Mackie Onyx 1200F User manual

OWNER’S MANUAL
STUDIO RECORDING PREAMP
with 192kHz FIREWIRE INTERFACE

2
ONYX 1200F
ONYX 1200F
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers,
stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type
plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other.
A grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong.
The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the
provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at
plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the
apparatus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with
the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus combination to
avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required
when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-
supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have
fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or
moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
15. This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and no
object filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
16. This apparatus has been designed with Class-I construction and must
be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing con-
nection (the third grounding prong).
17. This apparatus has been equipped with a single-pole, rocker-style AC
mains power switch. This switch is located on the front panel and
should remain readily accessible to the user.
18.NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC
Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection
against harmful interference in a residential installation. This
equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation.
If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or
television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorientorrelocatethereceivingantenna.
• Increasetheseparationbetweentheequipmentandthereceiver.
• Connecttheequipmentintoanoutletonacircuitdifferentfrom
that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consultthedealeroranexperiencedradio/TVtechnicianforhelp.
CAUTION: Changes or modifications to this device not expressly
approved by LOUD Technologies Inc. could void the user’s authority to
operate the equipment under FCC rules.
19. This apparatus does not exceed the Class A/Class B (whichever is
applicable)
limits for radio noise emissions from digital apparatus as
set out in the radio interference regulations of the Canadian Department
of Communications.
ATTENTION — Le présent appareil numérique n’émet pas de bruits
radioélectriques dépassant las limites applicables aux appareils numériques de
class A/de class B (selon le cas) prescrites dans le réglement sur le brouillage
radioélectrique édicté par les ministere des communications du Canada.
20. Exposure to extremely high noise levels may cause permanent hearing
loss. Individuals vary considerably in susceptibility to noise-induced
hearing loss, but nearly everyone will lose some hearing if exposed to
sufficiently intense noise for a period of time. The U.S. Government’s
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specified
the permissible noise level exposures shown in the following chart.
According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of these permissible limits
could result in some hearing loss. To ensure against potentially danger-
ous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all
persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pres-
sure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation.
Ear plugs or protectors in the ear canals or over the ears must be worn
when operating the equipment in order to prevent permanent hearing
loss if exposure is in excess of the limits set forth here.
Important Safety Instructions
Correct Disposal of this product: This symbol indicates that this product should not be disposed of with your household waste, according to the WEEE Directive
(2002/96/EC) and your national law. This product should be handed over to an authorized collection site for recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Improper handling
of this type of waste could have a possible negative impact on the environment and human health due to potentially hazardous substances that are generally associated with EEE. At the
same time, your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product will contribute to the effective usage of natural resources. For more information about where you can drop off your waste
equipment for recycling, please contact your local city office, waste authority, or your household waste disposal service.
PORTABLE CART
WARNING
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK. DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK)
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous
voltage" within the product's enclosure, that may be of sufficient magnitude
to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the
user of the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing)
instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.
WARNING — To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not
expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.
Duration, per
day in hours Sound Level dBA,
Slow Response Typical Example
8 90 Duo in small club
6 92
4 95 Subway Train
3 97
2 100 Veryloudclassicalmusic
1.5 102
1 105 Fooyoung screaming at desTROYer about deadlines
0.5 110
0.25 or less 115 Loudest parts at a rock concert

Part No. SW0597 Rev. B 03/12
©2007-2012 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Owner’s Manual
Owner’s Manual
Don’t forget to visit our website at www.mackie.com for more
information about this and other Mackie products.
R
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 5
Getting Started ...........................................................................................................................7
Zero the Controls ....................................................................................................................................................................7
Connections ..............................................................................................................................................................................7
Set the Levels ...........................................................................................................................................................................7
Record to CD Using the DAW Mixer ..................................................................................................................................7
Record to CD Using the DSP Mixer ................................................................................................................................... 8
Standalone Mode .................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Hookup Diagrams ..................................................................................................................... 10
Onyx 1200F Features................................................................................................................. 14
Front Panel ..............................................................................................................................................................................14
1. Signal Level Indicators ..................................................................................................................................................14
2. 48V Phantom Power Switch ......................................................................................................................................14
3. LINE Switch......................................................................................................................................................................14
4. Channel GAIN ................................................................................................................................................................14
5. Instrument Input ...........................................................................................................................................................14
6. Instrument Switch ........................................................................................................................................................15
7. PHONES 1-4 Level ...........................................................................................................................................................15
8. PHONES 1-4 Outputs ....................................................................................................................................................15
9. CLOCK SOURCE Select and Indicators ....................................................................................................................15
10. METERING Select and Indicators ............................................................................................................................16
11. SAMPLE RATE Select and Indicators .......................................................................................................................16
12. FireWire Indicator .......................................................................................................................................................16
13. MIDI Indicators .............................................................................................................................................................16
14. TALK TO PHONES Level Control ..............................................................................................................................16
15. TALK TO PHONES On/Off Switch ..........................................................................................................................16
16. OUTPUTS 1-8 Level Control ......................................................................................................................................16
17. Output Level BYPASS ..................................................................................................................................................17
18. MONITOR Level Control ...........................................................................................................................................17
19. MONITOR A/B Select Switch ..................................................................................................................................17
20. Power Switch ...............................................................................................................................................................17
Rear Panel ...............................................................................................................................................................................17
21. MIC/Line Inputs ...........................................................................................................................................................17
22. INSERTS ..........................................................................................................................................................................17
23. TALKBACK MIC .............................................................................................................................................................18

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ONYX 1200F
ONYX 1200F
Please write your serial number here for future
reference (i.e., insurance claims, tech support,
return authorization, etc.)
Purchased at:
Date of purchase:
24. CONTROL RM MONITORS A/B .............................................................................................................................18
25. MIDI IN/OUT (1 and 2) ...............................................................................................................................................18
26. FIREWIRE ......................................................................................................................................................................18
27. AES/EBU IN/OUT .......................................................................................................................................................19
28. S/PDIF IN/OUT ...........................................................................................................................................................19
29. ADAT IN/OUT (A/B) .................................................................................................................................................20
30. EXTERNAL WORD CLOCK IN/OUT.......................................................................................................................20
31. 8 CHANNEL BALANCED LINE LEVEL OUTPUT ......................................................................................................21
32. MON A/B FOOTSWITCH ..........................................................................................................................................21
33. TALKBACK FOOTSWITCH ..........................................................................................................................................21
34. AC Power Receptacle .................................................................................................................................................21
Onyx 1200F Console ..................................................................................................................21
Installing the Software ........................................................................................................................................................21
Computer Requirements .................................................................................................................................................21
A Note about Hard Drive Speed: ...................................................................................................................................21
Installing the Drivers and Onyx 1200F Console ....................................................................................................... 22
Macintosh OS X Audio MIDI Setup ..............................................................................................................................23
Installing Tracktion ..........................................................................................................................................................24
Using the Onyx 1200F Console .........................................................................................................................................24
Settings ................................................................................................................................................................................ 25
Outputs ...............................................................................................................................................................................28
Standalone Mode .............................................................................................................................................................29
Appendix A: Service Information .........................................................................................30
Troubleshooting ...................................................................................................................................................................30
Repair ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 31
Appendix B: Connections ....................................................................................................... 32
Appendix C: Technical Info ....................................................................................................34
Onyx 1200F Specifications .................................................................................................................................................. 34
Onyx 1200F Block Diagram ................................................................................................................................................. 36
Onyx 1200F Limited Warranty ..............................................................................................39

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Owner’s Manual
Owner’s Manual
Introduction
Thank you for choosing a Mackie Onyx 1200F profes-
sional audio interface for live or studio analog or digital
audio recording. The 1200F is equipped with twelve
of our Onyx Series precision-engineered studio-grade
microphone preamps, designed for the digital era and
offering the newest features and latest technologies for
live sound reinforcement and analog or digital studio
recording in a durable, road-worthy package. Its selec-
tion of analog and digital output options provides the
flexibility to connect in almost any application (includ-
ing an HDR in standalone mode).
Mackie is renowned for the high-quality mic preamps
used in our mixers, and the Onyx mic pre’s are better
than ever, with specifications rivaling other stand-alone
boutique mic preamplifiers at twice the price.
Channels 1 and 2 have balanced send and return in-
sert jacks for connecting to an external signal processor.
Channels 11 and 12 feature an unbalanced instrument
input jack and select switch, which lets you connect an
acoustic, electric, or bass guitar pickup directly to the
preamp, eliminating the need for an external direct box.
Channels 1-12 have Neutrik™ Combo input connec-
tors, which allows you to use either a 1/4” TRS connec-
tor or an XLR connector. A 48V switch is provided for
each channel and applies phantom power to pins 2 and
3 of the channel’s XLR input connector.
Two pairs of balanced control room monitor outputs
are provided for connecting to powered monitors (or
power amplifier/monitor combination), and can be
sourced from the audio streams for any adjacent pair
of analog outputs, stereo headphone outputs, or the
S/PDIF or AES/EBU outputs.
Eight channels of analog balanced line outputs are
provided on a DB-25 connector. Two channels of digital
inputs and outputs are provided on two S/PDIF RCA-
type connectors and two AES/EBU XLR connectors. Up to
30 input channels and 34 output channels of digital I/O
(at 44.1/48 kHz) are provided on the FireWire connec-
tors (see chart below). There are two FireWire connec-
tors so the Onyx 1200F can be placed in a daisy-chain
FireWire connection. Two pairs of ADAT optical con-
nectors are included, which provide up to 16 channels
of ADAT formatted digital I/O (16 channels at 44.1/48
kHz and 8 channels at 88.2/96 kHz). Two sets of MIDI
IN/OUT connectors are provided for sending and receiv-
ing MIDI information.
The Onyx 1200F is designed to be a transparent audio
interface for direct tracking to a DAW recording applica-
tion on a PC or Mac. All 30 inputs are directly available
to the DAW application over the FireWire connection
(when operating at 44.1/48 kHz). The Console software
application allows you to route any input to any analog
or digital output on the 1200F, along with a pair of out-
puts from the DAW. This provides you with the choice of
direct monitoring, without going through the FireWire
connection and DAW software (zero latency), or moni-
toring through the DAW application.
You can provide a separate mix for each of the four
headphone outputs from any of the inputs and from two
of the outputs from the DAW. A talkback mic can be
routed to the four headphone outputs, operated from a
front panel button or a footswitch.
The Onyx 1200F Console Settings tab allows you to
choose the sample rate (44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, or
192 kHz
) for the internal A/D and D/A converters. You
can select the clock source from an external clock con-
nected to the external word clock (WordClk) input con-
nector on the rear panel, from the S/PDIF or AES/EBU
input, from the ADAT 1 or ADAT 2 input, or from the
internal clock. You can turn the DSP Mixer on and off,
which allows you to operate the 1200F as a matrix mixer
with digital streams to a computer (DSP ON), or as a
standalone digital audio interface with digital streams
to and from a computer (DSP OFF). You can select
which inputs are routed to the Control Room outputs,
and whether the S/PDIF I/O is formatted for consumer
or professional status. You can adjust the buffer size
(latency), and select which I/O audio streams are active
on the FireWire connection.
Qty Inputs ASIO/Core Audio Stream
12 Mic/Line Inputs 1-12
8 Digital A Inputs 13-20
8 Digital B Inputs 21-28
2 S/PDIF/AES Inputs 29-30
30 Total Inputs
Onyx 1200F Input/Output Chart
Qty Outputs ASIO/Core Audio Stream
8 Analog Outputs 1-8
8 Digital A Outputs 9-16
8 Digital B Outputs 17-24
8 Headphone Outputs (4x2) 25-32
2 S/PDIF/AES Outputs 33-34
34 Total Outputs
Note: The ASIO/Core Audio Stream assignments shown here apply when 44.1/48 kHz sample rate is selected.
At higher sample rates, the digital outputs are multiplexed using the S/MUX format, which reduces the number of
ASIO/Core Audio channels available for streaming. You can choose the inputs and outputs that are streamed to the DAW
at the higher sample rates in the Console’s Settings window.