Mackie 1202-VLZ4 Owner's Manual

1202VLZ4

Typically, the engineer sends the main mix to an

audience (if live) or a mixdown deck (if recording). But
what if the engineer in the control room needs to hear
something other than the main mix? With the 1202VLZ4,
the engineer has several choices of what to listen to.
This is one of those tricky parts, so brace yourself.

Via these source switches, you can choose to listen  

to any combination of main mix, alt 3-4 and tape.  
By now, you probably know what the main mix is.  
Alt 3-4 is that additional stereo mix bus. Tape is the
stereo signal coming in from the tape input [9] jacks.

Selections made in the source matrix deliver stereo

signals to the control room, phones and meter display.
With no switches engaged, there will be no signal at
these outputs and no meter indication.

The exception is the solo function. Regardless of the

source selection, engaging a channel’s solo [24] switch
will replace that selection with the solo signal, also sent
to the control room, phones and right meter (the left
meter becomes inactive). This is what makes the
level-setting procedure so easy to do.

WARNING: Engaging both the tape and  
assign to main mix [36] buttons can create
a feedback path between tape input [9] and

tape output [10]. Make sure your tape deck is not in
record, record-pause, or input-monitor mode when you
engage these switches, or make sure the control room /
submix [34] level knob is fully counterclockwise (off).

Now you know how to select the signals to send to the

engineer’s control room or phones. From there, these
signals all pass through the same level control:

This knob controls the levels of both the stereo  

control room [15] and phones [12] outputs. The control
range is from off through unity gain at the detent, with
10 dB of extra gain (when turned fully clockwise).

When main mix is your control room source selection,

those signals will now pass through two level controls
on the way to your control room amp and phones — the
main mix [32] knob and this control room / submix
knob. This way, you can send a nice healthy level to the
main output (main mix knob at “U”), and a quiet level
to the control room or phones (control room / submix
knob wherever you like it).

When alt 3-4 or tape is selected, or solo [24] is  

engaged, the control room / submix knob will be the
only one controlling these levels (channel controls  
not withstanding).

This knob controls the levels of signals sent to the

main outputs: XLR [13] and 1⁄4" [11] and RCA tape
output [10]. All channels and stereo returns [7] that
are not muted or turned fully down will wind up in the
main mix.

Fully counterclockwise is off, the center detent  

is unity gain, and fully clockwise provides 12 dB of  
additional gain. This additional gain will typically never
be needed, but once again, it’s nice to know it’s there.
This is the knob to turn down at the end of the song
when you want The Great Fade-Out.