Mackie Mixer Question

[ShadowWolf810]

Hello, I just got a 802-VLZ3 for my desk. I also have a Schiit Modi and Magni DAC/Headphone Amp setup. While waiting for cables to show up, I just used standard RCA cables to go from the DAC to the Tape In on the Mixer, and standard 1/4in TRS cables in the Main Outs going to my monitors, and used the mixer's headphone amp. Now with this setup, in the Control Room Source I had Tape in engaged, as well as Assign to Main Mix and this worked great. Got nice healthy levels on the indicator, etc.

 

Well I got my cables and adapters and planned to move my PC input to one of the stereo channels instead. Because my DAC is RCA out only, I bought a pack of RCA to 1/4 TS adapters and figured to just use my existing cables. However when I move the PC from Tape In to say, Line In 5-6 for example, I don't get any level indicators. I can still hear the source in my headphones and monitors, can control the volume with the Line 5-6 fader knob but in this configuration (with Control Room volume at Unity and only the Main Mix button in the Control Room Source engaged) A. I have no levels, and B. I can't listen to only my headphones without also having it play through my monitors. But when using it through the Tape In input, I could turn the Main Mix volume all the way down (so it doesn't play through my monitors) but I can still turn up the Phones volume to listen through headphones.

 

My plan to solve the headphone/monitor issue is to run the Control Room outs to my dedicated Headphone amp, then just leave the Control Room volume alone, and turn off the headphone volume on the amp instead, and raise the Main Mix volume if I want monitors. So I have a work around for that, although I think I'm missing the fundamentals on why it behaves this way, as well as why I have no level's indication like I do when I use the Tape In inputs. I read through the manual but can't seem to figure out why this is happening. And when I follow the level setting procedure for all the sources, I get levels on the indicator from my PC source in Line 5-6 when I Solo it, but only in the right column of lights. Hopefully that all makes sense and there's a simple solution or reason for why it's acting the way it is. Thank you!

 

 

Picture of my specific mixer for reference. 

[jasonvp]

Have you read through the owners manual for the Mackie?  They have some of the best (and, quite frankly, hysterical) owners manuals on the market.

 

http://www.kunstencentrumbelgie.com/overbelgie/802VLZ3_OM.pdf

 

Go through that first.  I suspect what you want to do is run the DAC's line out to inputs 1 and 2, and just make sure the gain and faders are 100% equal.  Then use input 3 for your mic.

 

But RTFM first.

[Ahoy Hoy]

You are not actually using the headphone port for what its designed for. Plug your headphones into the aux output.

 

[ShadowWolf810]

1 hour ago, jasonvp said:

Have you read through the owners manual for the Mackie?  They have some of the best (and, quite frankly, hysterical) owners manuals on the market.

 

http://www.kunstencentrumbelgie.com/overbelgie/802VLZ3_OM.pdf

 

Go through that first.  I suspect what you want to do is run the DAC's line out to inputs 1 and 2, and just make sure the gain and faders are 100% equal.  Then use input 3 for your mic.

 

But RTFM first.

Yeah I read the whole manual and have done a ton of googling before posting. 

 

I was able to diagnose the problem of the levels. It turned out that having my monitor's volume set at 50%, the output was so loud that I could never turn the Main Mix knob up high enough for the levels to register, so it just looked like defective indicator lights. I'm kind of shocked though because I have them at 5% now, no joke, and having everything across the board at Unity is great listening volume now. Not sure what's going on there, might need to add a preamp inbetween. 

 

I'm still having an issue with trying to use my dedicated headphone amp though. If I have the DAC going to Tape In, then I can assign Tape to the Main mix. Leave the control room knob at Unity, then turn up my headphone amp volume whenever I want to listen, and then the Main Mix knob becomes my monitors volume. But this only works for the Tape bus. 

 

All of the line sources seem to behave where they only play (but with no levels on the indicator) if the Main Mix knob is turned up. So with that same setup, Main Mix is still my monitor volume, however it has to be up for signal to make it to the Control Room (headphone amp). So I can listen to Monitors, Monitors and Headphones, but not just headphones alone. 

 

Any ideas on how to make that work?

[ShadowWolf810]

8 minutes ago, Ahoy Hoy said:

You are not actually using the headphone port for what its designed for. Plug your headphones into the aux output.

 

Right now I have the Control Room Outs going to my headphone amp, and I'm using the Aux output to go to the Line In on my PC for recording. 

 

I tried using a female 3.5mm to dual female RCA adapter to go from Phones to the Amp but that didn't seem to be working either.