Behringer EURODESK SX3282 Manual - Page 9
Mono Input Channels, Input Level Setting, Equalizer, Aux Sends, Routing & Muting - how i connect instruments
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9 EURODESK SX3282 User Manual 3. 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)). 3.1 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). ◊ For level-setting (as opposed to localized listening) choose to use the Mono PFL bus rather than the post-fader (post-channel pan) stereo solo bus (Channel MODE switch (38) not depressed). Solo/PFL never interrupts the mix at the main recording outputs. It follows that aux sends and subgroups must also be unaffected, since they contribute directly to the main mix. 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. These LEDs are particularly useful when using extreme EQ settings, or adding a dynamics processor via an insert. 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 (see also the essential section 8 "Setting up"). 3.2 Equalizer All mono input channels are fitted with a semi-parametric 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. ◊ The combination of shelf boost at 80 Hz together with low-cut at 75 Hz results in a peaking response, useful for adding warmth to vocals and instruments, and a firm bottom to kick drums and basses, without losing control of low frequency speaker cones. 3.3 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). ◊ Most reverbs etc. internally sum up the left and right inputs. The very few that do not may be driven in true stereo by using 2 aux sends. 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. Here, an almost exclusively wet signal will be heard. In most consoles, such a wet mix requires the use of a pre setting for the channel aux send, losing fader control. With the SX3282 you can have a virtually wet mix with fader control. Channels may be altered for pre-EQ aux sends (see section 13 "Modifications"). 3.4 Routing & Muting Routing means selecting which bus you want a channel to address. 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 (3.1). Channel PAN (11) positions the output of the channel in the stereo field. Its constant-power design ensures there are no level discrepancies whether a signal is hard-panned, center-stage, or somewhere in-between. Such pin-point accuracy will be a revelation if you have been working on consoles with lower quality circuits. All stereo buses follow channel Pan. Usually, only one of L-R, 1-2, 3-4 etc. will be selected for a particular channel. ◊ An exception to this rule is when laying down voice takes. It is often convenient to have the mic channel(s) routed to all potential take tracks simultaneously, since you are often dropping in quickly between four or more tracks. It means one less button to press each time you switch tracks. Level to the group and main left and right buses is ultimately determined by the channel fader (17). This is designed to give a smooth logarithmic taper of a type more usually associated with megabuck consoles. The low level performance particularly is far smoother than that of a "normal budget" fader. 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. Engaging mute is equivalent to setting a fader level of minus infinity. It follows that pre-fader aux sends are unaffected by application of mute. 4. 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. ◊ This feature is disabled, if the inputs and outputs of the SX3282 are wired permanently to a patchbay (see section 9 "Patchbay"). 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. 4.1 Input Level Setting This is exactly as for a mono channel (see section 3.1). 4.2 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. All bands have up to 15 dB of cut and boost, with a center detent for "off".