Yamaha M7CL-48 User manual

M7CL Quick Start Guide Part 1
Quick Start Guide – EDITED
A guide for using M7CL audio console in Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe Studio.
This guide is for crew about to use the M7CL for
the first time, or for experienced users
requiring some tips and tricks for better
understanding of M7CL.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
2
Table of Contents
A quick guide to the M7CL hardware
Quick Steps & Scene Recall
............3
............4
Getting Sound in 6 easy steps / Store Scene
............5
............5
The Basics;
............6
Accessing the channel
......6
Changing the channel parameters. HA popup; +48V.
......7
Channel parameter pop-ups. From Overview
......8
Channel parameter pop-ups. From Single Channel View
......9
Sends on fader; an easy way of mixing Mix Groups/auxiliaries.
(Monitor, Effect or Matrix Sends)
.....10
Channel parameter pop-ups. The ATT/HPF/EQ pop-up in detail
...........11
Naming Channels
...........12
Patching, routing channels. The default Patch - Scene 001
...........13
Mix outputs; selecting aux/sub group, pre/post fade,
send point etc
...........14
Matrix outputs; routing, features
...........15
Trouble shooting ideas
...........16

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
3
A quick guide to the M7CL hardware.
M7CL-48
M7CL-48 has 48 mono channels with mic preamps on the rear panel. There are also four stereo channels with
identical mic pre-amps on the rear. There are 16 Omni output XLRs on the rear. (An Omni output is one that can be
patched to different output channels by the user.)
M7CL-48 is “all in one box” digital mixer that require no setup and no additional units before use.
USB Key
USB memory devices can be used to
“back-up” data on the M7CL.
T
; When choosing a storage device remember that; M7CL is USB1.1 compliant, so both USB1.1 and USB2.0
will work. Storage capacity must not exceed 16 GB. The drive can be formatted to FAT16 or FAT32 but must
not be partitioned. You can format a new drive in M7CL, but remember formatting a drive erases all its
memories. Most USB memory devices work, but Yamaha have a list of tested ones on www.yamahapropaudio.com
(Downloads>Technical Documents & Data> Utilities and Data> Mixers)

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
4
STEPS
1. Check patchbays for inputs / outputs (for a new show, start with nothing plugged in and after the final
show restore the patchbay to have no connections)
2. Power on the console – power switch on back, directly below a yellow piece of tape behind screen
3. Recall Scene 001 for a working starting point
4. Patch inputs
5. Follow procedures below AND remember to save your show in an OPEN Scene(s)
Scene 001
Before working on an analogue console, it is customary to check that the console has been “set to zero”. This
normally means setting the gain to minimum, the EQ to flat, auxes to off, group routing de-selected, insert points
switched off, etc. You’d be looking at and checking upwards of 1000 knobs (Midas H3000 in theatre)!
Because M7CL can memorize its settings, we have programmed a handy memorized scene (Scene001) where the
console is set to zero, ready to start at the touch of a button. The routing to PA, playback device inputs and effects
sends and returns are already configured to give you a starting point.
Scene 001 Recall
To recall Scene 001 press the up/down keys until SCENE
001 flashes in the [Scene Panel]. Then press [RECALL]
However certain features of M7CL are not under scene control. For example, Outport settings and User
Defined Keys are not recalled by scene control. Also, various things normally controlled by scenes can be
actively removed from scene control (using recall safes).
This can mean that recalling Scene 001 does not “set to zero” as expected.
Not included in Scene recall. (So not reset by Scene 000 OR 001)
but still remembered for all scenes.
User defined keys
Preferences
Brightness controls
OUTPORT delay and level settings
MIDI setup
Wordclock
Master +48V
CUE Pop-up; PFL trim ins, DCA trim, PFL trim Outs
Monitor Pop-up; (levels, source on/off, mono, link)
Oscillator (all parameters)
Safe assignments (mute, recall)
Passwords/Admin/guest settings
Screen page or pop-up
Sends on fader selected
Metering point selection
External HA to Slot assignment and HPF.
User Access Level
Network settings
Clock
Slots and MY Card settings
User Libraries
EQ/HPF, (User and ROM)
Dynamics (not key-in), (User and ROM)
GEQ, (User only)
Effects (User and ROM)

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
5
Getting sound from M7CL in 6 easy steps.
No Sound - CHECK
Now you should hear sound out of the main PA system
Scene Save
To save a Scene press the up/down keys
Until you find an open SCENE.
Then press [STORE]
1
2
3
5Check the channel is ON and
6push up the fader up slowly.
8
6
4Keep the signal well below the red
“OVER” at all times. ~ -30 with -18
flashing is usually safe
3Turn the HA (HeadAmp) gain encoder
to set the gain using the channel meter
.
2Press the blue [SEL] button to select
the channel and assign the encoders.
7
5
1 Patch input sources as needed
4
7 Check the Stereo master (pink) chan-
nel is turned ON and 8and fader is
pushed up to 0.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
6
The Basics;
Accessing the channel.
M7CL is an all digital mixer designed to be as easy to use as an analogue mixer. Obviously the way mix parameters
are changed is different to an analogue mixer but it needn’t be any more difficult.
[SEL]Select Keys
Navigation Keys
A channel strip, with a fader, meter and buttons is present on the surface for all input channels all the time.
There is not enough space to have a knob for every function present for all channels so just one channel of control
encoders is used. Press the blue [SEL] button to assign the channel encoders to the channel youwant.
To gain a broader channel view and operate other channel settings the channel must be selected to the
Centralogic™ section. Either select eight channel or single channel view.
Pressing one of the navigation keys will bring the eight
channel overview to the screen. From here you can see
channel settings and levels.
Press [SEL] to select a channel. Now the rotary encod-
ers will operate the selected channel.
To view the value of the encoders, “push click” any of
them. This will bring up the single channel view.
eight
Eight Channel View
Single Channel View
“Push Click”any SEL en-
coder for single CH view
Nav
r
channel view

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
7
The Basics;
Changing the channel parameters. HA popup; +48V.
Once you have assigned channels either to an eight or single channel view you can begin to modify their param-
eters. There is no need to enter menu systems for most basic parameters found on analogue consoles.
From the eight channel overview screen parameters
can be adjusted using the eight encoders below the
screen. Just touch the row of screen knobs (HA or Mix
send) and turn the corresponding encoder.
From the single channel view you can see the effect of
changing any of the encoders to the left of the screen.
To get more detail of a particular parameter just touch the screen again. From either main screen press the feature
you require (for example HA control) and a pop-up will appear.
Touch the screen in the same way to access pop-ups for; Insert and Direct send, EQ and Attenuator, Dynamics 1 and
2, Mix Send, Pan/LCR routing, DCA and Mute group, Name/Icon/Patch, Recall Safe, etc.
Press
Press
To close pop-ups press the [X].
T; Or press anywhere
outside the pop-up in the
grey area.
From the HA/PATCH pop-up you can still
adjust HA gain but now you can also add
+48V phantom and change polarity Ø.
You can go to the NAME/PATCH pop-up
or using the tabs below see overviews
of eight or all channel HA details.
T; There is a +48V master switch
on the SETUP page. If condenser mics
don’t work check the master switch!

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
8
The Basics;
Channel parameter pop-ups. From Overview.
From the eight channel view you can access all the channel parameter pop-ups and use the encoders below to make
parameter changes. Just press the relevant area of the screen.
PRESS
Use the encoders below the screen to
operate the highlighted knobs on the
screen.
T Try turning the knob whilst push-
ing to get ‘fine resolution’.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
9
The Basics;
Channel parameter pop-ups. From Single Channel View.
From the single channel view you can access all the channel parameter pop-ups and use the encoders below to
make parameter changes. Just press the relevant area of the screen.
Note; Most Popups can be accessed
from several different places.
Use the encoders below the screen to operate the highlighted knobs
on the screen. Where there are more than one row of knobs touch the
screen; the white rings show which row will be controlled.
T Try turning the knob whilst pushing to get ‘finer resolution’.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
10
The Basics;
Sends on fader; an easy way of mixing Mix Groups/auxiliaries. (Monitor, FX or
Matrix Sends)
Auxiliaries can be adjusted by the encoders to the side or below the screen but for efficient monitor mixing a third
option is provided; SENDS ON FADER. (Like fader flip on other Yamaha digital mixers, but the master is not assigned
to an encoder).
Now input faders are assigned to be aux mix faders and each aux mix can be mixed in this way in turn. This way of
working is really popular with monitor engineers.
M7CL has 16 Mix Groups and these are ideal for mixing monitors with
SENDS ON FADER. M7CL also has 8 Matrix Groups. In addition to the
usual Matrix function of mixing the masters and mix groups, the Matrixes
can have inputs directly from input channels and behave just like the Mix
Groups for large monitor mixing projects.
So SENDS ON FADER has two pages; MIX ON FADER and MATRIX ON FADER.
Toggle between them with the screen MIX/MTRX button or use User
Defined key 1 and 2.
MATRIX ON
FADER MIX ON
FADER
To access Matrix on Fader,
press the MIX/MTRX button.
Faders Mix Monitors
Press the different as-
sign buttons to bring
different mixes to the
faders.
Press SENDS ON FADER
in the function access
panel and the console
changes mode.
Note; When in SENDS
ON FADER mode all
the [SEL] key lights
are on, except the
SEL
channel; it flashes.
Tip; You can press
the mix encoder but-
tons, rather than the
screen ,to select the
different mixes if you
prefer.
T; Press the assign
button a second time
to CUE the mix. The
button goes yellow.
T; Press User De-
fined Key 1 to enter
MIX ON FADER or key
2 to enter MATRIX ON
FADER.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
11
The [ATT] knob is a digital attenua-
tor. Use this to boost or reduce dig-
ital input signals or to compensate
for EQ boosts or cuts changing the
level through the channel.
[TYPE I] and [TYPE II] EQ are dif-
ferent ways of calculating the
complex mathematics of the EQ
section. Each type has a slightly
different audio character.
T; We suggest trying [TYPE II] for
a more analog feel, but use [TYPE
I] when using large EQ cuts.
Change the high and low EQ bands
to be bell shape or shelving using
these buttons. The high band can
also be LPF.
[FLAT] will zero the EQ gains.
[DEFAULT] will zero gains and re-
turn frequencies and Q controls to
their default values.
Pressing [COPY] stores the displayed EQ
curve into a temporary “copy buffer”. If
another EQ is selected to the screen, then
pressing [PASTE] will change that EQ to
match the copied source. Use care because
you cannot undo a paste!
Channel parameter pop-ups. The ATT/HPF/EQ pop-up in detail.
The EQ encoders on the selected channel panel will always operate the EQ of the selected channel. However
the ATT/HPF/EQ pop-up gives visual feedback about the changes being made and is also required to make some
other changes like shelf/bell or LPF.
Tip; If you copy an EQ curve to the
“copy buffer”, you can change the
curve and then press [COMPARE] to
alternate between the two curves.
[ON] will bypass the
EQ but keep the EQ
curve displayed in
grey.
Use the [8ch] and [ALL] tabs to see
multiple EQ views.
This is especially useful when copy
and pasting or using the ATT.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
12
Naming Channels.
Input channel faders are named using tape and pen in the “analog” way. All channels have an electronic name and
icon that will appear on the screen when the channel is assigned to the Centralogic™ screen.
T; You may consider the electronic names unnecessary if you use tape and pen, but they are useful as they are
remembered in the session file and will be transferred to other consoles when you load. Then write new tape and
pen labels from the electronic source.
Name (max. 8 characters);
The default Scene 000 names the input chan-
nels with ch N and uses the dynamic mic icon.
The outputs are named in a similar generic
fashion but note the prepatched effect sends
and returns are labelled as FX.
Name popup Icon popup
The selected channel
The channel nominal light.
(Fader is at 0dB when green)
Icon
Use the on-screen keyboard to name the channel.
T; Press the [ICON] or the [ICON] tab to change to the ICON page. Choose an ICON and then choose a
SAMPLE NAME. These names can then be edited by pressing the name or the [NAME] tab to return to the
keyboard on the NAME page.
Press the grey channel name button
to open the PATCH/NAME pop-up.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
13
Patching, routing channels. The default Patch, Scene 001
It is important to understand that unlike an analog console the sockets (Inputs with preamp) on the back are not
permanently wired to the channels on the surface. There is an assignable “soft patch” between the sockets and the
channels. This permits great flexibility but must be used with great care to avoid confusion.
In M7CL the starting Scene 001 has all the mono inputs routed one to
one from CH 1 to 40. Effects returns are CH 41 to 47, Talkback mic in 48
The STEREO channels are fed from the playback devices
OMNI OUT
SOURCE
1
Mix 1 (Monitor Send 1)
2
Mix 2 (Monitor Send 2)
3
Mix 3 (Monitor Send 3)
4
Mix 4 (Monitor Send 4)
5
Mix 5 (STEREO MIX SEND LEFT)
6
Mix 6 (STEREO MIX SEND RIGHT)
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Matrix 1 (camera feed etc.)
14
Matrix 2 (camera feed etc.)
15
Spare - Master Left
16
Spare - Master Right

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
14
Mix outputs; selecting aux/sub group, pre/post fade, send point etc.
There are 16 mix bus outputs available in addition to the matrix, master and monitor outputs.
The mix buses can be configured as variable auxes or fixed sub-groups.
By default, the 16 mix buses are all variable (auxiliaries). The first 12 are pre fade sends (monitor) and the last
4 are post fade (effects), but these can all be changed individually.
To change a mix group from variable (aux) to fixed (sub-group), or to change the variable send point from prefader
to pre-EQ/dynamics, access the BUS SETUP pop-up from the SETUP page. Configure mixes as stereo here too.
Use encoders below to
adjust sends from mix
groups into matrix.
Route to Stereo and pan
from here (only if
needed).
Press for output routing,
insert, EQ or Dynamics
popups.
To change mixes pre/
post, press on a knob
image to get the MIX
SEND popup
Change individual sends.
Change whole mixes.

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
15
Matrix outputs; routing, features.
M7CL has 8 matrix outputs. These can be fed by all channels, inputs and outputs. The matrix masters are
assigned to the Centralogic™ area by pressing the grey [MATRIX] navigation key.
The matrix master screen gives information about the
eight matrix outputs, EQ and Dynamics activity, routing
and name information, etc.
The matrix single channel view gives detail of the
parameter settings and feedback from encoder
adjustments. It differs from the input channel view;
there is no HA or digital ATT to control, there is only one
dynamic unit, and there is no DCA assignment.
You can check the output routing of the matrixes
on the table on page 16 of this guide. Tip ;or go to
SETUP>OUTPORT SETUP on the console.
To change these or route another matrix, press either
the name on the overview or the grey patch button on
the single channel view (where HA is on inputs) to go
to the PATCH/NAME pop-up. From this pop-up you can
change matrix patches.
Matrix master screen.
Matrix single channel view
Note; In these views the coloured knobs show sends from the Mix buses, not to them.
Note; From a single input
channel view, you can get
to the MATRIX sends by
pressing the tab at the
top of the MIX send panel.
T; Or use MTRX Sends
on Faders

MTAC STUDIO M7CL Quick Start Guide - FOR TRAINING PURPOSES
Troubleshooting.
Are you using a mic or DI that needs +48V (phantom power)?
Go to page 9 for information about how to turn on the phantom or try a dynamic mic/passive box.
Read page 9 and still can’t get phantom?
Check the global +48V master on the SETUP page (this is not scene recallable and will not reset with scene
change).
Are there any recall safes set?
This means that certain parameters of any Scene may not have been recalled because they are safe from recall
changes. For example, the channel you have chosen may have a DCA over it or there might be a patch change.
Check in CH JOB > RECALL SAFE. Clear all of these and recall Scene again.
I’ve recalled Scene 001 but some faders and other things have not reset to zero.
Are there any recall safes set? This means that aspects of Scene 001 may not have been recalled because they
are safe from recall changes. Check in CH JOB > RECALL SAFE. Clear all of these and recall Scene again.
Is SENDS ON FADER active?
This means you are pushing up an aux send and not the channel master. You can tell easily when you are in
sends on fader mode because all the green [SEL] indicators are on except the selected channel. In normal
mode, the [SEL] indicators are off and the selected channel is lit.
When I press the navigation keys, the screen changes but the faders don’t copy to the chosen bank.
This is a feature often used to keep access to the DCA masters even when other banks are chosen. Press and
hold the navigation key until it flashes. Now that fader bank is locked even though the screen information
changes. To undo, just press and hold again.
The fader has stopped working!
Is SENDS ON FADER active; this means you are pushing up an aux send and not the channel master. You can
tell easily when you are in sends on fader mode because all the green [SEL] indicators are on except the
selected channel. In normal mode, the [SEL] indicators are off and the selected channel is lit.
Have you ‘moved’ a channel or changed the patch or both? Check the patch and the channel name/ number to
confirm they are what you expect.