Mackie Onyx 32.4-Bus Owner's Manual - Page 13

Owner's Manual 17. GROUP and MAIN MIX ASSIGN Switches Alongside each channel fader are three buttons referred to as channel assignment switches. Used in conjunction with the channel's PAN knob, they are used to determine the destination of the channel's signal. With the PAN knob [13] at the center detent, the left and right sides receive equal signal levels (GROUPS 1-2, 3-4, and MAIN MIX L-R). To feed only one side or the other, turn the PAN knob accordingly. VERY IMPORTANT: Remember, PFL mode taps the channel signal before the fader. If you have a channel's fader set way below "U" (unity gain), PFL solo won't know that and will send a unity gain signal to the MONITOR OUT and PHONES output. That may result in a startling level boost at these outputs when switching to PFL solo mode. Stereo Channel Strips If you're doing a mixdown to a 2-track, for example, simply engage the MAIN MIX switch on each channel that you want to hear, and they'll be sent to the MAIN MIX bus. If you want to create a subgroup of certain channels, engage either the 1-2 or 3-4 switches instead of the MAIN MIX, and they'll be sent to the appropriate Group faders. From there, the groups can be sent back to the MAIN MIX (using the MAIN MIX assign switches [70] next to the Group faders), allowing you to use the Group faders as a master control for those channels. If you're creating new tracks or bouncing existing ones, you'll also use the GROUP ASSIGN switches, but not the MAIN MIX switch. Here, you don't want the subgroups sent back into the MAIN MIX bus, but sent out, via the GROUP OUTS jacks [85], to your multitrack inputs. However, if you're printing tracks via the DIRECT OUTS [76], the channel assignment switches don't matter because the DIRECT OUTS come before the ASSIGN switches. The Onyx 4•Bus mixers each have two stereo channels. The stereo channels have a pair of 1/4" TRS line input connectors. The stereo channels can be used as mono or stereo line-input channel strips, or to return the signal from an external effects processor connected to an Aux Send (if you want to apply EQ or more flexible auxiliary routing to the signal than is available with the Stereo Returns). These versatile channel strips are nearly as full-featured as the mono channel strips. 19. GAIN Control Σ ÎÓ -/ , " 1 ‡Óä`L ³Óä`L 
 1 + >?=> '(a>p ‡£x ³£x 1 ‡£x ³£x >?=> C?: ($+a>p 18. PFL SOLO Switch This handy switch allows you to hear signals through your headphones or monitor outputs without having to route them to the MAIN or GROUP mixes. Folks use solo in live work to preview channels before they are let into the mix, or just to check out what a particular channel is up to anytime during a session. You can solo as many channels at a time as you like. It won't affect what is coming out the MAIN OUT or GROUP OUT jacks. The Onyx 4•Bus has two solo modes. PFL (Pre-Fader If you haven't already, please read "Set the Levels" on page 5. The GAIN control adjusts the 1 ‡£x ³£x BEM C?: *&&>p input sensitivity of the stereo line inputs. This allows the signal from the outside world to be adjusted to optimal internal operating levels. 1 BEM .&>p ‡£x ³£x + EKJ ?D There is 20 dB of attenuation with
18 the knob turned all the way down, ramping up to 20 dB of gain fully up, with a "U" (uni'ty gain) mark at 12:00. 
8 Listen) is the default solo mode, and the mode used for inputs, including soloing individual channels and the 20. HIGH EQ ( Stereo Returns. AFL (After-Fader Listen) is activated 
8 whenever an AFL switch is pressed on an output, including an Aux Send, Matrix, or Group. PFL solo mode always overrides any AFL solo mode. The Rude Solo LEDS [43] below the SOLO meters indicate which solo mode is active. This control gives you up to 15 dB boost or cut above 12 kHz, and it is also flat at the center detent. Use i)t to 
8 add sizzle to cymbals, and an overall sense of transparency or edge to the keyboards, vocals, guitar, and ba*con frying. Turn it down a little to reduce sibilance, or
8to hide tape hiss. Soloed channels are sent to the PHONES output and + MONITOR outputs, and also to the MAIN MIX meters. 21. HIGH MID EQ 
8 PFL mode (Pre-Fader Listen) sends the channel's signal after the GAIN and EQ controls, but before the channel Short for "midrange," this knob provides 15 dB of , fader, to the PFL solo bus (and appears on the LEFT 
8 boost or cut at 2.5 kHz. Midrange EQ is often thought of meter). AFL mode (After-Fader Listen), sends the as the most dynamic because the frequencies that d*e
- signal post-fader (and appears on the LEFT and RIGHT fine any particular sound are almost always found in this meters), making it ideal for mixdown soloing. Owner's Ma,nual 13 1/