How to hookup TC Electronic M350 Reverb and Effects Processor

[jcisrisen]

Hello, In the past, I have always used a mixer with built in effects, and have never had to add a effects processor, so I am asking for some help on how to set it up so it can be used and controlled on all of the channels.

I am getting a M350 and hooking it into a Mackie SR24.4 VLZ PRO. Currently, I am using Aux 1 and 2 for monitor sends. Aux 3 for recording. Aux 4 for fellowship hall. (3/4 set as pre-fader) 5/6 (post fader) are unused right now.

Thanks for any help...

[tedanderson]

Connect Aux sends 5 and 6 from your mixer to inputs 1 and 2 of the effects processor using a pair of 1/4" cables. Secondly use another pair of 1/4" cables to go from outputs 1 and 2 on the effects processor to the last two channels of your mixing console. Being that the 24-4 has "double" channel at the end of the console you will connect your effects outputs to channels 21 and 23 so that you can control the effects returns independently.

The Mackie 24-4 also has dedicated "EFX Return" inputs but I prefer to run the returns through a spare channel so that that you can adjust the EQ if necessary.

With it being set up in this manner you can program separate effects.. say you want a delay on one side of the effects unit and you want reverb on the other, you can then dial it in on Aux 5 and 6 on the console for each channel or you can give any channel BOTH effects.

Also, I suggested that the use of Aux 5 & 6 because they are post fader so if you turn someone down, you won't continue to get their mic through the effects return.

[tedanderson]

I've also created an image to give you a visual idea as to how to do the hookup.

[jcisrisen]

Thanks for the advice and image....Cant wait to get it hooked up!!

[tedanderson]

One more thing that I forgot to mention... DO NOT turn up Aux 5 and 6 on your return channels. That will cause a horrible feedback loop.

[jcisrisen]

Yeah, I noticed something like that when I ran an aux to my computer to record and back through a channel.

So do I just set it low and leave it?

[tedanderson]

Yes. Keep Aux 5 & 6 all the way down on "zero" for the last 2 channels. Lets say you had a vocal mic on channel 20 and you wanted to add reverb to that mic. As you know, you would turn up Aux 5 to send that channel into the effects unit and then it would come back down channel 21 and out to the mains. But if you happened to turn up Aux 5 on channel 21 you would essentially be creating an audio short-circuit because the signal that you were receieveing back from the unit would then be sent up to the unit again. (and back down and up and down and up and down...)

And that is part of the reason why there is a dedicated effects return channel. Some of the higher end mixers have an EQ on the effects return channel which would eliminate the need for using a channel as a return, however, I personally like having it as a separate slider so I can adjust the volume of the return level while I am mixing vs. taking my hands off of the sliders while looking for the knob.

[angelillo]

And.... if I turn up aux 1 on channel 21 would I'll be getting reverb on monitors?

[tedanderson]

And.... if I turn up aux 1 on channel 21 would I'll be getting reverb on monitors?

That is a good question.. but tricky too.

The short answer is, yes- It will put reverb in the monitors, however, it will give you the reverb sound of every channel that is dialed into the "aux 5" side of the effects unit. So lets say that you put reverb on your vocals and then you decided to put just a little bit on your snare drum, lead guitar, and piano. All of those instruments will come through those monitors too. And being that they will come through the monitors "wet", it will sound like a big mess to the vocalists.

[jcisrisen]

Should the 1/4 inch interconnections cables be balanced or unbalanced 1/4?

[tedanderson]

Always get balanced TRS cables. Unbalanced 1/4" plugs will work however it is advantageous to use that third conductor when it is available (as with the case in your Mackie console)

[waynehoskins]

Sometimes you can pipe an effect's output back into itself for artistic effect -- a tap delay back into itself, dialed down from unity, for example on Air Tonight, the decaying delay. You could also (I do this more myself) semi-serialize two effects, to pipe the tap delay into the verb. If the effects processors are completely wet, you can usually create a loop (which if any dry output came through would make a feedback loop) without problems.

(An historical aside: the old tape reverb trick was accomplished by feeding back some of the reproducer head's output, as the machine was recording, back into the record head. The reproducer head being a distance away from the record head, and the tape moving a given speed, made for a decaying tap-delay of a fixed time. This is the classic Elvis reverb.)