC main supply Only slide the voltage switch with the power cord unplugged VERY IMPORTANT Use a flat headed screwdriver to slide the switch if needed The switch allows you to use the mixer in differ ent countries and voltages meet interesting people from other cultures and entertain them with your unique blend of Rockabilly Funkadelia Thrash Metal m 1202 VLZ3 Quos s X CE D DESIGNED BY MACKOIDS IN WOODINVILLE WA USA MANUFACTURED IN CHINA F
62. ur own cable for the PHONES output follow standard conventions Tip Left channel Ring Right channel Sleeve Common ground WARNING When we say the headphone amp is loud we re not kidding It can cause permanent ear damage Even intermediate levels may be painfully loud with some earphones BE CAREFUL Always turn the CTL ROOM SUBMIX 34 knob all the way down before connecting headphones Keep it down until you ve put the phones on Then turn it up slowly Why Engineers who fry their ears find themselves with short careers VERY IMPORTANT 13 XLR MAIN OUTS Use these to send the main mix out into the line level balanced inputs of your amplifier or powered speakers These low impedance outputs are fully balanced and capable of driving 4 dBu lines with up to 28 dB of headroom This output is 6 dB hotter than other outputs 14 XLR MAIN OUTPUT LEVEL SWITCH Engaging this switch reduces the level of the bal anced XLR main outputs by 40 dB so you can feed the microphone input of say another mixer You can safely connect the XLR outputs into an input that provides 48V phantom power 15 CONTROL ROOM These 14 outputs are provided so you can listen to something other than the main mix The source is selected using the SOURCE MATRIX 33 switches see page 16 You can choose to listen to the main mix the Alt 3 4 stereo bus see MUTE ALT 3 4 on page 13 So MACKOIDS IN WOODINVILLE WA USA MANUFACTURED
63. use the jacks Here s how it works A mono signal should be patched into the input or return jack labeled LEFT MONO The signal will be routed to both the left and right sides of the return cir cuit and will show up in the center of the stereo pair of buses it s assigned to or it can be panned with the PAN 26 control RING pena stereo signal having two plugs should be patched into the LEFT MONO and the RIGHT input or return jacks A jack switch in the RIGHT jack will disable the mono function and the signals will show up in stereo mono signal connected to the RIGHT jack will show up in the right bus only You probably will only want to use this sophisticated effect for special occasions Mults and mult or Y connector allows you to route one output to two or more inputs by simply providing parallel wir ing connections You can make Y s and mults for the outputs of both unbalanced and balanced circuits Remember Only mult or Y one output into several inputs If you need to combine several outputs into one input you must use a mixer not a mult or a Y VERY IMPORTANT RING IN TO MIXER CHANNEL INSERT FROM PROCESSOR OUTPUT TO PROCESSOR INPUT Y cord splitter cable Owner s Manual S JOUAA Jenueyw 1202 VLZ3 Appendix C Technical Information Specifications Main Mix Noise 20 Hz 20 kHz bandwidth 1 4 Main out channels 1 4 Tr
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