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If you’re printing new tracks or bouncing ex-
isting ones, you’ll also use the
1–2
and
3–4
switches, but not the
L–R
switch. Here, you
don’t want the subgroups sent back into the
MAIN L-R MIX
, but sent out, via the
SUB OUTS
jacks, to your multitrack inputs . However, if
you’re printing tracks via the
DIRECT OUT
jacks , all the channel assignment switches
should be disengaged (up).
The CR1604-VLZ is what we call a “true
4-bus mixer.” Each channel can be assigned or
unassigned to any of the subgroups without af-
fecting the other subgroups or settings within
the channel, and each subgroup has its own
master fader
and dedicated output . In
fact, since there are 4 subgroups and the
MAIN
L–R MIX
, it’s actually a true 6-bus mixer. We
could have named it the CR1606-VLZ. Darn!
SOLO
This lovable switch allows you to check
signals through your
PHONES
output or
C-R
OUTS
without having to assign them to the
L-R
,
1-2
or
3-4
mixes. You can solo as many
channels as you like.
SOLO
does not interrupt
any of the other channels, buses or outputs —
that’s called nondestructive solo. Not only that,
via the
MODE
switch , the CR1604-VLZ’s
solo system comes in two flavors:
NORMAL
(AFL)
(sometimes called SIP, or solo-in-place)
and
LEVEL SET (PFL)
(sometimes called PFL,
or pre-fader-listen).
During
NORMAL (AFL)
mode, the soloed
channel’s signal is sent directly to the
C-R OUTS
,
PHONES
output, and meter display just as it
would sound to the channel’s assignment
switches: post-
EQ
, post-fader and post-
PAN
.
The only difference is that
SOLO
works re-
gardless of the channel’s assignment positions,
and that makes it really handy — you can
check out a channel before you assign it.
NORMAL (AFL)
is the preferred mode dur-
ing mixdown: If the channel has some
midrange boost at 4.236kHz, is panned a smid-
gen to the left, and its fader is at –5.385dB,
that’s exactly what you’ll hear if you
SOLO
dur-
ing
NORMAL (AFL)
mode. It’s just as if you
took the time to
MUTE
all the other channels.
LEVEL SET (PFL)
solo is the key player in the
all-important
Level-Setting Procedure
. It’ll
send the channel’s actual internal levels to the
meters so you’ll know just what’s going on, level-
wise. This procedure should be performed every
time a new sound source is patched into a
channel’s
MIC
or
LINE
input jacks.
LEVEL SET (PFL)
is also the preferred mode
for SR (sound reinforcement, or live sound), to
preview channels before they are let into the
mix. It won’t give you stereo placement, but will
give you signal even if the fader is pulled down.
Remember,
LEVEL SET (PFL)
taps the chan-
nel signal before the fader. If you have a
channel’s fader set way below “
U
” (unity gain),
SOLO
won’t know that and will send a unity
gain signal to the
C-R OUTS
,
PHONES
output
and meter display. That may result in a startling
level boost at these outputs, depending on the
position of the
SOLO
level knob .
In a nutshell, soloed channels are sent to
the
SOURCE
mix , that ultimately feeds your
C-R OUTS
,
PHONES
output and meter display.
Whenever
SOLO
is engaged, all
SOURCE
se-
lections (
MAIN MIX
,
1–2
,
3–4
and
TAPE
) are
defeated, to allow the soloed channel to do just
that —
SOLO
!
–20 (SOLO) LED
An LED that does two completely different
things! Saves space, but requires some expla-
nation. First, the “
–20
” part: Often referred to
as “signal activity,” this LED will flicker in time
with the signal present in that channel. It’s
handy for confirming that a channel is indeed
active, and may also lend a clue as to what the
signal is. For instance, a kick drum will cause
the LED to pulse in time with the drum, and a
synth pad will cause it glow a bit more steadily.
Now for the “
SOLO
” part. When a channel’s
SOLO
switch is engaged, this LED will glow
steadily, without flickering. It will also be
brighter than it would be as a
–20
indicator. In
conjunction with the
RUDE SOLO LIGHT
,
you can find a rogue
SOLO
switch very quickly.
OL (MUTE) LED
Another LED that does two completely differ-
ent things! First, the “
OL
” part: “
OL
” means
overload, or clip. You don’t want that to happen.
Ever. Clipping can happen to any mixer — it’s
the point where the signal’s voltage exceeds the
supply voltages that power the circuitry. The
CR1604-VLZ’s
OL
LED will come on just before
clipping, so if you see it, take immediate action:
Perform the
Level-Setting Procedure
. If that
doesn’t help, check for excessive use of
EQ
boost or
fader
gain. Like the
–20
LED, it will
tend to flicker in time with that channel’s signal.
Now for the “
MUTE
” part. Assuming your
levels are set correctly, the
OL
LED will never
PAN
AUX
3
1
2
EQ
5
4
6
5/6
SHIFT
PRE
TRIM
1
SOLO
L - R
3
–
4
1
–
2
OL
-
20
U
OO
+15
U
OO
+15
U
OO
+15
U
+15-15
U
+15-15
800
2k200
8k
U
+15-15
12k
HI
MID
80Hz
LOW CUT
75 Hz
18dB/OCT
LOW
10 0
U
OO
+15
1
MUTE
M
I
C
G
A
I
N
10
U
60
+10dB -40dB
-
1
0
d
B
V
LR
OO