here - Safe Sound Audio
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1. A9 t 6 e 16 yndyno i pueo Jauuojsuedy jeuondo Peet ye ee ee saysew si jeuueuo yu 4O x as t ouow nn h sopayep yu jena sue i I jauueyo yndjno l ane s eur SSSR pase k se VOA eT uasi 34 TZ e e 7 ureyoepis yndur indyno gars em WAP eu eu pusiq Dynamics Toolbox Schematic Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 7 Basic FUNCTIONS The Dynamics Toolbox is a two channel audio compressor limiter which can be linked for stereo operation or each channel can be run completely independently with separate compression modes parallel compression blends sidechain EQ and limiting for maximum versatility POWERING AC Mains powered via a standard IEC mains connector internally switchable to either 115V or 230 240V operation Make sure you connect to the correct mains voltage as shown on the rear panel label AUDIO CONNECTIONS All audio inputs and outputs are balanced but may be connected to unbalanced equipment if required The jack connector wiring follows normal audio convention Details are given later in this manual COMPRESSOR A sophisticated compressor with a choice of two compressor types Peakride multi side chain compressor with variable threshold attack and ratio Follow audio auto release time Dynamic Tracking compressor with variable threshold attack release2. a channel 2 l channel 1 id Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 17 Detailed operational guide Power on safe sound audio dynamics toolbox 230VAC 50 60Hz 20mm FUSE 20 WATTS 315mA 250V serial no 0001 safe sound audio With the IEC mains cord securely fitted to the rear of the unit plug the Dynamics Toolbox into a suitable mains power source taking special care to ensure the mains voltage is as indicated on the rear panel Note that a UK 240V AC supply is suitable for powering a unit marked 230VAC Check that the front panel green power LED is lit If the power LED does not light then immediately disconnect the unit from the mains supply and go to the fault finding section of this user manual Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 18 TYPICAL AUDIO CONNECTIONS The diagram below shows the application of the Dynamics Toolbox audio processor in two typical recording set ups fl fl TRACKING Preamp Preamp 2 Using the Dynamics Toolbox as a two channel tracking processor typically Dynamics Toolbox to add compression and 2229922 Celene protection limiting during ee Es source recording Tracking can be two channel mono or single channel stereo when the link pushbutton is pressed Dynamics Toolbox e ae anaa f s P DPPP SET STEREO SUBMIX EFFECTS ou Les seeege Re a Woe pe Sending a stereo submix to the Dynamics Toolb
3. limiter threshold anti clockwise until gain reduction peaking at around 10 to 12dB Switch in the blend control and slowly turn aim pr the blend control clockwise until rod 0 0 a small amount of heavily vu meter K S TERS limited audio is blended in New York style compression is very good for thickening up backing tracks especially when digital recording has removed some of the warmth and body of the original sound THE LIMITER The Dynamics Toolbox provides two high quality fast attack limiters which may be used to help protect against digital overload or used in their own right as a compression effect How you use and set up the limiter will depend on its intended use and the nominal operating level you set up your recording system to work at As an example Let s assume you want to use the Dynamics Toolbox limiter in tracking mode to protect against digital overload in your recording device and that you want to work at a nominal level of 6dBu so leave the 18dBu pushbutton unpressed Set the output gain control at 12 o clock which is its calibrated OdB gain position Apply some audio material with strong transients to the input of the Dynamics Toolbox and adjust the level of the source until it is peaking well past the OVU mark on the Dynamics Toolbox meter Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 29 dynamics toolbox COI Switch in the limiter and turn the a me 3 rests ens limiter thre
4. with auto release option and ratio Both compressor types have 0 to 20db of make up gain available COMPRESSOR SIDE CHAIN Full access sidechain with sweepable hi and lo pass filters balanced insert point and listen to sidechain function Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 8 LIMITER Variable threshold fast limiter Uses a separate side chain to the compressor and so is unaffected by changes to the sidechain filters ensuring protection from overloads New YORK BLEND FUNCTION New York Compression became a trade mark sound of many New York based mixing engineers and uses a form of parallel compression which mixes in a small amount of very heavily compressed stereo submix usually drums or rhythm guitars back into the main uncompressed mix The beauty of this technique is that since you have full control of the blend between compressed and uncompressed submix strands you retain the timbre and dynamics of the original submix whilst adding gritty texture via the heavily compressed element STEREO LINK FUNCTION Links channel 1 and channel 2 for stereo operation All functions are controlled from channel 1 with the exception of the metering output gain and sidechain listen BYPASS FUNCTION Relay switched bypass function which also provides auto bypass when the mains power to the unit is switched off VU METERING Switchable pre and post the output gain control and to gain reduction OVU line up
5. Manual Page 39 Maximum OUTPUT LEVEL Maximum Output Level post limiter gt 27dBu Output Gain post limiter 15dB with centre detented line up position OUPUT IMPEDANCE Line Output 50 ohms Compressor Threshold range 18dBu to 30dBu Attack Time 60ms to 1ms Release Time peakride auto release programme related from 90ms to 500ms dynamic tracking variable from 75ms to 4s plus switchable auto release which is programme related from 100ms to 1 5s Ratio 1 1 to INF 1 Make up gain pre limiter variable from 0 to 20dB when compressor in circuit Gain reduction meter calibrated in dB VARIABLE THRESHOLD LIMITER Threshold range 6dBu to 24dBu Attack time max of 100us with dynamic audio tracking Release Time programme related from 100ms to 500ms SipEcHAIN EQ Hi pass filter 20Hz to 2 5kz 12dB per octave Lo pass filer 1 3KHz to 15kHz 12dB per octave Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 40 Brenn Function New York COMPRESSION Blends output signal between unprocessed dry and processed wet audio METERING Switchable between pre and post output gain control and to gain reduction OVU switchable between 6dBu and 18dBu Bypass FUNCTION Relay switching of audio input jacks to audio output jacks bypassing all unit electronics Auto bypass when power is off Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 41 Fault finding Problem Checks Problem Advic
6. compressor line input x sidechain RF listen y filter VCA em E r O slave channel LL mono mix f link channel 1 is master I JA level dyn tracking Ma sou gt lo pass FH LP detector TT compressor ot i eq insert peakride compressor Compressor Side Chain There are three user accessible controls per channel Fully sweepable high and low pass filters These affect the sensitivity of the compressor to high and low frequency content of the audio input and are brought into use by pressing the eq pushbutton Balanced insert point which allows an external device e g an external equaliser to be inserted in the compressor side chain Sidechain listen facility which allows the side chain audio signal to be monitored at the Dynamics Toolbox line output Very useful when you are adjusting the filter settings Now let s look at some examples of using the compressor as stereo bus effect during final mixing Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 26 The following example demonstrates the use of side chain equalisation using the on board filters during the mixdown of a stereo master where it is proving to be difficult to sit the vocal within a very dynamic bass and drums mix Before switching in the compressor adjust the settings of the controls as shown below Switch the compressor to dynamic tracking mode with auto release deselected and push the
7. link pushbutton for stereo operation In this example the VU meter is set to show OVU at an operating level of 18dBu recommended during mixdown or mastering Now monitor the channel 1 sidechain output by pressing the listen pushbutton Push 18 dbu 30 0 db 20 threshold se the eq pushbutton and adjust S D g auto release compressor peakride 7 GS a ae the hi and lo pass filters until r Ce the vocal is the prominent a insert isten 1gau output sound and the bass and sidechain vu meter drums are most reduced Switch back to monitoring the main audio path Now switch on the compressor and turn up the compressor threshold control until the gain reduction meter is peaking at around 8dB and adjust the gmu knob to bring back up the peak audio level to OVU This allows the vocal to sit more prominently within the mix without being pumped by either the bass guitar the bass drum or the drum high hat A very useful compression effect SETTING UP AND USING PARALLEL BLEND COMPRESSION Parallel compression allows a mix of dry unprocessed and wet processed audio to be blended together for a variety of effects Parallel blend compression can be used in conjunction with the on board compressor or limiter and with our without the side chain eq in circuit It can be used in either mono or stereo modes of operation Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 27 a dynamics toolb
8. linked sidechains each with different ratio attack and release characteristics which in tandem allow for very musical dynamic control of source material especially on vocals and acoustic instruments which can often suffer badly from over compression in an effort to bring fast transients under control Peakride compression is very easy to dial in when tracking and evens out levels in a very musical way without robbing the sound of life so bringing the performance a new energy whilst remaining transparent and not sounding overly effected Dynamic tracking compression was developed primarily for use during stereo submix and final mix duties It allows the attack and release times set by the user to be dynamically modified by analogue processing which tracks the dynamic content of the audio material being processed It s capable of working in two very distinct ways with moderate settings of ratio and attack time and set to auto release it helps quickly glue elements of the mix together but push into fast attack and short release time territory and you have access to a real in your face compressor which can pump and fizz drum tracks and anything else which needs some added character Most of the compressor controls are active in both modes and these will be described first The compressor threshold is the level point in dB above which the audio gain will be reduced On the Dynamics Toolbox this can be varied from 18dBu to 30dBu The ra
9. of the unit Ensure that the transformer cards are pushed fully in er TRANSFORMER F e A LL1539 ss LL1539 LUNDAHL LUNDAHL TRANSFORMERS Sweden Replace the top cover taking care to ensure that the safety earth cable is not snagged but is fully inside the unit Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 12 Reinsert and tighten the six top cover fixing screws Apply power and check that the unit s green power LED is lit Check for correct functioning of the unit and for audio at the two transformer balanced output jacks If at any time you require to ship the unit back to Safe Sound Audio or one of our authorised distributors ALWAYS remove the audio transformer cards prior to shipment and pack separately for transit Changing the mains operating voltage The Dynamics Toolbox can be set internally to operate from either 115VAC or 230VC Note that selection to 230VAC is also suitable for operating the unit from a 240VAC supply There are dangerous voltages present within the unit Do not open the unit when powered and ensure that mains operating voltage is set by a technically competent person If in any doubt contact Safe Sound Audio for further advice Please follow these instructions carefully With the AC power lead disconnected place the Dynamics Toolbox on a flat well lit workbench Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 13 J gt CN 6 x top cover scr
10. talking about around 50ms audio sample times not seconds the attack boost applied is reduced and the dynamic effect is that the level of compression being applied to the audio begins to fall So even at very short release times the effect of slowing down the compressor attack time through each compression cycle is to smooth the transition between attack and release cycles The practical impact of this technique is a huge reduction in ripple distortion even with very fast attack and short release time settings Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 33 The dynamic tracking design is entirely compatible with peakride s programme related release so we ve added this as an auto release option Limiter design theory For those of you who have browsed the P1 White Paper you ll know that we went on a bit of a mission when designing the P1 limiter in order to offer brick wall limiting in an all analogue design We got pretty close to that goal Unfortunately the P1 limiter design is not capable of offering the variable threshold setting which we wanted to provide in the Dynamics Toolbox due to difficulty in getting its three sidechains to track when the threshold is varied We decided to retain one of the three P1 limiter sidechains within the new Dynamics Toolbox limiter design so that small amounts of dynamic threshold adjustment would still be possible This allows a degree of look ahead limiting but doesn t have any track
11. BFS signal will achieve a distortion performance of around 0 01 Not quite the dazzling figure quoted in the sound card spec is it Once we get down to 60dBFS distortion degrades to around 0 3 So there are audio performance advantages in getting a decent level of audio into 24 bit digital recording systems If you re working 16 bit then it s even more critical Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 37 Answers to some common questions Q A Why don t 24 bit soundcards achieve their theoretical 144dB dynamic range in practice The highest audio signal level which most 24 bit A D chips can handle is around 7dBu limited by the 5V supply voltage which these chips are designed to run from not to be confused with the soundcard s maximum input level which is often much higher but this is simply fed through an analogue level attenuator to the actual A D chip The lowest audio signal level which an A D chip can resolve is limited by two main factors The noise floor of the analogue input circuitry The problems of sampling very low voltage levels accurately These last two factors usually determine the level at which the dither noise is added to the digitally sampled audio signal and this in turn sets the soundcard s noise floor So there are practical issues which limit both the maximum and minimum signal level which the A D converter can work with and these limit the dynamic range achievable in practice Yo
12. Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Safe Sound Audio Dynamics Toolbox Audio Processor User Manual Safe Sound Audio UK Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 2 Dynamics Toolbox Features Compressor Two great stereo linkable compressors in one package PLUS a choice of peakride or dynamic tracking compression so a fantastic range of compression for tracking and mixing Includes the fabled New York parallel compression very rare in a stereo linkable compressor Allows an infinite blend of compressed and uncompressed material Flexible sidechain Built in sidechain filters to add lo end punch or hi end sparkle plus full insert access to the sidechain path so you can add an additional external processor Fully stereo linkable Control all compression and limiting functions in stereo link mode from one set of controls channel 1 is the master when linked Limiter New user adjustable threshold limiter for ultimate protection and great as a dynamic effect when used with the New York blender Output stage Superhigh 27dBu output level feeding both electronic balanced outputs and a plug in range of output transformers so now you can choose your favourite Lundahl Sowter Jenson or Cinemag transformers Calibrated output gains pots with centre detent line up position 100 linear internal mains power supply throw away those wall warts for good Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Pa
13. according to two factors e The time the audio sample has been above the compressor threshold e The continuing dynamics of the audio signal Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 31 A second problem with traditional fast attack compressor designs is caused by a misunderstanding between the desirability for fast attack especially to provide adequate control of certain vocal styles and the usual consequence that the whole vocal phrase then suffers from over compression It is often difficult to achieve the attack speed without the undesirable over compression The peakride compressor achieves this by altering the ratio of the compressor dynamically So you can set an average compression ratio on the front panel control but the actual delivered ratio will alter to suit the dynamics of the audio as it rises above the threshold level These principles are at the heart of the peakride design and are achieved by mixing the three compressor side chains at different levels and with different compression ratios In effect the compressor side chain is able to ride the peaks of the audio reacting quickly but smoothly to fast attack peaks and then able to track the dynamics of the continuing audio till it falls below the threshold point Dynamic tracking compressor design theory Whilst the peakride compressor offers a very smooth open sounding and easy to use compressor we had a lot of client feedback asking for a greater degree of user con
14. be suitable These will be typically either jack to jack or jack to XLR depending on the type of equipment you are connecting to the line output If wiring your own at the Dynamics Toolbox end use a standard 3 pole jack plug wired as follows Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 16 TIP signal ve also called in phase or hot v lt SLEEVE screen also called OV or ground RING signal ve also called anti phase or coid It is also possible to feed the units outputs to an unbalanced destination which may be the case when feeding the Dynamic Toolbox line outputs to some semi pro sound card inputs In this case you can use either balanced or unbalanced audio cables but balanced cables are recommended DEALING WITH HUM LOOPS Occasionally you may experience problems with hum loops especially where the ground system in the studio is less than ideal The Dynamics Toolbox has ground lift switches which when pressed isolate the sleeve of the audio jack from ground at the Dynamics Toolbox end so removing a possible ground loop problem It is best to operate ground lift switches only if you have a hum loop problem This does not compromise electrical safety line output sidechain line output sidechain transformer ins transformer line output sidechain line input line output sidechain line input electronic insert return electronic insert return
15. correctly If the green power LED does not light then refer to the fault finding section of the user manual Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 15 Audio Connector wiring information Note All connector wiring information refers to the cable end connecting to the Dynamics Toolbox audio processor unless otherwise stated Batancep LINE INPUTS INCLUDING SIDECHAIN INSERT RETURNS Any standard off the shelf balanced line level cable should be suitable These will be typically either jack to jack or jack to XLR depending on the type of equipment you are connecting to the line input If wiring your own at the Dynamics Toolbox end use a standard 3 pole jack plug wired as follows TIP signal ve also called in phase or hot lt SLEEVE screen also called OV or ground _ _ RING signal ve also called anti phase or cold It is also possible to feed these inputs from an unbalanced source which may still occasionally be required when feeding the Dynamics Toolbox from some semi pro sound cards In this case you can use either balanced or unbalanced audio cables but balanced cables are recommended Balanced line inputs should not be directly connected to microphones electric guitars and basses which must be connected via a suitable pre amp Batancep LINE OUTPUTS INCLUDING SIDECHAIN INSERT SENDS Any standard off the shelf balanced line level cable should
16. e Green Power LED does not light when unit is connected to the power source Is there any visible or audible sign of physical damage to the unit If so immediately disconnect the unit from the mains supply and connect Safe Sound Audio for assistance Is the power socket actually switched on Is the power source the same voltage as indicated on the unit s rear panel NOTE a 240V AC supply is suitable for powering a unit marked for 230V AC After disconnecting the unit from the mains supply check both the mains plug fuse UK units only and the rear panel fuse If either of these has blown then replace with the correct type of fuse and then reconnect the unit to the mains power supply If the green power LED still does not light disconnect the unit from the mains supply and contact Safe Sound Audio for assistance have read the user manual but am still unsure which type of cable to connect the Dynamics Toolbox to my recording device First you need to establish whether your recording device uses unbalanced or balanced audio connections Then try buying the recommended off the shelf cable type outlined in this user manual If you are still having problems then contact us for further advice preferably by e mail telling us the make and model of recording device you are using Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 42 Problem Advice Problem Advice seem to be having problems setting up t
17. e of the latest software based audio processing tools Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 36 So it s much better to be safe than sorry and after all we are Safe Sound Audio The second issue is audio noise and distortion Let s assume you leave 12dB of spare headroom for unexpected vocal excesses So you are setting the MAXIMUM recording level at 12dB during rehearsals Let s also assume you are using a typical affordable 24bit recording system which will present a usable dynamic range of around 100dB RMS around106dB A weighted So now our safe usable dynamic range has been reduced from 100dB 12dB headroom to 88dB Well it s not too bad and it is in the same ballpark as the dynamic range of commercial CDs Less well known is that the wonderful distortion figures quoted by digital recording systems typically 0 003 or better are only achieved when every single bit of the front end A D converter is being exercised and this only happens when you pump in the very highest audio level which the converter will accept before digital clipping This level is called OdBFS So allowing our 12dB safety margin a quiet vocal phrase may only be peaking 20dB below this maximum safe level down at 32dBFS In the analogue world this will makes no practical difference to the achievable distortion but in the digital world lower levels into the A D means less bits representing the audio which means more distortion Typically a 32d
18. eb Safe Sound Audio 47 Broadgate Lane Horsforth Leeds West Yorkshire LS18 4AG UK Callers strictly by appointment 44 0 7866 574 522 info safesoundaudio com www safesoundaudio com Safe Sound Audio reserves the right to make changes and improvements to the design of this product without notice Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 46 Safe Sound Audio 2007
19. es medium fast attack and release times whereas some vocals require quite fast attack times and medium slow release times Fast attack fast release compressors often have poor audio performance especially distortion which is part of the set up Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 30 caused by ripple of the side chain by the audio Have a look at the diagram below Sine wave test signal Effects of low frequency ripple Notice that the pure tone audio signal is beginning to lose its smooth top and bottom curves and begins to resemble a triangular waveform This is not just an issue for bass guitar and bass drum compression Many audio sources including piano and vocals have either a primary low frequency carrier component and vibrato tremolo induced low frequency components All can cause audible distortion when being compressed or limited The peakride design overcomes these problems by the use of three separate control side chains which act in the time domain rather than in the frequency domain of a multi band compressor Above the compressor s threshold Short duration audio bursts such as percussion get processed with the fast attack fast release compression which they tend to require Longer duration audio bursts get processed with an initial attack time as set on the front panel and an initial short release time but as the audio sample continues the attack and release times are progressively lengthened
20. ews ur am Re es J P N Remove the six posi head screws from the top cover panel and carefully lift the top panel away from the unit NOTE that the top panel has a safety earth cable connection Rotate the top panel and lay beside the unit Mains voltage set to 230VAC Mains voltage set to 115VAC The mains voltage selector switch is located near the IEC power connector to the rear of the unit Select the desired operating Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 14 voltage by sliding the switch into the correct position as shown in the pictures above Replace the top cover taking care to ensure that the safety earth cable is not snagged but is fully inside the unit Reinsert and tighten the six top cover fixing screws If you are changing the mains operating voltage it will be necessary to also change the external mains fuse The correct values are as follows 230 240VAC operation fuse value is 310mA 20mm quickblow type 115VAC operation fuse value is 500mA 20mm quickblow type Once you have completed the voltage selection procedure above it is essential to relabel the rear panel markings to show the new mains voltage and fuse value which has been selected Labels can be obtained from Safe Sound Audio on request Once all of the above procedure has been completed apply power to the unit of the correct voltage and check that the unit s green power LED is lit and that the unit operates
21. ffects unit you might consider operating at the higher 18dBu nominal level in order to achieve the optimum noise floor during mixdown and mastering Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 20 USING DYNAMICS TOOLBOX IN STEREO LINK MODE The Dynamics Toolbox will also be commonly used during mixdown and mastering as a stereo effects unit safe sound audio dynamics toolbox meen tn sou ope ge sidechain vumeter 3 master slave Pressing the link pushbutton transfers control of both channels to the channel 1 so that both left and right audio channels receive the same compression settings Only the VU metering sidechain listen and the output gain controls remain under separate channel control THE COMPRESSOR Compressors progressively reduce the gain of an audio signal as its input level rises above the compressor threshold as shown in the diagram below release compressor output level 4 LT C1 60 ms 1 75ms 4s 18 dbu 30 db 20 threshold auto release compressor peakride slope indicates compressor ratio 1k3 pz 15k bypass 000 0 0O eq insert listen 18dbu output sidechain vu meter gt input level compressor threshold The Dynamics Toolbox offers a choice of two compressor types called dynamic tracking and peakride selected by the button of the same name Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 21 Peakride compression uses three
22. ge 3 Contents Page Dynamics Toolbox Features 2 Safety Information READ THIS FIRST 4 Quick Start Guide 6 Fitting the optional transformer cards 9 Changing the mains operating voltage 12 Audio Connector wiring information 15 Detailed Operational Guide 17 Power on 17 Typical audio connections 18 Operating levels 19 Using the unit in stereo link mode 20 The compressor 20 Accessing the compressor s side chain 25 New York parallel blend compression 26 The limiter 28 Peakride compressor design theory 29 Dynamic Tracking compressor design theory 31 Limiter design theory 33 Answers to some common questions 37 Technical Specification 38 Fault finding 41 Customer Care 43 Warranty conditions 43 How to contact us 45 Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 4 Important Safety Information Read this first CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN There are dangerous voltages present within the unit Do not open the unit when powered and refer all servicing to qualified service personnel The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to dangerous voltages within the unit The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to important operating and safety instructions in this user handbook Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 5 gt P PPDPP This unit must be earthed This unit should only be con
23. he output level control on the Dynamics Toolbox to match my recording device to give a consistent result Make sure that the compressor on Dynamics Toolbox is switched OFF when your are setting output level control am connecting the Dynamics Toolbox to another balanced audio device but am still experiencing higher than desirable levels of hum There is a possibility of earth loops if both ends of the balanced cable screen are connected to ground through different pieces of equipment Use the ground lift switches on the Dynamics Toolbox to isolate the cable screens from ground Never disconnect the Dynamics Toolbox mains plug earth connection in an attempt to solve a hum loop problem It is dangerous and compromises the electrical safety of the unit Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 43 Customer Care If you have a problem with the unit and suspect it is faulty then first follow the guidelines in this manual for set up operation and fault finding tips If you still cannot get the unit to function as you expect then contact Safe Sound Audio for advice and if necessary we will issue a Returns Authorisation Number prior to you returning the unit to us for servicing Under no circumstances attempt any repair by opening up the unit Always refer any servicing work to Safe Sound Audio or a suitably qualified technician Warranty Conditions Safe Sound Audio provides a 12 month warranty from the purchase date for
24. his example the VU meter is set to show OVU at an operating level of 6dBu recommended when tracking Now switch in the WA compressor Slowly turn up T the threshold control until the Se e S aan gain reduction meter is pe ex sya peaking at around 8dB This r x should be enough for most ae ee isab pi bass recording but don t be a wma afraid to use more if it gives a tighter sound s 18 dbu threshol If you feel you ve achieved a nice even bass sound but that it s lost some of it s punch try increasing the attack time turn control anti clockwise This will allow some more of the initial note attack to sneak past the compressor Now try experimenting with the ratio control Lowering the ratio will restore more of the natural dynamics of the instrument which may be appropriate for some mixes Once you are happy with the result use the gain make up control to restored the peak audio level back towards OVU Using large amounts of gain reduction with the associated high gain make up can sometimes raise the background noise level of some Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 25 instruments to an undesirable level so make sure that guitar and bass connecting leads are in good condition ACCESSING THE COMPRESSOR S SIDECHAIN The Dynamics Toolbox has a fully accessible side chain This allows additional processing of the audio side chain signal which is sent to the
25. ing issues To this we added dynamic control of attack time as used in the Dynamic Tracking compressor but with much higher levels of attack time boost This allows very fast short duration attack times to be fed into the limiter sidechain The combined scheme is shown below audio level dynamic attack time boost RAM Lili threshold threshold gt time a Au ol IL sh Le il il Combined dynamic threshold and dynamic attack time control Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 34 The outcome is a limiter with burst attack times as fast as 100us but with the excellent low levels of ripple distortion usually only found in much slower attack time devices We ve added a programme tracking release circuit which provides for very smooth recovery from limiting adapting to the natural dynamics of the audio source Why USE A LIMITER WITH MODERN DIGITAL RECORDING DEVICES Whilst there are many engineers using limiters as creative sound shaping tools there are still recording systems which can benefit from the traditional use of limiters as protection against clipping both in the analogue and digital domain All digital recording systems have a maximum signal level which they can handle If you go above this level then digital audio clipping will result and it sounds truly awful Not only are the peaks and troughs of the audio waveform clipped as shown below but a second problem called aliasing d
26. istortion can occur which is even worse recording device s maximum input signal capability i ij i j i tt i lt input signal K after recording gt Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 35 ouput leye A limiter allows the maximum audio level to be fixed to a level set by the limiter threshold So any audio which comes in above that threshold is gain reduced to be no higher than the threshold setting Have a look at the before and after audio waveforms below Note that some of the audio peaks which were above the limiter imite inputlevel threshold are not after limiting exactly oars on the threshold but below This is due to the release time of a limiter and is a necessary and desirable limiter characteristic i lt a Vv eye UV EAN a aa ae QE SS EET ENNEN EEN VEVEL ONA EAEE a SR ren i before limiter gt after limiter gt But can t just record in such a way that this maximum audio level is never reached In theory yes you can if you are very careful and record well below the maximum permitted level of your recording system but as so commonly happens you set up the levels carefully during rehearsal but when the actual recording takes place the vocalist has turned from shy retiring folk singer to the rock legend from hell And the once in a lifetime performance is ruined by digital clipping which is almost impossible to repair even with the us
27. level may be switched to either 6dBu or 18dBu Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 9 Fitting the optional output transformer cards There are dangerous voltages present within the unit Do not open the unit when powered and ensure that the transformer cards are fitted by a technically competent person If in any doubt contact Safe Sound Audio for further advice Please follow these instructions carefully With the AC power lead disconnected place the Dynamics Toolbox on a flat well lit workbench 6 x top cover screws D te lt gt l A N Remove the six posi head screws from the top cover panel and carefully lift the top panel away from the unit NOTE that the top panel has a safety earth cable connection Rotate the top panel and lay beside the unit Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 10 Check that the connector pins of the transformer cards are straight and undamaged Insert each transformer card into the corresponding sockets in the units main motherboard taking great care to correctly align the six pins on each transformer connector with the corresponding pins in the motherboard sockets Correct positions of connector pins just before pushing the transformer card down into its final position Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 11 11155552 INCORRECT positions of connector pins NOTE the pin misalignment Misalignment of pins can cause electrical damage
28. n Gain make up is only available when the compressor is switched on The amount of gain reduction the compressor is achieving can be monitored on the VU meter by pressing the gr pushbutton paide met channel 2 Gain reduction is shown on the Ft lower scale from OdB needle fully clockwise to 20dB needle fully anti clockwise E 18dbu output gr vu meter y The use of compression when recording both vocals and instruments is a very powerful way of achieving the desired live sound and so is Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 23 often used at the track recording stage as it can actually improve the quality of the performance given by the artist However it is also possible to use the Dynamics Toolbox compressor as an effects device during mix down and mastering We will now detail some common uses of the Dynamic Toolbox compressor when used for tracking Vocal tracks Most commercially recorded vocal tracks have some compression applied This is often done to help the vocal sit properly in the mix and it also helps to even out the artist s performance Before switching in the compressor adjust the settings of the threshold attack and ratio controls as shown below Switch the compressor to peakride mode In this example the VU meter is set to show OVU at an operating level of 6dBu recommended when tracking O amp Now switch in the 2 WA compre
29. nected to a mains supply of the type marked on the rear of the appliance Take special note of the required mains voltage The IEC mains connecting lead originally supplied with this unit has been fitted with a 3A mains fuse Always replace with a fuse of the same rating UK plugs only This unit is fitted with an externally accessible fuse Always replace with a fuse of the same type and rating The fuse type and rating are shown on the rear of the unit just below the fuse receptacle Always disconnect the unit from the mains supply before replacing this fuse Optional transformer cards may be fitted to this unit Ensure that fitting instructions are closely followed and if in doubt always have the fitting done by a qualified technician The operating mains voltage may be selected inside the unit Ensure that the selection instructions are closely followed and if in doubt always have this done by a qualified technician Page 6 User Manual If at any time you are in doubt as to the correct operation Dynamics Toolbox Processor Quick Start Guide of the unit all operational points are covered in detail later in this After reading the important safety information you may wish to plug manual but as a quick start and go A _ 105s 4dw09 lee 1 i puye d H as a ras T 1osseiduuoo ket 10 99 p ele Buryoe y uAp
30. ox D Press the blend pushbutton to WE E e engage the blend control Pate aus EEE Turning the blend control knob crs clockwise increases the amount pene imit channel 2 of wet processed signal es mane blended into the mix of dry _ s ont unprocessed audio comers a p fy One common use is to achieve the acclaimed New York parallel compression style which can be useful on stereo submixes of drums guitars and other similar types of backing tracks Let s look at setting up the unit to add New York compression to a stereo drum mix We ll use the Dynamic Toolbox in stereo submix mode as shown below Dynamics Toolbox aaan FE eee a as seers Qi ee pp j Input 1 Output 1 Input 2 Output 2 New YORK STYLE COMPRESSION Send a stereo submix of your drums tracks to the Insert send Insert ratum ingot eon incor vet Dynamics Toolbox for New York style parallel compression Recording Device I s important to remember that New York compression can be achieved using the compressor or limiter In this example we ll use only the limiter so leave the compressor switched off Before switching in the limiter adjust the settings of the controls as shown below Push the link pushbutton for stereo operation and adjust the input level to peak the VU meter at OVU set to 18dBU reference level Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 28 Switch in the limiter and turn the
31. ox for effects processing Press SEM the link pushbutton when operating in this mode A typical use would be to add compression to a drums submix ji Input 1 Output 1 Input 2 Output 2 Insert return Insert send Left Right Insert send Left Recording Device Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 19 OPERATING LEVELS AND THEIR IMPACT ON HEADROOM AND NOISE The Dynamics Toolbox is essentially a unity gain device designed to receive and output balanced line level audio dynamics toolbox peakride limiter channel 2 18dbu output gr vu meter The VU meters can be switched to work at two nominal operating levels 6dBu and 18dBu _ It is important to realise that you are not affecting the gain through the system when you push the 18dbu pushbutton It only affects OVU reference level As the Dynamics Toolbox can accept input levels up to 24dBu and output levels up to 27dBu it should be able to work comfortably within the normal operating levels of any existing recording set up When required you may adjust the output level of the Dynamics Toolbox by up to 15dB with the output gain control which has a calibrated centre OdB reference position As a general guide When tracking it can be advantageous to operate at a nominal level of 6dBu in order to maximise the available headroom through your recording chain When using the Dynamics Toolbox as a mixdown e
32. shold control fully 3 ap 20 taux ae anticlockwise to the 6dBu O swear position The red limiter LED pete me channel2 will be flashing constantly We es de are now driving the limiter hard ae wae 18dbu ouput gr M D blend 4 vu meter mn procedure Set your recording device to monitor the incoming test audio signal level on its record meter Now adjust the input gain on your recording device until the desired maximum recording level is viewed on the record meter of your recording device We suggest you set a maximum level of 3dB below OdBFS During tracking adjust the source gain whatever is feeding the Dynamics Toolbox so that the VU meter is peaking close to but not quite reaching OVU The limiter will then only engage for occasional and unexpected peaks beyond OVU and your recording chain will be protected against digital overload Peakride compressor design theory With so many analogue and digital compressors on the market today we decided to try a new approach to single band compression which gives most of the advantages of multi band compressors plus a few more without the operational complexity of band splitting The full story of peakride compression is told in our design white paper but here are the highlights It s desirable for a compressor to be able to offer a wide range of attack and release times to suit a variety of source material For example percussion typically requir
33. ssor Slowly turn up o met ome e aan dar the threshold control until the w ae ee gain reduction meter is Es on we peaking between 4dB and r Ce 86 6 6dB This should be enough one ven re for most vocals If you find that some of the first syllable vocal phrasing is still uncontrolled or that the vocalist tends to lean into the microphone at the start of a vocal phrase then try decreasing the attack time turn the knob clockwise If you feel that the vocal performance is still a bit uneven try increasing the ratio control until you get a more even result Be careful not to go too far or you will kill all the dramatic effect which the vocalist is trying to achieve Altering the attack and ratio controls has some effect on the amount of compression achieved so you may have to readjust the threshold control if you find the gain reduction meter reading is moving too far from the desired level Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 24 Once you are happy with the result use the gain make up control to restore the peak audio level back towards OVU Electric basses many electric basses whether DI d or recorded by mic ing the bass amp loudspeaker can have a very uneven recorded sound Compression is a very common and useful way to deal with this problem Before switching in the compressor adjust the settings of the threshold attack and ratio controls as shown below Switch the compressor to peakride mode In t
34. this product according to the following conditions This warranty is not transferable and applies only to the original purchaser of the unit If the unit should become faulty then contact Safe Sound Audio or our local distributor for a Returns Authorisation Number No items will be accepted for warranty repair without this authorisation number You must be able to produce proof of the purchase date If the returned unit should prove faulty then at Safe Sound Audio s choice we will either repair or replace the unit The customer is responsible for the cost of sending the unit back to Safe Sound Audio or our authorised distributor including insurance of the unit during shipping Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 44 Safe Sound Audio or our authorised distributor will be responsible for the cost of shipping the repaired or replaced unit back to the customer including insurance of the unit during shipping The warranty will be void if the unit has e Suffered physical damage e Been repaired or modified by anyone other than Safe Sound Audio or its authorised representative e Has been connected to an incorrect source of mains power e Has been damaged due to liquid spillage Safe Sound Audio shall not be liable for any special or consequential damages resulting from the use of this product Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 45 How to contact us By post By telephone By e mail On the w
35. tio control varies the degree of gain reduction which is applied from 1 1 no effect to 1 which will make the compressor act like a limiter The attack time is how quickly the compressor will react to audio which rises above the threshold point In the Dynamics Toolbox the attack time can be varied from 60ms slow to 1ms fast The setting of the attack time usually has a large impact on the compression effect Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 22 The release time is how quickly the compression effect is removed when the audio falls back below the threshold The release time on the Dynamics Toolbox works in three different ways as follows In dynamics tracking mode You have a choice of manually setting the release time from 75ms very fast to 4 secs very slow OR Auto release pushbutton selected which is programmed to follow the dynamics of audio material and bypasses the manual release time setting In peakride mode Auto release is the default and only release mode This is an important aspect of the peakride compression mode and offers very low colouration even when working with a wide variety of audio sources Because compression is a gain reduction tool it will tend to lower the maximum audio level through the audio chain Make up gain is used to replace this lost level and in the case of the Dynamics Toolbox this is done by setting the gmu control knob to between OdB and 20dB of make up gai
36. trol of the compressor characteristics especially for use in stereo submix and final mix duties Dynamic Tracking uses a novel technique to maintain low ripple distortion even at very fast attack and release times so you get a very wide range of user settings but still maintaining a very smooth compressor It combines the following techniques Dynamic attack allows the attack time to track the natural attack speed of the audio signal It does this by tracking the speed of the audio s natural attack speed before it reaches the compressor threshold level It uses this information to boost the compressor s natural attack time to match the needs of fast incoming audio but then dynamically Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 32 reduces the compressor attack time once the initial audio excursion over the compressor s threshold has been dealt with The compressor s attack time continues to be boosted and then reduced through to whole period in which the audio signal s level exceeds the compressor threshold as shown below 3 second audio sample compressor time threshold il we Compressor attack time boost mapped over the audio sample The dynamic attack technique brought us an unexpected bonus when we started to look at the potential problems in offering very short manually settable release times in the order of 50 to 75ms As the attack time begins to lengthen through the compression cycle and remember we re
37. u talk about levels in dB and in dBu What s the difference And what about dBFS dB s are a relative measure of level e g 6dB is 6dB lower than OdB dBu is an absolute measure of level within an analogue system OdBu can be measured as a voltage and is always 0 775 volts RMS OdBFS is the maximum possible level of a digital audio system Dynamics Toolbox Processor User Manual Page 38 Technical Specification Dynamics Too sox Aupio Processor Size 19 wide by 2RU 3 5 high by 255mm 10 deep excluding cable connectors Weight 4kg 9lbs Power requirements AC power to the voltage indicated on the rear panel 10 50 60 Hz Internally switchable between 115V and 230 240V operation Mains Cord Fuse UK only 3A Rear Panel Fuse 20mm fuse 500mA 115V operation 310mA 230 240V operation Power Consumption 20W CONNECTORS IEC Power Socket All audio connectors are balanced 1 4 jacks which may be use balanced or unbalanced Main PROCESSOR AUDIO PATH Frequency response 0 5dB points at 10Hz and 70kHz additional zoidal network across secondary of optional output transformers Distortion lt 0 01 at 1kHz typically 0 007 main signal path working at OdBu Maximum INPUT LEVEL Line input 24dBu INPUT IMPEDANCE Line input gt 10k ohms Ourput Noise 90dBu RMS unweighted measured 22Hz to 22kHz 92dBu RMS A weighted measured 22Hz to 22kHz Dynamics Toolbox Processor User
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