User manual ALESIS MMFW16

[. . . ] Reference Manual This page intentionally left blank 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Table Of Contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Welcome!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 About the MultiMix FireWire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 All-In-One Mixer and Multichannel Computer Audio Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MultiMix FireWire Key Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Additional Features of the MultiMix 12 FireWire and MultiMix 16 FireWire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] The LO and HI controls are shelving controls with fixed frequencies of 80 Hz and 12 kHz respectively. "Shelving" means that the mixer boosts or cuts all frequencies past the specified frequency. "Peaking" means that frequencies above and below the specified frequency fall off, forming a peak in a graphical representation. 16 A Tour of the MultiMix FireWire Master Section The Master Section is the heart of the mixer, where the channel inputs and aux returns all are mixed together and routed in various ways. 2 Main Mix Fader The signals from all channels and aux sends--excluding those that are muted--are sent to the main mix. The MAIN MIX fader is the one you'll use to control the overall level of those combined signals. This fader affects the levels of the signals sent to the MAIN MIX OUT, the DIGITAL OUT (12FXD and16FXD models only) and the 2-TRACK OUT. In its lowest position the signal is cut off completely, and in the uppermost position you get an additional 10dB of gain. In the 0 position the fader is at unity gain. Alt 3/4 Fader This fader controls the output of the Alt 3/4 bus. 2TK To Mix When you press this switch, the signal coming in through the 2TRACK IN gets routed to the MAIN MIX, joining whichever other signals are already part of the main mix. Used this way, the 2-TRACK IN effectively becomes another stereo channel (but without all the extras like pan, EQ, etc. ). The 2-TRACK IN signal combines both whatever is plugged into the 2-TRACK RCA jacks and also any audio coming back to the computer over Firewire. Alt 3/4 To Mix This switch adds the signal from the Alt 3/4 bus to the main mix bus. Solo Mode The SOLO MODE switch affects the signals of channels whose PFL / SOLO switches are engaged. When the SOLO MODE switch is in the up position, you're in PFL, or pre-fader listen mode. This means that you'll hear the signals of all soloed channels as they sound before they pass through their respective faders. You'll need to be in PFL mode when you're setting levels (see "Setting Channel Levels, " page 12. When the SOLO MODE switch is engaged (in the down position), you are in SOLO mode. This means that you will hear the output of every soloed channel (after it passes through its fader, pan and EQ). The purpose of seeing a soloed channel's level on the LED meters is so that you can see the true level of that channel's signal. For that reason, the HDPH / CTRL RM knob does not change the LED meters' reading--it changes only the level at which you're listening to the soloed channel. 17 2 A Tour of the MultiMix FireWire HDPH / CTRL RM The HDPH / CTRL RM knob controls the level of the signal being sent to the CTRL RM OUT and the PHONES output. The switches to the right of the HDPH / CTRL RM knob determine the source of the control room mix as explained below. If no switches are selected, you'll hear silence in the control room mix and the LED meters won't light up. The "CTRL RM" in the name of this knob refers to the fact that it controls the signal that typically is sent to the control room monitors of a studio, where someone--usually an engineer--is working the mixer. However, don't be intimidated if you're using this mixer in your bedroom, which probably isn't equipped with a control room. In this scenario, you can use headphones or connect the CTRL RM OUT to your speakers. When you solo a channel via its PFL / SOLO switch, that channel's signal will override your control room mix selection. You then will hear only that channel in the control room and the headphones. MIX Switch Pressing the MIX switch routes the main mix to the control room level control. When you engage this switch, the channels and aux sends will pass through the MAIN MIX fader and then through the HDPH / CTRL RM level control. [. . . ] The opposite of "wet. " A common type of microphone that does not require external power. Effects processors come in many shapes and sizes, from small pedals up to dry dynamic microphone effects processor 59 Contact Information rectangular rackmount units. EQ (equalizer) The part of your mixer (or other device) that manipulates an audio signal by lowering the level of some frequencies and increasing the levels of others. A device that allows you to control the level of an audio signal by sliding the fader up and down a straight path. [. . . ]