Mackie Wide-Z preamp solution.

[lkingston]

I’m starting a new thread on this since this affects more than one Mackie Wide-Z preamp product (Reach, Freeplay, ProDX4 & 8, DLM speakers, etc.).

To recap, the problem with any Mackie Wide-Z input product is not enough gain through the 1/4” input input, and too much gain through the XLR input (for XLR outputs from guitar effects with XLR outputs).

This a shame because aside from this one show stopping fault, the Mackie Reach/FreePlay/ProDX4&8 are great products. In particular, I like the wide dispersion, flat frequency response and side monitors on my Mackie Reach.

Anyway, after much experimentation, what I find to be the best simple solution is just to use a Samson MDA1-1 active directbox with the 15db pad engaged. Simple. Inexpensive. Rugged as anything. Sips batteries. Won’t turn on accidentally during transit, and it sounds great. I kind of like using a directbox anyway.

I’ve tried passive directboxes and they don’t have enough level. The MDA-1 with the 15db pad is perfect.

Keep in mind that the pad is on the input rather than the output and this is not ideal theoretically, but in actual practice it doesn’t seem to matter.

They are about $35 street.

[pieterh]

I would say that the pad on the input is ideal for a DI (or a mixer input that has the option). The main reason for a pad is to compensate for sources (instruments etc) with hot signals that drive the input to clipping or worse. A pad on the output would arguably be better for your situation but would be too late in the chain to prevent input stage clipping.