Hey all! Question: I bought a used Mackie 1604 12 channel mixer on ebay and the balanced/unbalanced line inputs (chan. 1-6) seem to be screwy. When I patch in an mp3 from my computer via 1/4" cable I only get one channel... meaning, it's usually the instruments, but the vocals drop out. If I pull the cable halfway out and fiddle with it, I'll get the whole song, but it's at a lower level than the other channels with the less powerful preamps. That can't be right. Does anybody have a fix for this? This is my first mixer, maybe I'm doing something wrong?
Issue with Mackie 1604
- Thread starter Jon Fogel
- Start date
Re: Issue with Mackie 1604
Buying an old used mixer can be a crap shoot. Do you have any recourse with the seller? What condition did they say it was in?
Check the WWW for common problems (ribbon cables?) but any mixer that old can have pot/jack/solder/etc issues.
If you are handy take it apart and figure whats wrong.. if not handy buy a newer mixer in better condition.
JR
Buying an old used mixer can be a crap shoot. Do you have any recourse with the seller? What condition did they say it was in?
Check the WWW for common problems (ribbon cables?) but any mixer that old can have pot/jack/solder/etc issues.
If you are handy take it apart and figure whats wrong.. if not handy buy a newer mixer in better condition.
JR
Re: Issue with Mackie 1604
Yes, you're doing it wrong. The 1/4" inputs are balanced connections. A balanced 1/4" connector looks identical to a stereo unbalanced 1/4" connector. If you use the stereo connection, it will connect the left and right channel out of phase, canceling out whatever is the same on each, leaving you with just the stereo separation. Vocals are generally panned center so they disappear. Instruments have more left right differential and stick around.
What you need to do is use TWO channels when connecting a stereo device and have the correct cables to do so.
Yes, you're doing it wrong. The 1/4" inputs are balanced connections. A balanced 1/4" connector looks identical to a stereo unbalanced 1/4" connector. If you use the stereo connection, it will connect the left and right channel out of phase, canceling out whatever is the same on each, leaving you with just the stereo separation. Vocals are generally panned center so they disappear. Instruments have more left right differential and stick around.
What you need to do is use TWO channels when connecting a stereo device and have the correct cables to do so.
Re: Issue with Mackie 1604
Ah Interesting. That makes sense, thanks for the reply! John, this thing has been sitting in my basement for 6 years. I bought it when I was in a band years ago and when I plugged it in, it worked only intermittently. I know a little bit more about electronics now, and de-oxied all the pots and sliders, now everything works except for two sliders, which I'll replace. I bought it for $100, and with $24 bucks in parts I'll be fully functional!
Ah Interesting. That makes sense, thanks for the reply! John, this thing has been sitting in my basement for 6 years. I bought it when I was in a band years ago and when I plugged it in, it worked only intermittently. I know a little bit more about electronics now, and de-oxied all the pots and sliders, now everything works except for two sliders, which I'll replace. I bought it for $100, and with $24 bucks in parts I'll be fully functional!
