help me set up/route some equipment? mixer/efx

Controller_7

I am not an uber technical master, but I'm not a total dummy. I can get through most things, but for some reason this Mackie mixing board is driving me crazy. I've always had simple equipment that required simple hook ups, so sends/returns/aux and all that throws me sometimes. All I want to do is a simple set up of my effects unit to work on all channels of my mixer. I just want to be able to route it through so I can have the dry signal intact and have the effected signal come through the returns.I followed the manual and it's not working. I keep getting feedback or nothing. I re-routed the cables too and even switched cables, but no luck really. I have a Mackie 1642-vlz3 and a Pioneer EFX-500..right now I am going out of the aux sends 1 and 2 and sending those to the Pioneer's inputs. The pioneer's outputs are then going into the Mackie's stereo returns. I can get a signal into the pioneer, but I can't get anything to route back into the mixer, besides a shshshshshshshshshshshshshshs cycle. I'm sure it's somethign totally easy. I think I've actually done it before, but an actual mixing board is a new thing to me. here are images of the equipment (too large, so i added links):mackie front:http://www.mackie.com/jp/products/1642vlz3/images/ZOOMED_1642VLZ3.jpgmackie back ins:http://www.mackie.com/home/showimage.html?u=/products/1642vlz3/images/1642VLZ3-Rear.jpgpioneer efx-500:couldn't find any images of the back, but it's just standard 1/4" ins and outs and it also has rca ins and outs. It's the first version of the 500, the grey one.any help would be appreciated. I'm probably missing something dumb, but oh well.

bass_fever

Yo C7, sounds like you have it routed correctly...You just gotta make sure you have the aux sends turned up on the channels that you want effected & the aux masters turned up as well.

PABLO

You want the effect on the main out or do you want to apply your effects on individual tracks while the others remain dry?

If it's the former you can put an insert cables on the MAIN INSERT plugs on the back of the Mackie to the Pioneer.

bass_fever

Also, what is the button underneath the channel aux knobs? PFL? you might mess with those, typically you want effects to split post fader.

bass_fever

Aiight, one more thought...Make sure the return assignment buttons are in the up position, if you are coming back into the Mackie through the 1&2 returns.

Controller_7

I checked and tried everything, but it's still not working. I've got it running now on a seperate track. i can deal with that. I just have it running into it's own channel. It works fine as long as I don't turn the aux send up on that channel.

PABLO

^ That's what I used to do back in the day when I had my Mackie.
I don't know the details of the Pioneer, but if you're using an echo effect you can mess with the aux sends on the return channels for some grimy dub feedback. Plus you are able to adjust the EQ!
You can also hit the PFL button and ride the fader for the effect channel feedback.
I do miss some things about the good 'ol Mackies.

TheBeatGoes

if i we're you i'd take one of the aux sends into the mono input of the pioneer efx500 and plug the output of the pioneer efx box into it's own channel

use the aux knob on each channel to set how much signal you want to get effected and you can have control over the level of the effect in whatever channel you plug the output into.

i'd probably keep the efx500 set to all the way "wet" because you can mix it with the dry signal on the mixer itself but you may like finding your own balance other ways, you could also mess with doing stereo efx and using 2 aux channels up if you want.

Controller_7

if i we're you i'd take one of the aux sends into the mono input of the pioneer efx500 and plug the output of the pioneer efx box into it's own channel

yeah, this is what I ended up doing. It's working fine for now.

Gamble

Protools