Mackie D8B Technical document

MACKIE
HOOK-UP
GUIDE
D8B
DIGITAL CONSOLE
OUR [IN]FAMOUS PRODUCT
HOOKUPS IN BYTE-SIZED MORSELS
Copyright © 2002 Mackie Designs Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Hello and welcome to one of many download-
able web editions of Mackie’s Product Hook-Up
Guide. Since 1992, we’ve been including these
helpful “connection maps” in our In Your Face
product guides, and we’ve been urged to continue
doing so because they’re so gosh-darned help-
ful. Now, we’ve split our hook-ups into product
famlies, and made them available to you over this
new-fangled “Internet”thingy that everyone is
talking about these days.
There will be documents that cover hooking
up our compact VLZ®PRO Series, Analog 8•Bus
Series consoles, CFX Series effects mixers, DFX
Series compact effects mixers, the D8B digital
console, the HDR24/96 hard disk recorder, PPM
Series powered mixers, the FR Series amplifiers,
SR Series front-of-house mixers, and our Active
loudspeakers.
Inside you’ll find lots of useful information
— most likely your questions will be answered
here. We realize that there’s no possible way to
cover every single question or application in so few
pages because new ways to use Mackie products
are invented every day. You may come up with
some ideas on how to do what you want by look-
ing at the various diagrams we’ve included here.
Keep in mind that a good half of the battle in
hooking up our products is having the proper
connections. Check the cables ’n’ plugs that you
already have with the diagrams on the next
page. We know it may look boring, but one of
these drawings could save your life. Well, maybe
not your life, but probably a lot of weeping and
sorrow. And don’t forget to check out the tech
tips/FAQs document also available for download
on theweb at www.mackie.com/techsupport
If you don’t find the answers you’re after, then
why not give our mighty Tech Support gang a
call? These folks have tons of experience in the
real world, and they’ve got lots of equipment and
mixers at their beck and call. They’re aching to
share their knowledge with you. (And calling them
would be a very humanitarian thing to do — they’re
located in the dank sub-basement of our building
and they rarely get visitors. Your call just may be
the one that keeps their spirits alive.)
Call Mackie Tech Support toll-free (in the U.S.)
at 800-258-6883 (Monday through Friday, 7 AM
to 5 PM Pacific Time) with any Mackie product-
question you can conjure. Put them through the
wringer! We encourage it.
Incidentally, the Mackie Product Hook-Up Guide
(Web Editions) were put together from within the
confines of the Mackie Digital Mosh Pit — located
on the second floor near the Area Of Refuge — by
the well-meaning, super-preening Mackie Macin-
tosh Department. We used Adobe InDesign®,
Illustrator®, Photoshop®, and Acrobat®on a
number of suped-up big daddy Macs.
Oh yeah: Copyright © 2002 Mackie Designs Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
The following are trademarks or registered trade-
marks of Mackie Designs Inc.: “MACKIE.”, the
“Running Man”figure, VLZ, XDR, D8B, HUI, CFX
Series, FR Series, and HR Series.
PRINTING NOTE: These pages were built 21cm wide (8.2 in) by 27.94cm (11in) tall to
accommodate the printers of both our North American users and our users around the
globe. This PDF will print at 100% on both “Letter” sized and “A4” sized paper (with room in
the left margin for hole punching).

Standard mono/unbalanced phone
plug used for most mixer connections.
Insert “Y” Cable
TS Plug (mono)
TRS Plug (stereo)
Standard stereo/balanced phone plug used for
balanced connections on Mackie mixers.
The “Y”Cable is used for connecting serial effects
devices, such as graphic equalizers or compressors, to a
Mackie mixer’s Channel or Bus insert jacks. On one end is
a standard Tip-Ring-Sleeve “stereo”plug. Its tip and ring
are wired to separate mono Tip-Sleeve plugs. Note that
the RING of the TRS plug (A) is actually wired to the TIP of
one of the mono TS plugs (B). If you insert a TS (mono)
1/4" plug only partially (to the first click) into an insert
jack, the plug will not activate the jack switch and will not
break the insert connection in the circuit (thereby allowing
the channel signal to continue on its merry way through
the mixer). See (C) in “Insert Points”below.
Partial insertion allows you to tap out of the channel or
bus circuit at that point in the circuit without interrupting
normal operation.
If you push the 1/4" TS plug in to the second click, you
will open the jack switch and create a direct out, which does
interrupt the signal in that channel or bus circuit. See (D) in
“Insert Points”above. Note: Do not overload or short-circuit
the signal you are tapping from the mixer. That will affect
the internal signal of the mixer.
Balanced XLR
Standard XLR microphone connector to be used
with mic-level.
RCA/P ono Plug
Tape deck connections
on most Mackie mixers.
Insert Points
Direct out with no signal interruption to master.
Insert only to first “click.”
Direct out with signal interruption to master.
Insert all the way in to the second “click.”
(TIP = SEND to effects
RING = RETURN from effects)
For use as an effects loop.
TS Plug (mono)
TS Plug (mono)
TRS Plug (stereo)
SET IT UP, AND GO!
A VISUAL
GUIDE
COMMON
PRO AUDIO PLUGS AND CONNECTORS
KNOW YOUR
PLUGS
Attention !
You may notice these effects unit hookups (Figure A)
throughout this applications guide. These hookups utilize
the Insert "Y" Cable (explained on the facing page).
Figure B is a closeup of Figure A. The two colors
represent the input and output traveling the length of the
"Y" cable. The dotted line represents the two signals
travelling alongside one another.
OUT
COMPRESSOR
MIXER INSERT
IN
A
B

SET IT UP, AND GO!
A VISUAL
GUIDE
DIGITAL
PRO AUDIO PLUGS AND CONNECTORS
KNOW YOUR
PLUGS
Standing for Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), this is used to either
send out or receive longitudinal time code (LTC) as a positional reference of your playback. This is
the only —repeat only —digital connector/cable that’s basically the same as its analog
counterpart. However, we still recommend that you buy an extremely high quality, pre-made
version for sync connections, even if you’re an old hand at wiring analog audio TRS’s.
ADAT™ Optical Connector
SMPTE (1/4¨ TRS)
RJ45 Connector
S/PDIF (RCA-type connector)
Word Clock (BNC connector)
Used for 8-channel digital connections via optical cable to and from
our DIO•8 and OPT•8 I/O cards.
Used for connecting the HDR24/96 or Digital 8•Bus to Ethernet
networks or computers. The Remote cable, (used to connect HDR24/96
recorders to the Remote 24 and Remote 48) also uses a RJ45 connector.
For unbalanced stereo digital I/O to/from the Digital 8•Bus’Digital I/O.
Resist the temptation to use a standard audio-grade RCA cable. S/PDIF digital data is transmitted
at far higher frequencies and requires a special cable. Use the S/PDIF jack to connect the Digital
8•Bus to any number of stereo digital recorders, CD burners, or PCI sound cards.
Used to sync the sampling clocks of all Mackie's digital products, including
the HDR24/96 and Digital 8•Bus. This connector must be used in order to get digital audio from
one piece of gear to another. All of our digital recorders and consoles can act as a master clock
source, or as a slave to a common word clock source.
Welcome to the
wonderful world of digital
connectors. Sheesh! It
was so much easier when
there were only a couple
of kinds of analog plugs.
And what’s worse, two of
the digital connectors
(AES/EBU & S/PDIF) look
like an analog jacks but
emphatically aren’t. Plus
one of them looks like an
analog connector
(SMPTE) and is basically
the same as the
corresponding analog
plug. Go figure.
Even if you’re a whiz at
soldering, we don’t
recommend trying to
cobble up any of the
digital plug and
connectors shown on this
page. These cables
transmit far higher
frequencies than analog
audio and require arcane
shielding and pin
polarities. If you’re
making digital
connections to our
HDR24/96, or Digital
8•Bus, we recommend
biting the bullet and
buying pre-made versions
from your friendly Mackie
dealer. Purchasing good
quality cables now can
prevent a lot of
troubleshooting down
the line.
MIDI (Plug) MIDI (Jack)
MIDI “Breakout" Connector
AES/EBU (XLR-style)
Used for sending or receiving MIDI Time Code (MTC) or MIDI Machine Control (MMC) between all
MDS products. Typical use of this jack would be an MDR24/96 receiving MMC messages coming
from the D8B, so that you can use the on-board PLAY, STOP, REW, and FF buttons as a transport.
Instead of two separate MIDI ports,
Mackie uses a single 9-pin MIDI connector
that carries both MIDI In and MIDI Out
signals simultaneously. We conveniently
include one of our adaptors with every
digital recorder and mixer we sell.
For professional, balanced stereo digital I/O to/from the Digital 8•Bus’Digital I/O section.
Resist the temptation to use a standard audio-grade XLR cable. AES/EBU digital audio data is
transmitted a far higher frequencies and requires a special cable. Use the AES/EBU output to
connect to any number of stereo mastering devices or DVD/CD/DAT recorders.

Analog 8 channel “Breakout" Connector
25-pin D-Sub Connector
25-pin D-Sub Connector
1/4¨TRS Connectors
AES/EBU Connectors
AES/EBU “snake” cable
1. Analog – Found on both AIO•8 Cards and rear of the D8B console
You’ll find two of these funny looking things on any Mackie AIO•8 Analog 8-channel
I/O card, as well as one permanently installed on the rear of the Digital 8•Bus Mixer
(labeled “Sub/Surround Out”) Don’t worry –these are simply compact ways of sending
and receiving 8 channels of balanced line level signals.
Use the connectors on the AIO•8 cards to connect any analog tape machine, mixing
console, etc. to any MDS Product. Use the Sub/Surround Out connector for sub bussing
or monitoring a completed LCRS, Quad, 5.1 or 7.1-surround mix. For all purposes, you
need to use the multi-channel analog “snake”cables that can be purchased from your
friendly Mackie dealer.
2. AES/EBU – Found on PDI•8 Card only
You’ll find one of these funny looking things on all Mackie PDI•8 I/O cards. Even
though it looks identical to the connector found on the AIO•8 cards, it carries digital
audio signals instead of analog. Because each pair of AES/EBU signals are multiplexed
and sent through a single wire, you only need one 25-pin connector to send AND
receive eight channels of AES/EBU. You need to use this connector with a special
AES/EBU “snake”cable that splits out to (4) male and (4) female XLR-style connectors
on the other end. Ask your MDS dealer for more information about obtaining this cable.
3. Tascam Digital Interface (T/DIF) – Found on DIO•8 Card only
Every DIO•8 card has a 25-pin T/DIF connector on it for connecting specifically
to Tascam-branded recording and mixing products. Like the AES/EBU connector,
the T/DIF connector can both send and receive 8 channels of digital audio. However,
instead of using a standard 25-pin D-Sub “snake”cable, you need to use a special
“T/DIF”cable, with a 25-pin D-Sub connector at both ends, designed specifically
for this purpose.
25-pin D-Sub Connectors
in T ree Flavors:
DIGITAL PLUGS CONTINUED

D8B ANALOG REC/TRACK PT 1
SET IT UP, AND GO!
VLZ PRO D8B
ANALOG RECORDING/
TRACKING SET UP
MASTER
OUT
CR
MAIN
CR
NEAR FIELD
2 TRACK A
2 TRACK B
2 TRACK C
STUDIO OUT
PHNS 1 PHNS 2
PNCH I/O TLKBK
ANALOG
I/O
ANALOG
I/O
ANALOG
I/O
TO TAPEFROM TAPE TO TAPEFROM TAPE TO TAPEFROM TAPE
Sync
Interface
SMPTE I/O
2-inch 24-track
Recorder
Analog 2-track
Recorder
HR824s or
other Powered
Control Room Monitors
Phones
MIDI IN/OUT
(Rear of D8B Remote CPU)
Optional AIO•8 Cards
Studio Monitors
Contuinued on
next page

D8B ANALOG REC/TRACK PT 2
Bass
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 2
2
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 3
3
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 4
4
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 5
5
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 6
6
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 7
7
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 8
8
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 9
9
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 11
11
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 12
12 1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
13
19
14
2
15
21
16
22
17
23
18
24
Processors
Internal
Digital Audio
Signal Path
FX Card 1 To FX Return
1 and 2
(Fader
Bank 3)
To FX Return
3 and 4
(Fader
Bank 3)
digital control signal
internal digital send
internal digital return
Reverb
Stereo
Effects
Processor
Vocal Enhancer
Keyboard
Mics 1-4
Guitar
Guitar
Preamp
Contuinued fro
previous page

D8B DIGITAL REC/TRACK PT 1
SET IT UP, AND GO!
VLZ PRO D8B
DIGITAL RECORDING/
TRACKING SET UP
ADAT OPTICAL
IN OUT
ADAT OPTICAL
IN OUT
ADAT OPTICAL
IN OUT
APOGEE
DIGITAL I/O
APOGEE
DIGITAL I/O
APOGEE
DIGITAL I/O
WORD
CLOCK
OUT
WORD
CLOCK
IN
75Ω TERM
SMPTE
SYNC
WORD
CLOCK
OUT
WORD
CLOCK
IN
SYNC
CARD
MASTER
OUT
CR
MAIN
CR
NEAR FIELD
2 TRACK A
2 TRACK B
2 TRACK C
STUDIO OUT
PHNS 1 PHNS 2
PNCH I/O TLKBK
MIDI Sync
Interface
USB or Serial
connection
HR824s Studio Monitors
Phones
Optional DIO•8 Cards
(ADAT optical
connections shown)
Computer
w/ Sequencing
Software
HDR24/96
Apogee®
Clock Card
D8B (Master)
MIDI IN/OUT
(Rear of D8B Remote CPU)
HDR24/96 Sync (Slave)
Term = In
Contuinued on
next page

D8B DIGITAL REC/TRACK PT 2
Bass
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 2
2
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 3
3
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 4
4
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 5
5
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 6
6
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 7
7
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 8
8
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 9
9
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 11
11
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 12
12 1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
13
19
14
2
15
21
16
22
17
23
18
24
Processors
Preamp
Internal
Digital Audio
Signal Path
FX Card 1 To FX Return
1 and 2
(Fader
Bank 3)
To FX Return
3 and 4
(Fader
Bank 3)
digital control signal
digital Audio Out
digital Audio In
internal digital send
internal digital return
Reverb
Stereo Effects
Processor
Vocal Enhancer
Keyboard
Mics 1-4
Guitar
Guitar
Contuinued fro
previous page

SET IT UP, AND GO!
VLZ PRO D8B
36 MIC LIVE MIX
& RECORDING SET UP
D8B LIVE MIX AND RECORD PT 1
BUS OUT 1-8
&
SURROUND OUT
BUS OUT 1-8
MASTER OUT
L
R
MASTER
OUT
CR
MAIN
CR
NEAR FIELD
2 TRACK A
2 TRACK B
2 TRACK C
STUDIO OUT
PHNS 1 PHNS 2
PNCH I/O TLKBK
ANALOG
I/O
ANALOG
I/O
ANALOG
I/O
TO TAPEFROM TAPE TO TAPEFROM TAPE TO TAPEFROM TAPE
Phones
Optional AIO•8 Cards
HDR24/96
Mic Preamps
FOH Mixer Active
Monitors (SRM450s)
FOH Speakers
Percussion Mics
Drum Mics
Horn Section Mics
8-Track Analog
Recorder
Contuinued on
next page

D8B LIVE MIX AND RECORD PT 2
Bass
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 2
2
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 3
3
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 4
4
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 5
5
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 6
6
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 7
7
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 8
8
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 9
9
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 11
11
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 12
12 1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
13
19
14
2
15
21
16
22
17
23
18
24
Processors Lead Vocals
Backup Vocals
Internal
Digital Audio
Signal Path
FX Card 1 To FX Return
1 and 2
(Fader
Bank 3)
To FX Return
3 and 4
(Fader
Bank 3)
internal digital send
internal digital return
Reverb
Stereo Effects
Processor
Separate Mix for
Live Broadcast
Separate Stereo Mix for
Finicky Keyboard Player
(SRM450 Active Monitors)
M-1400i amps
and C300s as
stage monitors
SRM450 active
stage monitors
Antares Autotune™
(can also be purchased
as a software
plug-in to run on
the Mackie UFX card)
Keyboards
Guitar
Guitar
1604-VLZ PRO
CD Player
Contuinued fro
previous page

SET IT UP, AND GO!
D8B
SURROUND
MONITORING
D8B SURROUND MONITORING PT 1
ADAT OPTICAL
IN OUT
APOGEE
DIGITAL I/O
BUS OUT 1-8
&
SURROUND OUT
MASTER OUT
L
R
MASTER
OUT
CR
MAIN
CR
NEAR FIELD
2 TRACK A
2 TRACK B
2 TRACK C
STUDIO OUT
PHNS 1 PHNS 2
PNCH I/O TLKBK
ADAT
Bus Out 1–8 & Surround Out
digital Audio Out
digital Audio In
Optional DIO•8 Card
(ADAT optical
connection shown)
HRS120
Powered
Subwoofer
HR824s
HR824s
Stereo Down-Mix
ALT I/O
Contuinued on
next page

D8B SURROUND MONITORING PT 2
Bass
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 2
2
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 3
3
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 4
4
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 5
5
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 6
6
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 7
7
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 8
8
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 9
9
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 11
11
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 12
12 1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
13
19
14
2
15
21
16
22
17
23
18
24
Processors
Preamp
Reverb
Stereo Effects
Processor
Vocal Enhancer
Keyboard
Mics 1–4
Guitar
Guitar
Contuinued fro
previous page

SET IT UP, AND GO!
VLZ PRO D8B
A/V POST
PRODUCTION
D8B A/V POST PRODUCTION PT 1
ADAT OPTICAL
IN OUT
ADAT OPTICAL
IN OUT
ADAT OPTICAL
IN OUT
APOGEE
DIGITAL I/O
APOGEE
DIGITAL I/O
APOGEE
DIGITAL I/O
WORD
CLOCK
OUT
WORD
CLOCK
IN
SYNC
CARD
MASTER
OUT
CR
MAIN
CR
NEAR FIELD
2 TRACK A
2 TRACK B
2 TRACK C
STUDIO OUT
PHNS 1 PHNS 2
PNCH I/O TLKBK
Phones
MIDI IN/OUT
(Rear of D8B Remote CPU)
Optional DIO•8 Cards
Optional
Apogee®
Clock Card
VTR
Video Sync
to Word Clock
Converter
MMC to
RS422
Converter
MIDI
Machine
Control
Video Sync Generator
(house sync)
Video Sync Video Sync
MIDI
Time Code
MIDI Time Code
SMPTE
Time Code
Word Clock
TDIF
Sync Interface
(SY88)
DA-88s
Control Room
Monitors
HR824s or
other Powered
Studio Monitors
Contuinued on
next page

D8B A/V POST PRODUCTION PT 2
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 2
2
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 3
3
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 4
4
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 5
5
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 6
6
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 7
7
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 8
8
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 9
9
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 11
11
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 12
12 1
LINE IN
INSERT
AUX 1
13
19
14
2
15
21
16
22
17
23
18
24
Internal Digital
Audio Signal Path
(MFX Digital EFX
Card with IVL Vocal
Studio software)
FX Card 1 To FX Return
1 and 2
(Fader
Bank 3)
To FX Return
3 and 4
(Fader
Bank 3)
digital control signal
digital Audio Out
Bi-directional
Digital
Communication
internal digital send
internal digital return
Vocal Enhancer
Vocals/Dialogue
Foley Mics
Keyboards
Sound FX (on CDs)
Contuinued fro
previous page