Mackie 1202 VLZ to Alesis Masterlink

[PHILANDDON]

Hi,

Want to do some 2 track live recording. The Masterlink accepts balanced/XLR and unbalanced/RCA ins. Which should I use? The mixer has balanced outs and unbalanced outs. But I think the balanced outs are for monitors not for a recorder. Does it matter? Also there's a little button in the back of the mixer. I believe a +6db pad. But for the life of me I can't tell any volume difference when I engage it or disengage it. Which is the preferred position/standard position for that button. Engaged or disengaged? Thanks.

Also I like the preamps on the mixer. They seem to offer a nice, warm boost. Any one have any opinions on the pre's on this mixer? I picked it up used. thanks again.

[RawDepth]

There is quite a difference between balanced and unbalanced signal. A short lesson…

Any cable that carries a low voltage for audio signal has a natural tendency to pickup radio waves along the way. In other words, it acts like a radio antenna. This low level radio interference can be heard in the form of static or buzzing in audio equipment. (Ground loops occur in a similar way.) With short cable runs, (say 25 feet or less) it is barely audible. With longer cable runs, it becomes much more apparent.

The balanced method was actually invented by the phone company to make very long cable runs possible. It was developed to reject the outside “radio interference” by adding a third conductor and then reversing its polarity to cause cancellation. A Balanced connection needs a cable with three conductors and an unbalanced connection only requires two conductors.

With very short runs of say 3 to 6 feet, (from your mixer to your recorder); balanced connections would probably make little to no difference at all, as far as interference is concerned.

However, what WILL make a difference is impedance. A balanced XLR connection usually carries lower impedance which yields a much stronger signal level at or near +4dB. Unbalanced connections are naturally higher impedance and carry a weaker signal level such as -10dB, (often called line level.)

Considering that the XLR outputs would likely provide a stronger (and louder) signal, it will require less preamp boost at the Masterlink recorder end. If you like the sound of the Mackie preamps, then let the signal remain strong all the way. Don’t degrade its strength by reducing it back to line level again.

As far as using the Monitor send, this will work fine except that effects added to the mixer (like EQ and reverb) may not be routed to this output. Monitor sends are usually just a raw tap off of the channel inputs.

Your “Sensitivity” switch on the back may serve to correct a “hot” incoming signal.

(Okay you tech guys, tear it up)

Good Luck Dude.

[MOFO Pro]

Originally Posted by RawDepth

It was developed to reject the outside “radio interference” by adding a third conductor and then reversing its polarity to cause cancellation.

Just wanted to clarify that this third conductor mentioned by Raw is actually a second signal conductor (-signal)... it would be easy to assume that the third conductor is always ground... since it's usually discribed as such.