Mackie ProFX8 User Manual

Owner’

s Manual

Mackie mixers use 3-pin female “XLR” connectors on 

all microphone inputs, with pin 1 wired to the grounded 
(earthed) shield, pin 2 wired to the “high” (”hot” or 
positive polarity) side of the audio signal and pin 3 
wired to the “low” (“cold” or negative polarity) side of 
the signal. See Figure A. This is all totally aboveboard 
and in full accord with the hallowed standards dictated 
by the AES (Audio  Engineering  Society).

Use a male “XLR”-type connector, usually found on the 

nether end of what is called a “mic cable,” to connect to 
a  female XLR jack.

“TRS” stands for Tip-Ring-Sleeve, the three 

 connections available on a “stereo” 

1

⁄

4

" or  “balanced” 

phone jack or plug. See Figure B.

TRS jacks and plugs are used in several   different ap-

plications:

• 

Stereo Headphones, and rarely, stereo micro-
phones and stereo line connections. 
When wired for stereo, a 1⁄4" TRS jack or plug 
is connected tip to left, ring to right and sleeve 
to ground (earth). Mackie mixers do not 
directly accept 1-plug-type stereo micro phones. 
They must be separated into a left cord and a 
right cord, which are plugged into the two mic 
preamps.

• 

Balanced mono circuits. When wired as a bal-
anced connector, a 1⁄4" TRS jack or plug is con-
nected tip to signal high (hot), ring to signal 
low (cold), and sleeve to ground (earth).

• 

Unbalanced Send/Return circuits. When wired 
as send/return “Y” connector, a 1⁄4" TRS jack 
or plug is connected tip to signal send (output 
from mixer), ring to signal return (input back 
into mixer), and sleeve to ground (earth).

“TS” stands for Tip-Sleeve, the two connections avail-

able on a “mono” 1⁄4" phone jack or plug. See Figure C.

TS jacks and plugs are used in many different 

 applications, always unbalanced. The tip is connected to 
the audio signal and the sleeve to ground (earth). Some 
examples:

• Unbalanced 

microphones

• 

Electric guitars and electronic instruments

• Unbalanced 

line-level 

connections

RCA-type plugs (also known as phono plugs) and 

jacks are often used in home  stereo and video equip-
ment and in many other applications (Figure D). They 
are  unbalanced and electrically identical to a 1⁄4" TS 
phone plug or jack (see Figure C). Connect the signal to 
the center post and the ground (earth) or shield to the 
surrounding “basket.”