MACKIE ONYX 1640I - Manual (Page 21)

Owner's Manual 21
You can get a good mix with peaks fl ashing anywhere
between –20 and +10 dB on the meters. Most amplifi ers
clip at about +10 dBu, and some recorders aren’t so
forgiving either. For best real-world results, try to keep
your peaks between “0” and “+6.” Remember, audio
meters are just tools to help assure you that your levels
are “in the ballpark.” You don’t have to stare at them
(unless you want to).
50. RUDE SOLO Light
This large LED fl ashes when one or more channel
solo switches are engaged [41]. This acts as a reminder
that what you hear in the control room and headphones
is the soloed channel(s). If you forget that you are in
solo mode, you can easily be tricked into thinking that
something is wrong with your mixer. Hence, the rude
solo light. Please forgive its rudeness, it is only trying to
help, and wants to be your friend.
51. SOLO LEVEL
This knob is used to adjust the volume of the soloed
signal as it is routed to the control room [16] and
phones [42] outputs. This control is independent of,
and prior to, the control room [47] and phones [48]
level controls.
It controls the solo signal level for both PFL and AFL
solo modes (see next paragraph).
52. SOLO MODE
Engaging a channel's solo switch [41] will cause this
dramatic turn of events: Any existing source matrix
selections [44, 45] are replaced by the solo signal,
appearing at the control room outputs [16], phones
[42] and at the right meter [49] (left and right meters
when in AFL solo mode). The audible solo levels are
then controlled by the control room knob [47]. The solo
levels appearing on the meters are not controlled by
the control room knob [47] - you would not want that,
anyway. What you do want to see is the actual channel
level on the meters regardless of how loud the signals'
output may be.
With the solo mode switch in the up position, you are
in PFL mode, meaning Pre-Fader Listen (post-EQ). This
mode is required for the "Set the Levels" procedure and
is handy for quick spot-checks of channels, especially
ones that have their faders turned down.
With the solo mode switch down, you are in AFL
mode, meaning After-Fader Listen. You will be able to
hear the stereo output of the soloed channel - it will
follow the channel's gain [26], EQ [29-34], fader [38]
and pan [36] settings. It is similar to muting all of the
other channels, but without the hassle. AFL mode is
typically used during mixdown.
In PFL mode, solo will not be affected by a channel's
mute switch [37] position.
Remember, PFL mode taps the channel signal
before the fader. If you have a channel's fader
set way below "U" (unity gain), solo will not
know that and will send a unity gain signal to the
C-R outs [16], phones output [42], and meter display
[49]. That may result in a startling level boost at these
outputs when switching from AFL to PFL mode,
depending on the position of the solo level knob [51].
53. TAPE IN
This knob is used to adjust the volume at the tape
input [14], from off to maximum gain (max).
54. TAPE TO MAIN MIX
Push this button in to route the tape in [14] signal to
the main mix bus [73].
WARNING: Pushing in the tape to main mix
button may create a feedback path between
tape in [14] and tape out [15]. Make sure
your tape deck is not in record mode, record-pause
mode, or input monitor mode when you engage this
switch, or make sure the tape in knob [53] is turned all
the way down (off) when recording.