802-VLZ3 Compact Mixer

The Mackie 802-VLZ3 is a compact mixer that a ton of great features into a tight, sleek package. Don't let the small size fool you ” the 802-VLZ3 mixer is all pro, and all VLZ3. It boasts the same signature VLZ3 high headroom / low noise design that makes others in the series prized in studios and stages worldwide, including premium XDR2 preamps, an ultra-musical EQ and modern summing bus architecture. Ideal for home studio and on-the-go applications, the 802-VLZ3 makes premium sound mixing capabilities available for setups where space, and money, are tight. It's all the mixer you need, in a footprint that fits just about anywhere, at a price that fits your budget. Plus you get Tracktion 3 Music Production software included for free.

XDR2 preamps
Extended Dynamic Range = Extended Sonic Possibilities

Among the features that have earned the Mackie VLZ3 mixers their stellar reputation are the XDR2 "Extended Dynamic Range" mic preamps. That's because serious amounts of time and energy went into their design, and the result is phenomenal. You simply won't find preamps this good on any other mixer in this price range. The XDR2 preamps deliver pure, clean studio-grade sound ” the kind of quality you'd expect to find in pricey boutique mic pres. They have an incredibly wide frequency range, especially in the low end, and even at extremely high gain settings. They offer incredibly low noise, amazing RFI rejection, and with 60dB of available gain per channel, the 802-VLZ3 can handle inputs ranging from a whisper to a scream. With the superior sound of the 802-VLZ3's three XDR2 preamps, rest assured you will always get optimum performance out of your professional ribbon, dynamic, and condenser mics.

Super-Musical EQ for Super Tweaking Latitude

The 802-VLZ3's ultra-musical 3-band Active EQ provides precise control over the full frequency spectrum, giving you ultimate sound shaping latitude. Mackie invested tremendous resources into optimizing the center frequencies of their EQs, and improved the interaction of the separate EQ bands, so your tracks can be molded and tweaked for just the right result. Low shelving at 80Hz, mid peaking at 2.5kHz and high shelving at 12kHz mean you can quickly and effectively sculpt your tone for the ultimate in punch, fullness, and brilliance ” and with up to 15dB boost/cut capability per band, you get loads of room to move¦and experiment. There's also a 100Hz low cut/high pass switch for each mic input, so you can keep the muddiness out of your sound ” and give lows that extra punch if used in conjunction with the Low EQ.

Fully pro, fully featured

A completely pro mini-desk, the 802-VLZ3 delivers a comprehensive set of mission-critical mixing tools. Five full channel strips let you easily get your hands on your mix, while bright 12-segment stereo meters allow for ultra-accurate metering. The dedicated Stereo Return channel lets you connect external components, such as effects units or mp3 players, so you can incorporate your favorite sounds or prerecorded material into your tracks. You also get Hi Z inputs on channels 1 and 2 for recording instruments such as electric guitar and basses direct ” no external gear required ” and phantom power is provided for your studio condenser mics. The PFL solo function lets you easily set your gain to perfect levels, and high pass filters allow you to cut low frequency rumble ” 100Hz and below ” on channels 1 to 3. The 802-VLZ3 also gives you essential engineering features including separate control room volume and phones knobs. And thanks to Mackie's clever engineers, the "mute" button actually serves a dual purpose ” signals from muted channels are secretly routed to the Alt 3-4 outputs and also into the Control Room section, ideal for creating submixes, previewing channels, or creating a "mix minus" for broadcast applications.

Ultra-compact, sleek, rugged chassis

Now you can have your pro mixer, and fit it in your workspace, too. The 802-VLZ3 features a tight, low-profile design that fits the most modest ” or congested ” of areas perfectly. Like all VLZ3 mixers, the 802-VLZ3 is built like a tank, too. Mackie's legendary solid-steel chassis can take the kind of abuse that would turn competitors' flimsy boxes into twisted chunks of debris. Instead of cheap, unsealed potentiometers, Mackie use co-molded pots, which offer substantial strain and impact relief. By design, Mackie's control knobs 'ride' just above the surface of the chassis, so if something falls onto the mixer, the impact is transferred from the knobs to the chassis ” not to the potentiometers or circuit board. Finally, Mackie use thick, horizontally mounted fiberglass PC boards to eliminate the potential for damage and brace them with a shock-absorbing support structure. And not only is the 802-VLZ3 tough, but it can be flexibly positioned, thanks to a bottom panel that lets you easily mount an optional mic stand adapter with just a few screws. Attach your 802-VLZ3 to a mic stand, and you can adjust its height and angle to suit your unique ” or weird ” work style.

The "V" stands for Versatility

Okay, not really, but the 802-VLZ3 is just that ” versatile. With its pro features and small footprint, it's ideal for a variety of applications, including home and project studio recording, sound reinforcement, multimedia projects, field mixing, broadcast use, and post-production work And the included Tracktion 3 Project Bundle music production software makes it that much easier to get right to work, and get inspired. Boot up T3, connect the VLZ3 to your computer's sound card, and start recording straight away with a host of creativity-inducing loops, samples, and plug-ins.

Less Really Is More

The 802-VLZ3 gives new meaning to the old adage, less is more. While there are other under-12-channel mixers out in the world these days, none provide the performance or sound quality of the 802-VLZ3. Thanks to its ultra-compact, pro design, you get the low input count you want, the extra space you need, and the quality you deserve ” all at an unbelievably low price. Put simply, the 802-VLZ3 is the go-anywhere, fit-anywhere professional mixer, delivering superior sound quality ” and unbeatable value.