I have a Mackie 1604 VLZ Pro (8 direct outs) and I was thinking about in the future, using the inserts as inserts and direct outs on channels 9-16. I was thinking about how to build the cables for this but I'm not sure. Does someone knows how to do this?
You ould just get "Y cords" and mult the send cable of a standar
You ould just get "Y cords" and mult the send cable of a standard insert cable. Connect the mult to the return side of the insert unless you're inserting something.
Fancier is to get a patch bay, and bring the insert cable to a normalled set of jacks (read side) and use the half normal jack on the front to tap as a direct out. Or, on the patchbays like Re'An where the odules are removable, reverse them so the normals aare on front, then the direct line goes from the back jack which now is a half normal (upper I think - ring it out yourself) and the insert cable is connected to the upper/lower jacks to get just direct out, or you connect the insert send to signal in of a comp or something, signal out of the comp to th4e normalled direct in using a single patch cord, and the insert return to the other normalled jack.
Hope this made sense, I can't draw a picture here. I could try and explain it better if you understood any of that.