Mackie 402VLZ4 4-Channel Ultra-Compact Analog Mixer with Onyx Mic Preamps
The 402VLZ4 is the smallest mixer in the Mackie VLZ4 line, built for jobs where you only need one or two microphones but still want a proper preamp behind them. It gives you four line inputs and two Onyx mic preamps in a steel chassis small enough to live in a backpack or in the corner of a broadcast desk.
- 2 Onyx mic preamps: an ultra-wide 60dB gain range, so a quiet dynamic mic and a hot line source both sit comfortably.
- Selectable instrument inputs: the first two channels switch to instrument level, so a guitar or bass plugs straight in with no DI box.
- Phantom power: runs condenser mics without a separate supply.
- 2-band EQ: 80Hz and 12kHz for fast tone shaping.
- Low-cut filter: 18 dB per octave at 100Hz on the mic channels, to clear stage rumble and handling noise.
- 8-segment stereo meters: high resolution, so you set levels by reading rather than guessing.
- Sealed rotary controls that resist dust and grime.
- Built-Like-A-Tank chassis: rugged steel with a powder-coat finish and high-contrast markings you can read at a glance.
Mackie built the VLZ4 series around its flagship Onyx mic preamps, and the 402VLZ4 is the version for people who do not need a large desk. Four line inputs, two mic channels, and nothing on the panel you have to hunt for.
Onyx preamps in the smallest VLZ4
The two mic preamps carry a 60dB gain range, 128.5 dB of dynamic range and distortion under 0.0007% measured from 20Hz to 50kHz. Line inputs handle up to +22 dBu, which leaves headroom when a keyboard or a playback source arrives hotter than expected. Mackie also improved RF rejection on this generation, which is worth having in broadcast rooms full of transmitters.
What four channels actually cover
- A vocal mic and an acoustic guitar for a duo or a small corner gig.
- Two condenser mics for an interview or a podcast, powered from the mixer itself.
- A submixer feeding a single channel on a larger console.
- A shallow AV rack or lectern position where a full-size console will not fit.
Controls and build
Channel EQ is a 2-band design at 80Hz and 12kHz, joined by an 18 dB per octave low-cut filter at 100Hz on the mic input channels. The high-resolution 8-segment stereo meters make level setting straightforward. The chassis is rugged powder-coated steel, the rotary controls are sealed against dust, and the panel uses high-visibility, high-contrast controls for quick visual feedback in poor light.
Selectable instrument inputs
Channels 1 and 2 switch between mic, line and instrument level. That means an electric guitar, a bass or a piezo pickup connects directly, with no DI box in the signal path and one less thing to carry.