Behringer EURODESK SX4882 Manual - Page 11

11 EURODESK SX4882 User Manual 6.1.2 Aux returns a) Aux returns 1 and 2 Next to the aux sends are the stereo aux returns (see fig. 6.3). These can be thought of as a dozen extra line inputs configured as six 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. ◊ This feature is disabled if all line-level I/Os from the EURODESK are wired permanently to a patchbay (see section 8). Aux returns 1 and 2 have full subgroup 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: ROUTING ( S 49 / S 50 / S 51 / S 52 / S 53 ) LEVEL ( P 49 ), BALANCE ( P 51 ) and SOLO ( S 54 ). LEVEL controls the amount of signal being blended into the mix or a subgroup, while BALANCE controls the relative amounts of L and R processed signal. We doubt if you'll often want to adjust BALANCE away from center. ◊ As always, there are exceptions to the above rule. Some short stereo delay effects (say 30 ms to L, 50 ms to right) cause a psychoacoustic effect where the earlier delay seems louder. A similar effect is noticeable when harmonizing in stereo: a slight pitch shift upwards will seem louder than one that goes down. In both cases use the BALANCE control ( P 51 ) to compensate. ◊ When carrying out the above mentioned information, or any other stereo imaging exercise, don't just rely on the control room monitors. Get a pair of headphones and listen in stereo and in reverse stereo, to allow for any hearing discrepancy between your ears. b) Aux returns 3 to 6 And so to aux returns 3 through 6. These too have a routing matrix ( S 55 to S 58 for aux return 3), but this time it is designed to facilitate monitoring rather than recording. The options are MAIN (L/ R) MIX, and PHONES 1/2. Gain pots and solo switches complete the picture. c) SOLO Below each column of aux returns lies a local solo LED ( L 61 & L 74 ). These illuminate whenever a SOLO button in the column above is pressed. There is no absolute reason why the send from aux 1 should feed into a processor whose outputs are sent to the aux return 1. The processor could just as easily be patched into the aux return 3, or even a pair of channels. For many purposes, however, it is sensible to set up a default patch where the aux outputs and inputs correspond. It is logical to put your premier FX units into the aux 1 and aux 2 loops, since these returns enable you to record to tape without re-patching. ◊ An exception to the above is when recording a group of performers live to multitrack. (See section 16.3 "Wet monitoring"). ◊ Sometimes an engineer wants to narrow the stereo width of a reverb field. To do this you will have to come back on either A or B-channels, which have full PAN facilities. 6.2 MIX-B master Fig. 6.2: Stereo aux returns behringer.com Fig. 6.3: Mix-B Only two controls occupy the MIX-B master (fig. 6.4). P 48 offers the standard EURODESK gain of up to +15 dB. S 48 is crucial: it routes the MIX-B bus output into the main mix bus. MIX-B can have three basic functions: It can act as an entirely separate mixer-within-a-mixer to provide a completely separate mix ( S 48 UP, S 23 DOWN). (See also section 17.) It can act as an additional stereo aux feed to FX as well as a pre fader monitoring aid during mixdown ( S 48 UP, S 23 DOWN). It can provide 24 extra B-inputs to the mix ( S 48 DOWN, S 23 UP).