MACKIE CR-X (01) PDF Document

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Minimum distance (5 cm) around the apparatus for sufficient ventilation.

9. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

10. No naked flame sources, such as lighted candles, should be placed on the apparatus.

11. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

12. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

13. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

14. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

15. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

16. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.

17. This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and no object filled with liquids, such as vases or beer glasses, shall be placed on the apparatus.

18. Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result in a risk of fire or electric shock.

19. This apparatus has been equipped with a rocker-style AC mains power switch. This switch is located on the rear panel and should remain readily accessible to the user.

20. The MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is used as the disconnect device, so the disconnect device shall remain readily operable.

According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of these permissible limits could result in some hearing loss. To ensure against potentially dangerous exposure to high sound pressure levels, it is recommended that all persons exposed to equipment capable of producing high sound pressure levels use hearing protectors while the equipment is in operation.

Signature CR Series Sound

• Professional studio-quality sound

• Perfect upgrade for your desktop speakers

• Great for home studios, content creators, gaming, listening to your favorite tunes, and more

Plug and Play

• Choose which side of your desk gets the volume knob with the convenient speaker placement switch

• Convenient front panel volume knob with gives you on/off/volume control

• Front-facing headphone jack auto-defeats speaker output

• Flexible inputs – 1/4″, 1/8″, and RCA

Fresh Look

• Brushed metal front panel

• Distinct outlined design in CR Green

Included Accessories

• 1/8″ to stereo RCA cable to connect computer output to speakers

• 1/8″ to 1/8″ cable to connect a smartphone or media player to rear panel of speakers

• Speaker-to-speaker cable

• Acoustic isolation pads [CR5-X]

1. Turn the volume control on the front of the powered MACKIE CR-X monitor down (fully counterclockwise) before turning the unit on for the first time.

2. Set the power switch 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. Connect the line-level monitor signal from your computer, mixer, or other signal source to the input jacks on the rear panel of the monitor (1/4″, RCA or 1/8″).

4. Connect the black (–) and red (+) speaker wires from the powered monitor’s ± spring clips to the passive monitor’s ± spring clips.

5. Connect the affixed line cord into an AC outlet. The monitor may accept the appropriate voltage as indicated on the back panel.

6. Turn the computer, mixer or other signal source on.

7. Turn on the power switch on the rear panel of the MACKIE CR-X monitor.

8. Turn the front panel volume control clockwise until the monitor “clicks” on and the ring surrounding the volume knob illuminates.

9. Play an audio file and slowly turn the front panel volume control to a comfortable listening level.

• Never listen to loud music for prolonged periods. Please see the Safety Instructions for information on hearing protection.

• When you shut down your equipment, turn off the 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 sales receipt and original packaging in case you ever need warranty service.

1. Simply connect the (included) cable from the computer’s 1/8″ output jack to the L/R RCA inputs of the powered MACKIE CR-X Series Multimedia Monitor. If you prefer to use 1/4″ inputs or 1/8″ stereo input instead of RCA inputs, those options are available, too.

2. Next, connect the passive speaker. The included black (–) and red (+) speaker wires should be connected from the powered monitor’s ± spring clips to the passive monitor’s ± spring clips. Connect black (-) to black (–) and red (+) to red (+).

3. Move the ‘Powered Speaker Position Select’ switch to either the “L” or “R” position based on whether the powered reference monitor – the one with the volume knob – will be on the left or right side.

4. Now position the monitors where you would like them. Play audio through the computer, making sure that the volume of the computer and monitors are above “0”.

5. Last step: move the monitors around until the optimal sound has been achieved and adjust volume to taste.

6. Optional (CR5-X): place the included acoustic isolation pads underneath the monitors to minimize boomy bass build-up and provide up/down tilt control for more focused listening.

1. A pair of 1/4″ cables is connected from the audio interface’s output jacks to the 1/4″ inputs on the rear panel of the powered MACKIE CR-X Series Multimedia Monitor.

2. Next, connect the passive speaker. The included black (–) and red (+) speaker wires should be connected from the powered monitor’s ± spring clips to the passive monitor’s ± spring clips. Connect black (-) to black (–) and red (+) to red (+).

3. Move the ‘Powered Speaker Position Select’ switch to either the “L” or “R” position based on whether the powered reference monitor – the one with the volume knob – will be on the left or right side.

4. Now position the monitors where you would like them. Play audio through the interface, making sure that the volume of the interface and monitors are above “0”.

5. Last step: move the monitors around until the optimal sound has been achieved and adjust volume to taste.

6. Optional: plugging a pair of headphones into the front panel 1/8″ headphones jack auto-defeats the speaker output. The front panel volume control then controls the level going to the phones.

1. AC Line Cord: Plug the attached power cord into a live AC outlet that has the correct voltage indicated on the rear panel.

2. Power Switch: Press this switch left to turn the MACKIE CR-X multimedia monitors on. Make sure the volume knob is off [fully counter-clockwise] before turning it on. Press the right side of this switch down to turn the monitors off.

3. Signal Inputs: Connect the line-level signal from a computer, mixer, or other signal source to one pair of these input jacks (1/4″ or RCA). Since these are connected together electrically, do not connect more than one signal at a time to the input jacks. A balanced signal (1/4″ TRS) provides better noise rejection and is preferred for cables longer than 20 feet (6 meters).

4. 1/8″ Stereo Input: Connect a line-level signal from an MP3 player, phone or other signal source to this input jack using an unbalanced 1/8″ connector.

5. Powered Speaker Position Select Switch: Decide if the powered monitor is to be positioned on the left side (switch up) or right side (switch down) of the desk. This keeps the power cord and connections from crossing your work space and accommodates both right and left-handed users.

6. Wire Terminals (±): Connect the included black (-) and red (+) speaker wires from the powered monitor’s ± spring clips to the passive monitor’s ± spring clips.

7. Custom-Tuned Rear Port: This port uses the radiation from the rear of the woofer cone to extend the low-frequency response of the speaker. The size is carefully designed for low-frequency extension.

1/4″ TRS Balanced Mono Wiring:

• Sleeve = Shield (Ground)

• Tip = Hot (+)

• Ring = Cold (-)

1/4″ TS Unbalanced Mono Wiring:

• Sleeve = Shield (Ground)

• Tip = Hot (+)

Unbalanced RCA:

• Sleeve = Shield (Ground)

• Tip = Hot (+)

Stereo 1/8″ TRS Input:

• Sleeve = Shield (Ground)

• Tip = Left Channel

• Ring = Right Channel

8. Phones Output: This 1/8″ TRS connector supplies the output to stereo headphones. The volume is controlled with the volume knob. The signal to the power amp is killed when headphones are connected. The phones output is wired as: Sleeve = Shield (Ground), Tip = Left Channel, Ring = Right Channel. Warning: The headphone amp is loud and could cause permanent hearing damage. Always turn the volume knob all the way down before connecting headphones. Then turn it up slowly as you listen carefully.

9. Volume Knob: Use this control to adjust the sensitivity of the input section according to the signal strength. The volume knob not only adjusts the overall output level, but it also turns the monitor on and off. Simply turn the knob counter-clockwise until it “clicks” off. Turn the knob clockwise to turn the volume up.

10. Running Man logo / LED: The ring surrounding the Running Man logo on the front panel illuminates white when the MACKIE CR-X monitor is plugged into an AC outlet, the power switch is turned on and the front panel volume control is turned clockwise until the monitor “clicks” on.

11. Season Knob: Rotate this knob to the season you desire. You will feel the knob “click” into place. Note that while there are four seasons listed, the in-between settings also work.

Although the MACKIE CR-X includes multiple cables (1/8″ to stereo RCA, 1/8″ to 1/8″, and speaker-to-speaker), you may need to replace them or prefer to use the 1/4″ inputs. If so, use high-quality, shielded cables to connect the signal source to the signal input jacks.

• Balanced TRS / Unbalanced TS cables work well with the 1/4″ inputs.

• Unbalanced phono cables work well with the RCA inputs.

• Unbalanced TRS cables work well with the 1/8″ input.

NOTE: Route the cable away from AC power cords and outlets. These are common sources for hum in an audio signal. Wall warts and line lumps are especially insidious hum inducers!

CAUTION: Do not attempt to connect a speaker output directly to the input of the MACKIE CR-X Series multimedia monitor! Speaker levels are much higher than line levels and can damage the input circuitry in the MACKIE CR-X monitors.

However, it is possible to insert a speaker-level to line-level signal attenuator between a receiver’s speaker output and the MACKIE CR-X monitor’s input.

• Avoid exposing the monitors to moisture.

• Avoid exposure to extreme cold (below freezing temperatures).

• Use a dry cloth to clean the cabinets. Only do this when the power is turned off.

• Make sure the power cord is plugged all the way into the AC outlet.

• Is it plugged in? Make sure the AC outlet is live [check with a tester or lamp].

• Is the power switch on? If not, try turning it on.

• Is the front panel volume control “clicked” on? The power is on only when the rear panel power switch is on and the front panel volume control is not fully counter-clockwise.

• Is the power LED on the front panel illuminated? If not, make sure the AC outlet is live. If so, refer to “No sound” troubleshooting below.

• The internal AC line fuse may be blown. This is not a user serviceable part. If you suspect the AC line fuse is blown, service is required.

• Is the level knob for the input source turned all the way down? Verify that all the volume controls in the system are properly adjusted.

• Is the signal source turned up? Make sure the signal level from the computer, mixer, MP3 player, phone (or whatever device immediately precedes the multimedia monitors) is high enough to produce sound.

• If it’s a stereo pair, try switching them around. For example, if a left output is presumed dead, switch the left and right cords at the monitor end. If the problem switches sides, it’s not the monitor. It could be a bad cable, or no signal from the source.

• Is it loud and distorted? Make sure that you’re not overdriving a stage in the signal chain. Verify that all level controls are set properly.

• Are the input connectors plugged completely into the jacks? Be sure all connections are secure.

• If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged into the preamp stage. If it sounds bad there, it’s not the monitor.

• Too much bass or not enough bass? Move around the room and see if the bass response changes. It’s possible your listening position coincides with a room mode where the low frequencies either become exaggerated or nulled. If so, try moving the monitors to a different position, or moving your listening position.

• Check the signal cable between the computer/mixer/MP3 player/phone and the reference monitor. Make sure all connections are secure. These problems usually produce crackling noises, hum, or buzz.

• If connecting an unbalanced output to the MACKIE CR-X Series reference monitor’s balanced input, make sure the shield is connected to the unbalanced ground of the source.

• Make sure the signal cable is not routed near AC cables, power transformers, or other EMI sources (including wall warts and line lumps!). These sources usually produce hum.

• Is there a light dimmer or other triac-based device on the same AC circuit as the monitor? Dimmers cause buzzing noises. Use an AC line filter or plug the monitor into a different AC circuit.

• Excessive hiss is an indication of an incorrect gain setting somewhere before the speaker.

• If possible, listen to the signal source with headphones plugged in. If it sounds noisy there, it’s not the monitor.

• Try disconnecting the cable connected to the input jack. If the noise disappears, it could be a “ground loop,” rather than a problem with the MACKIE CR-X monitor. Try some of the following troubleshooting ideas:

– Use balanced connections throughout your system for the best noise rejection.

– Whenever possible, plug all the audio equipment’s line cords into outlets which share a common ground. The distance between the outlets and the common ground should be as short as possible.

Amplifiers

Input / Output

CR3-X:

CR4-X:

CR5-X: