Behringer EURODESK SX3282 Quick Start Guide - Page 8

14 EURODESK SX3282 EURODESK SX3282 Controls (EN) Controls Mono Input Channels Each channel comes with a balanced line input on ¼" TRS jack, and an XLR mic input. Press the Phantom switch (71) at the back panel if required. The mic amp circuit has an unusually wide gain range (1) from 10 dB to 60 dB, is of extreme low-noise design, and utilizes high-current conjugate pair vintage transistor circuitry to deliver an incredibly warm and transparent sound. When a jack is plugged into the balanced (self-unbalancing) line input, the gain structure is such that it can match any line level from +10 to -40 dBu. The crucial operating levels +4 dBu and -10 dBV are clearly and accurately legended ( (1) ). Input Level Setting Channel input level is determined by the GAIN trimpot (1) . Use Solo/PFL (13) to accurately monitor the channel input on the left/right master output bargraph meters. This also sends the Solo/PFL-ed signal to the left and right speakers. Channel Solo (13) has an associated LED (14). In addition to switchable Solo/PFL metering, a couple of channel LEDs ((10) / (12)) illuminate when a signal is present (-20 dB), or if a channel is going into overload. You do not want the overload light to come on except very intermittently during a take or a mix. If it does light persistently, reduce input gain. Equalizer All mono input channels are fitted with a semiparametric 3-band EQ, plus a switchable low-cut filter for eliminating unwanted subsonics. The upper (2) and lower (5) shelving controls have their frequencies fixed at 12 kHz and 80 Hz respectively. The midrange control (3) is semi-parametric with a peaking response, Q fixed at 2 octaves, sweepable from 100 Hz - 8 kHz ( (4)). All three bands have up to 15 dB of cut and boost, with a center detent for "off". Thirdly, there is a steep high pass (low-cut) filter (6) , slope @ 18 dB/oct, for reducing floor rumble, breath noise and popping, woolly bottom end etc. Aux Sends All eight aux sends (7) are mono and post-EQ. Aux sends 1 & 2 are fixed to be pre-fader for cueing purposes, while 3 & 4 are fixed post-fader for sending to effects etc. A shift switch (8) toggles the third pair of aux send potentiometers between two bus pairs (5 & 6 or 7 & 8). These four aux sends are switchable pre/post-fader en bloc using the PRE switch (9). For almost all FX send purposes, you will want aux sends to be post-fader, so that when a fader level is adjusted, any reverb send from that channel follows the fader. Otherwise, when the fader is pulled down, the reverb from that channel would still be audible. For cueing purposes, aux sends will usually be set pre-fader, i.e. independent of the channel fader (depress PRE switch (9) for aux sends 5/6/7/8). There is +15 dB of gain on every aux send. Such a high boost is usually only appropriate where the channel fader is set around -15 dB or lower. There are five stereo buses in the SX3282 (plus a stereo solo bus). Main mix and the four subgroup pairs are selected by five assign switches (18). Solo/PFL we encountered in the section on input level setting. All stereo buses follow channel Pan. Usually, only one of L-R, 1-2, 3-4 etc. will be selected for a particular channel. Level to the group and main left and right buses is ultimately determined by the channel fader (17). The mute button (15), like that for Solo (13) is ergonomically placed immediately above the channel fader, and has an associated LED (16) for excellent visual status indication of this much-used feature. Stereo Input Channels Each stereo channel comes with two line level inputs on ¼" jacks, for left and right signals. When only the left input is connected, the channel operates in mono. Channel input sensitivity is variable between -20 and +20 dB by adjusting GAIN (1), enabling a perfect match with all common line-level sources including multitrack tape outputs, MIDI and other electronic instruments and effects units, all of which are normally designed to operate at either +4 dBu or -10 dBV. Equalizer All stereo input channels are fitted with four-band, fixed-frequency EQ. Bands 1 and 4 are shelving, while bands 2 and 3 have a peaking response, with their Q set at 2 octaves. The upper (2) and lower (5) shelving controls have their turnover frequencies fixed at 12 kHz and 80 Hz, whereas the midrange controls (53) and (52) have their bell center frequencies set at 8 kHz and 800 Hz. 15 Quick Start Guide Subgroups The principal routes to multitrack are via the subgroup outputs. There are eight mono (or four stereo) subgroups. All channels can access all of them, as can aux returns 1 and 2 ((47)). Subgroup level is determined by the Subgroup fader (20), while the signal level may be accurately checked by solo-ing ((22)). Subgroup outputs can also be assigned to the main mix during mixdown by pressing the MAIN MIX switch (21), in which case stereo position in the L R mix is determined by the subgroup's PAN pot (23). Aux Sends Stacked in a vertical column are eight master AUX SEND LEVEL pots (51), one for each bus. Each has a gain structure of -oo to +15 dB. The extra 15 dB of gain comes in once a knob passes a center detent (representing the 'normal' unity gain position), enabling insensitive outboard FX to be properly driven. Each aux send has a Solo button (50), and, as with other areas of the mixer, a local Solo light (49), which starts flashing when any of the aux master sends are solo-ed. Aux Returns Across from the aux sends are the stereo aux returns. These can be thought of as eight extra line inputs, configured as four stereo pairs. On these inputs there is up to 20 dB of gain available. Alternatively, a mono (center-panned) signal may be returned by plugging into the left aux return jack only. Aux Returns 1 & 2 Aux returns 1 and 2 have full group routing matrices to enable returning FX to be sent to tape, plus main mix bus assignment. The functions for aux return 1 (mirrored by aux return 2) are: routingswitches (45), Level (47), Balance (48) and Solo (46). Level controls the amount of signal being blended into the mix or a group, while balance controls the relative amounts of left and right processed signal. Be sure to have balance control in center-position, if you're not actually working with it. Aux Returns 3 & 4 Aux returns 3 and 4 are the poor relations, with only a level pot (44) and Solo switch (43) each. These are always assigned to the main bus. Solo Below the aux returns 1/3 and 2/4 lies a local Solo LED (42). This flashes whenever a solo button in the column above is pressed. Monitoring Though most of you will want to audition the main mix most of the time, there are exceptions. These include Solo/PFL and 2-track playback (30). The bargraph meters follow whatever source is being auditioned. The Monitor/Ctrl Level pot (28) sets the level to the control room monitors. This is sourced post the main mix stereo fader setting. Your fades couldn't be heard otherwise. Lastly, there is a Mono button (29), useful for checking the phase correlation and/or coherence of a stereo signal. Again, this does not affect the main mix output. Headphones The headphones may be sourced from the monitor/ control room mix (27), and/or from pre-fader aux sends 1/2 (26) or switchable pre/post aux sends 5/6 (25) for artist cueing. Two headphones sockets are provided on the back panel. The headphone mix level is controlled by a LEVEL pot (24), and the gain is sufficient to drive headphones directly. Solo Whenever a Solo button is pressed, all unselected channels are muted in the monitors. Stereo panning is maintained. The solo bus is derived from the output of the channel pans, aux sends, stereo line inputs and subgroups, and is always post-fader. PFL Pressing the channel mode switch (38) once disengages the stereo solo bus, and replaces it with a separate mono PFL (Pre-Fader Listen) bus. Now any channel which is solo-ed, isn't. It is PFL-ed instead. PFL should always be used for gain-setting. The channel mode (PFL or Solo) is indicated by a pair of status LEDs (located below the bargraph meter (40)), pot (39) controls the solo level, which will normally be set to unity gain (center detent) to match the in-the-mix level. 2-Track Input and Output The 2-track input is on unbalanced RCA phono plugs, and is primarily made for auditioning mix playback from tape. The 2-TRACK switch (30) routes this signal to the control room monitors. With the MON/CTR Level control (28) fully clockwise, your 2-track input will be matched to the semi-professional level -10 dBV. For higher output recording sources (e.g. +4 dBu) turn the level of (28) down. 2-track output A pair of balanced XLR and jack connectors deliver the mix output to your 2-track recorder (or PA system) at +4 dBu. Alternative RCA phono (-10 dBV) connectors are provided, too. Level to tape is ultimately determined by precision faders (31). Main mix insert points are provided for patching a gate, a compressor etc. pre-fader. Although the 2-track output is primarily designed for recording, it can also be used as a PA feed, or as a send to the input of your sampler. In fact up to three simultaneous destinations can be serviced without resorting to a patchbay or splitter leads-there are three separate 2-track outputs on your SX3282! Talkback The built-in flush-mounted mic (33) is activated by depressing the non-latching talk switch (32) just above the MAIN MIX faders. Engaging talkback dims the control room monitors, (not lights!) by -20dB to avoid feedback. This does not affect the other talkback routes. Talkback level is set by (37), and the mic can be routed to any or all of auxes 1/2, 5/6 or 7/8 ((36), (35), (34))-in other words every possible pre-fader (cue) aux send-to enable you to talk to artists remotely through their headphones or personal stage mixes. Phantom Power Switch When using capacitor mics, +48 V DC can be switched globally on or off by (71). Check Out behringer.com for Full Manual