802-
VLZ3
1
80-VLZ3
Channel Strip Description
route them to the main mix or alt 3-4 mix. You don’t
even have to have the channel’s level [21] knob turned
up. Folks use solo in live work to preview channels be-
fore they are let into the mix, or to just 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.
Solo is also the key player in the Level-Setting Proce-
dure on page 3.
Soloed channels are sent to the source mix, which
ultimately feeds your control room, phones and meter
display. Whenever solo is engaged, all source selections
(main mix, alt 3-4 and tape) are defeated, to allow the
soloed signal to do just that — solo!
WARNING: Pre-fader solo taps the channel
signal before the level knob. If you have a
channel’s level knob set below “U” (unity
gain), solo won’t know that and will send a unity gain
signal to the control room, phones and meter display.
That may result in a startling level boost at these out-
puts.
23. MUTE/ALT 3–4
The dual-purpose mute/alt 3–4 bus is a Mackie
signature. When Greg was designing our first product,
he had to include a mute switch for each channel. Mute
switches do just what they sound like they do. They
turn off the signal by “routing” it into oblivion. “Gee,
what a waste,” Greg reasoned. “Why not have the mute
button route the signal somewhere else useful… like a
separate stereo bus?” So mute/alt 3–4 really serves two
functions — muting (often used during a mixdown or
live show), and signal routing (for multitrack and live
work) where it acts as an extra stereo bus.
To use this as a mute switch, all you have to do is not
use the alt 3–4 [9] outputs. Then, whenever you press
this switch, you will assign a channel to these unused
outputs, disconnecting it from the main mix, and effec-
tively muting the channel.
To use this as an alt 3–4 switch, all you have to do is
connect the alt 3–4 outputs to whatever destination you
desire. Here are two popular examples:
When doing multitrack recording, use the alt 3–4
outputs to feed your multitrack. With most decks, you
can "mult" the alt 3–4 [9] outputs, using Y-cords or
mults, to feed multiple tracks. So, take alt output L and
send it to tracks 1, 3, 5 and 7, and alt output R and send
it to tracks 2, 4, 6 and 8. Now, tracks that are in record
or input modes will hear the alt 3–4 signals, and tracks
in playback or safe modes will ignore them.
The five channel strips look alike, and function
identically. The first two are for individual mics or mono
instruments, and have more gain available. The next
strip controls mic or stereo line-level sources, and the
last two are for either stereo or mono line-level sources.
(Each of the stereo channel strips is actually two
complete circuits. The controls are linked together to
preserve stereo.) We’ll start at the bottom and work our
way up:
“U” LIKE UNITY GAIN
Mackie mixers have a “U” symbol on almost every
level control. This “U” stands for “unity gain,” meaning
no change in signal level. Once you have adjusted the
input signal to line-level, you can set every control at
“U” and your signals will travel through the mixer at
optimal levels. What’s more, all the labels on our level
controls are measured in decibels (dB), so you’ll know
what you’re doing level-wise if you choose to change a
control’s settings.
21. LEVEL
This adjusts the channel’s level, from off, to unity gain
at the center, on up to 12 dB of additional gain.
The knob is the equivalent of a channel fader, so
sometimes we lapse and say the word fader.
22. PRE-FADER SOLO
This lovable switch allows you to hear signals through
your headphones or control room without having to
LINE IN 7-8
HI
12kHz
MID
2.5kHz
LOW
80Hz
EQ
1
PAN
LEVEL
POWER
RUDE
SOLO
LEVEL
SET
CONTROL
ROOM
SOURCE
ALT 3-4
TAPE
MAIN MIX
LEFT RIGHT
0dB=0dBu
ASSIGN
TO MAIN MIX
MAIN MIX
+12dB
O
O
+10dB
O
O
SEND
O
O
+10
802
+12dB
O
O
CTL ROOM/SUBMIX
PHONES
AUX
3
4
0
2
15
20
10
6
30
10
7
20
1
MUTE
ALT 3-4
PRE FADER
SOLO
LINE IN 5-6
MONO
BAL
OR
UNBAL
L
R
BAL
OR
UNBAL
MONO
BAL
OR
UNBAL
L
R
MONO
BAL
OR
UNBAL
L
R
L
R
ST RETURN
BAL/UNBAL
L
3
ALT OUTPUT
R
4
BAL/UNBAL
L
R
BAL/UNBAL
L
R
PRE
POST
+4
MIC
AUX
MASTER
O
O
+20
STEREO
RETURN
LOW CUT
100 Hz
18dB/OCT
GAIN
+15dB - 45dB
INSERT
LINE IN 1
LINE IN 3
LINE IN 4
MIC
1
BAL
OR
UNBAL
GAIN
+15dB - 45dB
GAIN
INSERT
LINE IN 2
MIC
2
MIC
3
X
DR2 MIC PRE
X
DR2 MIC PRE
X
DR2 MIC PRE
MAIN
OUTPUT
LEVEL
PHANTOM
POWER
CR OUTPUT
TAPE IN
TAPE OUT
L
R
L
R
PHONES
MAIN OUT BALANCED
L
R
AUX SEND
BAL/UNBAL
MAIN OUT
HI
12kHz
MID
2.5kHz
LOW
80Hz
EQ
PAN
LEVEL
+12dB
O
O
AUX
MUTE
ALT 3-4
PRE FADER
SOLO
HI
12kHz
MID
2.5kHz
LOW
80Hz
EQ
PAN
LEVEL
+12dB
O
O
AUX
3-4
MUTE
ALT 3-4
PRE FADER
SOLO
HI
12kHz
MID
2.5kHz
LOW
80Hz
EQ
PAN
LEVEL
+12dB
+12dB
O
O
AUX
MUTE
ALT 3-4
PRE FADER
SOLO
HI
12kHz
MID
2.5kHz
LOW
80Hz
EQ
PAN
LEVEL
O
O
AUX
MUTE
ALT 3-4
PRE FADER
SOLO
5-6
7-8
O
O
MAX
+15
-15
+15
-15
+15
-15
L R
U
U
U
O
O
+15
U
+15
-15
+15
-15
+15
-15
L R
U
U
U
O
O
+15
U
+15
-15
+15
-15
+15
-15
L R
U
U
U
O
O
+15
U
+15
-15
+15
-15
+15
-15
L R
U
U
U
O
O
+15
U
+15
-15
+15
-15
+15
-15
L R
U
U
U
O
O
+15
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
-10
dBV
M
IC GAIN
0
U
60
-10
dBV
M
IC GAIN
0
U
60
M
IC GAIN
0
60
2
POWER
ON
POWER
802
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25
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