11.)$Which$of$the$four$mixers$is$a$digital$mixing$desk?$$

11.)b)What$advantages$does$a$digital$mixer$have$over$analogue$desks?$

$

12.)$How$many$XLR$inputs$does$each$desk$have?$

a)$Mackie$1604VLZ$

b)Spirit$Studio$24J8J2$(I’ll$give$you$the$answer$to$this,$it$has$24,$the$

document$doesn’t$say)$

c)$Mackie$1604$

d)$Presonus$Studiolive$24J4J2$

$

08/10/2013 10:14Mackie - VLZ Very Low Impedance

Page 1 of 1http://www.mackie.com/products/mackietechnology/VLZTechnology.html

Mixer TechnologyMix Amp HeadroomVLZ® Very Low ImpedanceQuality Mic PreampsXDR Mic PreampsPractical EQLog-Taper FadersBuilt-in Power SuppliesImpact ResistanceMute / Alt 3-4Control Room / PhonesBalanced Ins & OutsAccurate Level SettingsLow Cut FilterSpeaker TechnologyActive vs. Passive

VLZ® Very Low Impedance

Noise happens.

As with mix amp headroom, noise (or lack thereof) is a cumulative thing. One channel might

sound quiet when you're demoing the mixer at a store and the published noise spec might seem

OK. But how will your overall mix sound when you have 12, 16, or 32 channels going? This is

when channel after channel of additive noise can combine to sabotage your sound.

An incredibly high percentage of Mackie owners rave about how quiet our mixers are – even

when all channels are wide open. We specifically set out to make our mixers that way, by using

premium components and by adding Very Low Impedance (VLZ®) circuitry.

Developed for our acclaimed 8•Bus console series.

VLZ is a unique (and, frankly, expensive) circuit design that until now has been found only in

money-is-no-object consoles in the $200,000-and-up price range. Now you can enjoy its benefits

in all of our mixers.

VLZ wouldn't be necessary if we did all our recording in outer space or other places where it's

extremely cold. At absolute zero (-273° C), circuit components are noise-free because the atoms

that comprise them are completely at rest. However, at over three hundred degrees hotter (room

temperature), all the atoms in circuit components are agitated and constantly crash into each

other. That causes little random voltage spikes that create thermal noise, or white noise (non-

electronic types call it hiss).

Mackie deals a crushing blow to thermal noise by making internal impedances as low as

practical, at as many places as possible within the mixer. Very Low Impedance is achieved by

scaling down resistor values by a factor of three or four, resulting in a corresponding reduction in

thermal noise.

That alone isn't the expensive part. What's expensive is the high current necessary to achieve

low impedance. You don't have to be an electrical engineer to realize that high current requires

lotsa power – whether it's current for an amp, a motor, or a mixer circuit.

And that's where our mixers excel. Our compact VLZ mixers, LM-3204, and SR24•4/SR32•4

have extremely robust internal power supplies. They deliver current levels that are impossible

with wimpy external "wall warts." Our 8•Bus and SR40•8 consoles need more power, so they

come with brawny external, rackmountable power supplies of their own. Either way, having

enough power to do the job helps achieve Very Low impedance in critical circuit areas, which

means astonishingly low noise levels – on tape or in your monitors.

Another advantage of VLZ.

Low impedance circuitry, by its very nature, is more immune to crosstalk problems. By designing

with low impedance, crosstalk between channels is minimized throughout the mixer.

Our VLZ approach isn't anything mysterious or proprietary. It's just straight-ahead, Mackie-style

"over-engineering."

We don't stop there, either. Although the mic preamps in all of our mixers benefit greatly from

VLZ, they have their own unique low noise/high headroom story, too.

Press | Register a product | Dealer Locator | Jobs | Corporate Info | Legal | Comment?

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Copyright © 2013 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved.

9Owner’s Manual

Ow

ner’s M

anu

alPatchbay Description

At the risk of stating the obvious, this is where you plug everything in: microphones, line-level instruments and effects, headphones, and the ultimate destination for your sound: a tape recorder, PA system, etc. A few of the features described in this section are on top of the mixer, but most are out back on this “pod.”

See Appendix B (page 27) for further details and some rather lovely drawings of the connectors you can use with the 1604-VLZ3.

E-Z INTERFACEConcerned about levels, balancing, imped-ances, polarity, or other interface goblins? Don’t be. On your 1604-VLZ3, you can patch anything almost anywhere, with nary a care. Here’s why:

• Every input and output is balanced (except insert, phones and RCA jacks).

• Every input and output will also accept unbal-anced lines (except XLR jacks when phantom power is on).

• Every input is designed to accept virtually any output impedance.

• The main left and right mix outputs can deliver 28 dBu into as low as a 600 ohm load.

• All the other outputs can deliver 22 dBu into as low as a 600 ohm load.

• All the outputs are in phase with the inputs.

All we ask is that you perform the Level- Setting Pro-cedure every time you patch in a new sound source. So stop worrying and start mixing!

1. MIC INPUTSWe use phantom-powered, balanced microphone

inputs just like the big studio mega-consoles, for exactly the same reason: This kind of circuit is excellent at rejecting hum and noise. You can plug in almost any kind of mic that has a standard XLR-type male mic con-nector.

Professional ribbon, dynamic, and condenser mics will all sound excellent through these inputs. The 1604-VLZ3’s mic inputs will handle any kind of mic level you can toss at them, without overloading. Be sure to perform the Level-Setting Procedure on page 3.

Not every instrument is made to connect directly to a mixer. Guitars commonly need a Direct Injection (DI) box to connect to the mixer's MIC inputs. These boxes convert unbalanced line-level signals from your guitar, into balanced mic-level outputs, and provide signal and impedance matching. They also let you send your gifted guitar renditions over long cables or audio snakes, with minimum interference or high-frequency signal loss. Ask your dealer or guitar maker about their recommenda-tions for a good DI box.

PHANTOM POWERMost modern professional condenser mics are equipped for Phantom Power, which lets the mixer send low-current DC voltage to

the mic’s electronics through the same wires that carry audio. (Semi-pro condenser mics often have batteries to accomplish the same thing.) “Phantom” owes its name to an ability to be “unseen” by dynamic mics (Shure SM57/SM58, for instance), which don’t need external power and aren’t affected by it anyway.

The 1604-VLZ3’s phantom power is globally controlled by the PHANTOM [22] switch on the rear panel. (This means the phantom power for all channels is turned on and off together.)

Never plug single-ended (unbalanced) micro-phones, or ribbon mics into the MIC input jacks if phantom power is on.

Do not plug instrument outputs into the MIC input jacks with phantom power on unless you know for certain it is safe to do so.

1

10 1604-VLZ3

160

4-V

LZ3

4. INSERTThese unbalanced 1/4" jacks are for connecting serial

effects processors such as compressors, equalizers, de-essers, or fi lters. The insert point is after the GAIN [3] control, but before the channel’s EQ [32], LOW CUT [33], FADER [25] and MUTE [30] controls. Insert cables must be wired thusly:

Tip = send (output to effects device)

Ring = return (input from effects device)

Sleeve = common ground

Even though channels 1–8 already have DIRECT OUT [5] jacks , INSERT jacks can also be used as channel direct outputs; post-GAIN, pre-LOW CUT, and pre-EQ. See the connector section on page 29 (fi gure F) showing three ways to use insert cables.

5. DIRECT OUTFound only on channels 1–8, these balanced 1/4"

jacks deliver the signal from the very end of the channel path; post-GAIN [3], post-EQ [32], post-LOW CUT [33], post-FADER [25], and post-MUTE [30]. They are the key player in “split monitoring,” making the 1604-VLZ3 perfect for an 8-track studio.

SPLIT MONITORINGWith split monitoring, you use the fi rst eight channels for your sound sources: vocal mics, drum mics, keyboard/synth outputs, guitar effects outputs, that sort of thing. From

there, the channels manipulate the sound, but are not assigned to the output section. Instead, they’re patched from the channel’s DIRECT OUT [5] jacks to the corresponding multitrack input (DIRECT OUT 1 to multitrack input 1, 2 to 2, 3 to 3, etc.). The signals will now be recorded or pass directly through the multitrack, depending on each track’s record-ready status.

2. LINE INPUTSThese 1/4" jacks share circuitry (but not phantom

power) with the mic preamps, and can be driven by balanced or unbalanced sources at almost any level. You can use these inputs for virtually any signal you’ll come across, from instrument levels as low as –50 dBu, to operating levels of –10 dBV to +4 dBu, since there is –15 to +45 dB of gain (60 dB range) available for line inputs via the GAIN [3] knob. Always make sure to perform the Level-Setting Procedure on page 3.

To connect balanced lines to these inputs, use a 1⁄4" Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) plug, the type found on stereo headphones:

To connect unbalanced lines to these inputs, use a 1⁄4" mono (TS) phone plug or instrument cable:

3. GAIN Yes it’s true, these controls are not in the

patchbay section at all. They’re found along the top row of knobs in the channel strip section. But their purpose is so closely linked with the MIC [1] and LINE [2] input jacks that we couldn’t bear to separate them. Here’s why: Every time you plug something into a MIC or LINE input jack, you should perform the Level-Setting Procedure, and that procedure is basi-cally “how to use the GAIN knob.”

GAIN adjusts the input sensitivity of the MIC and LINE inputs. This allows signals from the outside world to be adjusted to optimal internal operating levels.

Through the XLR jack (MIC), there will be 0 dB of gain with the knob fully down, ramping to 60 dB of gain fully up.

Through the 1/4" input (LINE), there is 15 dB of at-tenuation fully down and 45 dB of gain fully up, with a “U” (unity gain) mark at 10:00.

This 15 dB of attenuation can be very handy when you are inserting a signal that is very hot, or you want to add a lot of EQ gain, or both. Without this “virtual pad,” this scenario might lead to channel clipping.

24

3

“tip”

This plug connects to one of the mixer’s Channel Insert jacks. “ring”

tipring

sleeveSEND to processor

RETURN from processor

(TRS plug)

56

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If the signal level is too low it may be maskedby the noise.

Signal Noise

If the signal level is too high, clipping distortionmay occur.

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1

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

+15–15

0MID

+12–12

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

1

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+ 20

U

00

2

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

3

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

4

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

5

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

6

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

7

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

8

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

9

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

10

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

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+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

11

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

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+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

12

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

13

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

14

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U

00

15

MON

AUX

U

1

2

3

4

5

6

U

U

U

+1500

+1500

+1500

+1500

5/6

SHIFT

+15–15

0HI

0MID

0LO

EQ

0

RL

PAN

SOLO

MUTEALT 3/4

OL

+20

U U

00

16

MON

U

1

2

3

4

U

U

U

+2000

+2000

+2000

+2000

C

1

2

3

4

C

C

C

RL

1

2

3

4

STEREO AUX RETURNS

RL

RL

RL

LEVEL BALANCE

MONO

AUX

SOLO

+10

00 00

1/LEFT 2/RIGHT LEVEL

SOLO/PHONES

MAIN OUTPUT

MUTE

SOLO

TO

MAIN

ALT PREVIEW

POWER

SOLO

LEVEL

-20

-16

-12

-8

-4

0

+2

+4

+8

CLIP

CR1604

16 CHANNEL MIC/LINE MIXER

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 PHANTOM MAINS

CR1604 16 CHANNEL MIC/LINE MIXER

LAMP 12 VAC

+4 –25

13U

–10 •

UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

+4 –25

14U

–10 •

+4 –25

15U

–10 •

+4 –25

16U

–10 •

LEFT

RIGHT

BUSS INSERT

LEFT

RIGHT

ALT 3/4 OUT

3

6

2

5

1

4MONITOR

LEFT

RIGHT

AUX OUTPUTSMONOBAL MAIN OUT

MAINS PHANTOM

+48V

6 5 4 3 2 1

LOW Z BALANCED MICROPHONE INPUTS

BALANCED/UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

+4 –25

7U

–10 •

+4 –40

6U

–10

•

+4 –40

5U

–10

•

+4 –40

4U

–10

•

+4 –40

3U

–10

•

+4 –40

2U

–10

•

+4 –40

1U

–10

•

SENSITIVITY

ADD 10dB FOR

MIC INPUTS

4

8

+4 –25

8U

–10 •

3

7

2

6

1

5

+4 –25

9U

–10 •

+4 –25

10U

–10 •

+4 –25

11U

–10 •

+4 –25

12U

–10 •

CHANNEL ACCESS TIP=OUT RING=IN

4321

AUX RETURNS

L

R

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

+15–15

+12–12

1

CR-1604 OWNER’S MANUAL

32

SPECIFICATIONSMain Mix Noise20Hz–20kHz bandwidth, 1⁄4" Main Out, channel Trims @unity gain, channel EQs flat, all channels assigned to MainMix, odd channels panned left, even channels panned right

Main Mix fader unity, channel faders down: –86.5dBu(90dB Signal to Noise Ratio, ref +4dBu)Main Mix fader @ unity, channel faders @ unity: –84.0dBu

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)1kHz @ +14dBu: 20Hz–20kHzMic in to Main out: below 0.005%

Attenuation (Crosstalk)1kHz relative to 0dBu, 20Hz–20kHz bandwidth,Line in, 1⁄4" Main Out, Trim @ unity

Channel Mute switch engaged: –84dBuChannel Gain knob down: –84dBu

Frequency ResponseMic input to any output

20Hz to 60kHz: +0dB/–1dB20Hz to 100kHz: +0dB/–3dB

Equivalent Input Noise (EIN)Mic in to Insert Send out, max gain

150 ohm termination: –129.5dBm unweighted

Common Mode Rejection (CMR)Mic in to Insert Send out, max gain

1kHz: better than 80dB

Maximum LevelsMic in: +14dBuAll other inputs: +22dBuMain Mix 1⁄4" TRS outputs: +28dBuAll other outputs: +22dBu

ImpedancesMic in: 1.3 kilohmsChannel Insert return: 2.5 kilohmsAll other inputs: 10 kilohms or greaterTape out: 1.1 kilohmsAll other outputs: 120 ohms

EQHigh Shelving: ±15db @ 12kHzMid Peaking: ±15dB, sweep 100Hz–8kHzLow Shelving: ±15db @ 80HzLow Cut Filter: 18dB/octave, –3dB @ 75Hz

Power Consumption120VA.C., 50/60Hz, 50 watts

Fuse Ratings120V: 1A Slo Blo, 5 x 20mm220–240V: 0.5A Slo Blo, 5 x 20mm

Weight20 lbs. (9.1kg)

17.9

" (45

4.7m

m)

11 ra

ck s

pace

s17

.6" (

447.0

mm

)10

rack

spa

ces

13.0

" (32

5.1m

m)

8 ra

ck s

pace

s

8.7" (221.0mm)

5.0" (127mm)

19.0" (482.6mm)

5.6" (142.2mm)

6.0" (152.4mm)

17.3" (442.0mm)

9.3" (236.2mm)

6.6" (167.6mm)

CR1604-VLZ with pod normal

CR1604-VLZ with pod to back

CR1604-VLZ with optional rotopod

CR16 04-VLZWEIGHT20.0 lbs.(9.1 kg)

11

INPUT SENSITIVITY CONTROLSThe first set of items on our tour are the

sensitivity controls for the 16 input channels.These knobs adjust the input sensitivity of themic and line inputs so signals from the out-side world are brought into the mixer atoptimum internal operating levels. INPUTSENSITIVITY controls for channels 1–6 haveup to 40dB of gain for line inputs and 50dB forXLR inputs; controls for channels 7–16 have25dB of gain. Note that all SENSITIVITY con-trols are marked with a –10 setting. This isthe amount of gain needed to raise –10dBvoperating level equipment up to professional+4dB levels.

MICROPHONE INPUTS (Channels1–6)We use true phantom-powered, balanced in-

puts just like the big, studio mega-consoles forthe same reason they do: This kind of circuit is ex-cellent at rejecting hum and noise. You can plugin any kind of professional microphone that has astandard “XLR-type male” mic connector, an im-pedance of between 50 ohms and 600 ohms.

If you wire your own male XLR’s, connect themlike this:Pin 2= Positive (+ or hot)Pin 3= Negative ( – or cold)Pin 1= Shield (ground)

Basically, Inputs 1–6 will handle any kind ofmic level you can toss at them. Professionalribbon, dynamic and condenser mics will allsound excellent through these inputs —especially if you follow the Level Setting in-structions on page 19. Lower-cost electret-type,unbalanced mics should be plugged into Inputs7–16 but will require additional gain and thusnot be as quiet.

• When using microphone XLR input jacks,you will get 10dB more gain than what theSENSITIVITY trim marking indicates.

PHANTOM POWER SWITCHWhat is Phantom Power? No, it’s not the arch

enemy of Captain America or anything like that.Most modern professional condenser mics areequipped for Phantom Power, which lets themixer send DC power to the mic’s electronicsover the same wires that carry audio (hence“phantom” since the DC voltage is “unseen” by dy-namic and ribbon mics which don’t need externalpower and are unaffected by it anyway).

Part 3 — INPUT/OUTPUT POD

INPUTS

+4 –25

13U

–10 •

UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

+4 –25

14U

–10 •

+4 –25

15U

–10 •

+4 –25

16U

–10 •

LEFT

RIGHT

BUSS INSERT

LEFT

RIGHT

ALT 3/4 OUT

3

6

2

5

1

4MONITOR

LEFT

RIGHT

AUX OUTPUTSMONOBAL MAIN OUT

MAINS PHANTOM

+48V

6 5 4 3 2 1

LOW Z BALANCED MICROPHONE INPUTS

BALANCED/UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

+4 –25

7U

–10 •

+4 –40

6U

–10

•

+4 –40

5U

–10

•

+4 –40

4U

–10

•

+4 –40

4U

–10

•

+4 –40

4U

–10

•

+4 –40

4U

–10

•

SENSITIVITY

ADD 8dB FOR

MIC INPUTS

4

8

+4 –25

8U

–10 •

3

7

2

6

1

5

+4 –25

9U

–10 •

+4 –25

10U

–10 •

+4 –25

11U

–10 •

+4 –25

12U

–10 •

CHANNEL ACCESS TIP=OUT RING=IN

4321

AUX RETURNS

L

R

OUTPUTS / SENDS RETURNS / INSERTS19

+4 –40

13U

–10 •

UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

+4 –40

14U

–10 •

+4 –40

15U

–10 •

+4 –40

16U

–10 •

PHANTOM

5 4 3 2 1

LOW Z BALANCED MICROPHONE INPUTS

BALANCED/UNBALANCED LINE INPUTS

+4 –40

7U

–10 •

+4 –40

6U

–10

•

+4 –40

5U

–10

•

+4 –40

4U

–10

•

+4 –40

3U

–10

•

+4 –40

2U

–10

•

+4 –40

1U

–10

•

SENSITIVITY

ADD 8dB FOR

MIC INPUTS

+4 –40

8U

–10 •

+4 –40

9U

–10 •

+4 –40

10U

–10 •

+4 –40

11U

–10 •

+4 –40

12U

–10 •

6

21

20

21

20

19

NEED MORE THAN SIX MIC INPUTS?

We have determined that six mic inputs takescare of most users’ needs. But if you’re miking acomplex drum kit, lots of vocalists or a completemusical (our mixers have been used in several hitBroadway shows, by the way), you can add theXLR10 Mic Input Expander. It adds 10 more highquality discrete, balanced preamplifiers just likethe ones on the CR-1604’s Channels 1–6. The unitinstalls in minutes and forms an integral, struc-tural part of the mixer (in pod-to-back or tabletopconfiguration, it doesn’t take up any more rackspace either). Plus, you can still use the line in-puts on the CR-1604’s Channel’s 7–16! Such adeal. Ask your Mackie dealer for more details.

INPUTOUTPUT

POD

StudioLive™ 24.4.2 and StudioLive™ 16.4.2Performance and Recording Digital Mixers

Owner’s Manual

Englishwww.presonus.com

®