Review: Mackie 1402

by **admin** on Mon Sep 23, 2002 6:13 am

Review of the
Mackie 1402 VLZ Pro
by Rich the TweakMeister
can be read here: http://www.tweakheadz.com/mackie_1402.html

Excerpt: I am lucky enough to have an 8 output audio interface, the Delta 1010. When you get one you will find your digital audio freed in many ways of typical soundcard restraints. But when you get a multi-output card, you need to connect the outputs to something. You also need to connect the stuff you want to record to the inputs. I decided getting a submixer was the way to go. Something I could put right next to my computer, that had 4 stereo pairs for the 8 Delta outs, and had inputs left over for mics, guitar, a channel to route synths from my main board and a few extras for stuff I wanted to connect to sample, or record, direct to the computer without entering the treacherous sea of 1000 cables behind my main mixer.

Get a Price:
http://www.zzounds.com/a--3745/item--MAC1402VLZPRO

by **Tweak** on Sat Oct 12, 2002 12:46 pm

If you would like to discuss the Mackie 1402, please POST a REPLY to this topic. Thanks!

by **n0_key** on Fri Nov 29, 2002 4:57 am

Well, I've picked one up myself yesterday -together with a set of Hafler TRM8.1's and Cubase SL Edition- and I'm not sorry!
However, my choice was a bit difficult. For the same money I can buy a couple of Behringer's, and they're not bad either. My MX2004 has served me well in the past.
So, why did I chose the Mackie: It's rugged design and superior sound.
It really does sound wonderfull. I have to say, the only con's for me are the lack of MID sweep and the number of channels for the money. I mean, I can get more than 2 MX2624A's for the same money! I wish I've had the money to get a 1604 VLZ Pro, but I also want to have digital power, so from now on it's putting money aside to get a DDX3216 in a couple of months. I think the analogue warmth of the Mackie with the digital crispiness of the Behringer is going to be a great and versatile combo.

---
n0_key wishes you well

by **soundadvice** on Tue Apr 15, 2003 12:04 am

hey, i just wanted to say that in my own opinion working with the behringer and mackie products, mackie far excells behringer in both quality of construction and sound. most behringer mixiers ive used have had a pretty bad noise floor, ,which ive never noticed on my mackie 1402.
but between the two companys mackie wins hands down.

by **Kibandi** on Wed Apr 23, 2003 1:12 pm

Soundadvice, do you mean by using the term "soundfloor" that the Behringer is noisy?

by **soundadvice** on Thu Apr 24, 2003 10:48 am

yes im sorry. i have noticed more induced noise from behringer mixers. and i havent found them acceptible in terms of signal to noise ratios.

by JR on Mon Jun 02, 2003 7:44 pm

I was wondering if there is anyone who would be kind enough to take a moment to splain some stuff to me? I have a background in video and only a limited knowledge of studio audio stuff. I am having trouble setting up the gear for my small audio room. I would like to know the correct(best) way to set up the equipment I have, so as to get the most from my gear.

The gear I would like to interface is: A PC with a Tascam US-428, Mackie 1402 VLZ, Korg Triton, Lexicon MPX500 24bit FX proc., Midiman Thru 3x8, Alesis M1 Active studio monitors, possibly an Alesis RA-100 ref. amp.

Input and advice are welcome -- please. Thanks in advance for your valuable time and knowledge.

Sincerest regards,

JR

by **owel** on Mon Jun 02, 2003 9:22 pm

Did you read the manual of your 1402VLZ?? If you don't have the manual, download the PDF file. They have pretty pictures there of how to connect everything together.... including different setups and scenarios... I don't know how else you can get simpler than that.

JR wrote:I was wondering if there is anyone who would be kind enough to take a moment to splain some stuff to me? I have a background in video and only a limited knowledge of studio audio stuff. I am having trouble setting up the gear for my small audio room. I would like to know the correct(best) way to set up the equipment I have, so as to get the most from my gear.

The gear I would like to interface is: A PC with a Tascam US-428, Mackie 1402 VLZ, Korg Triton, Lexicon MPX500 24bit FX proc., Midiman Thru 3x8, Alesis M1 Active studio monitors, possibly an Alesis RA-100 ref. amp.

Input and advice are welcome -- please. Thanks in advance for your valuable time and knowledge.

Sincerest regards,

JR

by **Tweak** on Tue Jun 03, 2003 3:10 am

Yes, I suggest reading the manuals to all you gear then come back with specific focused questions. Just telling you how to set it up is not a favor if you don't understand it.

by **Jimi** on Thu Aug 28, 2003 3:54 pm

I really like my VLZ1402Pro
I have had a few Behringer mixers and there is no comparison.
That said for the price they did serve me well untill I could afford a better one.

by CD on Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:35 am

I got a 1604 that I've used for about 4 years now. The sound is awesome and the construction is very rugged. I just notice one day that i get a tingling on my lip (like when you lick the terminal of a 9V battery to test if it's good or not) when I sing with a sm58 microphone. I didn't believe it so i tried another channel with a different sm58 and cord and got the same thing. I wonder if this was new or it was always there and I never notice. anyone here experience this?

Jimi, is there a better mixer out there or do you mean bigger mixer? I know i'll never the used for a bigger mixer or the money for one but I kept wondering if there's better mixers out there?

by **Tweak** on Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:37 am

Never noticed that here.

by CD on Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:42 am

Thanks Tweak for the quickly reply. guess i have to go get mine fix before it burn up my system.

by **Roberto** on Thu Dec 11, 2003 2:07 pm

CD, I think Jimi meant that the Behringer mixers served him well until he could afford a better mixer, such as the Mackie. I had a Behringer MX1604, then a UB2442, and those each served their purpose until I could get the cash together for a better mixer. I'll get into this more in another post in this section.

I will say however, that there are supposedly better small mixers than the Mackies. Those are the Allen/Heath Mix Wizards and Soundcraft Spirit series. I might have bad spelling or model name designations here, but I should be close enough so you can do a search on them. They cost about the same, and in my opinion, they are not much better sounding, if at all. They may be however, a bit more reliable since the some of the Mackies have been plagued with ribbon cable problems in the past. I chose to go with the Mackie VLZ1604 Pro because I cannot get local repair support for the other two (they don't even seem to have dealers out here for those).

I'll try and plug my SM58 into the 1604, and let you know if I feel the same thing. I gues I won't stand in any puddles while eating the mic during a take! hehehe

by CD on Thu Dec 11, 2003 9:09 pm

Funny you mention the soundcraft spirit because that's what I own (F16)before i bought the mackie. The sound was very comparable to the mackie except it doesn't have enough controls i.e. Aux, bus, and the construction was kind of soft.

Please let me know how the microphone test goes and yeah do avoid any puddle hehehehehe

by **rtucou** on Sun Dec 14, 2003 6:37 pm

I just want to say... thank you !
I just bought my 1402 yesterday with a pair of msp5, and I find the mackie just perfect for me. So, thank you Tweak, and of course everybody for the help to choice. Now, a great time has come for me to learn, work, and for the thirst time in my home studio (in comparison of the last mixer/monitors), hear the true !!!

by **Colas** on Wed Dec 31, 2003 3:58 pm

Tweak, how is the preamps? I've looked at the mackie 1202/1402 for a long time now, and I don't know if I'll keep my spirit notepad and go for a "external" preamp or if I sell my old mixer and buy a mack. But it might seem to be a waste of money because I'm pretty sure I'll never use even half of the channels on the mixer...what do you think?

happy new year

by **Tweak** on Thu Jan 01, 2004 6:21 am

The preamps are quite good. Some of the hype is true. I've used them and find they work just like a preamp should. The mackies are very well built and can take punishment.

by **cyklops** on Tue May 18, 2004 1:03 pm

Hi or should i say hi to all yes im a newbie anyway on your problem i might be very wrong but dont you maybe have a ground leak on you mackie the way you discribe you problem this is all i can think it could be

by **RDJ88keys** on Fri May 28, 2004 5:24 pm

I recently just purchased a MS1402 VLZ, the older discontinued version of the VLZ PRO... it is a miracle for me because I can now finally hook up everything at once and control mix volume for my mic, synth and computer at one central place.

Every thing works the same as the 1402 VLZ PRO ( I downloaded and read the manuals for all the VLZ PRO mixers to help me decide which one to get), except obviously the pre amps are not the new XDR pres... that brings me to my question. I have no idea how a pre amp should sound or work this is my first expirence with them. how good are the older pre amps? they seem to work for me but it seems I have to turn the gain almost all the way up to get a good clear signal from my sm57 i dont know if thats normal or what.

should I get a external pre?

I got the thing for $250 thats about $150 cheaper than the smallest VLZ PRO the 1202 which is what I was originally going to get.

by **Tweak** on Fri May 28, 2004 6:07 pm

before Mackie came out with the XDR they were already hyping their preamps as outstanding. They are fine. The SM57 requires a lot of gain as do many dynamic mics with no phantom power. That is normal. There are many preamps to choose from out there. But to find one that is better than what you have is a tricky subject. You might consider adding a preamp that has features the Mackie lacks that you need, like a compressor, gate, de-esser, etc.

by **RDJ88keys** on Fri May 28, 2004 7:23 pm

Great, yeah I do plan on getting the Voicemaster Pro later this summer for more processing power, but for now I'm glad I can just get the basics done.

Thanks

by **RDJ88keys** on Fri May 28, 2004 7:25 pm

Great, yeah I do plan on getting the Voicemaster Pro later this summer for more processing power, but for now I'm glad I can just get the basics done.

Thanks

by **esqrkim** on Sat Jul 03, 2004 12:30 pm

I need to record 4 mic inputs and two line level inputs. Here are my questions pertaining to the 1402:

1) The Makie 1402 manual shows a layout for 4-track record/2-track mix. I am interested in doing a live 6-track record/2-track mix. Is it possible to do with reasonable convenience? If so, how would I wire it?

2) If the above is not possible, will the Makie 1604 do the job?

3) General recording/mixing question: The manual shows the outputs from the track recorder and mix down recorder going back into the mixer. Why is this done, and is it necessary?

Thanks for your help.

Eugene

by **Tweak** on Sat Jul 03, 2004 5:20 pm

Depends on what you mean by 6 tracks--6 tracks mixed to two then recorded as stereo--sure, not a problem. The 1402 has 6 mics and 8 lines. If you mean 6 independent tracks output to a 6 channel recorder or audio interface--yes that is possible too with a a workaround. You use the inserts as direct outs by plugging in a TS cable in the jack and route each to an audio interface input.

The 1604 is better because it has inserts and direct outs and 4 busses which makes it very flexible. Might be overkill for you though. If you are making stereo recordings the 1402 is enough. Might also look at the 1642 which has some stereo channels instead of all mono channels which is nice for stereo synths.

http://www.zzounds.com/a--3745/item--MAC1402VLZPRO

http://www.zzounds.com/a--3745/item--MAC1642VLZPRO

http://www.zzounds.com/a--3745/item--MAC1604VLZPRO

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