# mackie 24x4 vlz pro with broken master fader



## chitek (Dec 20, 2003)

When I moved about a year ago I packed up my mackie in its original box with the foam corners and those fader guards that come with it for shipping. I just opened the box again since I am putting my studio back together. My heart stopped when I saw that the metal shaft and the top plastic slider part of the master fader fell off. I looked at it and it looks like it is a piece that can be snapped back in but you would have to open the whole mixer to do that. Do you guys know if this piece snaps back in or am I looking at a big expense? I have to buy the plastic slider piece but it is the metal shaft that I am concerned about.


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## cruiser (Dec 20, 2003)

in your instruction manual for the desk, you should find some diagrams of the desk, which should contain this information. 
You can try putting it back into place, but if this doesnt work and the desk is out of warranty, take the back off it and see if you can click it back in yourself. but please only do this if you *feel confident* about it!!!!

Failing this, ring Mackie Support and ask them what your options are!
I know that here in Australia, a number of places that hire sound gear will fix the desk for you, im not sure if it is the same over there... doing it this way is much more cost effective than taking it direct to the manufacturer...


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## tinears3938 (Dec 23, 2003)

Replacing the fader isn't hard it will take more time to open up the console as it will have screws for days with some hidden or in stupid places :wink:


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## cruiser (Dec 23, 2003)

LOL

That's like bloody everything these days! you try to open it to fix it eg. computers, lighting desks, sound desks, processing gear... you undo all the obvious screws but it will NEVER come off.... your so right there is always a hidden screw somewhere!! plus a big sound desk, there is a screw like every 5CM's (2inchs) your hand goes numb before you undo them all!


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## chitek (Jan 5, 2004)

I talked to Makie. The fader is around $12. Taking it appart is going to be a pain so I will wait until I have to time to do it.


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## avkid (May 5, 2005)

Openeing a factory sealed desk can void a warranty!


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## BNBSound (May 5, 2005)

Dealing with Mackie stuff is generally roughly equivalent to getting kicked in the teeth the day after you get your braces off. When my 24-4-2 had a fader go on it, it was a nightmare. The guts of the console are on three big boards (1-12, 12-24, and Master) so they had to change out the whole center section. $700 later the same problem cropped up again two months later. And I'm in a similar pickle with my Mackie amps. Two bad transistors on the power supply board and everything short of the chassis needs to be swapped out.

BTW... how did you get Mackie to agree to just send you a fader? Those guys are the kings of keeping the common man at arms length, "Just send it on down to lil' ol' Texas and we'll fix it for ya".


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## Mayhem (May 6, 2005)

Would an after market fader not fit? Most of our gear uses off the shelf parts available at most electronics stores and I always keep a few spares on hand.

Only problem that I have had is with finding the older faders that tend to be about an inch longer than the newer ones that being used on the more compact units.


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## BNBSound (May 6, 2005)

The Mackie faders are proprietary. It seems that you haven't been seduced by their obnoxious self promotion yet. Otherwise you would have read about Greg's extensive research into faders and how they custom screen the sliders so that the taper is absolutely linear (well, not linear really, but smooth).


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## JahJahwarrior (May 6, 2005)

I have (ok, it's my schools...) a coplete Mackie system...I dread the day that things go wrong with it. Already one speaker quit, apparently one of the solder joints cracked. Also, on the board (1604 vlz pro) it pops whenever I hit solo. 

the local gear rental place fixed the speaker for $25, the board they are not willing to look at, cheapest I've found other places is aout $40 an hour, and they have all told me that it'll take them atleast two hours. so sometime I have to convince the school to spend $80+ on a problem that's not even a major problem yet....

Mackie gear is good, but definitely not great, definitely not close to great....


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