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Firewire Recording

1. x Power Amplifier Keyboard FOR RECORDING LIVE Lc ELELE ean 090909090999 Digital Audio Workstation PA System LE Sampler Oo 00 7 e Secs cosssecs HESSE Guitar or other r fig insteamient Or other line level stereo instrument Or oth er device 11 12 Using Proper Cables When connecting instruments and other equipment to the MultiMix it s important that you use the appropriate types of cables Here are some simple but important guidelines e Forthe mic inputs use XLR cables For the line inputs and all other 1 4 connections use 1 4 mono TRS cables Use steteo RCA cables for the 2 track in and out e Use a Firewire IEEE 13942 cable to connect one of the Firewire ports to a computer Setting Levels Before you can begin mixing different audio sources with your MultiMix you must set the level for each channel you re using This helps to prevent distortion and clipping The idea is to get the strongest signal possible without clipping Here s how Turn the channel level control to the 12 00 position 2 Turn the AUX SEND and GAIN controls all the way down and turn the EQ knobs to the center detent you ll feel a click 3 Connect the source of the signal to the channel s input 4 Play the instrument at a normal level and adjust the channel s gain slowly until the PEAK LED lights 5 Slowly reduce the
2. Connections and settings for Firewire recording and monitoring The best way to begin using the MultiMix for Firewire recording is to set up your system this way 1 Hook up your monitoring system to the MultiMix s CTRL RM OUT jacks 2 Apply the MASTER section s buttons as follows a 2 TKTO MIX Leave UP Pressing this button down can cause nasty feedback loops b MIX TO CONTROL ROOM Press DOWN This will allow you to hear the music being recorded in real time c 2 TKTO CONTROL ROOM Press DOWN This will allow you to hear the output from the computer Using the MultiMix FireWire with Cubase and other ASIO applications Audio recording programs running on Microsoft Windows generally use one of two different audio standards WDM the Windows Driver Model developed by Microsoft or ASIO Audio Stream Input Output developed by Steinberg and made freely available to other companies Audio on the Macintosh OS X generally runs on top of Apple s CoreAudio standatd We ll look at how to use the MultiMix FireWire under each of these standards starting with ASIO using Cubase as an example 29 30 Choosing the MultiMix as your audio device 1 Choose the menu option Devices Device Setup Cubase LE File Edit Project Audio MIDI Pool Transport ar Window Help Generic Remote MIDI Device Manager Mixer Plug in Information VST Inputs VST Instruments VST Master Effects
3. External power supply How to Use This Manual This manual is divided into the following sections describing the various functions and applications of the MultiMix consoles While it s a good idea to read through the entire manual once carefully those having general knowledge about mixing should use the table of contents to look up specific functions Chapter 1 Getting Started shows you how to include the MultiMix in your audio setup for recording computer interfacing and live applications We ve included a hookup diagram guidelines for which cables to use and the vital steps you must take to set levels properly Chapter 2 A Tour of the MultiMix describes the MultiMix piece by piece This chapter also features diagrams of the mixer to help you find each component as you read about it Chapter 3 Digital Effects Processor explains the effects provided by the on board digital effects processor If you want to know what a certain effect will do to your sound before you select it this is where you should look Chapter 4 Traditional Mixing outlines a number of scenarios in which you can use the MultiMix for live mixing and simple non Firewire based recording Chapter 5 Firewire Recording orients you to the MultiMix s powerful Firewire recording features including software installation and setup with common DAW programs Chapter 6 Troubleshooting can give you a hand if you re experiencing problems with your mixer You ll
4. MultiMix Main or the MultiMix Channels option Sounds and Audio Devices Properties mR Volume Sounds Audio Voice Bhrdware These settings control volume and advanced options for the voice playback or recording device you selected Voice playback Default device MuliMix Audio Qut Voice recording A Default device 1 MuliMi Main In x MultiMix Main In MultiMix Channels In 5 Click Apply to apply these changes 28 Disabling Windows System Sounds Windows System Sounds the sounds that Windows plays to signal starting up shutting down alerts and so forth can interfere with your audio recording We strongly suggest that you disable these sounds 1 2 3 Sounds and Audio Devices Properties Click the Sounds tab of Sounds and Audio Devices Under Sound Scheme choose No sounds PR Volume Audio Voice Hardware sound scheme is a set of sounds applied to events in Windows and programs You can select an existing scheme or save one you have modified Sound scheme No Sounds No Sounds Windows Default To change sounds click a program event in the following list and then select a sound to apply Y ou can save the changes as a new sound scheme Program events windows Asterisk Close program Critical Battery Alarm Critical Stop Default Beep Click OK to accept this entry and close the dialog box
5. Hardware Advanced General Computer Name H re Advanced System Device Manager Microsoft Windows XP Professional Version 2002 Service Pack 2 Registered to Drivers Driver Signing lets you make sure that installed drivers are compatible with Windows Windows Update lets you set up how Windows connects to Windows Update for drivers Computer Driver Signing Windows Update Intel R Pentium R 4 CPU 2 60GHz Hardware Profiles 2 59 GHz 512 MB of RAM Hardware profiles provide a way for you to set up and store 93 diferent hardware configurations Hardware Profiles Cancel 4 Finally expand the Sound video and game controllers section MultiMix Audio should appear Device Manager File Action View Help m amp i 25 3 1 Computer ee Disk drives Display adapters 3 DVD CD ROM drives 5 Floppy disk controllers BB Floppy disk drives IDE ATA ATAPI controllers 3 Gy IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers Ge Keyboards Mice and other pointing devices Monitors 88 Network adapters JY Ports COM amp LPT E Processors amp amp SCSI and RAID controllers sound video and game controllers Audio Codecs Legacy Audio Drivers Legacy Video Capture Devices Media Control Devices p System devices amp Universal Serial Bus controllers No connection If MultiMix Audio does not appear Windows does not see the mixer as be
6. permanent damage to the mic s circuitry It s also a good idea to lower mixer levels before you activate phantom power 13 14 Line Inputs Channels 5 8 Unlike channels 1 4 the line inputs on channels 5 8 are stereo inputs that have left and right inputs If you re using one of these channels as a mono input plug your instrument into the left input Channels 5 8 don t have the extra gain found on channels 1 4 because most line level instruments don t require the extra boost MIDI and other electronic instruments will work especially well on these channels These inputs are also good for connecting CD players or tape decks as these audio sources don t require extra gain PHONE Jack The headphone jack accepts 1 4 plugs If your headphones are 1 8 you can find a 1 8 to 1 4 adapter in most electronics stores AUX RETURNS If you are using an effects device with only a mono These ate the 1 4 jacks where you connect the outputs of an output plug it into the left external effects processor or other audio source Each aux return return of STEREO AUX gives you 15dB of gain that can be controlled by the AUX RET A RETURN It will appear in the center of the stereo and EFFECTS AUX RET B LEVEL knobs in the mixet s spectrum and not to the left output section AUX SENDS Use these jacks to connect the lines going out of the MultiMix into the input of an external effects processor The aux s
7. 1 The sofiwase you are installing tor this hardware ha not passed Windows Logo testing to verily te compatiblty with Windows XP Continuing your installation of this o destabikze the conect oper eilher immediat Coni Arye STOP inser Windows Logo Certification warning Ignore this warning by clicking Continue Anyway Your MultiMix Firewire mixer requires several sets of drivers to work properly The installation process will automatically install these drivers one by one Let the installer continue installing the various sets of drivers until the you see a message stating Your 23 24 new hardware is installed and ready to use the installations as they are all required for proper operation Macintosh Mac driver installation is more straightforward as only CoreAudio drivers are installed Simply double click the installer program to install the drivers Installing the optional applications The software CD that comes with the MultiMix FireWire contains not only the drivers the small computer programs that work behind the scenes so that your MultiMix works properly with your computer but also some powerful music applications If you don t already have a Digital Audio Workstation DAW program definitely install the one provided on the CD It s a fantastic way to get started in computer based recording You may find that it s the only program you need The demo applications give you
8. MultiMix 8 FireWire s XLR mic inputs A common unit of measure for audio A point of resistance in the path that a mixer knob or fader travels Detents are used to mark important settings As you turn the knob or slide the fader you ll feel it click into the detent Term used to describe an audio signal free of effects The opposite of ret A common type of microphone that does not require external power Dynamic microphones are generally cheaper than condenser microphones A unit whose purpose is to provide effects for audio signals Some common effects include reverb chorus flange and delay Effects processors come in many shapes and sizes from small pedals up to rectangular rackmount units 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 EQ is used to fine tune a signal s highs and lows 57 58 gain level master section mic preamp mixer mono monaural pan phantom power post fader pre fader return send stereo unity gain wet The measure of extra amplification applied to an audio signal Channels 1 4 on your MultiMix 8 FireWire have gain controls which are useful for boosting mic and line signals The amount of power driving an audio signal The most common names given to levels of varying voltage are from lowest to highest microphone level instrument level
9. a taste of some of the premier computer based music programs on the market today We encourage you to install and explore them Power on Power off order To ensure that the MultiMix is recognized correctly by your computer follow these instructions for powering on and off your equipment oro sequence Connect mics and line level sources to the MultiMix 2 Connect the MultiMix to the computer using the Firewire cable 3 Turn on the MultiMix Wait a couple of seconds 4 Turn on the computer Power off sequence 1 Turn off the computer Wait for the computer to shut down entirely 2 Turn off the MultiMix Do not cancel any of Mac OS X 10 3 or higher is required by the MultiMix drivers All digital audio carried over the Firewire connection is 24 bit PCM data Digital audio sent through the S PDIF output is 16 bit the standard bit rate for CD audio If you have a notebook computer with a mini Firewire connection use a 4 pin to 6 pin Firewire cable not included to connect to the MultiMix FireWire You can use either of the two Firewire ports on the back of the MultiMix The other port can be used to attach another Firewire based computer peripheral such as an external hard drive Firewire inputs and outputs Channels sent from the MultiMix to the computer The Firewire port sends every individual mixer channel as well as the MultiMix s MAIN OUT 2 TRACK OUT left and right signals to the co
10. and line level The section of a mixer whete the main mix is controlled An amplifier that boosts a microphone level signal up to line level A device whose purpose is to combine and output a number of audio signals allowing various types of signal manipulation Refers to an audio signal that has only one channel The opposite of stereo A control that lets you position a mono signal within the stereo spectrum by altering the level of the signal being sent to the left channel as opposed to the right A way of providing power to condenser microphones Called phantom because the power isn t apparent to dynamic microphones when you connect them to an input that provides phantom power Describes an aux send that sends a signal that already has passed through the channel fader Describes an aux send that sends a signal that has not passed through the channel fader A line input whose function is to carry back to the mixer an audio signal that has been sent from the mixer Usually used in the application of effects A line output whose function is to send a signal from the mixer to an external device usually an effects processor Refers to an audio signal that has two channels Refers to the setting of an audio channel at which the signal leaves the channel at the same level at which it entered An audio signal that has had effects or other manipulations applied The opposite of dry Contact Alesis Contact Inf
11. audio project 1 Choose File New Project Cubase LE DEK GO Edit Project Audio MIDI Pool Transport Devices Window Help ojec Ctri N Print Import Export Cleanup Preferences Key Commands Recent Projects 2 You can begin with a template or an empty file For now begin with an empty file New Project Empty 16 Track MIDI Sequenzer 24 Track Audio Recorder Default Music for picture NTSC Music for picture PAL Stereo Mastering Setup 34 3 Cubase needs to know where to place audio Choose a directory here An excellent scheme for storing your projects is to create a directory called Select directory c audio projects Then within that folder create a Set Project Folder new folder for each song you work on Cubase will store Desktop your song file and all My Documents associated audio files in that same folder Geo My Computer tH Sb 316 Floppy A Se Local Disk C a gt ao E Ec EC DDODDO 8 E E M J Now you have a blank project Add an audio track for recording by choosing Project Add Track Audio Cubase LE Audio MIDI Pool Transport Devices Window Help Remove Selected Tracks Folder Show Used Automation Group Channel Hide All Automation MIDI 00 ue 0 Maker Master Automation video Pool Markers Tempo Track Beat Calculator Multiple Notepad Project
12. channel s gain until the PEAK LED no longer lights when you play 6 If you need to apply EQ do so and check the PEAK LED to make sure it still does not light as you play A Tour of the MultiMix FireWire In this chapter you ll learn all about the MulitMix 8 FireWire s components except for the digital effects processor and computer connectivity which are explained in later chapters Please refer to the diagrams as you read each section to see which components we re talking about Patchbay At the rear portion of the top of the MultiMix 8 FireWire you ll find the patchbay This is where you plug in instruments signal processors multitrack recorders and other devices Whatever you need to connect to the mixer this is where it s done In the following paragraphs we tell you all about the inputs outputs switches and knobs you see in this section of the mixer eoo ess b 8 ele HI 2 6 8 816 Sleeee Patchbay Mic Inputs Channels 1 4 The MultiMix uses standard XLR type mic inputs These provide 48V phantom power that you can turn on and off with the Phantom On switch located on the rear of the mixer You probably will have to turn on the phantom power when you re using most condenser mics as these usually require the extra voltage unless the mic has its own power source such as a battery Dynamic and ribbon mics don t require phantom power and are unaffect
13. find that most issues can be resolved simply and quickly with the push of a button Chapter 7 Specifications and Chapter 8 Block Diagrams are full of technical information for the more techie usets And at the end of this manual you ll see a glossary of common mixing related terms Helpful tips and advice are highlighted in a shaded box like this When something important appears in the manual an exclamation mark like the one shown at left will appear with some explanatory text This symbol indicates that this information is vital when operating the MultiMix consoles A Few Words for Beginners We realize that some of you who have purchased the MultiMix 8 FireWire are fairly new to mixing to computer based recording or both We ve written this manual with that in mind We also designed the MultiMix 8 FireWire to be both powerful and easy enough to use that even a beginner can quickly pick up the basics Many mixer manuals and manuals for just about any electronic instrument for that matter are full of complicated terminology and incomplete instructions that presume a lot of experience on the part of the reader We try to avoid that with this manual True enough you will find all the technical lingo and specifications you can handle in here but we do our best to make this accessible to you Beginners will find several elements of this manual especially useful Keep your eye out for the tips found in the gray boxes
14. one tends to get warm when left on for a while This is perfectly normal Power On Another easy one Switch this one on and your mixer has power Switch it off and it doesn t Make sure that all master output knobs are turned all the way down when powering your mixer up or down Phantom On As we said earlier it s very i important that you plug in This switch activates and deactivates the phantom power your microphones and mute described in Mic Inputs Channels 1 4 page 13 This your system before you turn switch controls phantom power for all four mic inputs on phantom power Firewire ports These ports allow you to connect the MultiMix to a computer for multichannel digital audio communication Use one port to connect to a computer the other port can be used for other computer peripherals like external hard drives Digital Effects Processor Onboard your MultiMix 8 FireWire is a powerful effects unit that has 100 preset programs We offer a few tips on where to use these but don t limit yourself to our suggestions We recommend that you experiment with these effects to get a good feel for how they can improve your mixes Effects Section Components Program Selection Knob i 00 09 HALL 50 59 FLANGE 10 19 ROOM 60 69 DELAY 20 29 PLATE 70 79 PITCH 30 39 CHAMBER 80 89 MULTI 40 49 CHORUS 90 99 MULTI 2 om EH PROGRAM You can use this knob to assign one of 100 effect
15. programs to Effects Section your mix Turning the knob to the right increments the program number and turning it to the left decrements the program number You can control the level of the effect for each channel via the channel s AUX B knob You must PRESS the effect knob to activate the selected effect LED Display This display shows you the number of the current program CLIP Indicator When lit this LED tells you that there is a signal clip at the internal effects input This means that you should reduce the signal via the EFFECTS AUX RET B LEVEL control SIG Indicator When lit this LED indicates that the effects processor is receiving a signal Effect Descriptions HALL This type of reverb simulates the ambience of a grand concert hall ROOM This type of reverb reproduces the more intimate ambiance of natural room acoustics PLATE These are simulations of metal plate reverbs as used on classic recordings from the 70s and 80s CHAMBER These are simulations of the reverb created by artificial echo chambers as used on classic recordings of the 50s and 60s 19 20 CHORUS These create the effect of multiple voices or instruments sounding at once from a single input FLANGE These create a sweeping swooshing sound effect that you will probably recognize DELAY These effects are based on a discrete repetition or echo of the input PITCH These effects transpose the pitch
16. to buy a mixer with analog performance this powerful for such an affordable price and the addition of multichannel computer audio interfacing would have been a pipe dream Just take a look at the key features listed below and you ll see that you have just made an incredible addition to your home studio or live setup All In One Mixer and Multichannel Computer Audio Interface The MultiMix 8 FireWire gives you just about everything you need to create polished professional sounding recordings and live mixes When designing this unit our goal was to give you as much control over your recordings and mixes as possible without requiring a wealth of extra equipment That s why we added tools like the digital effects processor and the mic preamps And with a multitude of ways in which to connect other equipment and instruments the MultiMix 8 FireWire offers endless possibilities The MultiMix FireWire is also a full duplex multichannel computer recording interface device Not only can you record evety channel independently but you can also record the MAIN mix channels To get you started with computer based recording we even include a well specified Digital Audio Workstation DAW software program With a multitude of ways in which to connect other equipment and instruments the MultiMix FireWire offers endless possibilities Important download the drivers from http www alesis com onto a folder on your desktop or insert the software CD i
17. AEI ue srannvio 1fdNI rp HHR B g S IE oars NOIL23S o3 m b os i H y LED p S I3NNVH2 taron 1fidNI ee pe ONOW 2 i 3 YAXIIN 90 1VNV TANNVHO 8 j SIS31V 55 56 This page intentionally left blank Glossary Here are the definitions to some terms you ll probably encounter while using your MultiMix 8 FireWire Term aux auxiliary balance bus channel channel strip clipping codec condenser microphone dB decibel detent dry dynamic microphone effects processor EQ equalizer Definition An additional set of outputs and inputs found on many mixers These allow the addition of external effects and other audio sources A control that lets you control the position of sound in a stereo signal by altering the relative levels of the left and right channels The electrical component that carries signals from multiple sources to a single destination such as an amplifier A path through which an audio signal flows A section of a mixer on which reside controls like a fader EQ and pan for manipulating the signal of an input channel The cutting of an audio signal caused by a level that is too great for a mixer circuit to handle Compression decompression algorithm Different CODECs are used by different digital audio devices and file formats A type of high quality microphone that produces a weak signal usually requiring an external power source like the ones provided by your
18. AUX RETURN A LEVEL 17 EFFECTS AUX RET B LEVEL pa LED Meters oniiir me POWER Indicator 48V Tndicato x etre eene nee hene deas 17 Rear Of the Mixer nno ricco testo eot ae h ERE Fee e aR eae ens aset 18 Powet InpUtia slo eec eor SUE EPE NE ernea BE RARI SR Power Supply Unit POW LOM inse i e I EE RR aes PERENNI eren oe Plhantormnsscbeo o esconder eere tates Firewire POTES geeis pete ee te di pe eR e e eee eaae eee Chapter Three Digital Effects ProC SSOr e eere teen caveats L9 Effects Section Components cese eren een 19 Program Selection Knob sss Boece 19 LED Display Me ns NUNDINAS 19 CLIP Indicator 419 SIG Indicators stadio cie bd e n RO T RAE 19 Effect Descriptions eeeeeee sees eene e eee e eee enne netta neon 19 ELATI a i A cte b He HO HR IH UR OT EMI RYE IEEE ERIS 19 ROOM c S 19 PLATE 4 19 CHAMBER siio iseiti arte eei bee ea EE e eee Xe eene rue 19 CHORUS c EEE 20 FLANGE 20 DELAY 20 PITCH sente 20 MULTI amp MULTI II eerta nece treten 20 Chapter Four Traditional Mixing 21 Simple Live Setup eere ee eeeee ee esee eee ette eene eese eenun 21 Using Additional External Audio Sources 21 Simple Two Channel Recording Setup without Firewire eee e eee eene eee eee eere eee
19. D drive BEFORE you plug your MultiMix into your computer for the first time First time connection instructions and driver installation Important Follow these steps BEFORE you plug in your MultiMix FireWire mixer for the first time If your computer has access to the Internet point your browser to the Support gt Downloads section of http www alesis com It s possible that updated drivers have been posted there since the time the software CD included with your MultiMix was printed Using either drivers from the website or the software CD connect your MultiMix FireWire to your computer and turn the MultiMix FireWire on Windows Under Windows XP the Found New Hardware wizard will run You will be prompted to install a series of drivers These drivers include the two most popular standards for If you downloaded the drivers from the Internet choose to install audio interfacing WDM the the drivers from a specific location when prompted and point to Windows Driver Model the folder that contains the drivers built by Microsoft and ASIO the Audio Stream If you are using the drivers from the CD choose to install the Input Output standard used drivers automatically when prompted by many audio software applications For each of the several installations that occur click Continue Anyway if Windows warns you that the drivers have not passed Microsoft Logo Certification Hardware Installation
20. MultiMix8FireWwire Reference Manual ALESIS This page intentionally left blank 10 20 30 40 50 GOY o 70 80 0 100 Table Of Contents Tn troduction ccccccssssccccssssscccscssccccsesscccsessseeD Welcotriel dissterni etae bees eene ebd ede erae eee 5 About the MultiMix 8 FireWire eeeeeeeeeeeeee 6 All In One Mixer and Multichannel Computer Audio T tetiaCe o ctos e ORDEI EP S Dee MultiMix 8 FireWire Key Features How to Use This Manual A Few Words for Beginners Chapter 1 Getting Started 11 Hooking up the MultiMix 8 FireWire 11 Using Proper Cables eeeeeee eese e ee eee tenen eee trnun 12 Setting Levels eter ietvre ete re tret eo etate esae voa ese trago ee aee Te 12 Chapter Two A Tour of the MultiMix 13 lcd E Mic Inputs Channels 1 4 ies Line Inputs Channels 1 4 eee 13 Line Inputs Channels 5 8 14 PHONE Jack 14 AUX RETURNS 14 AUX SENDS 14 2 TRACK 14 MAIN MIX OUT 14 CIRE RM OUT etetaesetie ne De P Hem aee riens 14 Channel Strips eet tertie tese EET tes egeo vu do 15 Level Control 1e eec so eran oec de ere 15 PAN or BAL ald ZIK TOME aetate o ERR RRR RUE TUS 16 HDPH CTRL RM ieeicsethetnere tton preti ne Pee Le rhe eed 16 2TK TO CTRL ROOM Switch ed
21. N A EFFECTS AUX RET B LEVEL If you are using one of the MultiMix 8 FireWire s internal effects this knob controls the effect level If AUX SEND B is connected to an external device this knob controls the level for AUX RETURN B LED Meters These are the two rows of yellow green and red lights you see in the master section of the mixer The LED meters allow you to view the signal level of the main mix and 2 TRACK IN depending on which signal you have routed to the control room mix POWER Indicator When this LED is lit up that means the POWER ON switch on the rear of the mixer has been activated 48V Indicator When this one is lit up that means the PHANTOM ON switch on the rear of the mixer has been activated and is supplying 48V phantom power to all XLR mic inputs 17 Rear of the Mixer Here s what you ll find at the rear of the mixer MultiMix8FiewWie ALESIS The POWER INPUT is built to accept only the power supply unit provided with Power Input your MultiMix 8 FireWire or an AC power supply that has the same specs Others Here s where you plug in your mixer s external power supply probably will not work You should always connect your power supply to the mixer before you plug the power supply into an electrical outlet Power Supply Unit This unit provides 18 5 VAC at 700 mA more than enough to keep your MultiMix 8 FireWire running smoothly As with nearly all power supply units this
22. OM button and you can hear what you re recording without havig to worry about your computer s settings Adjusting the sample rate You can change the sample rate that the MultiMix uses in this area Some audio programs require that you change the sample rate under their Project Setup or similar menus as well For instance in Cubase be sure that the sample rate selected here matches the settings under the Project Project Setup menu 39 40 Using the MultiMix FireWire with Sonar and other WDM applications Choosing the MultiMix as your audio device 1 Choose the menu Options Audio SONAR SONAR 4 Producer Edition File Edit Process View Insert Transport Go Track Tools fs BEC eee e Choosing the MultiMix as DEERE 00 your audio device a m Unlike ASIO WDM allows pues multiple audio devices to be pM used at the same time However doing so can cause Key Bindings all sorts of synchronization iss problems Therefore we EAMUS suggest that you use the Tre Rider om MultiMix as your sole audio Drum Map Manager 5 2 Control Surfaces input output device Configure sudo device 2 On the General tab select any available MultiMix channels as the Playback and Record timing masters Audio Options WDM KS General Advanced Drivers Driver Profiles Playback Timing Master BISTROS is E RTT v S R This discussion uses Record Timing Master 1 MultiMix Channels I
23. RL RM output Firewire connection must be established MultiMix Firewire is not set as primary sound device Computer configuration may be incompatible with Firewire audio Incorrect or defective power supply Make sure unit is plugged in and turned on Make sure the mixer s aux outputs are connected to the processor s inputs and that the processor outputs are connected to the mixer s aux inputs Turn up the output of the effects processor or turn up the mixer s AUX RET A LEVEL or EFFECIS AUX RET B LEVEL in the master section Press the desired MIX or 2 TK To Mix button Unplug the Firewire cable and tutn off the MultiMix Turn the MultiMix back on and plug the cable back in If this does not work leave the MultiMix on turn off the computer do not use restart but instead actually turn off the computer and then turn it on again In the computer s Control Panel go to the Sounds Multimedia area In the Audio section set the default sound recording and playback devices to the MultiMix Firewire Certain Firewire chipsets have design limitations or IRQ assignment restrictions that must be resolved before audio can work correctly on them See your Firewire chipset documentation for further information if required Replace with correct power supply only use Alesis recommended AC output power supply 47 48 This page intentionally left blank Troubleshooting Firewire Co
24. Setup 35 36 6 Be sure that the inspector a strip on the left hand side of Cubase that shows all sorts of information about the selected track is active If your view is similar to that shown below the Inspector is active If you do not see all of the information on the left hand side the Inspector is not active To activate it press the show Inspector button towards the upper left of the screen just below the Edit menu in the following picture Cubase LE File Edit Project Audio MIDI Pool Transport Devices Window Help Choose an input for your track by selecting it from the in atea on the left To record stereo on the track click the button highlighted below Cubase LE File Edit Project Audio MIDI Pool Transport Devices Window Help Cubase LE Project Untitled Bas Te rer opp ole WES ss TZ TJ 9 END CTS Later you can hide the Inspector if you want to save space on your screen You will do most of your monitoring through the mixer However if you want to monitor with Cubase s effects or if you just want to hear what the computer is hearing press the direct monitoring button next to the Record Enable button Cubase LE File Edt Project Audo MIDI Pool Transport Devices Window Help Cubase LE Project Untitled ale aTe To Te ENTE Note that using direct monitoring causes a small delay as the digital audio is being processed F
25. VST Outputs VST Performance VST Send Effects Video Show Panel 2 Click the VST Multitrack option Device Setup All MIDI Inputs Default MIDI Ports This discussion uses Steinberg s Cubase software but the principles provided here apply to all ASIO recording software 3 From within the ASIO Driver drop down box choose the MultiMix Device Setup 4 Press OK to accept this setting Different versions of Cubase function similarly but not exactly to the examples shown here 31 5 Now that the MultiMix is selected as the audio device Ua He of nts do d individual channels must be activated for use Again return due piace HUE to the Devices menu and select VST inputs y Cubase LE File Edit Project Audio MIDI Pool Transport PESES Window Help Generic Remote MIDI Device Manager Mixer F3 Plug in Information Vy np FS VST Instruments VST Master Effects VST Outputs VST Performance VST Send Effects Video Show Panel Device Setup L 0001 01 01 000 R 0001 01 01 000 6 Click the activation buttons for channel pairs that you want to use VST Inputs 32 In Cubase you can rename channels by clicking in the Label area This is useful if for instance your lead vocals ate always on channel 1 your bass drum is always on channel 2 etc VST Inputs 33 Creating a new audio file Now you re ready to create an
26. be no such thing as latency we would hear audio the moment it was created However computers have limited processing power and they can choke cutting off recording or crashing programs if they are asked to handle too much data all at once To minimize this risk audio can be stored in a buffer for a certain amount of time This buffering helps smooth out the stream of data that the computer needs to handle In the end all of the audio is sorted out and played correctly but with a delay Here are the basic considerations to consider when adjusting buffer sizes Lower buffer size less latency but higher risk of audio problems Higher buffer size more latency but lower risk of audio problems Very high buffer size possible system instability For most systems there is a sweet spot where latency is not too high and system performance is good Experiment with raising or lowering buffer sizes to hit this sweet spot As you begin adding plug in EQ compression and so forth to your project your computer will need to work harder If you start settings a lower one when to hear clicks pops and other glitches in your audio consider recording tracks and a higher increasing your buffer size at this time one when mixing Many people use two latency As a final note one tremendous benefit that the MultiMix FireWire offers is that you can monitor through it without latency at all Simply press down the MIX TO CTRL RO
27. e Audio tab Change the default devices for both sound playback and sound recording to the MultiMix For sound recording choose the MultiMix Main option Sounds and Audio Devices Properties AE Volume Sound Aude Voie Hardware Sound playback Default device A MultiMix Audio Out v Sound recording Default device MultiMix Main In a MultiMix Channels In MIDI music playback eis Default device 4D No MIDI Playback Device Volume About C Use only default devices s ge Adjust vour computer settngs Intl end toublestosts hae Tatal ar remove programs end Corrige admnsrebve sti Colbite verior for consistent Setup Winds to cutcmalcl Sot the date tine and tme cc Chinas the cepeatence of you Castoris the display of fes a Add chenge and nie fnt Ad remove re configure te Configure vou Intemet diay Custonize yur keyboard sel eras Cffce tack Pris Custonize yur rouse seras Comers to other cocues Covi your NIDTA new D Config your telerhone dan em the pole meds device Efi re energy saving ste Shoes tae prs anda Corfigres Quicktime software Customize setting for the deni Ad rene are configure se Schedule corcuter tase tonun your camere seca stat Change the sour chere for Change setting Foret Click the Voice tab Change the voice playback and voice recording settings to the MultiMix For voice recording you may choose either the
28. e 2 TRACK 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 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 level of this signal is represented by the LED meters 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 O vy ass oo ES isan 6 Oo AUX RETURN A O70 0 0 00 a Oo 40 aux RET B LEVEL 0 0 diii FED 1 eX 43 Ya 5 x oo z E ise x m Tia See MAIN MIX HDPH CTRL RM ALESIS Master Section 2TKTO CTRL ROOM Switch When you engage this switch the signal coming in from the 2 TRACK jacks is routed to the headphones and to the control room output This level is controlled by the HDPH CTRL ROOM level control and cancels out any signal from the main mix AUX RETURN A LEVEL This is the level control for the signal returning to the mixer via AUX RETUR
29. e cut completely and in the rightmost position you get an additional 10dB of gain PAN or BAL This control labeled PAN on the mono channels and BAL on the stereo channels lets you assign the channel to a particular spot within the stereo spectrum If you turn this knob to the left you can hear the signal move to the left and if you turn it to the right you get the picture The pan controls do this by adjusting the amount of the signal being sent to the left main mix bus versus the right main mix bus The balance controls do it by controlling the relative balance of the left and right channel signals being sent to the left and right main mix buses PEAK LED This indicator lets you know when the channel s signal is clipping This light plays an important role in setting channel levels by helping you know when to reduce the channel s gain Aux Here you ll find knobs that control the levels of aux sends A and B AUX A is pre fader which means that the AUX A send is affected only by the EQ and HPF settings A pre fader send is usually used for cue sends for example sending a signal to headphones while recording for which you may not want the fader to alter the channel s level AUX B is post fader which means that the AUX B send is affected by the fader or level control knob in this instance EQ and HPF settings A post fader send is generally used for sending the signal to an external effects device so that the fader co
30. ed when the power is on These high quality mic inputs also feature up to 50dB of preamp gain that you can adjust with the Gain knob Another useful feature of these mic inputs is a high pass filter HPF that can be turned on and off with the HPF switch When you activate this switch all frequencies below 75Hz are cut from the signal This is useful for mic or line signals that don t have much bottom end such as vocals snares cymbals and electric guitar You ll want to leave this inactivated for instruments like basses and kick drums Line Inputs Channels 1 4 The line inputs marked LINE IN are balanced 1 4 jacks that offer the same 50dB of preamp gain and the high pass filter provided by the mic inputs however phantom power does not apply to line inputs These inputs accept line level instruments such as keyboards and drum machines If you find that your instrument has a weak line signal just plug it into channels 1 4 and crank it up with the Gain knob Although chances are your microphones will work fine with these mic inputs we recommend that you do some checking up on the type of microphone you re using especially if it s one of the older vintage models Verify that your microphone requires phantom power and make sure its output is low impedance balanced and floating Always connect your microphones before activating phantom power Microphones tend to be very sensitive and the sudden power surge can do
31. eee eee eerte nnne Choosing the MultiMix as your audio device Assigning inputs to audio tracks 43 Using the MultiMix FireWire with CoreAudio on the Macintosh c eeeeeeeeeee eee 44 Chapter Six Troubleshooting non PFirewirGsouese eredi cer vk ovo haa tea avita etui ovas aseo Chapter Seven Troubleshooting lire WIEG sonecie veuve SeebeTeertatebvesetee cese seveeee ees 49 Computer or audio application does not see the MultiMix FireWire e eeeeeeee eee ee eee enne nenne tnnu 49 Basic troubleshooting eere tette iate 49 Advanced troubleshooting under Windows sss 49 Audio playback or recording is at the wrong SP COO e sss sasssessessnsedesiasseacdedensssigudesesendvsdsduandesvbienisdasisniasdendeds 51 Audio playback or recording stutters or drOpS Ob ss iret eee aene seca cous diea seen ea eve a E E VETERE NR 51 Audio echoes during recording eee 51 Chapter Eight Specifications 58 Chapter Nine Block Diagram 55 GIOSSALY qm VI Contact Information e eeeeeee eee eere eere D O Alesis Contact Information eren 59 Trademarks This page intentionally left blank Introduction Welcome Thank you for making the Alesis MultiMix 8 FireWire a part of your studio Since 1984 we ve been designing and building For more effective service creative tools for the audio commun
32. ends give you 10dB of gain that can be controlled in the AUX section of each channel input 2 TRACK The 2 TRACK IN and OUT jacks are standard RCA jacks You ll use the OUTs for mixing to a tape deck or other recorder With the INs you can bring in a signal which can be monitored and even added to the main mix via the 2TK TO MIX switch in the master section of the mixer The 2 TRACK INPUT is blended with any signal coming back from a computer over the Firewire connection MAIN MIX OUT These 1 4 jacks ate where the signal on the main mix bus leaves the mixer From there you can send it to a recorder or a PA system The level of this signal is controlled by the MAIN MIX level control CTRL RM OUT You can use these 1 4 jacks to send the control room signal to the input of the amplifier driving your monitors or headphones This output usually carries the main mix However if you engage the 2TK TO CTRL ROOM switch the CTRL RM OUT will carry the signal present at the 2 TRACK inputs Channel Strips The eight channel strips are virtually identical to each other with the only difference being that channels 1 4 are mono and channels 5 8 are stereo Each channel strip contains the following components Level Control The level control knob controls how much of the signal from the mic or line inputs is sent to the channel To adjust the level simply turn the knob to the desired level In the leftmost position levels ar
33. ettet rennnon 22 Chapter Five Firewire Recording 23 First time connection instructions eeeeeeee eee eene eene 23 and driver installation eeeee eee eeee eee ee eee ee eennnnue 23 Installing the optional applications 24 Power on Power off order Powet on sequence ssssseeeeeeeeneeneetennenent nennen Power Off sequence aem eed v T Meme Firewire inputs and outputs Channels sent from the MultiMix to the computer sss 25 Channels returned from the computer to the MultiMix 25 Sound setup under Windows sscccccssssssssscrscccsessssees 26 Disabling Windows System Sounds 28 Connections and settings for Firewire recording and monitoring eeeeee eere eeen nennen 29 Using the MultiMix FireWire with Cubase and other ASIO applications e eeeeee eene eene eene 29 Choosing the MultiMix as your audio device 30 Greatino a new audio file RUE G 34 Working with the ASIO control panel 38 Accessing the ASIO control panel I Setting the mixer nickname neesii 38 Setting the master device cce e ARR TRO AO ERR ERU 38 Adjusting latency by changing the buffer size Adjusting the sample rate sse Using the MultiMix FireWire with Sonar and other WDM applications eeeeee
34. ged Channel level is too low Instrument volume is too low Gain is too low Effects level is too low An effect hasn t been selected Engage the channel s high pass filter by pressing the HPF switch Engage the channel s high pass filter by pressing the HPF switch Make sure you ate using 1 4 TRS cables Turn on phantom power using the switch on the rear panel of the mixer Test the microphone on other audio devices If you detect damage contact the manufacturer or dealer Turn up channel level Turn up the instrument s volume control If problem persists check the instrument by plugging headphones into the instrument s phone jack Adjust the channel s GAIN control Turn up the level using the EFFECTS AUX RET B LEVEL control in the master section of the mixer Press the EFFECTS knob on the desired effect and make sure the SIG indicator is lit External effects aren t working LED meters not working Computer does not see the MultiMix Computer sees the MultiMix but no sound is received and or transmitted Firewire audio has crackling or glitches or audio plays records at incorrect pitch No power Effects processor is not plugged in or turned on Aux outputs of mixer aren t connected to inputs of processor or processot s outputs aren t connected to mixer s inputs Mixer effects return signal is too low Nothing is routed to the HDPH CT
35. ing connected to the computer Check your Firewire cable and try powering the mixer off and on again Expand the IEEE 1394 Bus host controllers section Check that your Firewire card is listed as properly working As a last resort power your computer off and on Faulty connection If MultiMix Audio appears but there is a yellow question mark or exclamation point attached to it the drivers are improperly installed Right click on the MultiMix Audio listing choose Uninstall and uninstall the device The next time you connect the MultiMix to your computer you will need to re install the drivers from scratch Audio playback or recording is at the wrong speed Adjust the buffers in the ASIO control panel or through your WDM application s audio setup options It is impossible to say which buffer settings are perfect for each system but generally buffer sizes around the middle or low middle of the available range provide the best results Audio playback or recording stutters or drops out Again work with the buffer settings in the ASIO control panel or through your WDM application s audio setup options in order to find the most reliable setting Many audio applications include advanced setting dialog boxes where pre fetch and other parameters can be set Explore those options Audio echoes during recording Either turn your software direct monitoring off or if you want to monitor your incoming audi
36. ity We believe in our and product update notices please register your MultiMix 8 FireWire online at http www alesis com support warranty htm products because we ve heard the results that creative people like you have achieved with them One of Alesis goals is to make high quality studio equipment available to everyone and this Reference Manual is an important part of that After all there s no point in making equipment with all kinds of capabilities if no one explains how to use them So we try to write our manuals as carefully as we build our products The goal of this manual is to get you the information you need as quickly as possible with a minimum of hassle We hope we ve achieved that If not please drop us an email and give us your suggestions on how we could improve future editions of this manual We hope your investment will bring you many years of creative enjoyment and help you achieve your musical goals Sincerely The people of Alesis About the MultiMix 8 FireWire The MultiMix FireWire mixers are the latest in the large family of Alesis audio mixers and the second series that includes computer interfacing following on the launch of the MultiMix USB mixers in 2004 We ve come a long way since introducing our first mixing console in 1989 Since that time audio technology has grown in leaps and bounds pushing up quality and driving down prices Only a few years ago you wouldn t have been able
37. ix gives you a few extra audio inputs in addition to the mic and line inputs If you want to bring external audio sources into a recording or live mix you can do it in one of two ways Using the 2 TRACK IN you can add a tape deck ADAT CD player Firewire audio stream from a computer or other source to the mix The 2 TRACK IN also can be used to entertain the audience with a CD as the band is setting up for a live show The AUX RETURNS can be used as additional audio inputs when you are not using them for effects Audio coming into the MultiMix from a computer over the Firewire connection is routed to the 2 TRACK IN You can use the RCA jacks of the 2 TRACK IN at the same time as audio is playing back from a computer but you must adjust the relative levels of each input from outside the MultiMix 21 22 Simple Two Channel Recording Setup without Firewire Again connect your instruments and microphones to the mono and stereo channels and set the levels appropriately To record directly from the mixer to a tape deck or other device connect the MultiMix 8 FireWire s 2 TRACK OUT jacks to the IN jacks of the recorder For monitoring you can connect the CTRL RM OUT jacks to a speaker or headphone amplifier or just simply plug headphones into the PHONES jack Firewire Recording Important download the drivers from http www alesis com onto a folder on your desktop or insert the software CD into your computer s C
38. l at different levels However that AUX processor can only return at most a stereo pair into the mixer There s no way that the processor could route the effects of each channel back to that channel directly without including the signal from the other channels as well 25 26 Sound setup under Windows To use your MultiMix FireWire as your default Windows sound device follow these steps 1 From the Windows Start menu choose Control Panel Depending on your Windows preferences it will appear similar to one of the two pictures below Control Panel mmm Ue EE em Faeries Dk db CHUCHONDNUGENYES Qi O dps prm Qe OQ d P sonh oris s Br corat Panet B crit El V coss BBD accessible Options ick a category Hee Printers and Other IB adobe Garma eee Mh ique 2 Y Network and Internet Aij Hb and Support Folder Options rents other conralrenel Gare Cartrolers ater Gore Gri Pree Options i5 Add or Remove Programs E Lj QS Date Time Language m keoonainnons Ede Y E network connections SO ees Recesibtty Options SD res peston Manan D c Y See Also Winders update a 9 eb and sinner Nu ro User accounts Mol Phone and Modem oetans iore Media Devices paver options Security Center printers and Fases ouk i Performance and Maintenance 9 Reger and Langage oprane stammers and cameras sered raste 2 Choose Sounds and Audio Devices 3 Click th
39. mputer This means that for the MultiMix 12 FireWire 12 individual channels are sent to the computer along with the MAIN stereo pair 14 channels in total For the MultiMix 16 FireWire 16 individual channels are sent to the computer along with the MAIN stereo pair 18 channels in total Individual channels The INDIVIDUAL channels sent to the computer send the signal after the preamp gain knob the high pass filter the three band EQ and the channel fader The effects of the AUX send knobs ate NOT included in the outputs of the individual channels MAIN MIX channels The MAIN mix channels sent to the computer exactly mirror the MAIN output of the mixer If you are only interested in making stereo recordings consider recording the MAIN channels in your recording software Channels returned from the computer to the MultiMix The Firewire port receives a stereo audio stream from the computer and assigns it to the 2 TRACK IN left and right channels of your MultiMix mixer Note that if a device is connected to the MultiMix s 2 TRACK IN inputs the signal from this device is merged with the signal from the computer To understand why the AUX signals are not blended into the individual channel feeds to the computer consider the nature of AUX sends Every channel can send none some or all of its signal to the AUX processors For instance in the MultiMix 12 12 different signals could be sent to an external processor al
40. mputer or audio application does not see the MultiMix FireWire Basic troubleshooting First check that the MultiMix is seen by the computer Under Sounds and Audio Devices Windows or Audio MIDI Setup Mac look for the MultiMix FireWire to be listed as an available For instructions for checking device on this basic connectivity see page 28 Windows or page If the MultiMix FireWire is not seen check that the Firewire cable 36 Macintosh is properly connected Power the MultiMix FireWire off wait a few seconds and then power it on again Repeat this process until the MultiMix FireWire is found Advanced troubleshooting under Windows The best way to see that your MultiMix is connected and operating properly is through the Windows Device Manager This is a powerful Windows component that requires some navigation but yields very detailed information 1 Start by finding the My Computer icon either on your desktop or from the Start menu g My Computer 2 Right click the My Computer icon and select Properties Open Explore Search Manage Map Network Drive Disconnect Network Drive Create Shortcut Delete Rename 49 3 The active tab at the top of this window is now the General tab Click the Hardware tab Then click the Device Manager button System Properties System Properties System Restore Automatic Updates Remote System Restore Remote Computer Name
41. n 1 2 v Cakewalk s Sonar software but the principles provided Audio Driver Bit Depth dM here apply to all WDM based Stereo Panning Law DdB center sin cos taper constant power v recording software Default Settings for New Projects Sampling Rate 44100 v File Bit Depth 24 v Mixing Latency Buffers in Playback Queue 2 i 92 9 msec Buffer Size Fast Safe Effective latency at 44kHz stereo 92 9 msec Wave Profiler 3 Click the Advanced tab For WDM operation be sure that the Driver Mode is set to WDM KS If you change this setting you will need to exit and then restart Sonar Audio Options WDM KS For applications like Sonar that support both WDM and ASIO modes you may want General Advanced Drivers Driver Profiles to experiment with each to ca see if either mode offers Enable Read Caching C Enable write Caching greater stability 1 0 Buffer Size KB 128 7 Playback and Recording Driver Mode WDM KS O Trigger amp Freewheel TES Best when sound card has a Dithering ASIO word clock input MME 32 Bit Share Drivers With Uther Programs Full Chase Lock Best when chasing to MIDI Jse Multiproce Engine time code Play Effect Tails After Stopping Always Open All Devices Timing Offset msec 0 000 41 4 Move to the Drivers tab Click on each input pair and also on the out
42. nto your computer s CD drive BEFORE you plug your MultiMzx into your computer Jor the first time See page 23 for details MultiMix 8 FireWire Key Features Multichannel Firewire IEEE 1394a input and output routes each individual channel s output plus the MAIN outputs through the FIREWIRE port and receives two channels back from the computer all in 24 bit 44 1 48 kHz digital audio ASIO and WDM computer drivers lets you use the MultiMix FireWire with the vast majority of digital audio workstation programs e Clean and powerful preamps up to 50dB of preamp gain for capturing quiet sources Globally switched phantom power e Stereo inputs Two stereo pairs for connecting line level instruments Internal digital effects processor with 100 preset effects and an easy to read display includes a variety of reverbs delays choruses flanges a pitch transposer and multiple combinations of these e 3 band EQ per channel a potent tool for sonically shaping each channel to get that perfect mix 2aux sends per channel one can be used to access an external effects device the other can be used either to access the MultiMix s internal effects or to access a second external device Control room output level provides control over the separate control room output e 2 track send and return lets you mix your audio to tape or other media and to add a tape deck or CD player to the mix
43. ntrols the signal level Like AUX A AUX B can be used for routing signals to external devices And when you are using the onboard effects processor AUX B is used to control the level of the channel s signal being routed to the processor Channel Strip 15 16 EQ The MultiMix gives you three bands of EQ per channel Using these knobs you can tailor the channel s signal by boosting some frequencies and cutting others The LO and HI controls are shelving controls with fixed frequencies of 75 Hz and 12 kHz respectively The MID control has a peaking response fixed at 2 5 kHz 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 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 Main Mix The signals from all channels and aux sends are sent to the main mix The MAIN MIX level control is the one you ll use to control the overall level of those combined signals This knob affects the levels of the signals sent to the MAIN MIX OUT and the 2 TRACK OUT In its leftmost position the signal is cut off completely and in the rightmost position you get an additional 10dB of gain 2TK To Mix When you press this switch the signal coming in through th
44. o be recorded first arrow You will do most of your monitoring through the mixer However if you want to monitor with Sonar s effects or if you just want to hear what the computer is hearing press the direct monitoring button next to the Record Enable button second arrow fone sin X Note that using direct monitoring causes a small delay as the digital audio is being processed For this reason when you use direct monitoring you may want to press the MultiMix s MIX TO CONTROL ROOM button up so as not to hear the audio signal twice 43 44 Using the MultiMix FireWire with CoreAudio on the Macintosh Mac users can impress their friends with the following instructions for using the MultiMix with CoreAudio Mac OS X 10 3 or higher is required by the MultiMix 1 Open the Mac s Audio MIDI Setup utility PEE 2 Choose the MultiMix FireWire as both input and output device 3 Choose the MultiMix as the default input and output 4 Under System Preferences choose MultiMix FireWire Adjust the device nickname buffers clock source sample rate etc as needed For additional information on these settings see the discussion of the ASIO control panel on page 38 Troubleshooting non Firewire If you re having problems operating the MultiMix 8 FireWire this troubleshooting index will help you correct them Symptoms No sound from the mixet Audio signal is distorted Cause Mi
45. o through your software put the MIX TO CTRL RM button in the UP position Be sure to attach your monitoring speakers to the CTRL RM OUT jacks not the MAIN MIX OUT jacks When restarting your computer turn it off all the way Pull out the AC power cord keep it out for a few seconds and then plug it back in again before you restart your computer This step helps reset your computer s PCI cards including any Firewire cards Help on the web Most major recording programs are supported by lively user forums The odds are that if you re having problems someone who posts at these forums has already experienced them and found solutions Don t be shy about visiting these forums and posting your questions 51 52 This page intentionally left blank Specifications For the mote technical minded here are some detailed specifications for the MultiMix s operating levels Input Channels Mic In Sensitivity Range Line In Sensitivity Range Mic Line Gain Range Equalization High Pass Filter High Shelving Mid Bandpass Band Reject Low Shelving Aux Sends Aux Send A amp B Gain Range Aux Returns Aux Return A Gain Range Effects Level Aux Return B Gain Range Channel Levels Channel Level Gain Range Master Levels Main Mix Ctrl Room Gain Range 1 4 Inputs Stereo Aux Return Level RCA Inputs Tape In Level 1 4 Outputs Main Mix Ctrl Room Ext Aux Send Level Headphone O
46. of the input signal and blend the effect signal with the original to create harmonies MULTI amp MULTI II These are combinations of two ot more of the above effects Traditional Mixing Your MultiMix 8 FireWire can be used in a wide variety of ways in both live and recording applications You have several options for bringing sound into and out of the board And when it s brought in you can route it to various parts of the mixer for certain desired effects or even send it to an external processor or tape deck and back To give you some ideas for different mixing scenarios here are descriptions of a few common applications for the MultiMix 8 FireWire Simple Live Setup In this setup connect your instruments and microphones to the mono and stereo channels Set the levels for each of your microphones and line level sources as explained earlier You can select one on board effect and control its level with the AUX B knob for each channel You can also use an external effects processor by sending a signal to the external unit via the AUX SEND A and returning it via AUX RETURN A You can plug an additional effects processor into the AUX B SEND and RETURN jacks as well but this will disable the internal effects In a live setup you most likely will connect the MAIN MIX OUT to a PA system amplifier and the CTRL RM OUT to a stage monitor amplifier for monitoring purposes Using Additional External Audio Sources The MultiM
47. on the right side of the page Be sure to check out the hookup diagrams on page 7 which will give you some ideas on how to fit the mixer into your audio setup after you ve taken a tour of the mixer in Chapter 2 And if you come across any terms that you haven t seen before the glossary probably can help you out One of the most important things you ll do before you begin a mixing or recording session is to set the levels Be sure to refer to the instructions on page 16 10 This page intentionally left blank Getting Started Hooking up the MultiMix 8 FireWire This diagram will help you get the MultiMix 8 FireWire hooked up Be sure to follow the and ready to go The equipment you use depends on personal guidelines for which cables to preference and on whether you re performing live or recording use further down this page For example you ll see below that the MAIN MIX OUT can be and the procedure for setting routed to a recording device for recording to a PA system for live levels on the next page performance or both before you begin mixing Headphones Effects Processor Q2 ele e L e Le o Mixdown Tape Deck le o o Js E o Microphones of TICIKN CALI lo o Studio Monitors Firewire cable o o OCIO ee Computer B d z 3ifez ef
48. or this reason when you use direct monitoring you may want to press the MultiMix s MIX TO CONTROL ROOM button up so as not to hear the audio signal twice Add additional audio tracks as needed Record arm each one and press the RECORD button to begin recording For additional information consult your softwate s documentation 37 38 Working with the ASIO control panel Accessing the ASIO control panel From within Cubase select Devices Device Setup VST MultiTrack Then click the Control Panel button to access the MultiMix s ASIO control panel Zi Alesis MultiMix Mixers Found MultiMix Mixer MultiMix Set Mixer Nickname Clock Master Mixer MultiMix Set Clock Master Current Clock Master Buffer Size Buffer Size in Samples 512 in Milliseconds Sample Rate 44 1 kHz Close Setting the mixer nickname You can change the name of the mixer as it s seen by the recording program Once this is done choose Reset All in Cubase or the equivalent command in other programs to make the change to the mixer down flow down to the names of the input and output channels Setting the master device If multiple audio devices are connected one must be designated as the clock master Adjusting latency by changing the buffer size Latency refers to the amount of time it takes for audio to get into and out of the computer In the best of all possible worlds there would
49. ormation Alesis Distribution LLC Los Angeles CA USA E mail support alesis com Web site http www alesis com MultiMix 8 FireWire Reference Manual Revision 1 0 by Edwin Erdmann Fred Morgenstern Copyright 2005 Alesis Distribution LLC All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited MultiMix and MultiMix FireWire are trademarks of Alesis LLC Specifications subject to change without notice Trademarks All trademarks are the property of their respective owners Specifically Windows and Windows XP are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation ASIO and Cubase are trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH Sonar is a trademark of Twelve Tone Systems Inc Apple Mac OS X and CoreAudio are trademarks of Apple Corporation 7 51 0196 A 8 03 2005 7 51 0196 A 59
50. put pair to make them available to Sonar tions WDM KS General Advanced Drivers Driver Profiles OK Click on a driver to enable or disable it Help 1 MultiMix Audio Out Assigning inputs to audio tracks Now you re ready to assign the MultiMix s inputs to various channels For each audio track that you want to record click on the input section of the track and select the MultiMix channel that you want SONAR1 SONAR 4 Producer Edition File Edit Process View Insert Transport Go Track Tools Options Window Help BEE SEAH 11 KH DEBE fis Jn fea a 2 rs A T6 v Track 1 Di SONAR Track Right MultiMic Channels In 1 2 Stereo MultiMix Channels In 1 2 Left MultiMix Channels In 3 4 Right MultiMic Channels In 3 4 Stereo MultiMix Channels In 3 4 Left MultiMic Channels In 5 6 Right MultiVix Channels In 5 6 Stereo MultiMix Channels In 5 6 E Left MuliMix Channels In 7 8 iM sR O Right MutiMix Channels In 7 8 a T X Stereo MultiMix Channels In 7 8 Left MultiMix Channels In 9 10 Right MultiMix Channels In 9 10 Stereo MultiMix Channels In 9 10 Left MultiMix Channels In 11 12 x Right MultiMic Channels In 11 12 oa 7 a Stereo MultiMix Channels In 11 12 Master oo Left MultiMix Channels In 13 14 J T Right MultiMix Channels In 13 14 1 01 000 Stereo MultiMix Channels In 13 14 DEEXCIBEUDH B o ds Li For Help press F1 3 04 606 Record enable the tracks t
51. utput RCA Outputs Tape Out Level 60dBu to 10dBu nominal 5dBu maximum 40dBu to 10dBu nominal 25dBu maximum 10 to 60dB 75Hz 18dB octave 12kHz 15dB 2 5 kHz 15dB 80Hz 15dB to 10dB to 15dB to 15dB to 10dB to 10dB 4dBu nominal 20dBu maximum 10dBV nominal 5dBV maximum 4dBu nominal 20dBu maximum 75 ohm output impedance gt 105mW into 75 ohms gt 40mW into 600ohms 10dBV nominal 5dBV maximum All measurements done over a 22Hz 22kHz range with a IkHz sine wave at 18dBu 1dBFS input Impedances are measured at 1kHz 53 54 This page intentionally left blank Block Diagram 1no 3NOHdQV3H 1no Woos TOULNOD 1ndN Hoe Wale indino ALZ saan TOF Sha sa NW q STEIN O3W3is Toss 02 Email TS TAY 134 xn Tn quay xny en OH She THOT NIV 132 SNEIN BANYXNYV BANA XN y B a DNA g al e s E
52. xer is not plugged in or turned on Channel levels ate too low Control room level is turned down The appropriate signal hasn t been assigned to the control room out Cable is not plugged into output jack Headphones are not plugged into PHONE jack Monitor or headphone amplifier is turned off or down Bad cable Channel level is too high Channel input is too high AUX RET level is too high MAIN MIX level is too high Solution Plug in mixer and turn it on Turn up channel levels Turn up control room level In the master section of the mixer be sure the right switch is selected Check outputs to make sure cables are plugged in securely Plug headphones into PHONE jack Turn amplifier on or up Check all cables substitute cables with known good ones Set channel levels using the procedure on page 12 Turn down your instrument to a normal volume and then set channel levels using procedure on page 12 Lower the level of AUX RET A ot B in the master section of the mixer Turn down the MAIN MIX level control in the master section of the mixer 45 46 Audio signal carries an unwanted hum Microphone level is too low No or low sound from a channel Internal effects aren t working Too much low level noise in the mix Interference from appliances such as ait conditioners Not using TRS cables Phantom power is not turned on Microphone is dama

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