5
Owner
’s Manual
Owner’s Manual
Quick Start
We realize that you must be really keen to try out your new
mixer. Please read the safety instructions on page 2 for
information on hearing protection, then have a look through
some of the features and details in this manual.
Setup
Use the mixer in a nice clean and dry environment, free from
dryer lint and dust bunnies.
Zero the controls
1. Make sure the power switch is off.
2. Fully turn down all the knobs to minimum, except for
the channel EQ and pan controls, which should be
at their center detent. Set all faders fully down.
3. Make sure all buttons are in the out [disengaged] position.
Connections
1. Push the power cord securely into the IEC connector on the
rear panel, and plug it into a 3-prong AC outlet. The mixer can
accept any AC voltage ranging from 100 VAC to 240 VAC.
2. Connect the main outputs of the mixer (either XLR or TRS
1/4") to the line level inputs of your amplifier (with speakers
already attached) or to the line-level inputs of powered
speakers.
3. Plug signal sources into the mixer, such as:
• Microphones plugged into the mic inputs.
Engage phantom power if your mics need it.
• Instrument level sources, such as acoustic guitars
w/active pickups into the instrument inputs.
• Line-level sources such as keyboards, drum machines,
or CD players plugged into the line-level inputs.
• Phone or tablet paired and connected via Bluetooth.
4. Several channels have insert jacks that can be used
to connect an external effects or dynamics processor
into the signal chain.
Set the levels
1. Turn on the mixer by pressing the top edge of the power
switch.
2. Play something into the channel input at real-world levels.
3. Raise the channel fader to unity.
4. Engage the channel's LR switch (Onyx12 / Onyx16 / Onyx24).
5. Adjust the channel's gain control until the meters stay
around the 0 dB LED mark.
6. Repeat steps 2 to 5 for the remaining channels.
7. Raise the main fader to unity.
8. If needed, apply some channel EQ wisely.
9. Adjust the channel levels to get the best mix. Keep the gain
controls and fader levels fully down on unused channels.
10. During the performance, if you notice a channel OL LED
turning on during peaks, carefully turn down that channel's
gain control until OL does not turn on.
RTC and USB
• Set up RTC before continuing on with anything else.
Directions are on the following page.
• The USB driver for PC users is available on the Mackie
website (www.mackie.com). Mac OS X contains built-in
drivers, so no software installation is required.
Other Notes and Things to Remember
• When shutting down, turn off any power amplifiers
or powered speakers first. When powering up, turn them
on last. This will reduce the chance of turn-on or turn-off
thumps.
• Always turn down the phones level when making
connections, pressing solo, or doing anything that may
cause loudness in the headphones. This will help protect
your hearing.
• Always turn down the main mix level and control room level
when making connections to the mixer. Better yet, turn off
the power.
• Save the shipping box and packing materials! You may
need them someday. Besides, the cats will love playing
in them and jumping out at you unexpectedly. Remember
to pretend like you are surprised!
• Save your sales receipt in a safe place.
