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ONYX 800R
ONYX 800R
Introduction
Thank you for choosing a Mackie Onyx 800R eight-
channel professional microphone preamplifi er. The Onyx
Series of mixers and microphone preamps are designed
for the digital era and offer the newest features and latest
technologies for live sound reinforcement and analog or
digital studio recording in a durable, road-worthy package.
The Onyx 800R is equipped with eight of our new
premium precision-engineered studio-grade Onyx mic
preamps. Mackie is renowned for the high-quality mic
preamps used in our mixers, and the Onyx mic pre’s
are better than ever, with specifi cations rivaling other
stand-alone mic preamplifi ers at twice the price.
The Onyx 800R is designed to be a transparent audio
interface for direct tracking to MDM, HDR, or DAW re-
cording applications. Its selection of analog and digital
output options provides the fl exibility to connect in
almost any application.
Channels 1 and 2 feature an impedance select switch,
which lets you fi ne tune the mic pre for vintage tube and
ribbon microphones. Channels 1 and 2 also provide the
option of engaging a Mid/Side Decoder for M-S stereo
mic’ing. Adjusting the balance between channels 1 and 2
with their gain controls provides an effective way to vary
the width of the stereo image.
Channels 7 and 8 feature high-impedance instrument
inputs so you can connect an acoustic, electric, or bass
guitar directly to the mic preamp, eliminating the need
for an external direct box.
Each channel has a mic/line switch, a polarity reverse
switch, individual phantom power switch, low-cut fi lter
switch, and a gain control.
A sample rate selector allows you to choose 32, 44.1,
48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, or 192 kHz sample rates, or to use
an external clock connected to the external word clock
input connector on the rear panel. You can also select
between 24-bit or 16-bit dithered word lengths at the
digital outputs.
The rear panel provides individual XLR balanced
mic input connectors for each channel, and balanced
line inputs on a DB25 connector. Analog balanced line
outputs are also provided on a DB25 connector. Digital
outputs are provided on two optical Toslink connectors
using the ADAT lightpipe digital audio format. AES/EBU
or S/PDIF formats are available on a DB25 connector,
with selection buttons for impedance, pro or consumer
status bits, and single-wire (two-channel) or dual-wire
(single-channel) operation.
HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL
We know that many of you can’t wait to get your new
microphone preamplifi er hooked up, and you’re probably
not going to read the manual fi rst (sigh!). So the fi rst sec-
tion after this introduction is a Quick-Start Guide called
“Getting Started” to help you get the Onyx 800R set up
fast so you can start using it right away. Right after that
are the ever popular hook-up diagrams that show typical
setups for live sound and recording.
Then, when you have time, read the Features Descrip-
tion section. This describes every knob, button, and
connection point on the Onyx 800R.
Throughout this section you’ll fi nd illustrations with
each feature numbered. If you want to know more about
a feature, simply locate it on the appropriate illustra-
tion, notice the number attached to it, and fi nd that
number in the nearby paragraphs.
This icon marks information that is
critically important or unique to the
Onyx 800R. For your own good, read
them and remember them. They will
be on the fi nal test.
This icon leads you to in-depth
explanations of features and practi-
cal tips. While not mandatory, they
usually have some valuable nugget of
information.
A PLUG FOR THE CONNECTOR SECTION
Appendix B is a section on connectors: XLR connec-
tors, balanced connectors, unbalanced connectors, and
the two types of DB25 connectors used on the Onyx 800R.
More resources on our website at www.mackie.com.
THE GLOSSARY: A Haven of Non-Techiness for
the Neophyte
The “Glossary of Terms” is a fairly comprehensive
dictionary of pro-audio terms. If terms like “clipping,”
“noise fl oor,” or “unbalanced” leave you blank, refer to
this glossary for a quick explanation.
ARCANE MYSTERIES ILLUMINATED
“Arcane Mysteries” discusses some of the down ‘n’
dirty practical realities of microphones, fi xed installa-
tions, grounding, and balanced versus unbalanced lines.
It’s a goldmine for the neophyte, and even the seasoned
pro might learn a thing or two.