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A Tour of the MultiMix USB

 

2

 

17 

 

Master Section 

 

The Master Section is the heart of  the mixer, where the channel 

inputs and aux returns all are mixed together and routed in various 

ways. 

 

Main Mix Fader 

 

The signals from all channels and aux sends—excluding those that 

are muted—are sent to the main mix. The MAIN MIX fader is the 

one you’ll use to control the overall level of  those combined 

signals. This fader affects the levels of  the signals sent to the 

MAIN MIX OUT, the DIGITAL OUT (12FXD and16FXD 

models only) and the 2-TRACK OUT. In its lowest position the 

signal is cut off  completely, and in the uppermost position you get 

an additional 10dB of  gain. In the 0 position the fader is at unity 

gain. 

 

Alt 3/4 Fader 

 

This fader controls the output of  the Alt 3/4 bus. 

 

2TK To  Mix 

 

When you press this switch, the signal coming in through the 2-

TRACK IN gets routed to the MAIN MIX, joining whichever 

other signals are already part of  the main mix. Used this way, the 

2-TRACK IN effectively becomes another stereo channel (but 

without all the extras like pan, EQ, etc.). 

 

Alt 3/4 To Mix 

 

This switch adds the signal from the Alt 3/4 bus to the main mix 

bus. 

 

Solo Mode 

 

The SOLO MODE switch affects the signals of  channels whose 

PFL / SOLO switches are engaged. When the SOLO MODE 

switch is in the up position, you’re in PFL, or pre-fader listen 

mode. This means that you’ll hear the signals of  all soloed 

channels as they sound before they pass through their respective 

faders. You’ll need to be in PFL mode when you’re setting levels 

(see “Setting Channel Levels,” page 12. This mode is post-EQ. 

 

When the SOLO MODE switch is engaged (in the down 

position), you are in SOLO mode. This means that you will hear 

the output of  every soloed channel (after it passes through its 

fader, pan and EQ). 

 

 
 
 

The purpose of seeing a 
soloed channel’s level on the 
LED meters is so that you can 
see the true level of that 
channel’s signal. For that 
reason, the HDPH / CTRL 
RM knob does not change the 
LED meters’ reading—it 
changes only the level at 
which you’re listening to the 
soloed channel. 

  2

 

A Tour of the MultiMix USB

 

 18 

HDPH / CTRL RM 

 

The HDPH / CTRL RM knob controls the level of  the signal 

being sent to the CTRL RM OUT and the PHONES output. The 

level of  this signal is represented by the LED meters. The switches 

to the right of  the HDPH / CTRL RM knob determine the source 

of  the control room mix as explained below. You can use these 

switches in any combination. If  none is selected, you’ll hear silence 

in the control room mix and the LED meters won’t light up. 

 

The “CTRL RM” in the name of  this knob refers to the fact that it 

controls the signal that typically is sent to the control room 

monitors of  a studio, where someone—usually an engineer—is 

working the mixer. However, don’t be intimidated if  you’re using 

this mixer in your bedroom, which probably isn’t equipped with a 

control room. In this scenario, you can use headphones or connect 

the CTRL RM OUT to your speakers.  

 

MIX Switch 

 

Pressing the MIX switch routes the main mix to the control room 

level control. When you engage this switch, the channels and aux 

sends will pass through the MAIN MIX fader and then through 

the HDPH / CTRL RM level control. You can then keep the 

MAIN MIX fader set to unity gain for optimal recording, and the 

HDPH / CTRL RM level control set to a more comfortable 

listening level if  necessary. 

 

ALT 3/4 Switch 

 

When you press the ALT 3/4 switch, the signal from the ALT 3/4 

stereo mix bus is routed through the HDPH / CTRL RM level 

control. 

 

2TK Switch 

 

If  you want to monitor the signal coming in from the 2-TRACK 

jacks, press the 2TK switch.  

 

Aux Ret A Level 

 

This is the level control for the signal returning to the mixer via 

AUX RETURN A. 

 

Effects / Aux Ret B level 

 

If  you are using one of  the Multimix’s internal effects, this knob 

controls the effect level. If  AUX SEND B is connected to an 

external device, this knob controls the level for AUX RETURN B. 

 

 
 
 
 

When you solo a channel via 
its PFL / SOLO switch, that 
channel’s signal will override 
your control room mix 
selection. You then will hear 
only that channel in the 
control room and the 
headphones.  

Summary of Contents for MultiMix12USB

Page 1: ...Reference Manual ...

Page 2: ...This page intentionally left blank 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 ...

Page 3: ...atchbay 13 Mic Inputs Channels 1 4 13 Line Inputs Channels 1 4 13 Line Inputs Channels 5 12 14 Digital Output Jack 14 PHONE Jack 14 AUX RETURNS 14 AUX SENDS 14 ALT 3 4 OUT 14 2 TRACK 15 MAIN MIX OUT 15 CTRL RM OUT 15 Channel Strips 15 Fader 15 MUTE Alt 3 4 15 PFL SOLO 15 PAN or BAL 16 Aux 16 EQ 16 Master Section 17 Main Mix Fader 17 Alt 3 4 Fader 17 2TK To Mix 17 Alt 3 4 To Mix 17 Solo Mode 17 HDP...

Page 4: ...MULTI MULTI II 22 Chapter Four Applications 23 Simple Recording Setup 23 Simple Live Setup 23 Using Additional External Audio Sources 23 Digital output to a digital recorder 24 Using the Multimix USB with a Computer 24 Sending and Receiving Audio Data 24 Precautions when using the USB connection 24 Connection instructions for Windows XP 2000 ME and 98 Second Edition 24 Connection instructions for ...

Page 5: ...Table Of Contents 3 Alesis Contact Information 40 T 4 T ...

Page 6: ...s 3 Table Of Contents 4 This page intentionally left blank ...

Page 7: ...no one explains how to use them So we try to write our manuals as carefully as we build our products The goal of this manual is to get you the information you need as quickly as possible with a minimum of hassle We hope we ve achieved that If not please drop us an email and give us your suggestions on how we could improve future editions of this manual We hope your investment will bring you many y...

Page 8: ...And with a multitude of ways in which to connect other equipment and instruments the Multimix USB offers endless possibilities Multimix USB Key Features y Three Models Multimix 8 USB 4 mic line preamps 4 stereo inputs Multimix 12 USB 4 mic line preamps 4 stereo inputs Multimix 16 USB 8 mic line preamps 4 stereo inputs y Clean and powerful preamps up to 50dB of preamp gain for capturing quiet sourc...

Page 9: ...ntosh computers Aditional Features of the Multimix 12 USB and Multimix 16 USB y PFL Solo in place functionality per channel isolates a channel with a single push of a button y Mute Alt 3 4 assign per channel lets you mute a channel and at the same time route its signal to the mixer s ALT 3 4 output a separate stereo bus y Independent Main Mix and Alt 3 4 levels permits you to separately command th...

Page 10: ...s provided by the on board digital effects processor If you want to know what a certain effect will do to your sound before you select it this is where you should look Chapter 4 Applications outlines a number of scenarios in which you can use the Multimix including some tips on what goes where when you re hooking everything up Chapter 5 Troubleshooting can give you a hand if you re experiencing pr...

Page 11: ...h this manual True enough you will find all the technical lingo and specifications you can handle in here but we do our best to make this accessible to you Beginners will find several elements of this manual especially useful Keep your eye out for the tips found in the gray boxes on the right side of the page Be sure to check out the hookup diagrams on page 11 which will give you some ideas on how...

Page 12: ...Introduction 10 This page intentionally left blank ...

Page 13: ...performance Using Proper Cables When connecting instruments and other equipment to the MultiMix it s important that you use the appropriate types of cables Here are some simple but important guidelines y For the mic inputs use XLR cables y For the line inputs and all other 1 4 connections use 1 4 mono TRS cables y Use stereo RCA cables for the 2 track in and out Be sure to follow the guidelines fo...

Page 14: ...Levels Before you can begin mixing different audio sources with your MultiMix you must set the level for each channel you re using This helps to prevent distortion and clipping Here s how 1 Slide the channel fader to unity gain 0 2 Turn the AUX SEND and GAIN controls all the way down and turn the EQ knobs to the center detent you ll feel a click 3 Connect the source of the signal to the channel s ...

Page 15: ...inputs is a high pass filter HPF that can be turned on and off with the HPF switch When you activate this switch all frequencies below 75Hz are cut from the signal This is useful for mic or line signals that don t have much bottom end such as vocals snares cymbals and electric guitar You ll want to leave this inactivated for instruments like basses and kick drums Line Inputs Channels 1 4 The line ...

Page 16: ... that is specifically designed to carry a digital signal and does not exceed 5 meters 16 4 ft in length PHONE Jack The headphone jack accepts 1 4 jacks If your headphones are 1 8 you can find a 1 8 to 1 4 adapter in most electronics stores AUX RETURNS These are the 1 4 jacks where you connect the outputs of an external effects processor or other audio source Each aux return gives you 15dB of gain ...

Page 17: ... much of the signal from the mic or line inputs is sent to the channel To adjust the level simply slide the fader up and down to the desired level In the lowest position levels are cut completely and in the uppermost position you get an additional 10dB of gain When the fader is at 0 it is at unity gain where the level of the output equals the level of the input MUTE Alt 3 4 This switch has two pur...

Page 18: ...this mean In POST mode the aux send is affected by the fader EQ and HPF settings In PRE mode the aux send is affected only by the EQ and HPF settings POST mode is generally used for sending the signal to an external effects device so that the fader controls the signal level and PRE mode is usually used for cue sends for example sending a signal to headphones while recording for which you may not w...

Page 19: ...effectively becomes another stereo channel but without all the extras like pan EQ etc Alt 3 4To Mix This switch adds the signal from the Alt 3 4 bus to the main mix bus Solo Mode The SOLO MODE switch affects the signals of channels whose PFL SOLO switches are engaged When the SOLO MODE switch is in the up position you re in PFL or pre fader listen mode This means that you ll hear the signals of al...

Page 20: ...eakers MIX Switch Pressing the MIX switch routes the main mix to the control room level control When you engage this switch the channels and aux sends will pass through the MAIN MIX fader and then through the HDPH CTRL RM level control You can then keep the MAIN MIX fader set to unity gain for optimal recording and the HDPH CTRL RM level control set to a more comfortable listening level if necessa...

Page 21: ...pre and post fader and aux returns depending on which signal you have routed to the control room mix POWER Indicator When this LED is lit up that means the POWER ON switch on the rear of the mixer has been activated 48V Indicator When this one is lit up that means the PHANTOM ON switch on the rear of the mixer has been activated and is supplying 48V phantom power to all XLR mic inputs 2 A 20 R H P...

Page 22: ... Switch this one on and your mixer has power Switch it off and it doesn t Make sure the faders in the master section are pulled all the way down when powering your mixer up or down Phantom On This switch activates and deactivates the phantom power described in Mic Inputs Channels 1 4 page 13 This switch controls phantom power for all four mic inputs USB port This port allows you to connect the Mul...

Page 23: ...e effect knob to activate the selected effect LED Display This display shows you the number of the current program CLIP Indicator When lit this LED tells you that there is a signal clip at the internal effects input This means that you should reduce the signal via the EFFECTS AUX RET B LEVEL control SIG Indicator When lit this LED indicates that the effects processor is receiving a signal Effect D...

Page 24: ...reate a sweeping swooshing sound effect that you will probably recognize DELAY These effects are based on a discreet repetition or echo of the input PITCH These effects transpose the pitch of the input signal and blend the effect signal with the original to create harmonies MULTI MULTI II These are combinations of two or more of the above effects ...

Page 25: ...ing it via AUX RETURN A you ll probably want to set AUX SEND A to POST for post fader For monitoring you can connect the CTRL RM OUT jacks to a speaker or headphone amplifier or just simply plug headphones into the PHONES jack Simple Live Setup This is similar to the recording setup In a live setup you most likely will connect the MAIN MIX OUT to a PA system amplifier and the CTRL RM OUT to a head...

Page 26: ...nd other extenders with USB audio often causes glitches and other problems Sending and Receiving Audio Data The USB port sends the Multimix s MAIN OUT TAPE OUT left and right signals to the computer The USB port receives a stereo audio stream from the computer and assigns it to the TAPE IN left and right channels of your Multimix mixer Note that if a device is connected to the Multimix s TAPE IN i...

Page 27: ...Control Panel Select Sounds and Audio Devices or Multimedia go to the Audio tab and select the USB audio codec as your default sound recording and sound playback device Connection instructions for Macintosh OS X only After plugging in the Multimix select USB Audio CODEC in the Sound area of System Preferences No other action is required The Multimix USB is not designed for use with Mac OS9 and bel...

Page 28: ...s 4 25 4 Applications 26 This page intentionally left blank ...

Page 29: ...ake sure cables are plugged in securely Headphones are not plugged into PHONE jack Plug headphones into PHONE jack Monitor or headphone amplifier is turned off or down Turn amplifier on or up Bad cable Check all cables substitute cables with known good ones Audio signal is distorted Channel level is too high Set channel levels using the procedure on page 12 Channel input is too high Turn down your...

Page 30: ...Test the microphone on other audio devices If you detect damage contact the manufacturer or dealer No or low sound from a channel Fader is too low Raise channel fader Instrument volume is too low Turn up the instrument s volume control If problem persists check the instrument by plugging headphones into the instrument s phone jack Channel is muted Check the MUTE ALT 3 4 switch Gain is too low Adju...

Page 31: ...ck in If this does not work leave the Multimix on turn off the computer do not use restart but instead actually turn off the computer and then turn it on again Computer sees the Multimix USB but no sound is received and or transmitted Multimix USB is not set as primary sound device In the computer s Control Panel go to the Sounds Multimedia area In the Audio section set the default sound recording...

Page 32: ...g 5 29 d n r 5 Troubleshooting 30 This page intentionally left blank ...

Page 33: ...to 10dB Aux Returns Aux Return A Gain Range to 15dB Effects Level Aux Return B Gain Range to 15dB Channel Levels Channel Level Gain Range to 10dB Master Levels Main Mix Ctrl Room Gain Range to 10dB 1 4 Inputs Stereo Aux Return Level 4dBu nominal 20dBu maximum RCA Inputs Tape In Level 10dBV nominal 5dBV maximum 1 4 Outputs Main Mix Ctrl Room Aux 3 4 Ext Aux Send Level 4dBu nominal 20dBu maximum Hea...

Page 34: ... over e with a 18dBu dances z 6 Specifications 32 Mechanicals W x L x H Multimix 12 USB 13 0 x 13 4 x 3 2 331mm x 340mm x 80mm 7 0lbs 3 2kg Multimix 16 USB 13 0 x 15 2 x 3 2 331mm x 386mm x 80mm 9 7lbs 4 4kg ...

Page 35: ...7 Block Diagrams 33 7 B 34 ...

Page 36: ...33 7 Block Diagrams 34 ...

Page 37: ...ser microphone A type of high quality microphone that produces a weak signal usually requiring an external power source like the ones provided by your Multimix s XLR mic inputs dB decibel A common unit of measure for audio detent A point of resistance in the path that a mixer knob or fader travels Detents are used to mark important settings As you turn the knob or slide the fader you ll feel it cl...

Page 38: ...ntrol that lets you position a mono signal within the stereo spectrum by altering the level of the signal being sent to the left channel as opposed to the right phantom power A way of providing power to condenser microphones Called phantom because the power isn t apparent to dynamic microphones when you connect them to an input that provides phantom power post fader Describes an aux send that send...

Page 39: ...Glossary 37 opposite of dry G 38 T ...

Page 40: ...y 37 Glossary 38 This page intentionally left blank ...

Page 41: ...rbyunauthorized personnel and is limited to failures arising during normalusethatareduetodefects in materialorworkmanshipintheproduct THEABOVEWARRANTIES AREIN LIEUOF ANYOTHER WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONSWHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT AND SPECIFICALLYEXCLUDEANYIMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULARPURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITYOROTHER IMPLIED WARRANTIES Som...

Page 42: ...te http www alesis com Multimix USB Reference Manual Revision 2 0 by Edwin Erdmann Brooks Bruner and Fred Morgenstern Copyright 2004 Alesis Distribution LLC All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited Multimix and Multimix USB are trademarks of Alesis LLC Specifications subject to change without notice 7 51 0179 A 4 05 2004 7 51 0179 A ...

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