MACKIE 1202 - Manual (Page 10)

10
PHONES
O O
+22 CLIP
MASTER
+10 O O
U
+20
1
O O
+20
2
O O
U
STEREO AUX RETURN TO MASTER
+10
+4
+2
0
-2
-4
-7
-10
-20
+7
-30
TRIM
1-4
LINE IN
1-12
INPUT CH.
METERING
U
TAPE IN
AUX 2
U
BAL.
0dBu
CAL
24
23
Stereo AUX/Tape Returns to Master
These two controls set the overall level of
effects received from STEREO AUX RETURNS
1 and 2. These controls are designed to handle
a wide range of signal levels. There’s a detent
at unity gain. Fully counterclockwise is OFF;
fully clockwise gives you an extra 20dB gain to
compensate for low-level effects.
If you’re using digital effects with digital out-
put level controls (see their manuals), you’ll
get the best results by leaving the effect’s out-
put fully up and running the STEREO AUX
RETURN somewhere below Unity. If you’re us-
ing a digital effect with rotary controls, set the
AUX RETURN for use at Unity Gain. If you’re
using guitar-type effects, you’ll probably need
to run this control above Unity. (That’s what
the extra gain is for.)
AUX RETURN 2 also controls the tape
playback level when you push TAPE IN, ex-
plained below.
TAPE IN button (24)
When you press the TAPE IN button, sig-
nals from the TAPE INPUTs are sent into
the AUX 2 Return. In this mode, the AUX 2
Return control adjusts the level sent to the
master. It’s perfect for injecting just the
right amount of weird sound effects you re-
corded on your cassette deck into a mix —
or to play trendy background music through
a PA during band breaks.
WARNING: Pushing TAPE IN can create a
feedback path between TAPE IN and TAPE
OUT. Make sure your tape deck is not in
record, record-pause or input monitor mode
when you engage the TAPE IN switch.
This concludes the guided tour. Now for
the nitty-gritty hook-up.
23
24
overall level of your mix. If the red CLIP
lights are flashing, your levels are way too
high. Do one of the following:
• If you haven’t adjusted the Channel 1–4
TRIM pots properly, do that first (with
the INPUT CH. METERING button IN).
Instructions are on page 12.
• If the LED’s are still running into the red
with the INPUT CH. METERING button
OUT, lower the level of the MASTER
control.
• If the red CLIP lights are still flashing,
even momentarily, lower the Channel 5–
12 GAIN pots equally. This may also be
caused by excessive gain settings in the
EQ section.
When recording, glance at the tape deck/
DAT meters frequently while mixing. Human
ears get tired after a while — it happens to
the best of us — and levels start to climb
(the Mounting Mix Syndrome). Meters never
get tired, and will show level accurately until
the Great Fade Out.