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Owner’s Manual
Owner’s Manual
QUICK START
We realize that you can’t wait to hook
up your new Mackie MR8 Studio
Monitors and try them out. Neverthe-
less, please take the time to read this
page NOW, and the rest can wait until
you’re good and ready.
1. Turn the INPUT LEVEL [2] control on the back of the
cabinet down (fully counterclockwise) before turning
on the monitor for the first time.
2. Set the power switch [5] on the back panel off. This will
prevent you from accidentally connecting a hot signal
source to the monitor and getting a rude surprise.
3. Leave the High Freq [3] and Low Freq [4] Filter
switches at their Normal positions.
4. Connect the line-level monitor signal from your mixer,
preamp, or other signal source to the INPUT [1] jack
on the MR8 Studio Monitor (1⁄4-inch PHONE, XLR, or
RCA).
5. Connect the supplied AC power cord to the IEC socket
[6] on the back of the monitor. Plug the other end into
an AC outlet properly configured with the voltage cor-
responding to the markings next to the IEC socket.
6. Start your signal source (tape deck, CD, DAW, or
whatever), but leave the master volume control on your
mixer or preamp down.
7. Turn on the power switch [5] on the MR8. The power
LED [8] on the front panel will illuminate.
6. Slowly turn up the INPUT LEVEL [2] control on the
back of the monitor to its fully clockwise position
(MAX).
7. Adjust the master volume on your mixer or preamp to
a comfortably loud listening level. If the MR8 gets loud
really fast, turn down the INPUT LEVEL control to its
center position (12 o’clock) to provide more volume
control on your mixer or preamp.
Enjoy the silky smooth highs and authoritative, com
-
manding lows of the MR8. Then read the rest of this
manual.
AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT NOTE
ON MR8 BASS RESPONSE AND
YOUR CONTROL ROOM.
Your new MR8s achieve their best bass
response in a room that’s optimized
for bass reproduction. A lot of fac
-
tors can conspire to thwart the MR8s’
extended low frequency — including
room shape, room volume and acoustical treatment.
This is not a cop-out or an apology. It’s plain old
physics in action. Luckily we’ve armed you with some
compensating controls that you can use to optimize the
frequency response of the speakers in your particular
room. Consider the following:
Low-Frequency Response
When you put your MR8s in a corner or up against
walls, their bass characteristics change. The apparent
loudness of the low frequencies increases when the
monitors are placed close to a wall, and even more so
when they are placed in a corner.
If you have placed the monitors away from the walls
and corners and you would like to hear a little more
bass, try setting the LOW FREQ FILTER [4] switch to
the +2 dB position to provide a gentle boost to the low
frequencies (below 100 Hz). If it’s still not enough bass,
try the +4 dB position to provide a little more bass boost.
High-Frequency Response
The MR8s are designed to provide a smooth frequency
response throughout the mid and high range. Neverthe-
less, you may decide that you need a little more or a
little less high frequencies in your monitors while you
are mixing. The HIGH FREQ FILTER [3] switch provides
a gentle boost or cut in the frequencies above 5 kHz.
Remember that boosting the high frequencies in the
monitors can result in a duller mix, while reducing the
high frequencies can result in a brighter overall mix.
Additional Tidbits of Wisdom
• Never listen to loud music for prolonged periods. Please
see the Safety Instructions on page 2 for information on
hearing protection.
•
When you shut down your equipment, turn off the MR8
studio monitors first to prevent thumps and other noises
generated by any upstream equipment from coming out the
speakers. When powering up, turn on the monitors last.
• Save the shipping box! You may need it someday, and
you don’t want to have to pay for another one.
• Save your sales receipt in a safe place.
•
Also record all MR8 serial numbers in the space provid-
ed on page 3, along with where and when you bought them.