Mackie ProFX16 Owner's Manual - Page 15

The pan [18], mute [20] and channel fader [23] do not affect the monitor output, but the other channel controls will. The aux mon is pre-fader. The overall output level may be adjusted with the aux master mon knobs [42] and monitor 1's EQ tweaked with the graphic EQ [37] if the main mix/mon 1 switch [38] is pressed in. Internal FX may also be added to the monitor mix with the internal FX to mon knobs [44]. 17. AUX FX These knobs tap a portion of each channel's signal to set up a nice FX mix feeding the internal FX processor, and to feed external processors via the FX send [27]. 19. OL LED This LED indicates the channel's signal level after the gain [9] and EQ controls [11-15], but just before the channel's level [23]. So even if the level is turned down, you can see if the channel is being overloaded. The OL (overload) LED will come on when the channel's input signal is too high. This should be avoided, as distortion will occur. If the OL LED comes on regularly, check that the gain control [9] is set correctly for your input device, and that the channel EQ is not set with too much boost. The OL LED will also illuminate when a channel's mute switch [20] is engaged. The controls are off when fully turned down, deliver unity gain at the center detent, and can provide up to 15 dB of gain turned fully up. The mute [20], channel fader [23] and other channel controls affect the FX output, but pan [18] does not. The aux FX is post-fader. The FX signal reaching the internal FX processor and the FX send output jack is the sum (mix) of all the channels whose aux FX control is set to more than minimum. The overall output level may be adjusted with the aux master FX knob [42]. FX are added to the main mix by increasing the level of the internal FX to main L-R knob [44]. Internal FX may also be added to the monitor mix by increasing the level of the internal FX to mon knobs [44]. 18. PAN This control allows you to adjust how much of the channel signal is sent to the left versus the right outputs. With the knob panned hard left, the signal feeds the main left, sub 1, or sub 3 busses, depending on the setting of the assign switches [21]. With the knob panned hard right, the signal feeds the main right, sub 2, or sub 4 busses, again dependent on the setting of the assign switches. The pan control employs a design called "Constant Loudness." If you have a channel panned hard left (or right) and then pan to the center, the signal is attenuated about 3 dB to maintain the same apparent loudness. Otherwise, it would make the sound appear much louder when panned center. 20. MUTE Switch Mute switches do just what they sound like they do. They turn off the signal by "routing" it into oblivion. Engaging a channel's mute switch (almost) provides the same results as turning the fader all the way down (a pre-aux send is not affected by the channel fader, but it is by the mute switch). Any channel assignments to main mix, subgroup 1-2, or subgroup 3-4 will be interrupted and all of the aux sends will be silenced (both pre- and post-fader). The channel insert [8] will continue to provide a signal when a channel is muted. The OL LED [19] will illuminate when a channel's mute switch is engaged. 21. ASSIGN Switches Alongside each channel fader are three buttons referred to as channel assignment switches. Used in conjunction with the channel's pan knob [18], they are used to determine the destination of the channel's signal. With the pan knob at the center detent, the left and right sides receive equal signal levels (main mix L-R, sub 1-2 and sub 3-4). To feed only one side or the other, turn the pan knob accordingly. If you are 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 will be sent to the main mix bus. If you want to create a group of certain channels, engage either the 1-2 or 3-4 switches instead of the main mix, and they will be sent to the appropriate subgroup faders. From there, the groups may be sent back to the main mix (using the group assign switches [54] above the group faders [55]), allowing you to use the group faders as a master control for those channels. If you are creating new tracks or bouncing existing ones, you will also use the 1-2 and 3-4 switches, but not the main mix switch. Here you do not want the groups sent back into the main mix bus, but sent out, via the sub out jacks [32], to your multitrack inputs. Owner's Manual 15