Mackie 24.8Bus Owner's Manual - Page 16

PHANTOM POWER CHANNEL 24 MIC/LINE LINE IN BALUNBAL DIRECT OUT INSERT TIP = OUT RING = IN JACK PANELS (INPUT STRIP & MASTER OUTPUT) All of the inputs, outputs and insert points are located on the jack panels on the top and the rear panels of the mixer. An external patchbay is not required, although it does make life easier. Let's start by listing what is NOT on the FRONT jack panel: • The console outputs to the multitrack tape recorder (the Submaster/Tape outputs) • The console inputs from the multitrack tape recorder • The balanced main L/R (XLR connector) outputs (on the rear panel) All other connections are made at the top of the front panel, either above the channel Input Strips or above the Output Panel. INPUT STRIP Each channel input strip has its inputs and outputs located directly above the strip. The connections are detailed next. PHANTOM POWER Microphone phantom power (+48 VDC) is applied to the channel strips in groups of eight. The phantom on/off switch for channels 1-8 is located above channel 8; the switch for 9-16 above channel 16, and so on. It has a "ramping" function, which means it gradually ramps from 0 to 48V when you turn it on, and ramps back down when you turn it off. This helps protect your microphones. We suggest that before plugging or unplugging mics, you turn off the PHANTOM power. Give it about a minute to settle while you get a Diet YooHoo or call your stockbroker. Then connect or disconnect the microphone(s) and turn PHANTOM power back on. CAUTION: After switching PHANTOM Power on or off, wait 1 minute before changing any mic/ line switch settings in that eight-channel block. Another safe alternative is to turn both TRIM and Channel Faders down for that bank of eight channels before switching. Mic In The channel microphone input (1) is a standard 3-pin female mic connector (call me Cannon or call me XLR, just don't call me late for dinner). Pin one is ground, pin two is signal high (+), pin three is signal low (-), as per the (finally) agreed-upon international standard. Note: Don't use these XLR's for line level signals - see "Line In". Line In The channel Line Input (2) is a TRS (tipring-sleeve) balanced 1/4" phone jack, with ground wired to the sleeve, signal high (+) to the tip and signal low (-) to the ring. Nominal input level is +4dBu, with a wide range of levels accommodated by adjustment of the TRIM control. These jacks also accommodate TS (tip-sleeve) unbalanced 1/4" phone plugs. See Appendix A: Connections for more information. Direct Out The channel Direct Out (3) is a nominal +4dBu unbalanced TS 1/4" phone jack, connected to the output of the channel line amplifier post-EQ/post-fader/post-mute. The output signal of each channel strip is always available at the Direct Out jack. Using the Direct Out does not interrupt the normal signal flow through the channel. Channel Insert The channel Insert jack (4) allows you to insert external processing equipment (such as a compressor, gate, you name it) into the main signal path of the input channel strip. The insert point is after the FLIP switch (which also means that it is after the MIC/LINE or TAPE IN preamplifiers) but before the LO CUT filter, EQ and fader MUTE switch. The TRS jack is configured for the Tip (send), Ring (return) and Sleeve (signal ground). See Appendix A for more details on using external processing and channel inserts. Let there be light (sockets) Additionally, one or two BNC connectors (depending upon the number of input channels on the console) are provided above the input strips for gooseneck lamps. The BNCs are wired with the center post at +12 VDC. Mackie doesn't offer lamps, but most dealers do. We recommend LittleLite lamps #12G or #12G-HI (a high-intensity version). 14