MACKIE ProFX12 - Manual (Page 19)

19
Owner’s Manual
Owner’
s Manual
Another way to consider low cut’s function is that it
actually adds flexibility during live performances. With
the addition of low cut, you may safely use low EQ 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 blowing the subwoofers.
3-BAND EQ
The ProFX mixer has 3-band equalization at carefully
selected points — low shelving at 80 Hz, mid peaking at
2.5 kHz, and high 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 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.
The following graphs of frequency vs. signal level
show the approximate overall effect of EQ adjustment
on the frequency range.
22. HI EQ
This control gives you
up to 15 dB boost or cut
above 12 kHz, and it is flat
(no boost or cut) at the
detent. Use it to add sizzle
to cymbals, and an overall
sense of transparency, or
edge to keyboards, vocals,
guitar and bacon frying. Turn
it down a little to reduce sibilance, or to hide tape hiss.
23. MID EQ
Short for “midrange,”
this knob provides 15 dB
of boost or cut, centered at
2.5 kHz, also flat at the
center detent. Midrange
EQ is often thought of as
the most dynamic, because
the 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.
24. LOW EQ
This control gives you up
to 15 dB boost or cut below
80 Hz. The circuit is flat at
the center detent position.
This frequency represents
the punch in bass drums,
bass guitar, fat synth
patches, and some really
serious male singers.
Used in conjunction with
the low cut [21] switch,
you can boost the low EQ
without injecting a ton of
subsonic debris into the
mix.
MODERATION DURING EQ
With EQ, things may be upset royally. We’ve
designed a lot of boost and cut into each equalizer
circuit, because we know everyone will occasionally
need that. But if the EQs are maxed on every
channel, the resulting mix is mush. Equalize subtly
and use the left sides of the knobs (cut), as well as
the right (boost). Very few platinum-record-album
engineers ever use more than about 3 dB of EQ. If
more than that is necessary, there’s usually a better
way to get it, such as placing a mic differently (or
using a different kind of mic entirely).
25. AUX MON
These knobs tap a portion of each channel's signal
to set up a nice monitor mix feeding stage monitors,
independent of the main mix. Adjust these controls on
each channel until the band is happy with the stage
monitor mix.
The aux mon feed from hybrid and stereo channels is
a mono sum of the left and right sides of these channels.
The controls are off when turned fully down, deliver
unity gain at the center detent, and can provide up to
15 dB of gain turned fully up.
The channel fader [30], pan [27] and mute [29] do
not affect the monitor output, but the other channel
controls will. (The aux mon is pre-fader.)
The monitor signal from the monitor output jack [12]
is the sum (mix) of all the channels whose aux mon
control is set to more than minimum. The overall
output level may be adjusted with the monitor fader
[46] and its EQ tweaked with the graphic EQ [36]
if the main mix/mon switch [37] is pressed in.
Internal FX may also be added to the monitor mix
with the FX to mon knob [53].
20
Hz
100
Hz
1k
Hz
10k
Hz
20k
Hz
–15
–10
–5
0
+5
+10
+15
Mid EQ
20
Hz
100
Hz
1k
Hz
10k
Hz
20k
Hz
–15
–10
–5
0
+5
+10
+15
20
Hz
100
Hz
1k
Hz
10k
Hz
20k
Hz
–15
–10
–5
0
+5
+10
+15
Low EQ with Low Cut
Low EQ
20
Hz
100
Hz
1k
Hz
10k
Hz
20k
Hz
–15
–10
–5
0
+5
+10
+15
Hi EQ