MDR Series Mixers TWELVE AND SIXTEEN CHANNEL MIXER WITH 24-bit DSP EFFECTS
Safety Instructions/Consignes de sécurité/Sicherheitsvorkehrungen WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this unit to rain or moisture. To reduce the hazard of electrical shock, do not remove cover or back. No user serviceable parts inside. Please refer all servicing to qualified personnel.
Instrucciones de seguridad / Istruzioni di Sicurezza PRECAUCION: Para reducir el riesgo de incendios o descargas, no permita que este aparato quede expuesto a la lluvia o la humedad. Para reducir el riesgo de descarga eléctrica, nunca quite la tapa ni el chasis. Dentro del aparato no hay piezas susceptibles de ser reparadas por el usuario. Dirija cualquier reparación al servicio técnico oficial.
Copyright 2006, Samson Technologies Corp. Printed September, 2006 v1.1 Samson Technologies Corp. 45 Gilpin Avenue Hauppauge, New York 11788-8816 Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766) Fax: 631-784-2201 www.samsontech.
Table of Contents MDR1248 and MDR1688 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Front Panel Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Front and Rear Panel Layout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Controls and Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 - 12 MONO INPUT CHANNEL SECTION . . .
Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the Samson MDR1248 or MDR1688 mixer! The MDR1248 and MDR1688 are great sounding mixers with a lot of inputs, flexible routing and stunning on-board digital effects. Connecting all your microphones and instruments is simple, with four mic/line inputs plus FOUR additional stereo channels on the MDR1248, and eight mic/line inputs plus four additional stereo channels on the MDR1688. There are also dedicated stereo effects returns for the onboard digital effects.
MDR1248 and MDR1688 Features The Samson MDR1248 and MDR1688, twelve and sixteen channel mixers are a comprehensive, all-inone solution for live sound, recording, fixed installation and post production applications. Here are some of its main features: mixing. For added flexibility, AUX 1 can be configured as a Pre or Post fader send. • High quality, low noise, discrete microphone pre-amplifiers with 48-Volt phantom power, provide Maximum Dynamic Range and transparent audio.
Front Panel Layout 21 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59
Front Panel Controls FRONT PANEL right line input for the stereo channels. 1 MIC IN – Input connector for Low-Noise Microphone pre-amp. 22 LEFT/MONO LINE - 1/4-inch phone input connector for the Left Line input for the stereo channels or a mono input. 2 LINE IN–Input connector for Line level inputs. 3 INSERT – 1/4-inch TRS (TIP/RING/SLEEVE) connector providing send and receive channel patch point for outboard effects.
Front and Rear Panel Layout FRONT PANEL CONTROLS - continued 50 AUX RETURN 1 – Used to mix in the level of AUX Return 1. LEVEL control (35) to set the volume. 42 POWER LED – Indicates the MDR1248 or MDR1688 is powered up. 51 AUX RETURN 2 – Used to mix in the level of AUX Return 2. 43 PHANTOM LED – Indicates that the 48 Volt Phantom Power is on. 52 AUX RETURN 2 TO AUX 1 - Switch used to route AUX RETURN 2 into the AUX 1 output so that effects can be heard in the monitor mix.
Controls and Functions MONO INPUT CHANNEL SECTION The following section details each part of the MDR1248 and MDR1688’s MONO INPUT CHANNELS including the GAIN control, LOW CUT switch, 3-BAND EQ, AUX sends, PEAK LED, PAN, SOLO, ALT 3/4 bus and LEVEL controls. The input channels one through four on the MDR1248 and on through eight on the MDR1688 feature high quality, discrete transistor pre-amps providing transparency and extended dynamic range.
Controls and Functions MONO INPUT CHANNEL SECTION - continued Auxiliary Busses ( 4 - 6 ) The MDR series include two auxiliary signal paths, or buses, that can be used to create independent mixes for sending to the internal or external effects processors, or to an external monitor system. The flow of these buses start by sending the signal from each individual channel, which is set with one of the auxiliary control knobs.
Controls and Functions in any optional headphones plugged in to the PHONES connector located in the front panel jack field. If the AFL/PFL MODE switch, located in the master section, is switched out, the signal is sent pre fader, so you can hear the signal regardless of the position of the channel volume Fader. This allows you to listen to a channel by itself: (let's say) to see if an artist is out of tune, or to cue up a channel without having to play it through the main PA speakers.
Controls and Functions Auxiliary Busses ( 16 - 18 ) Right stereo mix field. You can create a stereo image by panning some input signals to the left and others to the right. The MDR series include two auxiliary signal paths, or buses, that can be used to create independent mixes for sending to the internal or external effects processors, or to an external monitor system.
Controls and Functions 27 - AUX RET 1 control knob This adjusts the amount of signal that is sent from the AUX 1 RET jacks to the MAIN bus. MASTER SECTION 26 - 2 TRK LEVEL The 2TK LEVEL control knob is used to set the volume level of the source connected to the 2-track input. If you want to mix in a CD, tape or MP3 player with your input channels connected to the 2TK inputs, use the 2TK LEVEL to adjust the level.
Controls and Functions MASTER SECTION (continued) output and will be adjusted by the CR / PHONES control fader. DSP with 256 presets. The presets are organized in sixteen Program banks, each with sixteen variations. The Variation control knob is used to select one of the sixteen variations for each of the sixteen DSP effect Programs. 45 - Phantom Power LED This LED illuminates indicating that the 48 volt phantom power is applied to the microphone pre-amps enabling use with condenser microphones.
MDR1248 and MDR1688 Input and Output Connections MONO INPUT CHANNELS - MIC and LINE INPUTS equalizer, compressor, noise gate, reverb and other audio devices. For more information on the channel INSERT points, see the section, “Using the Channel Insert Jacks” on page 17 of this manual. Channels 1 through 4 on the MDR1248 and channels 1 through 8 on the MDR1688 are mono inputs, each providing a 1/4-inch connector for line level signals and an XLR connector for the MIC signals.
MDR1248 and MDR1688 Input and Output Connections mix. You can also pan the channels hard left and right to create two mono buses. Keep in mind that using the 3/4 switch mutes the channel from the main mix, so use the ALT 3/4 bus for a separate stereo, or two mono, zone mixes.
Operating the MDR1248 and MDR1688 NOTE: SETTING THE INPUT GAIN - When connecting a microphone to channels 1 through 4 on the MDR1244 or 1 through 8 on the MDR1688, it’s a good idea to start with the Gain Control turned all the way down. Set the input fader to the "0" position and slowly raise the GAIN control until you see the PEAK LED turn on. Now, back the GAIN control down so that the PEAK LED only lights for a short time during the loudest input the channel will see.
Operating the MDR1248 and MDR1688 4. Next, locate the AUX SEND 2 knob and turn it about to a little past “5” or half way. USING THE DIGITAL EFFECTS The MDR1248 and MDR1688 mixers feature a built-in, high quality, 24-bit Multi Effect Processor, offering studio grade digital effects. The MDR’s Effect section features clean Delay, lush Reverbs and multi-effects like Chorus + Delay, Chorus Flange or Chorus + Reverb.
Operating the MDR1248 and MDR1688 SENDING AN INDEPENDENT MIX TO THE MONITOR SPEAKERS USING THE CHANNEL INSERT JACKS To further control your signal, channels 1-4 on the MDR1248 and 1-8 on the MDR1688 feature an insertion point, or “effects loop”, on one 1/4-inch phone jack, INSERT SEND and RETURN. An insertion point is a patchpoint that interrupts the signal, allowing you to bring that signal outside to be processed by another device.
Operating the MDR1248 and MDR1688 USING AN EXTERNAL EFFECT PLAYING BACK A CD USING 2T TO MIX If you prefer to use an external device for effects processing, you can easily connect the unit using the MDR1248 and MDR1688 AUX 2 bus. Follow the simple steps below to interface your processor: The MDR1248 and MDR1688 has a dedicated input for playing back a stereo device such as a CD, Tape or Mini Disk.
This system shows the MDR1248 and MDR1688 connected to a pair of powered speakers like the SAMSON dB300a’s. The AUX SEND 1 output is connected, through a Samson D2500 digital EQ with feedback control, to an external power amp, which is driving 2 monitor speakers. For inputs, two microphones are connected to channels 1 and 2’s low-impedance inputs, and the output of the Bass Direct Box is also connected to the low-impedance input on channel 4.
This system shows the MDR1248 and MDR1688 in a recording set up with the LEFT and RIGHT CONTROL ROOM output hooked up to powered studio monitors and the AUX 1 feed headphone mix sent to a Samson S phone headphone amp. For inputs, two microphones are connected to channel 1 and 2’s low-impedance inputs, and the output of the Bass Direct Box is also connected to the low-impedance input on channel 4.
MDR1248 and MDR1688 Wiring Guide CONNECTING THE MDR1248 and MDR1688 The are several ways to interface the MDR1248 and MDR1688 to support a variety of applications. The MDR1248 and MDR1688 features balanced inputs and outputs, so connecting balanced and unbalanced signals is possible.
MDR1248 and MDR1688 Specifications Mono input channels Microphone input Frequency response Distortion Gain range SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) Line input Frequency response Distortion (THD & N) Sensitivity range electronically balanced, discrete input configuration 10Hz to 45kHz (THD & N) 0.005% at 4dBu, 1kHz 0dB to +40dB (MIC) 105dB electronically balanced 10Hz to 45kHz 0.
Samson Technologies Corp. 45 Gilpin Avenue Hauppauge, New York 11788-8816 Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766) Fax: 631-784-2201 www.samsontech.
