ALESIS 1622 Mixer Reference Manual TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................... 2 WHAT IS A MIXING CONSOLE?............................................................................... 2 FEATURES................................................................................................................ 2 SECTION 1 DESCRIPTION OF CONTROLS ................................................................................ 3 TOP PANEL .................................................................................................. 3 INPUT TRIM ..................................................................................... 3 EQ .................................................................................................... 3 SENDS ............................................................................................. 3 PRE-FADER SENDS............................................................ 3 POST-FADER SENDS ......................................................... 4 MASTER ASSIGN SWITCH ............................................................. 5 SUB MASTER ASSIGN SWITCH ..................................................... 5 MUTE SWITCH ................................................................................ 6 SOLO SWITCH................................................................................. 6 PAN POT.......................................................................................... 6 CHANNEL FADER............................................................................ 6 SEND MASTERS.............................................................................. 6 TAPE/MONITOR SWITCH................................................................ 6 MONITOR VOLUME ......................................................................... 6 EFFECTS RETURNS ....................................................................... 6 SUB MASTER FADERS ................................................................... 7 SUB MASTER TO MASTER ASSIGN SWITCH................................ 7 MASTER FADERS............................................................................ 7 BACK PANEL................................................................................................ 7 MIC/LINE INPUTS ............................................................................ 7 MICROPHONE INPUTS ................................................................... 7 DIRECT OUTPUTS........................................................................... 7 CHANNEL INSERTS......................................................................... 8 SENDS ............................................................................................. 8 RETURNS ........................................................................................ 8 HEADPHONE ................................................................................... 8 SUB OUT.......................................................................................... 8 SUB INSERT .................................................................................... 8 MAIN OUT ........................................................................................ 8 MAIN OUT LEVEL SELECTOR ........................................................ 8 MAIN INSERT................................................................................... 8 MONITOR OUT ................................................................................ 8 POWER SUPPLY CONNECTOR...................................................... 8 ON/OFF SWITCH ............................................................................. 9 SIGNAL FLOW IN THE 1622 ..................................................................................... 9 SECTION 2 SETTING UP THE 1622 ............................................................................................ 12 CONNECTIONS TO THE MIXER .................................................................. 12 INTERFACING TO A MULTITRACK TAPE RECORDER: 4 TRACK THROUGH 8 TRACK RECORDING ..................... 12 INTERFACING TO THE MULTITRACK TAPE RECORDER VIA A PATCHBAY ...................................................................................... 13 INTERFACING THE 1622 MIXER TO THE MIXDOWN DECK.......... 14 INTERFACING THE 1622 MIXER TO THE CONTROL ROOM MONITOR SPEAKERS..................................................................... 15 INTERFACING THE 1622 MIXER TO A HEADPHONE AMP ............ 15 INTERFACING THE SENDS AND RETURNS OF THE 1622 MIXER TO EFFECTS ......................................................................................... 15 INSERT INTERFACING.................................................................... 15 HOW TO ADJUST LEVELS .......................................................................... 16 SECTION 3 APPLICATIONS ........................................................................................................ 18 MULTITRACK RECORDING ......................................................................... 18 INTRODUCTION TO MULTITRACK RECORDING........................... 18 RECORDING ....................................................................... 18 MONITORING ...................................................................... 19 MULTITRACK MIX................................................... 19 MONITOR SPEAKER (CONTROL ROOM) MIX....... 19 CUE MIX.................................................................. 19 MIXDOWN ........................................................................... 19 THE 1622 MIXER AND A 4 OR 8 TRACK TAPE DECK................................. 19 USING THE 1622 MIXER TO RECORD A SINGLE SOURCE TO 1 TRACK ....................................... 20 TWO OR MORE SOURCES TO 1 TRACK........................... 20 2 OR MORE SOURCES TO 2 TRACKS............................... 20 RECORDING TIPS ........................................................................... 21 HOW TO PLAYBACK FROM MULTITRACK..................................... 21 HOW TO SET UP A CUE ................................................................. 22 MIXDOWN........................................................................................ 22 HOW TO CREATE A DEPENDABLE MIX........................................ 23 HOW TO GROUP SEVERAL CHANNELS TOGETHER WHEN MIXING ................................................................................. 25 HOW TO PLAYBACK A MIX FROM THE MIXDOWN TAPE DECK .. 26 PLAYBACK TIPS.................................................................. 26 SOUND REINFORCEMENT APPLICATIONS IN MONO .................. 27 USING THE SUB MASTERS ............................................................ 28 LINE INPUTS USED AS ADDITIONAL MIC INPUTS ........................ 29 USING THE SUB MASTERS FOR SEPARATE OUTPUTS .............. 29 STAGE MONITOR MIX FROM THE PRE-FADER SENDS ............... 30 DEDICATED MIDI KEYBOARD MIXER......................................................... 30 SECTION 4 TROUBLESHOOTING .............................................................................................. 32 NO SOUND ................................................................................................... 32 NO SOUND WHEN CHANNEL IS SOLOED ..................................... 32 NO SOUND WHEN MONITOR LEVEL TURNED UP........................ 32 OVERLOAD PROBLEMS .............................................................................. 32 DISTORTION HEARD WHEN INPUT CHANNEL IS SOLOED.......... 32 DISTORTION IS BEING RECORDED ONTO TAPE, BUT DISTORTION NOT HEARD WHEN INPUT CHANNEL IS SOLOED........................ 33 DISTORTION AT MIXDOWN MACHINE OR SOUND SYSTEM ....... 33 DISTORTION ON THE RETURNS.................................................... 33 SECTION 5 GROUNDING............................................................................................................. 33 SECTION 6 SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 35 GLOSSARY ........................................................................................................................... 36 APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................. 42 INDEX .................................................................................................................................... 44 BLOCK DIAGRAM................................................................................45 Alesis 1622 Monolithic/Integrated SurfaceTM Audio Console USER'S MANUAL Alesis 1622 Monolithic/Integrated SurfaceTM Audio Console INTRODUCTION The Alesis 1622 Monolithic/Integrated SurfaceTM Audio Console is a 16 channel, two buss audio mixing console which features the new Integrated Monolithic SurfaceTM technology. This technology makes available a number of features at low cost which previously could only be found in much more expensive consoles . The 1622 MIXER provides excellent sonic qualities, with extremely low noise and crosstalk, flat wideband frequency response, and the superb sweet sound normally associated with consoles costing many times more. Thus the 1622 MIXER can be used as an additional "Musical Tool" . Because of the built-in flexibility of the 1622 MIXER, the unit is at home in any application, be it recording, sound reinforcement, post-production, or as a dedicated keyboard mixer. WHAT IS A MIXING CONSOLE? As the name implies, a mixing console "mixes" audio signals together from various sources (microphones, keyboards, tape machines, reverbs, etc.). But unlike a simple "mixer", a mixing console is really the "brain" or center of the entire sound system, regardless of the application, since it not only mixes the signals together, but also provides routing of these signals to tape recorders, effects devices, and other audio systems. The console also allows for adjustment of monitoring levels independent of recording levels. FEATURES · · · · · · · · · · 16 INPUT CHANNELS WITH EQ - Plenty of inputs for keyboards, microphones, or effects 6 AUXILIARY SENDS - Sends signal to up to 6 outboard effects devices, or 4 outboard effects devices and 2 mono or 1 stereo headphone cue mixes 8 AUXILIARY RETURNS - Special dedicated inputs designed to blend the returns of any combination of 8 mono or 4 stereo outboard effects devices SOLO FUNCTION ON INPUT CHANNELS - Enables any overloads or unwanted background noise to be easily detected 2 SUB MASTERS - Makes it easy to control several input channels with just one fader (or two for stereo), or control record levels during multitrack recording CONTROL ROOM MONITOR SECTION - Sets a level for the control room monitor speakers that is independent of the main mix ELECTRONICALLY BALANCED MIC INPUTS - A feature normally found on consoles that are many times more expensive, this allows for both lower noise and greater headroom in the most critical stage of the console MIXDOWN TAPE DECK RETURN - Allows you to hear playback of your mix from the stereo mixdown tape machine just by flipping a switch INSERTS ON ALL INPUTS AND OUTPUTS - Allows for patching outboard signal processing devices such as EQ's, compressors, and effects directly into the signal path 8 DIRECT OUTPUTS - Allows for the quietest operation by bypassing unused electronics and sending the channel signal directly to the input of a Multitrack Tape Machine 2 3 SECTION 1 DESCRIPTION OF CONTROLS TOP PANEL INPUT TRIM The INPUT TRIM is a variable gain control that allows the preamp stage of the mixer to boost the level of a mic or line level signal being fed into the input. The input section of any mixer is the most critical due to the high gain required to amplify such a low level signal (such as that of a microphone) to a usable level. If the gain is set too high, a hot signal from a synthesizer or loud vocalist will cause the input stage to overload and distort. If the gain is set too low, additional gain must be added at some other point in the mixer (such as the faders) which could cause excessive background noise at the output. EQ The equalizer, or EQ, section consists of simple bass and treble controls similar to that of a guitar amp or home stereo. EQ allows for any tonal shaping that might be required by a signal. For the technically minded, these are known as shelving equalizers and have turnover points at 10KHz and 100Hz. This means that the maximum boost or cut begins from 10KHz (and 100Hz for the low frequency EQ) and maintains this "shelf" or plateau from 10KHz to 20KHz. The frequencies below 10KHz are also affected, but less and less so as the frequency of the signal gets further away from 10KHz. See Figure 1 FIGURE 1 HI AND LO SHELVING EQ OF THE 1622 ...