Mackie Big Knob Owner's Manual - Page 4

BIG KNOB Introduction Thank you for choosing the Mackie Big Knob, your signal routing and monitoring solution for your DAW-based studio. Big Knob provides a control room matrix and the basic features of an expensive mixer, but tailored for the requirements of your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) environment. These features include selecting up to four separate stereo input sources, monitoring through three different speakers for A/B/C comparisons, providing a separate headphone mix and a studio output for the talent, and a built-in talkback mic for slate-to-tape and headphone cueing. In other words, it gives you everything you need from a mixer, without the stuff you don't need! Another important feature you've come to expect from Mackie is pristine sound quality, and Big Knob is no exception. This is studio-quality gear, and we made sure the audio signal suffers no degradation by passing through Big Knob. You can connect this baby between your expensive DAW and your really expensive studio monitors with no reservations. Big Knob will pass the test! Big Knob is part of the growing family of Mackie computer recording products. Visit our website (www.mackie.com) to learn more about these products and the solutions to your audio and recording needs that Mackie has to offer, or pick up a catalog at your nearest Mackie dealer. INPUT OL 8 0 4 8 24 0 = +4dBu PHONES 1 MAX 2 MAX INPUT SOURCE SELECT DAW MIX 2-TRACK A 2-TRACK B PHONO PHONES/ STUDIO OUTS SOURCE STUDIO OUTS INPUT SOURCE(S) PHONES MIX INPUT OFF OO MAX ON LEVEL MIC MONO OO POWER MONITOR SELECT MAX VOLUME MUTE DIM OO A B C TALKBACK MAX LEVEL TO 2-TRACKS TO PHONES/ STUDIO OO OO Getting Started Zero the Controls The following steps will help you set up your Big Knob and get the levels adjusted correctly. Once you have made the connections and adjustments, refer to the Features section for more in-depth information about each input, output, switch, and control knob. Most of the inputs and outputs on Big Knob have either a trim control or a level switch labeled -10 dB and +4 dB. This actually comes from two standard operating levels that have evolved in the audio industry: -10 dBV consumer level and +4 dBu professional level. Most consumer equipment with RCA connectors operate at the -10 dBV level, while most professional equipment with 1/4-inch phone jacks or XLR connectors operate at the +4 dBu level. As you might expect, the +4 dBu level is higher (louder) than the -10 dBV level, so it is important to match the input and output levels of Big Knob to the equipment you have connected to it. For a Big Knob input, the -10 dB setting accepts a smaller signal and provides more gain than the +4 dB setting. For a Big Knob output, the -10 dB setting produces a smaller signal than the +4 dB setting. 1. Turn off the POWER switch on the rear panel. 2. On the front panel, turn the Big VOLUME Knob and all the LEVEL controls all the way down (counterclockwise). 3. Set all the switches to the up position (front and rear panels). 4. On the rear panel, turn all the trim controls all the way down (counterclockwise). Connections 1. Connect the supplied detachable power cord to the AC socket on the rear panel of Big Knob. Set the AC SELECT switch to the correct position that corresponds to the AC voltage you are using (100-120V or 220-240V). For Monitoring: 2. Connect the audio outputs (stereo mix) from your DAW's audio interface to the two DAW MIX input jacks on the rear panel of Big Knob.  BIG KNOB