Mackie D-2 Musical Instrument User Manual


 
11
Owner’s Manual
Owner’s Manual
If you only have one monitor speaker, just use one of
the BOOTH Outputs and push in the BOOTH STEREO/
MONO switch [34] in the CONTROL section on the top
panel.
9. XLR MAIN OUTs
These male XLR connectors provide a balanced mic-
or line-level signal from the MAIN LEVEL control [32].
The LINE/MIC Switch [10] determines if it is a mic-
level or line-level output. Connect these to the balanced
inputs of the active speakers, or power amplifi er(s)
powering your main speakers.
If you are connecting the MAIN OUT of the d.2 to an
unbalanced input, use the RCA Main Outs [11] instead.
Note: Balanced connections offer better immunity to
external noise (specifi cally, hum and buzz) than unbal-
anced connections. Because of this, it is the preferred
interconnect method, especially in cases where very
long lengths of cable are being used. A long unbalanced
cable carries with it more opportunity for noise to get
into the system — having balanced cables means very
little noise will enter the system. If you must use an
unbalanced connection, keep the cable length to 10 feet
or less (3 meters).
10. LINE/MIC Switch
If you are connecting the XLR MAIN OUTs [9] to line-
level inputs like a power amplifi er’s inputs, leave this
switch out, in the LINE position.
If you are using the d.2 as a submixer and connecting
the XLR MAIN OUTS to the mic inputs of another mixer,
push this switch in to the MIC position. This inserts a
30 dB pad to reduce the output signal to a mic level.
This great feature allows you to connect the d.2 output
directly to a snake without using direct boxes.
11. RCA Main Outs
These RCA connectors provide an unbalanced line-
level signal from the MAIN OUT, either pre- or post-
MAIN LEVEL control [32], depending on the setting of
the LIVE/RECORD switch [12].
12. LIVE/RECORD Switch
When this switch is out (LIVE position), the RCA
Main Outs provide the signal just after the MAIN LEVEL
control [32], so it essentially provides the same signal
as the XLR MAIN OUTs [9], except it is an unbalanced
signal rather than a balanced one.
When this switch is pushed in (RECORD position),
the RCA Main Outs provide the signal just prior to the
MAIN LEVEL control. This allows you to make a stereo
recording that is not affected by Main Out level changes
during a performance.
13. POWER Switch
When the POWER switch is turned ON, power is sup-
plied to the d.2 and the cool blue EQ knobs light up.
14. Power Receptacle
This is a standard 3-prong IEC power connector. Con-
nect the detachable linecord (included in the box with
your d.2) to the power receptacle, and plug the other
end of the linecord into an AC outlet.
The d.2 has a universal power supply that can accept
any AC voltage from 100 VAC to 240 VAC. No need for
voltage select switches. It will work virtually anywhere
in the world. That’s why we call it a “Planet-Earth”
power supply! This also means that it is less susceptible
to voltage sags or spikes, providing greater electromag-
netic isolation and better protection against AC line
noise.
15. FIREWIRE I/O Option
FireWire (a.k.a. IEEE 1394) is a high-speed serial I/O
interface for connecting digital devices, with more than
30 times the bandwidth of USB 1.1. You can install the
optional FireWire card here, to provide two FireWire
connectors for transferring digital audio to and from
your laptop computer or digital audio workstation
(DAW) with absolute zero latency.
The FireWire interface provides a stereo main output
to your computer. The signals are pre-MAIN LEVEL con-
trol [32], so they are independent of any adjustments
made to the MAIN LEVEL control. This allows you to
record your live performance directly to your laptop.
The FireWire interface also lets you use your comput-
er to playback music for mixing on the d.2. It provides
a return for four signals, which can be selected as the
program source for PGM 1 and PGM 2. Assign two chan-
nels (or a stereo pair) to ASIO or CoreAudio outputs 1
and 2 for PGM 1, and two channels (or a stereo pair) to
outputs 3 and 4 for PGM 2.
The FireWire card can easily be installed with the
help of a small screwdriver. Ask your Mackie dealer
about it. (The FireWire card, not the screwdriver.) Each
card comes with installation instructions that I have
to write before the boss gets back from his vacation in
Gary, Indiana.
FIREWIRE