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Ariane Sequel Manual v103a

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1. 12 DP X START TIME 39 CHANNEL COUPLING 18 DP X TIME ON 40 9 DAYPARTS 5 8 37 B2 9 DP X ON OFF 38 9 DP X START TIME 39 9 DP X TIME ON LENGTH 40 1 10 MENU 5 5 41 B2MIX 10 LCD CONTRAST 42 10 TRIGGER PORT 43 B4 MIX 10 CODE LOCK 2 0 eee cece eee es 44 LIMITER onen 16 OUTPUT LOCK 45 5 16 REMOTE 5 46 MENU PROCESS DUAL MONO MODE 2 LAN 2 47 XOVER _ 3 _ 48 1 82 XOVER 4 1 49 B2 B3 XOVER 4 2 SM een 50 B3 BAXOVER 4 3 1 51 AGC ren 5 2 51 LEFT 19 PORT NUMBER 52 IDR 7 ABOUT
2. 10 ANA LEFT 1 25 10 ANA RIGHT REF LVL 25 4 10 DIG LEFT 1 26 1 lt 82 12 DIG RIGHT REF LVL 26 B3 gt B4 13 HP FILTER 27 L R BI 14 MENU 28 15 LEFT OUT REF LVL 29 L R INJECTION 16 RIGHT OUT 1 29 LIMITER _ 17 ANALOG 30 LIM 17 1 30 MENU PROCESS STEREO 2 DIGITAL oo 31 XOVER 3 SAMPLE RATE 31 1 82 XOVER 4 1 HEADPHONE LEVEL 32 B2 B3 XOVER 4 2 MENU 5 33 B3 B4 XOVER 4 3 DAYPARTING 34 eo 5 TIME en 35 IDR on 7 TIME CAL 36 8 DAYPARTS 1 4 37 B1 lt B2 11 DP X ON OFF 38 B3 gt B4
3. 10 B3 B4 XOVER 4 3 B4 10 REC sne 5 RIGHT 1 20 _ 6 IDR 7 IDR 7 CATE RE 8 GATE NEM 8 RELEASE 9 RELEASE 9 B2 RELEASE 9 B2 9 RELEASE 9 RELEASE 9 9 9 1 10 1 10 2 10 2 10 10 10 4 10 4 10 B1 lt B2 11 be 11 B3 gt B4 12 IDR 7 CHANNEL COUPLING 17 8 LIMITER _ 16 RELEASE 9 LIM 16 B2 9 MENU INPUT 21 RELEASE 9 SOURCE 22 BARELEASE 9 INPUT FAIL 23 Bl MG onen 10 ANALOG CUP 1 24 B2
4. Each Daypart has three parameters The left hand box contains the Name of the preset that you want this Daypart to switch to You click up and down to rotate through the User and Factory presets and you can turn the Daypart OFF by clicking down on the arrows until you reach the OFF option The middle box contains the Day and Time when the Daypart will take effect To select and change the day hour or minute click on the appropriate part of the box and use the up and down arrows The Day selection also has an ALL option When ALL is selected that Daypart will go into effect every day The right most box contains the length of the daypart in hours and minutes Like the start time of the daypart you will need to click into the appropriate part of the box before clicking the up down arrows Operating Manual 31 A B Comparison The Remote application has two buttons labelled A and B that are located just below the AGC and In Out metering selection buttons top right of the screen These buttons allow you to compare changes you have made to the processing against the saved preset When you load a preset the buttons should be greyed out but as soon as you make any processing changes these buttons will become active By selecting the B button you temporarily revert back to the saved preset During this time all the processing controls will grey out to indicate you are in a compare mode To return to the settings
5. points be set the same for all equipment throughout the system Wide dynamic range is compromised when one link in the chain clips before the rest This coordination of maximum peak capability is automatic in most digital environments but can be a serious problem in the analog world To calibrate the actual peak overload point at the Sequel s analog input to agree with that of the external equipment driving it use the menu INPUT ANALOG CLIP LVL setting in dBu For typical broadcast or studio line levels set this adjustment to the maximum i e 24 dBu When connected to consumer or other equipment that has a considerably lower overload point set this adjustment accordingly For an exact system wide calibration a full scale just below clipping sine wave should be fed to the first piece of equipment in the chain and levels adjusted on each subsequent piece of equipment so they are all in agreement all the way to the final output This could be checked by a trained ear or visually by monitoring the waveform output of each piece of gear with an oscilloscope adjusting step by step each input and output level to just below clipping To calibrate the maximum output peak level of the Ariane Sequel you use the menu OUTPUT ANALOG PEAK LVL setting in dBu Similar to the input menu you should set the peak handling capability of the Sequel to be the same as the equipment it is connected to For a typical broadcas
6. OUTPUT DIGITAL SAMPLE RATE to whatever rate you wish the de to be namely 48 kHz 44 1 kHz 32 kHz Alternatively m can set it to INPUT if you want the output to be locked to input or SYNC if you wish to lock the output to the external House Sync signal you have plugged into the rear panel Sync Input jack You can monitor processed audio with headphones plugged into the front panel setting the listening level with menu OUTPUT HEADPHONE LEVEL See pages 16 18 for details and examples of setting up outputs Crank It Up All that s ef is to select a suitable preset Locate the lowest of the three front panel push buttons you should see PST to the left of it in the LCD readout Press it and then press the middle LOAD push button Rotate the scroll wheel past the first eight user presets U1 through U8 to the ten factory presets F1 through F10 and pick one Press the bottom LOAD push button and you re on See page 23 for details on loading and saving presets If you re using the Ariane Sequel followed by another processor don t forget to disable or scale back its own AGC so the Sequel can best perform its magic Operating Manual Unpacking and Installation Unpacking and Installing the Ariane Sequel 1 1 Unpacking and Inspection As you unpack your new Ariane Sequel please carefully examine the box it came in If there is any damage you need to co
7. L R Out j Hion Right in HiMid Right Out Sequel LED metering in the AGC mode Some Examples of AGC Metering In the above illustration the metering is in the AGC mode indicating gain Though not indicated here in this example the Sequel s AGC is set to Matrix sum and difference mode The top four rows of LEDs represent the four L R audio bands and the lower four rows of LEDs indicate gain in the four L R bands The top and fifth rows of LEDs are green indicating that both the L R and L R High bands 4 are releasing or adding gain bringing up the audio level in those bands The amount of gain in the L R High band can be seen to be 10 dB and for the L R High band 12 dB The second row L R HiMid B3 the third row L R LoMid B2 and the sixth row L R HiMid B3 are all amber colored This means that the RMS energy of the audio in these bands is within the IDR window This audio is exactly where is should be and therefore there is NO gain change in these bands i e the control is holding the gain steady and any minor dynamic variations occurring in the input audio in those bands are going directly to the output with NO ongoing adjustment It s almost as though the processor is momentarily disconnected The gain in the L R HiMid band is holding at 8 dB In the L R LoMid band the gain stands at 12 dB In the L R HiMid band the gain is holding at 16 dB The LEDs in the
8. trans Ariane Sequel Digital Audio Leveler Operating Manual Version 1 03 December 2005 TRANSLANTECH Sound LLC New York NY 10025 Copyright Notice Ariane SEQUEL Ariane Sequel Operating Manual is Copyright 2005 TransLanTech Sound LLC All rights reserved Unless otherwise noted graphics and text are the property of TransLanTech Sound and may only be used with permission This Manual is provided in print form with every Ariane Sequel The online distribution format is Adobe Portable Document Format PDF It was designed using Adobe InDesign 2 0 on Macintosh OSX 10 4 The text font is Futura Medium 9 point with emphasis added using Futura Heavy or Futura Medium Oblique The page layout is formatted to be printed two sided in color and space for binding was set aside in the inner area of each facing page The page size is a compromise to allow optimal use of the page space of either International 4 format or US Letter size paper Operating Manual Table of Contents 3 Copyright Notice 2 Table 3 Waan scorso 4os 554669 anna ren 4 Safety Instructions 5 Regulatory Conformance 6 Forward Thanks 7 QUICK SIGHUD 44246460 ERAVEREEOGN RETE S anes 9 Section 1 Installation Setup Controls Unpa
9. 3 dB B2 gt B1 and B3 gt B4 coupling Only the non matrix Stereo Purity is more natural F5 Stereo Default A useful neutral sounding preset Advantageous for operations that have problems with stereo program sources that have lots of data compression artifacts With its 6 dB channel coupling it can do a small amount of channel balance correction F6 Stereo Bigger Let go of the stereo coupling and you have an AGC very similar in approach to a set of two Texar Audio Prisms We ran up the Release and IDR controls to set it loose and added some Low end and a touch on the Highs CHR and Oldies formats might want to try this one on for size F7 Stereo Purity If you are looking for a seamless unnoticed AGC for quality conscious music formats this is the best Very slow Release and wide open IDR with nearly coupled channels F8 Dual Mono Default Similar in approach to the other Default presets only for two independent channels F8 Dual Mono Talk A more aggressive approach than Dual Mono Default this is a good preset to start with for an AM talk station or any place where a bit more source consistency control is vital and you re willing to give up some naturalness F8 Dual Mono Purity For a very natural unprocessed mono sound Slow Release Wide IDR a Table of Factory Presets jiane SEQUEL HO HO HO 9 MEE ONIdNOD TANNVHD 9 NOLLD3fNI 3 71 HO OL Ol 9 NOLLDISLS3 9 1 9 9 9 9 9 9 OF O
10. 53 ae des 8 53 RELEASE 9 1 53 1 2 3 4 1 4 2 4 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Menu Definitions SEQUEL The MODE menu selects which mode of operation to use either Matrix Stereo or Dual Mono The PROCESS menu allows access to all of the processing blocks that make up the Ariane Sequel The selections available in the PROCESS submenus will change according to whichever mode is in operation The XOVER menu accessible in all three modes allows the user to adjust the frequency splits for the four bands of processing for both channels B1 2 XOVER Sets the Low band to LoMid band B1 B2 crossover point to one of five frequencies 80 100 125 160 or 200 Hz B2 3 XOVER Sets the LoMid band to HiMid band B2 B3 crossover point to one of five frequencies 400 500 650 800 or 1000 Hz B3 4 XOVER Sets the HiMid band to High band B3 B4 crossover point to one of five frequencies 1100 1400 1800 2250 or 2800 Hz The AGC menu in each mode contains the automatic gain control adjustments appropriate to that particular mode of operation The L R menu contains the controls for the L R sum AGC section of the Matrix mode of operation IDR sets the range in dB of the window gat
11. Autumn 2005 Thanks from Jim and David No product can succeed without the help of a lot of people behind the scenes Here are some of the kind people who have been involved in TransLanTech s success and our presentation of the original Ariane and its Sequel Scott Incz and Roger Howe of Broadcast Warehouse UK Marcus Bekker and Pyers Easton of SBS UK Dave Kerstin Kerry Kerstin and Chris Shute of Broadcaster s General Store Ocala Florida Peter Passian and Werner Gabbel of P P Nach richtentechnik Germany Gary Kline of Cumulus Broadcasting Mike Erickson Wireless Media LI NY Jim Stagnitto Power 105 New York Rodney Belizaire WQXR New York Gary Blau Jefferson Pilot Miami Matt Connor Rene Knobloch Antennel Germany Julie Kane Mr Motor Laddie and of course Ariane Reaves Thank you one and all for your continued interest Jim Huste and David Reaves TransLanTech Sound LLC Operating Manual Quick Startup 9 9 595 Ariane Sequel Quick Startup We know you re anxious to get your Ariane Sequel up and running Here s the quick route to get there Unpack It As you unpack your Ariane Sequel from its packaging note if there is any damage and if so immediately notify your shipper Your package should include the Ariane Sequel a power cable and this manual Make sure to keep all packing materials in case your unit should ever need to be returned to the factory Rack It Mount the Ariane
12. gain control system into the Band 1 Low gain control system This is adjustable from O dB to 15 dB with an option for no coupling OFF See page 20 for a complete discussion B3 gt B4 COUPLING Sets the amount of uni directional coupling from the Band 3 HiMid gain control system into the Band 4 High gain control system This is adjustable from 0 dB to 15 dB with an option for no coupling OFF See page 20 for a complete discussion B1 L R MUTE Mutes the input to the B1 L R processing stage This can be set to ON or OFF Can help reduce multi path when enabled More on this on page 21 L R RESTRICTION couples the L R control system to the L R control system so that the L R gain control can not increase any more than a certain dB more than the L R gain control This prevents build up of an excessive amount of stereo content This is adjustable from O dB to 1 dB with an option for no coupling OFF More on this on page 21 L R INJECTION Sets the level of the L R output in relation to the L R output This control can set the maximum level of L R energy in the output audio This is adjustable from O dB to 15 dB with an option for no L R OFF which creates a mono output signal More on this on page 21 The LIMITER menu sets the threshold of a protection peak limit to prevent overload in following equipment Adjustable from 10 dBfs to 0 dBfs More on this on page 21 CHANNEL COUPLING couples the Left channel control system to th
13. go to menu INPUT ANA LEFT REF LVL to set the Left channel analog input reference level to 20 dB Do the same for the Right channel analog input reference level menu INPUT ANA RIGHT REF LVL and the two digital input reference level menus INPUT DIG LEFT REF LVL and INPUT DIG RIGHT REF LVL The inputs are now calibrated such that the Sequel s RMS operating levels will run at 20 dBfs With typical 4 dBu pro levels this setting should give you a nominal 0 dB reading on the front panel meters As you use your Sequel you may find that your typical program levels tend to be a bit above a the normal 0 dB reading on the meters You can adjust the input reference is s to compensate if necessary If your levels are consistently too high adjust the reference levels to a higher number e g 18 dB Conversely if your levels appear to average well below dB on the meters then set your reference levels lower e g 22 dB See pages 16 18 for details and examples of setting up inputs Level Up the Outputs Analog and digital outputs are available simultaneously Set the RMS output levels with menu OUTPUT LEFT OUT REF LVL to 20 dB Do the same for OUTPUT RIGHT OUT REF LVL Set the maximum analog peak output with menu OUTPUT ANALOG PEAK to 24 dBu since the RMS reference level is set to 20 below peak level that puts the actual RMS output level at 4 dBu Set menu
14. it can be damaged by being confined between other heat generating equipment If the piece directly below or above the Sequel runs hot then you should allow at least one single open rack space between them The area directly to the rear and sides of the Sequel should be open to allow free flowing air and the environment should be as dust free as possible Dust and heat will reduce the life span of all modern electronic equipment Cabling All cabling should be as short as practicable allowing for a small amount of slack service loop for access and temporary removal The power connection should be grounded and follow local electrical codes for safety All audio and digital cabling should be high quality balanced if appropriate and be fully shielded and grounded accord ing to professional engineering standard practices In a high RF environment this is extremely important Digital audio cabling and connections should be appropriate to work with the Sequel s AES EBU 110 ohm balanced standards The Sequel s analog audio connections are typical professional grade balanced low impedance send high impedance receive and are capable of operation with a peak level of 24 dBu Output Considerations If an STL or phone line being driven by the Sequel has delicate overload characteristics the Sequel s Protection Limiter can be engaged see page 21 for further info on Protection Limiting Since the Ariane Sequel features output
15. PC file operations to back up or share presets with other Ariane Sequel users To perform one of these operations you will need to select a preset by clicking on its name in the list This will highlight the preset with a blue bar This does not change the preset or affect anything on the air All this blue selection bar indicates is that this is the preset on which we want to perform an operation We have two methods of performing an operation on the preset e The first method is to click one of the icons at the bottom of the list see right These are from left to right Load Preset Save Preset Rename preset Load PETS from PC Save to PC The other method 15 to right click over the preset where you will be presented with a drop down menu with the same options Load Preset Load Preset will change the default preset to the one selected This usually means that this preset will become On Air The exception to this is when the default preset is being overridden by a Daypart or Remote Trigger In this case the Sequel will put On Air the selected preset only when the daypart or trigger hands back control to the default preset Save Preset Save Preset will save the current On Air preset to the highlighted User Preset position You can not overwrite a Factory Preset location Rename Preset Rename Preset allows the user preset name to be edited You are restricted to 14 characters Saving Presets to PC This optio
16. Sequel in a suitable rack If the Sequel is placed directly above equipment that is known to get very hot i should allocate one open rack space 1 7 8 4 8 cm between the two pieces Although the Ariane does not necessarily need to have free space above and below it it is a good idea to keep the sides and back free for ventilation Hook It Up Connect inputs and outputs to the labelled XLRs on the rear panel analog line level balanced and or digital AES EBU or S PDIF with suitable adapters If lockup to house sync is required in your facility an AES EBU compliant sync signal can be plugged into the Digital Sync XLR jack See page 12 for details on connections Power lt Up Plug the included power cable into the Sequel s rear IEC jack and to a grounded power outlet Level Up the Inputs Rotate the front panel scroll wheel while watching the blue LCD display When the INPUT menu is highlighted press in to click the scroll wheel The SOURCE menu will now be nighlig ted Click the scroll wheel again and rotate it to select DIGITAL or ANALOG source depending on which you will use Click the scroll wheel again to accept your choice To set Analog Input Peak Sensitivity use the scroll wheel to select INPUT ANALOG CLIP LVL and then rotate the scroll wheel to equal the clipping headroom of your equipment usually 24 dB for a typical balanced 4 dB line level To set the input RMS reference levels
17. The Ariane is pretty simple and any of the factory presets will get you on the air with it sounding better than your previous AGC right away even BEFORE you tweak While the lights look complicated they actually make sense once you watch the show Dave Grytness KJR AM Seattle The Ariane Sequel Digital is nearly oblivious to highly variable input levels with only one exception The unit is difficult to overdrive but it can be done As most engineers know they don t train board operators like they used to Careful attention should be paid to gain structure on the input side Of course this is SOP for the seasoned engineer However mention it here because high levels of gain reduction due to the input being set much higher than the output level is nearly transparent in the Ariane You will not notice this until of course the input peaks hit Odbfs The good side of this is that there is no need in this unit to set the input so high that peaks would ever get near Odbfs This was simply an error on my part that went unnoticed until the above mentioned board op sent it 18VU see page 16 18 for details about input and output level setting The Ariane was installed directly between the studio and the STL Dual Mono mode one channel operation used the analog input and the AES output to take advantage of the superior ADC thus making for only one conversion in the audio stream prior to the analog AM transmitter input The rest of the audio c
18. a control voltage from of the peaks of the audio to control its output level A peak limiter forces its output s audio peaks to stay below a certain limit Platform Gain see Window Release sometimes called recovery When incoming audio is actively being controlled and then reduces level a compres sor will release to add compensating gain bringing up the audio level in an attempt to keep the output level constant The time it takes for this to happen is called the Release Time The Ariane will release to increase gain only when the audio goes below the lower IDR window threshold while remaining above the Gate threshold Return to Zero In the Ariane when the audio energy in any band goes below and stays below the Gate threshold for more than ten seconds the control circuitry slowly returns the gain in that band to 0 dB zero reference gain The speed of the return is related to that band s release time RMS Root Mean Squared a method of creating a useful mathematical average level over time of the absolute value of a de tected signal It reflects the power contained in the measured signal RMS detection in an audio processor such as that used in the Ariane controls the audio in a manner that is more like human hearing than that in a peak derived control system Scroll Wheel Rotary encoder a user interface device that in conjunction with the Ariane s LCD readout allows the selection of multiple program menu choices Also
19. been advised of the possibility of such damages Some states or jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of inci dental or consequential damages so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you Return authorization number To obtain warranty service the buyer or his authorized dealer must call TLT during normal business hours BEFORE returning the product All inquiries must be accompanied by a description of the problem TLT will then issue a return authorization number Subsequently the product must be returned in its original shipping carton together with the return authorization number to the address indicated by TLT Shipments without freight prepaid will not be accepted Warranty regulations Warranty services will be furnished only if the product is ac companied by a copy of the original retail dealer s invoice Any product deemed eligible for repair or replacement by TLT under the terms of this warranty will be repaired or re placed within 30 days of receipt of the product at TLT If the product needs to be modified or adapted in order to comply with applicable technical or safety standards on a national or local level in any country which is not the country for which the product was originally developed and manufactured this modification adaptation shall not be considered a defect in materials or workmanship The warranty does not cover any such modification adaptation irrespective of whethe
20. force a given program s level variations to best conform to the human hearing requirements of the consumer in their expected listening environment Leveling for Effect Casually implemented Automatic Gain Control can be sonically quite noticeable As conceived AGC was originally a basic control utility But the sonic by product of the process which has a certain appeal caught on and AGC and level compression are now just as often used solely for artistic effect That these two separate purposes control and effect even exist is a distinction not usually made with most processors it s accepted that the effect is inseparable from the control With the Ariane Sequel we re attempting to return leveling to its most basic purpose i e purely for its merit as a utility for the maintenance or improvement of the comfort level of audible perception without any overt sensation of effect How do we achieve this Please read on Levels and Human Hearing It is accepted among many learned students of human perception that over a certain range our hearing complex as it is is more sensitive to the long term average of sound level than it is to instantaneous peaks The human ear brain perception system integrates sound levels over time That is a sound of a given level that is sustained for a length of time can be per ceived to sound louder than a shorter duration burst of the same level This also means that depending upon duration and intens
21. is used to reduce or remove audio in a signal when it is below a specified threshold In the case of the Ariane the Gate is a means to interrupt the release time constant of the control during audio While the Gate is in effect the audio is not removed or even reduced but rather is passed on with no change IDR Instantaneous Dynamic Range a moniker we created to describe the amount of narrow dynamic variation that is pres ent in audio over a don period of time typically less than one second We recognized that by preserving the IDR while controlling longer term wider level variations the feel of the audio would remain virtually unchanged 2 In the Ariane the name for the portion of the processing system that attempts to preserve such dynamics while restricting longer term wider dynamics 3 The name of the software menu control that sets the parameters for these systems Intelligent dynamic range control A gain control concept championed in the 1960s by CBS Laboratories in their Audimax AGC series Their proprietary algorithm gain platforming with gated gain stabilization was one of the first where the circuitry made intelligent decisions based upon level and recent dynamic history of the incoming audio In the 1980s Texar expanded the concept with their multiband Audio Prizm The original analog Ariane went several steps further using RMS detection feed forward control and an L R L R matrix in a high quality audio path The Ari
22. numbers 2 through 5 above The window band is green numbers 6 through 11 when the audio s RMS energy drops below the window s lower threshold while remaining above the Gate threshold The control system then releases with a momentary increase in gain the rate of release being controlled by the Release menu settings The blue AGC Gain line s vertical position mirrors the vertical position of the window band above it and represents the amount of gain added to or subtracted from the original signal Higher RMS input levels demand less gain and vice versa Release can be seen as a several smooth upward transitions 7 8 9 10 4117 gliding from one level gain platform to another on the blue Gain line adding gain to counter a long term downward trend in this example s audio level I s easy to see that the Ariane can be adjusted to spend most of its time holding steady with no level change amber or red This is the little bit of magic that makes the Ariane Sequel sound so good Operating Manual 35 Cont d Preservation of Detail While we humans respond to average level in determining loudness we also subjectively crave detail That is there is an attraction to the minute variations which create the flavor and interest in sound and help distinguish for example a flute from an oboe Details are alive in the fast variations that are mostly confined to the peak
23. on screen for editing GO Edit Button 1 INS Inserts a space at the cursor Button 2 DEL Deletes the character space at the cursor Button 3 DONE Saves the User preset with its name and returns to top of menu system Operating Manual LED Metering 15 Front Panel LED Meters 2 1 Metering Overview The LED metering array on the front panel of the Ariane Sequel is designed to give you maximum information about au dio levels and gain control The metering grid consists of an array of 256 multicolor LEDs arranged in 8 horizontal rows by 32 columns wide Each horizontal row s scale is incremented by one decibel per LED for a total range of 32 dB Greater amounts of level or gain are indicated by a greater number of lit LEDS from left to right There are two modes of metering Input Output indicating Levels and AGC indicating Gain You switch between the two metering modes by using the middle of the three Program push buttons next fo the front panel scroll wheel Repeated presses will alternately switch from one mode to the other The selection of AGC or In Out metering mode is indi cated by the illumination of one of two red LEDs at the top right of the metering grid The two columns of eight labels below each of these metering mode LEDs lists the eight signals that are being metered on each row for that particular mode The top four rows are used for the Left ch
24. presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside the enclosure voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock DETAILED SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN This symbol wherever it appears alerts you fo important operating and maintenance instructions in the accompanying literature Read the manual All the safety and operation instructions should be read before the appliance is operated Retain Instructions The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference Heed Warnings All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instruc tions should be adhered to Follow instructions All operation and user instructions should be followed Water and Moisture The appliance should not be used near water e g near a bathtub washbowl kitchen sink laundry tub in a wet base ment or near a swimming pool etc Ventilation The appliance should be situated so that its location or posi tion does not interfere with its proper ventilation For exam ple the appliance should not be situated on a bed sofa rug or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings or placed in a built in installation such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventila tion openings Heat The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators heat registers stoves or other appliance including amplifi
25. similar peak based control system This mechanism can work in remarkable harmony with human hearing The Nature of Program Audio The creation of programs and presentations of audio generally requires the mixing and level adjustment of multiple sources It is the nature of raw unprocessed audio sources such as live microphones to be wide ranging in their levels consistency and other qualities These sources are the ones that most obviously will require a leveler s automatic assistance Yet it is also the nature of audio that some sources such as professionally produced music recordings will be very consistent in level and quality even while their initial absolute level may be unknown These sources will not require as much control if any as the unprocessed material Additionally it is becoming quite common for musical recordings to have amounts of processing that are at if not in fact over the threshold of perceived distortion Any additional processing subsequently added tends to make a bad situation worse What is most typical of all is that these multiple types of sources will need to be somehow conformed to each other before their final combined presentation to the end user And that this end result is to be achieved with a degree of subtlety is a lofty goal indeed Cont d 5 1 Charts of Dynamic Operation The Ariane Dynamic Environment Peaks vs RMS This chart illustrates in blue the absolute value peak level of
26. specifically to allow control without any overt sensation of effect if effect is desired you must use other equipment to create that sonic signature The Ariane Sequel s level managed neutral sounding output will however allow the following equipment to work with an extremely consistent signal so the overall desired effect will itself be more consistent and predictable By seeking out and utilizing only those methods of audio control which are utilitarian while at the same time pleasing or even in audible to the ear and keeping at arm s length those methods of audio control that are generally found to be distracting and then matching this knowledge base with an understanding of the nature of typical program audio an intelligent control system can be designed that best meets the needs for successful listenable programming over the long term That was the design goal of the Ariane Sequel Operating Manual Appendices 37 Appendices for Reference Appendix A Factory Presets Appendix B Menu Structure Appendix C User Reports and Suggestions Appendix D Glossary Appendix E Specifications Operating Manual Factory Preset Descriptions EJ Here are the factory processing presets included with your Ariane Sequel arranged by Matrix Stereo and Dual Mono modes The Bigger presets are the most aggressive while the Purity presets are the most natural The Default settings are a very useful medium In the table o
27. the L R Injection menu setting to subjectively reduce the amount of L R to re establish the L R L R relationship at a more natural level Normally this setting should be about 5 dB but it can be set higher up to 0 dB for a bigger stereo effect or lower to 15 dB for reduced multipath interference It can also be set to Off for pure mono As you might guess this setting is subjective and should be set differently for differing amounts of processing i e a lower injection level may be appropriate when using more aggressive amounts of L R processing Protection Peak Limiting The Ariane Sequel has a built in lookahead limiter at output for protection purposes Its threshold is adjustable from O dBfs down to 10 dBfs via the menu PROCESS LIMITER LIM THRESH setting in dB below 0 dBfs This Limiter is not meant to be used for subjective processing purposes and has been intentionally limited in its range so that its use will be transparent However when using a low Limiter threshold and at the same time setting a high RMS Reference Level at output it may become noticeable The default setting for the Limiter is O dBfs and unless you have specific need for limiting the output level this is where it should remain Advanced Processing Ariane SeQue 3 2 Modifying the Impact of The Ariane Sequel s Processing We realize that Ariane Sequel does not exist in a vacuum and you will need to work with the
28. 1 B4 all the while the dynamic gain controls in the adjacent bands B2 B3 are unaffected The settings for the B1 lt B2 and B3 gt B4 band gain restrictions can be set to Off or to allow anywhere from fifteen dB up to full coupling dB which in essence turn those two bands into one A good example to explain the need and setup of such controls would be if a radio station regularly makes remote broadcasts near heavy traffic which typically has an excess of very low frequencies With the B1 lt B2 restriction turned off the Low band B1 is free to bring up the level of any rumble that may occur above the Gate threshold Normally the Gate threshold can be set to 25 or even lower and typical background noise is not a problem But should the traffic rumble go above the Gate threshold it would be considered by the Ariane to be valid audio and could potentially be increased nearly to the level of the other audio This is a very unnatural sounding and potentially problematic situation By setting the B1 lt B2 coupling to for instance 4 dB with the menu setting PROCESS AGC B1 lt B2 4 dB the gain in the Low Band B1 will can go up to 4 dB greater than the gain occurring in the Low Mid Band B2 but no more As long as this background noise condition continues the B1 gain will track the dynamic gain of B2 plus 4 dB but no greater And having 4 dB more B1 gain than in the B2 band will not sound nearly so noticeab
29. Ariane Sequel to remember the code just punch in DSPX on a telephone keypad Remote Trigger Port 4 2 The System menu contains the remote trigger port option from where it be enabled or disabled SYSTEM TRIGGER PORT ENABLED DISABLED If enabled the remote trigger port on the Ariane Sequel allows you to select any of the 8 user presets by pulling one of 8 pins on the rear panel Trigger port socket low active low The Trigger port socket is a 9 pin male D type whose connections are shown below REMOTE TRIGGER PORT PIN OUT PIN 1 EARTH RETURN PIN 2 USER PRESET 1 PIN 3 USER PRESET 2 PIN 4 USER PRESET 3 PIN 5 USER PRESET 4 PIN 6 USER PRESET 5 PIN 7 USER PRESET 6 TRIGGERS PIN 8 USER PRESET 7 PIN 9 USER PRESET 8 CONTROL 00000 0000 TRIGGERS The TRIGGERS socket contains a Ground earth return connection pin Pin 1 for the 8 opto isolated trigger pins When the trigger pins are connected to the return pin they will change the currently active preset to the user preset triggered by that pin The triggered preset will remain in effect for as long as the connection is maintained If more than one pin is pulled low at the same time the pin with the lowest number will take priority For example if all pins are pulled low Trigger 1 will take priority Once the trigger pin disconnects from the earth connection the Sequel will return processing to the normally active preset User supplied external
30. F OF 0 JINW 19 9 1 O OF 9 ONMdNOD ra lt eg 9 ONNdNOD 9 gt 19 OF OF ap XIW va ap XIW 9 ap XIW 24 ap XIW 18 JS v1l33 va JS v1l33 JS v1l33 48 JS v1l33 19 9 ap ap XIW vg ap XIW ea ap XIW zg ap XIW 18 JS v1l33 va JS v1l33 EY JS v1l33 48 JS v1l3 19 ap SIV El FI OOOO OF OF OF M MH M M M i oo C x SENE NE cc D MONO TALK e x Dual Mono Presets Stereo Presets MATRIX PURITY MATRIX BIGGER Matrix Presets ce LLI O O ca O LLI C LLJ 2 D MONO PURITY 9 STEREO PURITY STEREO DEFAULT MATRIX CLASSIC MATRIX DEFAULT D MONO DEFAULT Operating Manual Sequel Menu Structure 41 This is a complete outline of the software menu of the Ariane Sequel in effect as of the publication date of this manual The number in brackets X after each menu entry is a key to a brief description for each on the next two pages MENU MODE 1 5 9 3 MENU PROCESS MATRIX MODE 2 9 4 XOVER 3 BI 10 1 82 XOVER 4 1 B2 10 B2 B3 XOVER 4 2
31. GHT OUT REF LVL setting in dB Typically these levels are all set to 20 dB However if you find that your incoming audio trends well below or above dB on the LED meters the Input Reference Levels should be adjusted accordingly and if you seem to need more or less output level into the following equipment the Output Reference Level menus are the place to make a compensating adjustment Please keep in mind the Ariane Sequel is designed to control over an extremely wide dynamic range and it is normal for the meters to show quite a bit of variability from source to source Operating Manual More About Metering Levels 17 6dB 3dB 0dB 3dB 6dB 9dB 12dB 1508 18dB 21B O In Out O high HiMid Left out E LYTNETTTTS Sequel LED metering in the Input Output mode Some Examples of I O Metering Input The AGC or In Out metering mode is indicated by the illumination of one of two red LEDs at the top right of the me tering grid The two columns of eight labels below each of these metering mode LEDs lists the eight signals that are being metered on each row for that particular mode In the above illustration the metering is in the Input Output mode The fop row of LEDs indicates that the Left channel input Left In has an RMS level of 3 dB above Reference level with a peak level of 10 dB above Reference level If the input is digit
32. Sequel in conjunction with other processing to get your best sound Here are a few tips The Sequel in Combination with Other Processing The Ariane Sequel will usually be employed as the initial processor in conjunction with other processing By using the Sequel as first in line for the heavy lifting of average level control the following processors will not need to use as much AGC con trol if any as they otherwise might Using the Sequel s default settings output levels will be very consistent while maintaining the feel and flavor of the original audio We recommend you start with one of our default settings and make most of your subjective adjustments with your other processing For those looking for an ultimate clean sound of course the Ariane Sequel can be set conservatively start with the Purity presets with the subsequent processor doing light peak limiting and nothing more e If you want absolute aggressiveness you will probably discover that the Sequel alone does not get you there We designed the Sequel to create an extremely consistent yet lifelike signal for any processor s that follow it However if you want a re ally truly beefy sound then by all means set the Sequel controls to the fastest Release the narrowest IDR and a low Gate threshold and proceed from there Even at its most extreme settings the Sequel will still maintain a semblance of reality e In any event you should realize that by running the f
33. U es metering function from AGC to Input Output and vice versa Edit TRANSLANTECH SOUND LLC www translantech com Remote Here the Bottom button is labeled PST Pressing it will take you to the PRESET menu see page 23 for the full description of how to access and save presets AES EBU Edit TRANSLANTECH SOUND LLC www translantech com Program S Program Buttons SEQUEL 1 4 Using the Program Buttons The three front panel Program push buttons located in a vertical row between the LCD screen and the scroll wheel are used to manage Sequel program presets see page 23 and other functions As the functions of the buttons change the dy namic soft label on the LCD screen directly to the left of each button will also change see illustrations below When not being used to manage presets the top UP button is also used in conjunction with the Select scroll wheel to navigate the main menu which is used for processing adjustments system parameters etc while the middle MTR button is used to change metering modes for the multi color LED meter matrix Top of the Menu At the top of the menu system you can press Button 1 four times to be sure you are at the top the three Program push buttons function as follows Button 1 UP does nothing you are already at the top of the menu system Button 2 MTR Switches between AGC or Input Out
34. al and the menus are set to INPUT DIG LEFT REF LVL 20 dB and INPUT DIG RIGHT REF LVL 20 dB we find the RMS dBfs dB below full scale value by adding the meter s indicated value to the Reference level This would be 3 20 17 dBfs Since the peak level is indicated by a single LED at 10 dB above Reference level that would put the peak at 10 20 10 dBfs On the other hand if we have chosen an analog input with the Analog Reference level menu settings INPUT ANA LEFT REF LVL 20 and INPUT ANA RIGHT REF LVL 20 and the analog input clip level menu is set to INPUT ANALOG CLIP LVL 24 dBu our signal of 3 dB RMS above Reference level same as the above digital example would be 3 20 17 or 17 dB below clipping an actual incoming RMS level of 24 dBu 17 dB 7 dBu RMS The peak level which is the meter shows as 10 above Reference level is 10 below clipping 10 20 10 or 10 dB below clipping an actual peak level of 24 dBu 10 dB 14 dBu Peak With the Analog Reference Level 20 dB Analog Clip Level 24 dBu our meter s O dB LED would indicate an incoming RMS level of 24 dBu 20 4 dBu a typical interconnect line operating level in many studio plants Some Examples of I O Metering Output For an example of LED metering for output levels we ll use the Left channel output the second hori
35. al Configuration Two channels user configured as either Matrix L R L R Left Right Stereo or independent Dual Mono Dynamic processing Four bands per channel adjustable crossover frequencies RMS detection program dependent attack window hysteresis gated release user adjustable release time Look ahead protection limiting Analog Audio Input Impedance gt 10 load impedance electronically balanced Nominal Maximum clipping Input Level Software adjustable from 10 to 24 dBu Maximum Input Level 24 dBu Connectors XLR female Pin 1 chassis ground Pins 2 and 3 balanced and symmetrical A D Conversion 48Khz 24 bit 128x oversampled delta sigma converter with linear phase anti aliasing filter Filtering RFI filtered Analog Audio Output Source Impedance 10 O electronically balanced Load Impedance 600 O or greater balanced Output Level Adjustable from 10 dBu to 24 dBu peak into 600 or greater load software adjustable Signal to Noise gt 90 dB unweighted L Crosstalk lt 70 dB 20 Hz 15 kHz Distortion lt 0 01 THD 20 Hz 15 kHz bandwidth Connectors XLR male Pin 1 chassis ground Pins 2 and 3 electronically balanced and symmetrical D A Conversion 48Khz 24 bit 128x oversampled Filtering RFI filtered Digital Audio Input Configuration AES EBU Stereo 24 bit resolution Sampling Rate 32 44 1 48 kHz automatically selected Connector XLR female Pin 1 chas
36. ane Sequel moves to the next level taking this powerful control algorithm into the digital realm L R In a stereophonic system the summation of Left channel audio with Right channel audio a signal which is also called Monophonic mono for short or Sum or Main Channel see Matrix L R In a stereophonic system the summation of Left channel audio with polarity inverted Right channel audio also referred to as difference see Matrix Matrix A means of creating signals where outputs can be predicted based on inputs modified by the formula designed into the matrix With the Ariane in Matrix mode our initial input matrix creates L R sum and L R difference signals from incoming Left and Right audio After processing we use another matrix to re convert the processed L R and L R into Left and Right outputs 2 Keanu Reeves only other excellent movie besides the Bill amp Ted flicks 3 A questionable method to create surround sound Menu In digitally controlled equipment a software based organizational system to access the features and options In the Ariane Sequel the menu options are accessed on the front panel LCD screen selected by rotating and clicking the scroll wheel and pressing the Program push buttons The same menu options are available via remote control using the Ariane Sequel Remote application Mode Or Modal Separate exclusive systems of operation In the Ariane Sequel there are three processing mo
37. annel and the L R mono sum signals The lower four rows are used for the Right channel and the L R stereo difference signals Metering switching is disabled is when you are editing or choosing presets the middle push button will then be used for other purposes You can see that the metering switch is enabled or not by looking at its dynamic soft label to the left of the push button on the LCD screen When it shows MTR the push button will switch metering modes Input Output Level Meters In this mode you can monitor the inputs and outputs of both Left and Right channels and simultaneously the pre and post processing levels of their sums L R and differences L R When the meter system is in the Input Output mode the red In Out LED at the top right of the metering grid will be lit RMS average levels are indicated with a solid bar of green LEDs from the left and the peak level is indicated with a single LED to the right of the RMS level A peak stretch feature to allow you to more easily see brief peaks by holding the LED at peak level momentarily In the Input Output mode the upper four of the eight horizon 959 IL H TITLE on tern rows of LEDs are used for top to bottom 9996 Der Left In Left Out L R In L R Out um 0060 ge men sis ta The lower four rows indicate Right In Right Out L R In L R Out Sequel LED metering in the Input Output mode T
38. called Jog Wheel Can also be pressed in to click like a push button confirming a selection Stereo A perceived multi dimensional space created using two or more sources of information Stereo stage The imaginary horizontal span of audio as perceived in the space between and around a set of speakers or headphones when listening to stereo audio The Ariane allows unprecedented control of the stereo stage in a manner that is artistic yet powerful Sweet Spot Jargon for the certain dynamic range and input level or operating area wherein an audio processor sounds best or can work most effectively The Ariane s sweet spot is extremely wide and once set may for all practical purposes be ignored However the dynamic range at the output of the Ariane is ideal to consistently put audio right into the sweet spot of a succeeding limiter or other processor Window The pna range within which audio in the Ariane passes through unprocessed as determined by the IDR con trol setting The dynamic control will not vary as long as the audio s RMS energy remains between the upper and lower thresh olds of the Window The Window is also called gain platform dead zone or dead band or more scientifically hysteresis Operating Manual Specifications 47 Processing Resolution Internal processing has 24 bit fixed point or higher resolution Frequency Response 0 05 dB 5Hz 15kHz 20kHz 22kHz 32kHz 44 1 kHz 48kHz sampling rate Intern
39. ch our two com panies as new ideas become products that change the way you think about audio processing This Manual This Manual was created to help you maximize the use of your Ariane Sequel Any piece of equipment is useless if the owner doesn t have a clear understanding of the basics never mind the intricacies of its operation We ve included every bit of information we could think of and then put it into an order that we hope will help you best take advantage of the power your Sequel offers As certain design aspects of the Ariane Sequel come directly from the DSP X a considerable portion of the text is lifted almost directly from Scott s DSP X manual and thanks go out to him for putting so much information into succinct and understand able form Though current at the time of printing this manual is live and may be amended at any time We ll keep the latest version available for download as a PDF file from the TransLanTech website lt http www translantech com gt If you wish to be put on a mailing list to be kept informed of updates please email me lt David Translantech com gt Although every effort has been made to make this manual error free TransLanTech Sound LLC acknowledges that mistakes are possible We appreciate any corrections so please forward them to me along with other comments and suggestions Once again thank you for your purchase of the Ariane Sequel We hope it meets your approval David P Reaves Ill
40. cking and Installation 10 Rear and Front Panels 11 Navigating the Menus 12 Program BUNONS 13 LED Metering 71 7 Y 15 Setting Input and Output Levels 16 More About Metering 5 17 More About Metering AGC 18 Section 3 Processing Setting up Processing 19 Advanced Processing 22 Preseis ce x S ER Rd ee eee 23 Section 4 Scheduling Remote Control Security Code Remote Trigger 25 Daypart Scheduling 26 Remote Control 27 Ariane Sequel Remote Application 28 Section 5 The Ariane Process Technical and Philosophical Background 33 Charts of Dynamic Operation 34 Appendices Appendix A Factory Preset Descriptions 39 Table of Factory Presets 40 Appendix B Sequel Menu Structure 41 Menu 5 42 Appendix C User Reports and Suggestions 44 Appendix D GIOSSary i
41. cks the downloaded file and updates its internal memory After a few more minutes the Sequel will reset and the DSP s will reload the new software Press the red Bypass button then the green Online button to finish You can check the version of the new software in the menu SYSTEM ABOUT VERSION IF for some reason the upgrade did not work try the following e Check the serial cable is corrected to the correct com port on your computer Check the Sequel s serial port menu option is set to match the port the cable is plugged into Try rebooting the Sequel and the PC and starting again Post Upgrade Steps When upgrading from you may find that some of new parameters may be in an undefined state in your User Presets that have been brought over from the previous version We suggest that you check the new settings and adjust them to suit your requirements Operating Manual Technical and Philosophical Background 33 The Technical and Philosophical Background of the Ariane Sequel Digital Audio Leveler Or Why Automatic Level Control Doesn t Have to be Processing s Weak Link by David P Reaves Ill What is Leveling Leveling can be thought of as the automatic process of reducing the long term dynamic variations in level of an audio source using Automatic Gain Control AGC Related to Compression and Limiting Why Use Leveling Leveling is required for multiple purposes but probably the most important is to
42. d just push in the scroll wheel so it clicks to accept that choice T gt If the selection is another menu level indicated by a dot on the selection s 2d 1 Ne left clicking the scroll wheel will take you to the next level where you will SN be offered more choices If the present menu level is a parameter setting clicking in the scroll wheel will light the red Edit LED to the left of the LCD screen and allow you to choose from the multiple options for that setting Clicking it again puts into effect the value of the selection you have chosen elect TRANSLANTECH SOUND LLC Progr P www translantech com The three Program push buttons are also used for menu navigation ARIANE ism Each push button s function is dynamically labeled on the LCD screen to the n O left of each button These soft labels will reflect the button s current function which will change depending upon context lect TRANSLANTECH SOL mL Program 56 tech www translan Remote In this example the push button is labeled UP Press it to go up the menu hierarchy nes ey Ee Di m repeated pressing will take you to the beginning top of the menu structure Edit TRANSLANTECH SOUND LLC www translantech com remote ERE E 4 In this context the Middle button is labeled MTR Pressing it will alternate the LED AES EB
43. des Matrix Stereo or Dual Mono Each mode has a distinct set of controls that are appropriate to that mode The preset management system is also modal in that while editing a preset the processing controls are unavailable Monophonic Or Mono for short A single channel audio source see L R Mono compatible Any stereo audio medium that will have a significant number of users listening in monophonic must be mono compatible that is the mono sum of Left and Right audio must be available and usable to the end user FM stereo broadcast stereo TV AM stereo and the vinyl Long Player are mono compatible systems They all use a matrix to send a mono L R signal along with a difference L R and every stereo receiver or Ba device has a matrix decoder to recreate Left and Right A monophonic receiving playback device will reproduce the required single mono channel directly using the L R it will simply ignore any L R EA In any matrixed medium it is incumbent upon all content creators and those responsible for the integrity of the system to be aware of possible pitfalls and to produce stereo that is mono compat ible When used in its Matrix mode the Ariane is a perfectly mono compatible audio processor Multiband An audio processor characterized by having multiple processors to control discrete portions of audio spec trum Peak In waveform analysis the highest amplitude of the waveform Peak limiter an audio processor that derives
44. e Right channel control system so that the either channels gain can not increase any more than a certain dB above the other channel gain helping to preserve stereo balance This is adjustable from 0 dB to 15 dB with an option for no coupling OFF More on this on page 20 The LEFT CHANNEL menu contains the AGC controls for the Left channel of the Dual Mono mode of operation The RIGHT CHANNEL menu contains the AGC controls for the Right channel of the Dual Mono mode of operation The INPUT menu contains all of the options and parameters relating to the control and conditioning of the audio inputs The SOURCE menu allows you to select the between the Analog and Digital inputs as the source for the processing Operating Manual 23 INPUT FAIL SWITCH This parameter allows you to turn on the silence detection system and specify a silence time When enabled this parameter will switch the input source from the primary to the secondary source Analog to Digital or vice versa when a predetermined length of silence occurs 24 ANALOG CLIP LVL Allows you to calibrate the incoming analog audio s maximum peak level to equal that of the Ariane Sequel s A D converter This would normally be set to 24 dBu if driving the Sequel from professional audio equipment More on this on page 16 27 HP FILTER This parameter allows you to select from a variety of high pass filters You can select from 20 Hz 30 Hz AO Hz 50 Hz and 60 Hz You also
45. e Sequel Remote Applica tion you ll see this connection setup screen 728 Ariane Sequel Remote Application SEQUEL 4 5 The Ariane Sequel Remote Windows Application 1208 Once connected to a valid remote control the Ariane Bm Sequel s front panel ROLES Remote status LED Gy AGC will show activity and the Remote applica 5 oureur tion should show ANALOG a window like this right showing at left DAYPARTS 1 4 the menu of process ing controls or a list of Presets depending on what button is selected at the top left of the screen The Ariane Sequel remote control application window has three panes The left hand pane shows either the Menu Tree shown above or Presets next page The top center pane shows AGC Gain or Input Output LED Metering while the largest bottom right pane is populated with the appropriate controls for the part of the operation that is selected in the Menu tree At the top left of the application window you have the Menu Preset toggle buttons These switch the contents of the left hand pane to either the Sequel Menu tree or the Preset list The top right of the application contains the Minimize and Close buttons the Connect Disconnect button the AGC and In Out metering toggle buttons and the A B buttons which will be covered shortly Navigating the Processing Structure and Making Processing Adjustments Navigating through the processing struc
46. e Sequel front panel Front Panel Controls and Indicators The controls on the front panel are used to set up the Ariane Sequel and to program store and automate the settings The indicators offer a window into the operations and status Here are the front panel indicators and controls from left to right The multicolor LED metering array is used to indicate the AGC gain in each of the eight bands of operation or alterna tively to monitor the peak and RMS input and output levels of the two channels and their sums and differences e There are two LEDs to the top right of the metering grid to indicate the metering mode either AGC or I O input output levels e There are three LEDs in a vertical row to indicate Remote activity AES EBU Sync and Edit mode The LCD screen is used to access the software information The right most section of the LCD is used to display labels for the three Program push buttons three Program buttons are used to navigate the operating system and manage the loading and saving of presets The Scroll wheel is used to select software options by rotating and to confirm selections by pressing it in The Online Bypass buttons allow comparison of processed and unprocessed audio Green Online Red Bypass The headphone jack can be used to monitor the processed output of the Sequel Its level is set with the menu OUTPUT HEADPHONE LEVEL volume setting Operating Manual Navigatin
47. e as we want to make it though practical experiments have shown the useful range can be from about one to fifteen decibels So with the Ariane Sequel when the audio s energy attempts to go outside either the top or bottom thresholds of our imaginary window the control system will briefly engage to correct the audio level moving the window thresholds with it Once our win dow of acceptable variation is set at the newly appropriate level the system once again disengages control and does nothing The result is that audio levels can be aggressively controlled yet not sound it All the detail the instantaneous variations the flavor remains even though the audio is held at an overall consistency of level that the human ear typically finds to be very comfortable The sound is extremely natural mainly because our system spends most of its time doing nothing Multiple Band Multiband AGC A level controller that uses a single wideband also called broadband system will not alter the spectral balance of the controlled audio in any way This is a good and admirable goal But such a wideband AGC system has a serious flaw a highly audible control side effect called spectral intermodulation When one instrument that is confined mostly to a limited portion of the spectrum is higher in energy level than the rest of the spectrum combined the level intensity and rhythmic variation of that instrument will dominate the control and
48. e various presets are displayed in the window The currently on air preset is always marked in green poe The preset marked in green will also have a label appended to the preset name in parenthesis Us MASSIVE MATRIX This can be DEF DEFault preset DP DayPart or TR TRiggered preset b DEFAULT STEREO ie you are not using dayparting or the external trigger port the default preset will always be the Tee Air preset with DEF appended to the preset name in the list If the scheduler Dayparting A DL MEE or the Remote Trigger interface has changed the preset the DEF marked preset may not be the one that is on the air 2 MATRIX CLASSIC 4 MATRIX PURITY STEREO DEFAULT If a daypart or trigger occurs TR or DP will appear next to the name and the preset name will ee change to green to indicate that it is On Air and has overridden the DEF default preset When the 7 STEREO PURITY x e DEFAULT daypart or trigger finishes control will always return to the default DEF preset on In an unlikely but possible scenario you could have a DEF TR DP situation where a remote trigger forces On Air a user preset which has also been triggered by a daypart and that preset happened to be the default preset Managing Presets Various preset operations are possible including changing the default preset saving a preset to a user preset location changing the name as well as
49. efault lock codes of 3779 Using the Security Code Lock Feature To set the code lock option to enabled use the menu SYSTEM CODE LOCK ENABLED DISABLED Confirm the current password The lock will engage after four minutes of no front panel control system activity To disable the security code lock feature use the same procedure setting the code lock option to disabled Changing the Lock Codes Once locked the Ariane Sequel will not allow processing adjustments or access to the output menu The lock code can be entered with the use of the scroll wheel and the GO soft key is pressed to confirm entry and proceed If unsuccessful you will be required to try again If successful the Sequel will allow you to re confirm the code or change it This is where you may want to change the factory default code if you have not already done so The soft keys will allow you to confirm the change or accept the previous code and the Sequel should then be unlocked Forgotten Ariane Sequel Lock Code Contact TransLanTech Sound support and request the procedure to reset the lock code back to factory default Resetting the code lock will also wipe clean your user presets We recommend that you export back up your factory presets prior to performing the factory reset procedure The easiest thing is not to forget the unlock code or to leave it at factory default The factory default code is a proud legacy from the DSP X roots of the
50. ers that produce heat Power Source The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance Grounding or Polarization Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polar ization means of an appliance is not defeated Power Cord Protection Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them paying particular attention to cords and plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the appliance Cleaning The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer Non use Periods The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time Object and Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings Damage Requiring Service The appliance should be serviced by qualified service per sonnel when The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged or Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the appliance or The appliance has been exposed to rain or The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance or The appliance has been dropped or the enclosure dam aged Servicing The user should not attempt to service the appliance b
51. eyond that is described in the Operating Instructions All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel Regulatory Conformance SEQUEL 0 3 Conformance to Government Regulations CE CONFORMANCE This device complies with the requirements of the EEC Council Directives 93 68 EEC CE Marking 73 23 EEC Safety low voltage directive 89 336 EEC electromagnetic compatibility Conformity is declared to those standards EN50081 1 EN50082 1 WARNING This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy If not installed and used in accordance with the instructions in this manual it may cause interference to radio communications Uo h has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device pursuant to subpart J 9 of Part 15 FCC Rules designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when operated a commercial environment Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause interference USA correct the interference C Sswwo at which case the user at his own expense will be required to take whatever measures may be required to amp CANADA WARNING This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class A limits for radio noise emissions set out in the Radio Interference Regula tions of the Canadian Department of Communications Le present appareil numerique n emet pas de bruits radioelec
52. fourth row L R Low the seventh row L R LoMid B2 and eighth row L R Low indicate in red 9 The RMS level of the audio is below the Gate threshold This audio is too low to be usefully increased in gain so the Ariane leaves it alone As with the amber LEDs red also indicates that the AGC is holding gain steady with no increase or de crease If audio remains below the Gate threshold for more than ten seconds the Ariane will slowly reduce its gain back to 0 dB Meanwhile the gain of the L R Low band holds at 13 dB the gain of the L R LoMid band rests at 18 dB and the gain of the L R Low band is 16 dB Operating Manual Setting up Processing 19 How to Set up the Sequel s Processing 3 1 Once you have acquainted yourself with the physical layout of the Ariane Sequel you ve made the input and output connec tions and you ve set the input and output levels you re ready to adjust the processing controls The following paragraphs outline the various processing controls and how you can expect them to alter the performance of your Ariane Sequel Mode The first decision you need to make is which operating mode to use The Ariane Sequel has three modes Stereo Matrix and Dual Mono Each mode has its own capabilities and purposes Stereo In the Stereo mode the Sequel is a traditional Left Right two channel AGC with a single set of adjustments for both chan nels The two channels dynamic operation can be set suc
53. g the Menus 13 Navigating the Ariane Sequel Menu System The menu system used by the Ariane Sequel is really easy to use The top line of the LCD screen is for status It can tell you which preset is On Air and whether it has been changed since it was last saved RE Operational selections are made from choices shown to you on the list or menu AES EBU QUTPU i on the left portion of the blue LCD screen Here SYSTEM is highlighted blue letters on a white background rer en The right most portion of the LCD screen shows the three dynamic sof labels for the three Program push buttons here labelled UP MTR and PST In this manual our instructions will use the following convention to indicate menus and menu levels TOP MENU LEVEL 2nd MENU LEVEL 3rd MENU LEVEL ADJUSTABLE PARAMETER The first item on the left is at the Top menu level followed by a colon then the next menu level etc with the final item on the right being the adjustable parameter indicated in italics There are two functions for the Select scroll wheel Rotate and Click FA As you rotate the Select scroll wheel clockwise or counter clockwise you ll go up EE and down the list of the available choices at a given menu level The on screen TRANS com highlighting will indicate your selection When the selection you want is highlighte
54. h that control of both channels is coupled together completely allowed to operate independently or with a user defined amount of inter channel control coupling Matrix In Matrix mode the audio is converted before processing to a Left plus Right or mono sum signal and a corresponding Left minus Right or difference signal Matrix mode allows for stereo enhancement and optimization for any stereo broadcast medium such as stereo FM AM or Television that ultimately is transmitted in sum and difference There are separate controls for the sum and difference signals After processing the Sequel s matrix signals are re converted to Left and Right stereo audio for output Dual Mono The Dual Mono mode allows you to operate the Ariane Sequel as two independent mono multiband processors with unique controls for each of the two channels Main Processing Controls All three operating modes have a common set of controls that allow you to adjust the Ariane Sequel to best fit your needs plus a few controls that are unique to each mode to further refine that mode s operation The Sequel s basic processing adjustments are the IDR Gate Release and Mix settings which are common to all three modes They set up the general static operating parameters which the Sequel will use to determine how best to dynamically control your audio IDR Instantaneous Dynamic Range or IDR is the main setting to adjust the amount of control action you wish y
55. h the menu PROCESS AGC CHANNEL COUPLING 3 dB With this setting if the RMS energy in the Left channel is within plus or minus three decibels of that of the Right channel the channels will operate independently of each other However should one channel become more powerful by more than 3 dB the channel with the higher RMS level will control both channels If the Right channel RMS energy is say 4 dB higher than that in the Left channel the Right channels energy will govern the gain in both channels with a maximum gain offset of 3 dB Operating Manual 21 L R Restriction Matrix Mode only While independent multiband control of the L R signal adds to the uniqueness of the Ariane Sequel good taste dictates that there be a way to precisely limit the amount of enhancement The maximum amount of dynamic positive gain of the L R vis a vis the L R can be set with the menu setting PROCESS AGC L R RESTRICTION setting in dB This sets a restriction of the L R bands maximum gains with reference to the corresponding L R bands It functions similarly to the way the Low band can be coupled to the Low Mid band above as a one way restriction on the L R s maximum gain with no restriction on minimum gain and no effect on the L R gain The settings are Off where the L R is totally independent of the L R or any degree of coupling from 15 dB up to O dB The dB setting would allow dB more gain in
56. hain consists of the AES stream out of the STL into the digital input of the Orban Optimod 9200 set the input about 6db over the output and got much more program AGC leveling than the previous setup This allowed for a reduction in front end AGC below 7 5 in the 9200 resulting in a cleaner smoother yet more dynamic on air sound A very steady output level was obtained in spite of board levels ranging from 20 to 18VU Live talk format above men tioned board ops The audio was so clean and full that I had to bring an abundance of newly discovered bass under control Depending on your settings the Ariane will dig deep for sounds in its four bands A combination of gate settings and band coupling give the user plenty of ability to customize a sound to any criteria brought the excess bass under control by lower ing the band 1 to band 2 coupling to 2db There was still enough very clean low end to rattle a subwoofer The Ariane allowed us to be the cleanest loudest legally modulated 50kw AM on the radio dial The only way to do better would be if our board ops were as smart as the Ariane Operating Manual Glossary 25 Ariane Processing Engine APE The name given to the algorithmic module used for all dynamic processing inside the Ariane Sequel There are eight APEs in each Ariane Attack The reaction of an audio processor to an increase in the incoming signal as it attempts to keep the output constant The time it takes t
57. have the ability to bypass the high pass filter with the OFF option The high pass filter can be used to reduce rumble on vinyl or can be effective in removing low frequency energy that could otherwise cause carrier shift AFC loop problems in older FM transmitters We suggest you leave the high pass filter off unless you have a reason fo turn it on 28 The OUTPUT menu contains all of the options and parameters relating to the control and conditioning of the audio outputs 29 LEFT OUT REF LVL RIGHT OUT REF LVL Controls the output RMS level of the output with reference to O dBfs Range is 30 dBfs to 10 dBfs 30 ANALOG in its PEAK LVL parameter sets the peak level available in dBu at the analog outputs Setting can range from 12 dBu to 24 dBu and corresponds to dBfs on the digital outputs 31 The DIGITAL menu contains the controls relevant to the AES EBU digital outputs The SAMPLE RATE parameter sets the output sampling rate for the AES EBU digital output The available rates are 32 kHz 44 1 kHz 48 kHz follow digital input rate and follow external sync rate 32 HEADPHONE LEVEL Sets the output level of the front panel headphone port Range is O to 25 with higher numbers equating to more volume 33 The SCHEDULE menu contains all the controls for the Dayparting Real Time Clock preset switching A complete description of Dayparting is on page 26 34 DAYPARTING ON OFF enables or disables the scheduling 35 TIME se
58. he L R and L R levels and their metering are scaled by 6 dB to allow them to have the same peak headroom as the Left and Right channels AGC Gain Meters The metering s being AGC mode is indicated by the illumination of the red status LED to the upper right of the metering grid The Ariane Sequel s AGC metering mode directly indicates gain in the Sequel s eight individual AGC bands The amount of gain is indicated by the number of LEDs that are lit Using the O dB column of LEDs as reference or unity gain 10 LEDs in each horizontal row being lit more LEDs to the right indicate greater than unity gain and fewer LEDs lit indicate less than unity gain The color of each row indicates one of the three possible conditions When In the AGC mode the upper four of the eight horizontal rows of LEDs are used for the four frequency bands of L R Matrix mode or Left Channel Stereo or Dual Mono modes The Frequency bands are from top to bottom High 84 HiMid B3 LoMid B2 Low B1 The lower four rows indicate L R Matrix mode or the Right Channel Stereo or Dual Mono modes from top to bottom High B4 HiMid B3 LoMid B2 Low B1 Setting Input and Output Levels SEQUEL 2 2 Setting Input and Output Reference Levels Reference Level Menus Aligning Analog Peak Clip Levels To maximize the available dynamic range in a system it s important that all overload clipping
59. hod The default option is Off 47 The LAN CONFIG submenu contains the controls relevant to the rear panel Ethernet LAN port 48 IP sets the IP address of the LAN port default to 192 168 000 127 49 DG sets the default gateway of the LAN port default to 192 168 000 001 50 SM sets the subnet mask of the LAN port default to 255 255 000 000 51 MAI and MA2 set the first and second halves of the MAC address of the LAN port default to 000 004 163 and 000 000 008 52 PORT NUMBER sets the port number of the LAN port default to 1203 53 ABOUT Ariane Sequel version number and design credits 54 BOOTLOAD This menu option is used to flash update the software and firmware inside the Ariane Sequel via the rear panel RS 232 DB 9 jack Further information on using this option is described in the documentation supplied with the upgrade User Reports and Suggestions SEQUEL C Ariane User Reports and Suggestions One thing we really appreciate is feedback from Ariane users They YOU can tell us things that we might never have noticed otherwise We ll reserve this portion of the User Manual for those responses and since this is a living document we ll add to these pages as we get your reports If you have some insight or experience with the Ariane Sequel or its analog predecessor that you think might benefit others please forward them to the TransLanTech website lt http www translantech com gt Thanks Da
60. ing system The processing will turn off while the audio is inside this window The window can be set between 1 and 15 dB GATE This function prevents the build up of noise during periods of silence or low level audio by preventing release when audio is below the Gate threshold The threshold can be adjusted from 15 dB to 35 dB below the reference level After 10 seconds of being gated the gain control will return to the O dB reference point B1 RELEASE Controls the release decay rate of band 1 Low of the AGC B2 RELEASE Controls the release decay rate of band 2 LoMid of the AGC RELEASE Controls the release decay rate of band 3 HiMid of the AGC B4 RELEASE Controls the release decay rate of band 4 High of the AGC This control sets the time the AGC takes to respond to a decrease of input level The Release time can be varied be tween 1 and 10 with smaller numbers indicating faster release times B1MIX Sets the output level of band 1 Low of the AGC B2MIX Sets the output level of band 2 LoMid of the AGC B3MIX Sets the output level of band 3 HiMid of the AGC BAMIX Sets the output level of band 4 High of the AGC Level adjustment of 5 dB to 5 dB of is available The L R menu contains the controls for the L R difference AGC section of the Matrix mode of operation B1 lt B2 COUPLING Sets the amount of uni directional coupling from the Band 2 LoMid
61. ity a particular sound can be perceived to sound louder than another sound even while it is in actuality considerably lower in peak level The knowledge that the loudness sensitivity of Human hearing depends upon duration as well as amplitude is extremely useful when considering how to artfully control listening levels over time RMS Average There are two basic approaches to level detection Peak leveling control is based upon detecting the highest instantaneous value Average leveling control is done on the basis of the audio signal s average level over time While the peak amplitude value can be determined by simple measurement of the audio s absolute value at any given moment in time average control can only be derived by analysis over a specified period of time One very useful way to determine average level is Root Mean Squared or RMS for short This is a mathematical process where the audio s absolute value is squared an average of this signal is taken over a given length of time then the square root is taken of that average The result is a control signal that corresponds to the power level of the audio over time rather than its peak level RMS measurement with its requisite integration can be made to correspond nicely with human hearing s similar integration over time Using RMS measurement and control allows creation of an automatic gain controller whose control audibility is much less distracting to the human ear than a
62. justed only reset to 0 seconds as the knob is rotated To keep the clock accurate over time a correction factor can be applied using the menu SCHEDULE TIME CAL correction factor 3S to 3S Activating Dayparts To enable or disable the dayparting use the menu SCHEDULE DAYPARTING ON OFF The dayparts 1 4 and 5 8 options drop you down into two further menus each containing four dayparts SCHEDULE DAYPARTS 1 4 settings SCHEDULE DAYPARTS 5 8 settings You can disable each daypart program or enable it by setting a particular preset to switch to when the daypart triggers when the daypart start time matches the system clock with this menu using Daypart 1 DP1 for our example SCHEDULE DAYPARTS 1 4 DP1 OFF or desired preset to be used You use the following menu to set the start time trigger of the daypart SCHEDULE DAYPARTS 1 4 TIME Day Hour 00 23 Minute 00 59 To set the length of time that the Daypart program runs the duration that the trigger remains in force you use this menu SCHEDULE DAYPARTS 1 4 DP1 LENGTH Hour 00 23 Minute 00 59 The start time has a day option which can be set to a particular day or can be set to ALL which would mean that the daypart would trigger every day at the specified time If the duration is set so that the trigger would carry across midnight then the trigger will stop at midnight TRIGGERS DO NOT CARRY ACROSS DAYS You must in
63. ks after notification TLT will return the unit C O D with a separate invoice for freight and packing Such costs will also be invoiced sepa rately when the buyer has sent in a written repair order Warranty transferability This warranty is extended exclusively to the original buyer customer of retail dealer and is not transferable to anyone who may subsequently purchase this product No other per son retail dealer etc shall be entitled to give any warranty promise on behalf of TLT Claims for damages Failure of TLT to provide proper warranty service shall not entitle the buyer to claim consequential damages In no event shall the liability of TLT exceed the invoiced value of the product Other warranty rights and national law This warranty does not exclude or limit the buyer s statu tory rights provided by national law in particular any such rights against the seller that arise from a legally effective purchase contract The warranty regulations mentioned herein are applicable unless they constitute an infringement of national warranty law Operating Manual Safety Instructions SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CAUTION To reduce the risk of electrical shock do not remove the cover No user serviceable parts inside Refer servicing to qualified personnel WARNING To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture This symbol wherever it appears alerts you to the
64. le as 15 to 20 dB more gain Channel Coupling Stereo and Dual Mono Modes In Stereo or Dual Mono the two channels can be independent or coupled as tightly or loosely as taste dictates with the menu PROCESS AGC CHANNEL COUPLING setting in dB The only difference between the Stereo and Dual Mono modes is that in Stereo there is only one set of menu controls for both channels However in both modes the two channels can be coupled together an adjustable amount from full coupling O dB to the relatively independent 15 dB or even Off no coupling at all When 0 dB maximum coupling is used the gain of both channels is controlled by the RMS energy of the higher of the two channels With lesser degrees of coupling only when one channel s RMS energy goes higher than the other channel plus the coupling menu setting in dB will the other channel yield control to the first channel This control is symmetrically cross coupled so that either channel can control both channels depending on the relative levels in each There is a complex interaction between coupling and IDR but suffice it to say that more coupling will yield more conserva tive sounding control and more natural phantom center channel stability Less coupling will allow more control of Left Right channel imbalances which may be useful for achieving maximum overall loudness As an example let s say we have set the stereo channel coupling to 3 dB wit
65. line driving capability it is possible to drive EQ ed broadcast loops directly In this application the user is advised to employ appropriate surge and lightning protection on the connection to the Sequel s output TransLanTech Sound LLC cannot be held responsible for improper operation or damage to the Sequel or other equipment resulting from poor or unsafe installations Ariane Sequel rear panel Connections to the rear panel Connect the m cord to the IEC jack at the rear right as seen from rear Analog inputs and outputs are at the left rear on XLR jacks Digital input output and sync connections are in the middle of the rear panel and RS 232 Preset switching and Ethernet connectors are to the right of that Digital and analog input and output audio connections can be made simultaneously you will use the Sequel s system soft ware menus to select whichever input is to be processed Analog Analog audio inputs and outputs are balanced pin 2 hot and can range from peak levels of 10 dBu to 24 dBu The menus in the Sequel will be used to calibrate peak clip level and average RMS reference levels for input and output Digital Audio The digital inputs and outputs are AES EBU standards compliant and will also reliably read and send S PDIF with suit able cable adapters A built in sample rate converter will convert whatever the incoming audio s sample rate is to the pe ferred output rate if desired Thi
66. ll see A for active next to the Preset number on the LCD screen e Pressing the middle A button again will return you to your modified preset You can go back and forth toggle between your A modified not saved and B unmodified saved preset by pressing the middle button repeatedly If you press the UP or LOAD button when listening to the unmodified preset you will reload the saved preset and discard your changes By using the Sequel s A B function you can make processing adjustments quickly and easily to hear instantly if the change is to your liking It is very easy to forget where you are sonically so the comparison feature is very useful You can also use the facility to make one processing parameter change at a time adjusting it discarding it or saving it to the preset You can then repeat the comparison process until you are happy with all of your processing changes Saving a Preset To save the current active settings to a User Preset Press the SAVE button You can then select the User Preset with the control knob and Press the GO button A new screen is presented to you allowing the name of the preset to be changed The name has a maximum length of 14 characters INSERT and DELETE soft keys are provided to speed things up Once you are happy with the name e Press the DONE soft key to save the preset to the Sequel s memory For speed saving the curre
67. modulate the automatic level variation for the entire spectrum It is most annoying when the modulating instrument or sound is located spectrally where the ear is less sensitive such as a bass drum while the modulated instruments are in the middle of the most ear sensitive area of midrange frequencies e g violins When the character of the lower level instruments is smooth sustained and held longer the modulation effect created by the higher amplitude instrument is clearly obvious The loudness of the violin changes unnaturally ducking in level with the bass drum hits coming back up again between hits Various solutions have been attempted to circumvent this hole punching such as slowing down the attack and release reducing the compression ratio or reducing the low frequency sensitivity of the control loop Using a windowing release also helps But these solutions only slightly reduce the fault they do not fix it One obvious solution is to control different portions of the spectrum with some degree of independence In most cases it can be shown that for a given amount of dynamic gain change by splitting the audio into several frequency bands any control artifacts are much less audible to the human ear than using a single band There is however a potential problem with multiband processing that can make it a deal breaker spectral skewing Spectral skewing is what happens when differing operating characteri
68. n the following page the values from the PROCESS AGC menu are laid out The crossover frequencies for the Factory Presets are all set identically B1 B2 125 Hz B2 B3 500 Hz B3 B4 1800 Hz and the Limiter threshold is set to O dBfs Fl Matrix Default A great starting point Many users need go no farther This preset is very neutral yet powerful enough to be useful in a great many cases using mid scale values for IDR and Release and a conservative amount of stereo manipulation Flat output mix Slight 6 dB LoMid to Low band B2 gt B1 and HiMid to High band B3 gt B4 coupling F2 Matrix Bigger Going with a more aggressive IDR and faster release than Matrix Default along with greater stereo activity yields a very big sounding preset A slight bump up on the Low 2 dB LoMid 1 dB and High 1 dB L R bands while the L R bands are flat Stereo injection is less than Matrix Default but the tighter IDR more than makes up for it F3 Matrix Classic Designed to emulate closely the sound of the factory settings on the original analog Ariane Other than a slightly muted high end and no L R L R coupling it is very similar to the above Matrix Default preset F4 Matrix Purity Going for the least amount of processing audibility you give up a bit of loudness and consistency but in return you get the most natural sounding Matrix preset Slowest Release a wide 11 dB IDR a conservative Gate threshold and relatively tight
69. n will pop up the standard windows save dialog box You can select a file name and location for the preset to be saved under The preset that is saved is the currently highlighted in blue preset not necessarily the one that is currently On Air though they can in fact be the same one Loading Presets from a PC This option will pop up the standard Windows Load dialog box You can browse to and select a preset file to be loaded into the Sequel The preset location that is loaded is the currently highlighted in blue preset not the one that is currently On Air You can only load into a User Preset location the Factory Presets cannot be replaced DISCONNECT MODE PROCESS AOVER There are three menu AGC locations screens for B 3 RIGHT CONTRE controlling schedul gt LIMITER ing The first loca 5 INPUT QUTPL tion is shown the m iL ul ANALOG screen shot at right It C3 DIGITAL contains the ON OFF re TS 1 4 and Time setting control MODE im PROCESS KOVER The other two menu 3 LEFT CONTROL screens see the first NECI LIMITER one right access E INPUT two banks of four E5 OUTPUT 4 ANALOG dayparts which ER make up the 8 day 3 SCHEDULE m eus L3 E gt parts contained in the Ariane Sequel 4 DAYPARTS 5 8 MOM DO po oo The two Daypart windows show four Dayparts each DP1 DP4 qnd DP5 DP8
70. ng a Preset e First press the bottom PST button then e Press the middle LOAD button which will put the list of presets onto the LCD screen e Rotating the scroll wheel select the preset you want Factory Presets are prefixed with F and range from F1 to F10 User Presets are prefixed with U from U1 to U8 e Once you have found the preset you want to use you simply press the LOAD button again You can audition various presets by simply scrolling through the preset list and hitting LOAD over each one you wish to listen to Comparing a Preset When making processing adjustments it is often desirable to compare against the preset you are adjusting For example you may wish to modify a Factory Preset and save it as a User Preset e You first select a Factory Preset and load it as in the above example making it active You like the Factory Preset but want to increase the bass slightly and possibly increase the IDR to reduce audibility So You modify both processing parameters and then e Press the LOAD button The soft label for the middle Program button will change to and you will see A C for active changed next to the Preset number on the LCD screen e Pressing this button will reload the saved preset allowing you to compare before and after your changes The previ ously marked B button label will have now changed to an A and you wi
71. nns ng E ee ea hee ees Saws 45 Appendix E nes ERO dub UE CR UU Qd ed 47 Warranty SEQUEL 0 1 WARRANTY TransLanTech Sound LLC TLT warrants the mechanical and electronic components of this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of two 2 years from the original date of purchase in accordance with the warranty regulations described below If the product shows any defects within the specified warranty period that are not due to normal wear and tear and or improper handling by the user TLT shall at its sole discretion either repair or replace the product If the warranty claim proves to be justified the product will be returned to the user freight prepaid Warranty claims other than those indicated above are expressly excluded The Ariane Sequel Digital Leveler is provided as is and you use it at your sole risk Limit of Liability Under circumstances including negligence will TransLanTech Sound LLC or its directors officers em ployees or affiliates be liable to you for any loss of use interruption of business or any direct indirect special incidental or consequential damages of any kind including lost profits arising out of or relating to the Ariane Sequel Digital Leveler regardless of the form of action whether in contract tort including negligence strict product liability or otherwise even if TransLanTech Sound LLC has
72. nt settings to the same active preset is as simple as pushing the same bottom Program button three times at first press SAVE selects the preset GO at second press confirms the preset to save and DONE on the third press confirms and completes the name entry procedure Exporting a preset to Importing a preset from a PC This is handled by the Ariane Sequel Remote Control application see page 29 Operating Manual Security Code Remote Trigger 25 Security Code Lock 4 1 Security code lock options allow access to the Sequel adjustments to be restricted to those who know the pass code This feature can be enabled or disabled in the System menu The Ariane Sequel has two code locks the Full lock and Output lock When enabled the Full code lock prevents editing of the Sequel parameters The Output lock restricts access to the output menu section of the Sequel This is useful when you want to stop someone from being able to adjust output levels which could cause problems with downstream equipment but you do want them to be able to adjust the processing If enabled the security code lock will engage after four minutes of no activity on the front panel control system This time has been chosen as a compromise between having the system lock you out when adjusting processing parameters and a short enough period of time to lock the unit after you walk away from the Sequel The Sequel comes from the factory shipped with the factory d
73. ntact the shipper IMMEDIATELY and start a claim process We ll be happy to get you a replacement unit but you have to file a claim first In the box you find the Ariane Sequel a power cord and this manual along with packing material Please keep the material and the box together in the unlikely event you ever need to ship the Ariane back to us Where to Install The Ariane Sequel is an AGC leveling device used for wide range control of unprocessed programming and typical use in a broadcast radio or television station will involve further processing downstream from the Sequel In locations where the studio and transmitter are in separate locations the Sequel may be used at the studio end to drive a Studio Transmitter Link STL or equalized analog telephone lines broadcast loops Alternatively the Sequel could be installed at the transmitter site where its output would be connected directly to the input of the final peak processor Access to the Sequel is not critical if connection can be made to the remote control receptacles on the rear panel Our pro prietary Ariane Remote software can be used for control from virtually anywhere via TCP IP or RS 232 Installation The following applies not only to the Sequel but also to most other electronic equipment used in a studio or broadcast envi ronment The Ariane Sequel should be mounted in a grounded 19 483 mm equipment rack While the Sequel generates little heat itself
74. o react is called the Attack Time Broadband In audio processing a processor with one control system for the entire bandwidth of audio Also known as wideband See Multiband Crossover A device to split audio into multiple complementary segments of the spectrum dBfs Decibels below full scale A way to define digital audio levels with reference to the highest possible level O dBfs Except for O dBfs dBfs numbers are always negative dBu A modern DER audio measurement standard O dBu is 0 775 V RMS Typical professional RMS operating levels are 4 dBu and typical peak capability of professional audio equipment is 24 dBu Density The inverse of dynamic range usually referring to a lack of dynamics across the audio spectrum 2 A name com monly used for the interface control with which the user sets the desired amount of dynamic control in an audio processor In the case of the Ariane the software menu IDR controls could also be referred to as density controls Lower IDR settings mean more density and therefore less dynamic range and vice versa DSP Digital Signal Processor a type of digital processor that is Pu designed to analyze and manipulate dynamic signals such as audio as opposed to purely for mathematics such as with a more common microprocessor Gate A means of cutting off or stopping the flow of one signal by use of another controlling signal or itself In studio work an audio gate
75. ollowing processing extremely fast and deep you will most likely oblit erate any sense of reality the Ariane was seeking to preserve The performance of the Ariane Sequel can be best appreciated by reducing the depth drive and lengthening release times of Gain Reduction in the following processor s initial AGC Even with these duce settings the next processor can do its job better and more predictably than before you added the Sequel This is because the Sequel will give the next box a more consistent input level always smack dab in the middle of its Sweet Spot You may find that the amount of any peak limiting and clipping may be also reduced Many otherwise excel lent processors rely upon those final control stages to take care of any less than perfect level control in their earlier stages e We believe that the vast majority of Ariane users are probably looking for a very competitive sound that is simultaneously not constrained or obviously compressed Here is where the finesse of the Ariane processing algorithm will let you shine By using the Ariane in one of the Default settings with possibly a few tweaks you are in the best position to use your following processors to their fullest capabilities to modulate loudly but openly Adjusting those units for less emphasis on wide range level control the Ariane specialty and more emphasis on peak consistency will create a signature sound that your audience will love you for and the competiti
76. on will hate you for If so we have all done our job Want More Stereo Matrix mode Rather than simply cranking up the L R Injection one option try speeding up the Release settings on the L R bands and open up the L R Restriction control or even turn it off By using the Matrix mode and its various possible settings you may find that any need for stereo enhancement you are presently using in your other processors will be reduced or eliminated Too much Stereo Matrix mode Turn the L R Injection to a lower value or set the L R Restriction to be tighter smaller number Use Slower higher number Release times in the L R bands Need more Source to Source Consistency All modes The IDR setting has a great impact on source consistency but be careful when you reduce its setting as doing so will also remove some of the moment by moment feel of music Similarly but in a slightly different way reducing the Release times will also allow the Ariane to work faster resulting in greater density Sometimes the announcer seems to punch holes in the music and the Ariane doesn t release fast enough to fill the gaps What do you do It s impossible to fix a mix that has one element at greatly differing level from another Our best suggestion would be to use some form of separate pre processing on the announcer s microphone so its consistency is similar to that of the music It makes it easier for the operator to mix and much less obtru
77. our Sequel to have The IDR setting is the size of the RMS energy window in the windowing release system As long as the short term variations of the RMS energy in the audio remain within this range the Ariane will stop making any changes to the gain in that band For this reason the IDR control is the most powerful and sonically influential setting in the Ariane IDR can be adjusted over a range of from 1 to 15 decibels in one dB steps with the lower numbers a smaller window being more aggressive and the higher numbers bigger window sounding more natural An IDR setting of 6 or 7 dB is a good compromise to start with Gate The Gate threshold control determines the point below which the Ariane will not seek to increase audio gain Audio that falls above this threshold is considered valid and fair game to be brought up toward operating level The Gate adjustment can be set anywhere from a low of 35 dB below dB nominal reference operating level to as high as 15 dB below dB in one dB steps The higher the Gate threshold the less any low level material will be boosted Release The Release time adjustment sets how quickly the Ariane Sequel will add gain to the incoming audio signals that fall in the area below the lower threshold of the window but above the Gate threshold The adjustment is from 1 to 10 with 1 being more aggressive and 10 being very open and natural The default setting is 4 Although Release set
78. ow remote control via our proprietary Ariane Sequel Remote Application on a Windows based PC The latest version of the program is available for download from lt hitp www translantech com gt Full installation instructions are in the README file which is included with the program Making the Connection The Sequel can be controlled remotely from either the Serial or the LAN port Only one port can be used at a time Control of the Ariane Sequel via RS 232 Serial To remotely operate your Sequel via an RS 232 serial con nection requires a free serial port on your PC If you wish to use the serial port to control the Sequel follow the steps below 1 Connect a 9 pin serial cable to the Sequel s rear panel RS 232 port and to your computer 2 Navigate to the SYSTEM menu and set the REMOTE SOURCE to SYSTEM REMOTE SOURCE SERIAL 3 Run the Ariane Sequel remote application and you will be presented with a connection screen see illustra tion below Click the COMI or COM button to the same as the port on your computer that you have plugged the serial cable into V Control of the Ariane Sequel via LAN Port If connecting via TCP IP follow the steps below 1 Connect an Ethernet cable to the RJ 45 port on the rear panel of the Sequel and plug this into your network hub switch If you don t have a switch or hub a crossover Ethernet cable can be used to connect directly to a PC 2 Set the Sequel
79. put metering on the multi color LEDs Button 3 PST Goes to Preset menu level Preset Use this menu selection to load or save a preset Button 1 UP Goes back to top of the menu system Button 2 LOAD Goes to Load menu level Button 3 SAVE Goes to Save menu level Load saved preset If the preset you are using is a Factory or a saved User preset the Load menu will show these selections Button 1 UP One click goes up to Preset menu Two clicks goes back to top of the menu system Button 2 does nothing Button 3 LOAD Loads and makes active the parameters of the highlighted preset from list on left of LCD Load changed preset If you have made changes to the preset you are using the Load menu will show these selections Button 1 UP One click goes up to Preset menu Two clicks goes back to top of the menu system Button 2 Alternately switches between changed A and saved B versions of the highlighted preset Button 3 LOAD Discarding any changes loads and makes active the parameters of the saved high lighted preset from the list on the left of the LCD screen Save Button 1 UP One click goes back up to the Preset menu Two clicks goes back to top of the menu system Button 2 does nothing Button 3 GO Goes to the Edit window putting the User preset name
80. r it was carried out properly or not Under the terms of this warranty TLT shall not be held responsible for any cost resulting from such a modification adaptation Free inspections and maintenance repair work are ex pressly excluded from this warranty in particular if caused by improper handling of the product by the user This also applies to defects caused by normal wear and tear in par ticular of faders potentiometers keys buttons connectors and similar parts Damages defects caused by the following conditions are not covered by this warranty Misuse neglect or failure to operate the unit in compli ance with the instructions given in TLT user or service manu als Connection or operation of the unit in any way that does not comply with the technical or safety regulations appli cable in the country where the product is used Damages defects caused by force majeure or any other condition that is beyond the control of TLT Any repair or opening of the unit carried out by unauthor ized personnel user included will void the warranty If an inspection of the product by TLT shows that the defect in question is not covered by the warranty the inspection costs are payable by the customer Products which do not meet the terms of this warranty will be repaired exclusively at the buyer s expense TLT will inform the buyer of any such circumstance If the buyer fails to sub mit a written repair order within 6 wee
81. relays contact closures open collector and other hard wiring switch arrangements can be used to perform the appropriate connection between the trigger port pin and the earth return pin If you wish to trigger a factory preset you will need to copy that factory preset to a user preset U1 U8 first Daypart Scheduling SEQUEL 4 3 Daypart Scheduling Clock Based Control The Ariane Sequel contains a battery backed up real time clock that can maintain the current time and date even when the power is removed This clock allows users to switch between presets at specific times of the day or week This feature is very useful on a multi format radio station where one preset may not suit all of the formats of programming that are broadcast All of the following Schedule menu features are accessible with the Ariane Sequel Remote Control application see page 30 The Schedule menu allows you to turn dayparting on and off set the time and day set a correction factor for the clock and set the parameters for the eight daypart programs Setting the Time the Sequel System Clock Setting the time is quite simple Using the menu SCHEDULE TIME Day Hour 00 23 Minute 00 59 Seconds reset Rotate the scroll wheel to highlight the Day click the scroll wheel and rotate it to select today s day and click it again to lock in your selection Do the same for the hour 24 hour format and minute settings The Seconds can not be ad
82. s REMOTE SOURCE menu to SYSTEM REMOTE SOURCE NETWORK 3 Run the Ariane Sequel remote application and you will be presented with a connection screen see below Select the TCP option Enter the IP address or Hostname in the Processor IP box and set tthe Port box to agree with the Sequel it is connected to The default IP address of your Sequel is 192 168 0 127 and the port is 1203 V Regardless of password settings on the Sequel itself even if the passwords on your Sequel have been disabled a pass word needs to be entered The Sequel s default password is 3779 4 Click the CONNECT button on the application and you should receive a please wait box while the information is retrieved from the Sequel and the red Remote LED on the Sequel s front panel will flicker Once connected all control of the Sequel goes to the remote application If you are using TCP control and you do not get Please Wait message then the remote application has failed to connect Check all settings on the remote application and the Sequel itself and try again You will need to also check that the appropri ate port IP is port forwarded on any firewalls in place Your network administrator will be able to help with this issue If you do get the Please Wait message but the connection doesn t hold check that the passwords are correct on the ap plication and the Sequel itself and try again When you launch the Arian
83. s so preserving the fast variations while making level corrections only relatively slowly maintains this audio flavor In the overall scheme of audio processing the less we rely upon fast peak control and the more we rely upon slow average control the more life like our audio will be If confining our wide range level changes to a slow control will reduce the destruction of audio detail then stopping the control altogether completely eliminates the possibility Windowing Release In a simple automatic level control when audio gets too loud it is turned down and when it is too soft it is turned up But what if we had a third possibility i e if it is at the proper level do nothing This is what windowing release is all about Windowing or hysteresis release was first introduced in CBS Laboratories Audimax level controller of the 1960s where it was called Gain Platforming with Gated Gain Stabilization The basic idea is that if the desirable short term variations of the audio remain within a fixed range the audio level is consid ered to be correct and the control system should make NO adjustment the gain remains steady as CBS said on a platform By determining a decibel range within which any variation in the audio s level is considered to be acceptable we can set our equipment to then make changes only when it leaves this range This do nothing range could be as small as a fraction of a decibel or as wid
84. s selection will be set using software Valid incoming AES EBU audio will illuminate the front panel AES EBU LED The menus system will be used to set the RMS reference operating level for input and output If you are using a Master house sync the output of the Sequel can be locked to your standard by connecting an AES EBU sync signal to the XLR Sync input jack and then choosing that option in the software menu Data Network The top male DB 9 connector is for Preset Switching See page 25 for remote trigger connections The first eight presets on the software menu are instantly available by simple contact closure This feature is enabled within the software menus Upgrades to the operating system when available can be made via the RS 232 DB 9 female jack on the rear panel Likewise The Sequel s proprietary Windows remote software can be configured to operate through the RS 232 jack for full control of the Sequel from a computer You can use the program to make any changes that can be made via the front panel menu Settings can be stored and saved on the computer and transferred to other units The RJ 45 Ethernet connector allows the Sequel to operate via remote control software over TCP IP All settings for con figuration of this connection are in the onboard System software AES EBU LoMid L RIn ER Head ele enl RRS TRANSLANTECH SOUND LLC www translantech com Program Select Bypass phones 1 Arian
85. sis ground pins 2 and 3 transformer balanced and floating 110 impedance Filtering RFI filtered Digital Audio Output Configuration Stereo per AES EBU standard Sample Rate Internal free running at 32 44 1 or 48 kHz selected in software Can also be synced to the AES EBU digital input at 32 44 1 48 kHz or to sync input as configured in software Connector XLR type Pin 1 chassis ground pins 2 and 3 transformer balanced and floating 110 O impedance Output Level lookahead limited to a maximum of 10 dBfs to O dBfs software adjustable Filtering RFI filtered Remote Control Serial Port DB 9 19200 kbps Ethernet Port 10 or 100 Mbit sec on RJ 45 female connector Remote Control trigger port DB 9 Eight active low inputs opto isolated and floating Other Voltage 85 265 VAC 50 60 Hz 10 VA Power Connector Fused IEC Detachable 3 wire power cord supplied Dimensions x W x 0 1 75 x19 0 x7 87 44mm x 482mm x 200mm Weight 6 Lbs 2 7kg
86. sive to control Reality Check If possible take time to listen to your Ariane by itself to familiarize yourself with the way it works on different material Much of the time you may not even notice it is there That is a good thing The Ariane Sequel was designed with a conscious effort to NOT sound artificial Nevertheless certain setting combinations will deviate from reality more than others Keeping the IDR and Release settings to higher rather than lower numbers with Release settings identical band to band will ensure the most realistic sound Even at its extremes you will find the Sequel to be almost completely free of pumping and breathing effects If you hear such effects in your processing chain it is highly unlikely the sound is coming from the Sequel See this Manual s Appendix for first hand reports and suggestions from other real world Ariane users If you have some comments you d like to contribute please send them to us at lt www translantech com gt Operating Manual Presets 23 Sequel Processing Presets 3 3 The Ariane Sequel has an assortment of Factory Presets and provision for 8 User Presets While the factory presets may not be exactly what you want you will generally find one that serves as a good starting point in creating your own custom User Presets The Preset facilities of the Sequel are accessed from the three soft Program keys along with the scroll wheel see pages 13 14 Selecting and Loadi
87. stics of the multiple bands control systems cause their gains to dramatically drift away from each other when material comes along at differing levels The effect can be deadly a song can have a different spectral balance depending only upon how hard the processor is driven Song fades turn muffled or shrill depending on processor settings The solution to the spectral skewing problem is to make each band s detection and control systems react with similar char acteristics all round i e same reaction times attack and release compression ratios thresholds etc and importantly set the crossover frequencies such that there is a similar amount of activity in each band This is the approach undertaken with the Ariane Sequel and spectral skewing very effectively becomes a non issue even over extreme input level variation Cont d Cont d Feed Forward Control Historically automatic gain controllers have used control detection located at the output of the processor which was fed back to adjust the gain at the input This is a self correcting system called feedback or closed loop Until accurate and stable linear to logarithm and vice versa converters became common feedback processing was the only economical option The problem with feedback processing is that the control range is limited and control characteristics are inconsistent from one end of its control range to the other This makes feedback best suited onl
88. t or studio environment that would be 24 dBu Reference Level Menus Setting RMS Reference Levels The Ariane Sequel like its analog predecessor uses RMS energy measurement to perform all automatic level adjustments To properly perform our automatic adjustments we need to establish a nominal unity O dB operating point that we use internally as a target i e audio above that level may be reduced audio below that level may be increased For the analog inputs and outputs this figure correlates with the RMS operating levels headroom number in dB below the actual dBu level where peak clipping occurs For the digital inputs and outputs that figure is in dBfs decibels below full scale The following Ref Level settings set the RMS 0 dB reference operating level for the audio to correlate with dB on the label along the top of the LED metering array for both the Input Output and AGC metering modes The Ariane Sequel uses this operating level internally as a nominal unity gain point To calibrate these internal reference levels to the outside world we use the Input RMS Reference Level menus INPUT ANA LEFT REF LVL setting dB INPUT ANA RIGHT REF LVL setting in dB INPUT DIG LEFT REF LVL setting in dB INPUT DIG RIGHT REF LVL setting in dB and the Output RMS Reference Level menus OUTPUT LEFT OUT REF LVL setting in dB OUTPUT RI
89. tep 2 Navigate to the SYSTEM menu on the Sequel and set Remote Source to the serial port option SYSTEM REMOTE SOURCE SERIAL Step 3 Run the Hyperterminal program that is supplied with Windows This can be found in the Programs Accessories Communications menu from your PC s Start button Step 4 You will need to give the connection a name use Ariane for example You will then be presented with a connection screen Change the connect using dropdown box to COM X where X is the com port on the computer that you have plugged the serial cable into Click OK to proceed to the port setting windows Set the settings to 19200 8 None 1 with hardware flow control Click OK Select the TRANSFER MENU at the top of the screen and pick the Send File option to bring up a file selection box Browse to the location on your hard drive where the new dat upgrade file is located and select it Make sure the protocol dropdown box is set to XMODEM Now click SEND Step 5 Go to the Sequel s SYSTEM BOOTLOAD menu Press in the scroll wheel knob on the Sequel You should now see the Sequel s red Remote LED flash and you should see transfer activity on the Hyperterminal window The transfer should take about five minutes DO NOT UNPLUG THE SERIAL CABLE OR REMOVE THE POWER TO THE SEQUEL OR PC DURING THE UPCRADE PROCESS Step 6 After the downloading process you will see several other messages on the Sequel s front panel screen as the unit che
90. that you have been adjusting click the A button and the processing controls will un grey If at any time you want to revert to the saved Preset throwing away your modifications just reload the Preset from the Preset selection window The A B feature makes it easy to build up your own presets by making it easy to compare before and after processing adjustments We hope you find it useful Upgrade Instructions 4 6 If upgrading for the first time you should write down your User Preset values for reference If your Sequel already has access to the Ariane Sequel Remote Application you can simply save these values via PC using the application Although every effort is made to ensure no loss of data during upgrade writing your settings down is cheap insurance Full instructions for upgrading the firmware of your Sequel are included with the upgrade Those instructions may vary from the following and the new instructions should in all cases supersede these REQUIRED Ariane Sequel a PC with a serial port running Windows 98 or higher the supplied serial cable the dat up grade file and about 10 minutes of your time YOUR AUDIO WILL BE TAKEN OFF AIR FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS OR SO DURING A CRUCIAL PART OF THE UPCRADE PRO CESS YOU MAY WISH TO PATCH AROUND YOUR SEQUEL OR UPCRADE AT A QUIET TIME LIKE THE MIDDLE OF THE NICHT Step 1 Connect the serial cable from your Sequel s rear serial port to an available com port on your PC S
91. that case set a new Daypart program to begin anew at midnight The dayparts can be layered so that one can override another For example let s say you create a preset called U1 OUR FAVE and this your default preset was on the air all of the time You decide that you want to change the preset to F2 MATRIX BIGGER every day of the week from 7 00am to 10 00AM and that from 10 00am to 12 00PM we want F5 STEREO DEFAULT and then back to F2 MATRIX BIGGER until 5 00pm Though you could set up the dayparts as DP1 F2 MATRIX BIGGER ALL 07 00 03 00 factory preset 2 to run from 7AM everyday for 3 hours DP2 F5 STEREO DEFAULT ALL 10 00 02 00 factory preset 5 to run from 10am everyday for 2 hours F2 MATRIX BIGGER ALL 12 00 05 00 factory preset 2 to run from 12 everyday for 5 hours We could save a program slot by instead setting up the dayparts as DP1 F2 MATRIX BIGGER ALL 07 00 10 00 factory preset 2 to run from 7AM everyday for 10 hours DP2 F5 STEREO DEFAULT ALL 10 00 02 00 factory preset 5 to run from 10am everyday for 2 hours which uses one less daypart position because while DP2 is in effect it overrides DP1 By carefully selecting the default preset and overlaying dayparts you are able switch presets significantly more often than you might first think you would be able to Operating Manual Remote Control Remote Control of the Ariane Sequel The Ariane Sequel has serial and LAN ports to all
92. the L R with regards to L R in essence coupling the L R bands directly to the corresponding L R bands On the other hand the 15 dB setting would allow the L R to have as much as 15 dB more gain than the L R almost no coupling Other Mode specific Controls L R B1 Mute Matrix Mode only PROCESS AGC L R B1 MUTE ON OFF In FM broadcast the transmission of low frequency information on the stereo subcarrier has been known to exacerbate multipath interference By reducing the level of low frequencies in the L R channel a subjective improvement in reception can be made The original analog Ariane had no L R Low Band processor the Ariane Sequel allows the option most useful for FM and TV broadcasters to turn off the input to that band s processor You essentially give up nothing human hearing is decidedly weak in detecting low frequency directional cues and any reduction of material in that region will most likely not be missed by even the most critical listeners L R Injection Matrix Mode only PROCESS AGC L R INJECTION setting in dB This setting allows the amount of processed L R audio to be set before it is matrixed back into the L R to re create Left and Right at the Sequel outputs In normal program audio L R levels are typically in the range of 4 to 10 dB below the L R levels The Sequel s AGC control systems will tend to bring the L R RMS energy up to a level much closer to that of the L R so we use
93. tings can be set differently for each band we recommend keeping them all at the same value to ensure good dynamic and spectral tracking between bands Mix The Mix controls for each band control the output levels after processing in a range of and 5 dB These controls allow you to tailor your spectrum the way you like or to compensate for another piece of equipment if necessary We normally recommend you keep these controls to flat O dB and make your spectral manipulations elsewhere SEQUEL Coupling Restrictions The flexibility of the Ariane is enhanced by various coupling and restriction controls Band to Band Coupling The Low frequency band B1 can be restricted from ever adding more gain than is user specified with respect to the dynamic gain of the Low Mid band B2 using the PROCESS AGC B1 lt B2 setting in dB menu setting Similarly using the menu setting PROCESS AGC B3 gt B4 setting in dB the High frequency band B4 can be restricted from adding more gain than is user specified with respect to the dynamic gain of the High Mid B3 band When enabled the restriction controls make it impossible for the Low and High bands to ever operate with more than a speci fied amount of gain beyond that of the adjacent band note they are always free to operate with less gain The restrictions are one way setting a relative limit on how much gain can be added in the extreme bands B
94. triques depassant les limits applicables aux brouillage radio electrique edicte par le ministere des Communications de Canada Operating Manual Forward Thanks 7 A Forward from David Reaves Thank you for your purchase of the Ariane Sequel Digital Audio Leveler We believe this product is the best in its class bar none Those who know me know that the Ariane Sequel is just the latest step in a long ongoing quest believe that Audio Process ing is best when it does the least and that ideally Audio Processing is to be considered purely as a fool to connect the ideas of programmers with the ears and minds of the audience Anything that gets in the way of this is to be avoided TransLanTech Sound and BW Broadcast This project is the first of a partnership between TransLanTech Sound LLC and Broadcast Warehouse It is truly a partnership because the Ariane Sequel simply would not exist had it not been for the fortuitous meeting of Scott Incz and myself Scott s DSP X had created a stir in the broadcast industry as had our original analog Ariane Stereo Audio Leveler We real ized upon meeting that we had complementary products And we realized that both our companies were ready and anxious to take some bigger steps So obviously the Ariane Sequel is in no way a product purely of my own design but rather a merging of my concepts with the technologies broad expertise and considerable efforts of Scott and his BW crew We hope you will wat
95. ts the time and day of the Sequel s real time clock 36 TIME CAL sets the time offset to correct for long term drift of the Sequel s real time clock 37 DAYPARTS 1 4 DAYPARTS 5 8 submenus to access the time day and duration of the eight programmable time slots for Dayparting the presets 38 DP 1 8 Enables a particular Preset for individual daypart programs one through eight or disables an individual daypart schedule program 39 DP 1 8 START TIME Sets the Start Day and Time of the daypart program There is also an ALL days option 40 DP 1 8 TIME ON LENGTH Sets the length in hours and minutes that the daypart will run for NOTE Daypart pro grams end automatically at midnight at the end of the program s Start Day setting To continue you will need to use another program beginning at midnight of the new day 41 The SYSTEM menu contains all the system controls non processing such as remote control and security 42 LCD CONTRAST sets the contrast of the front panel LCD screen The range is O to 25 43 TRIGGER PORT This enables or disables the rear panel trigger remote port The options are enabled and disabled More on this on page 25 44 CODE LOCK This enables or disables the security code lock More on this on page 25 45 OUTPUT LOCK This enables or disables the security code lock for output levels only More on this on page 25 46 REMOTE SOURCE selects the Serial port or the LAN port as the remote control met
96. tures of the Ariane Sequel is very simple When connected click the Menu button top left if not already depressed You should then see the Menu tree on the left side You can now navigate through the Menu tree and see the controls that are contained in that menu appear in the main control area The example below shows the controls that are contained in the input menu Left In WM jpisconnect menu hierarchy L R Out T ES in the remote ap plication is func Acc RP tionally the same 5 LIMITER as the hardware ER Auen A M version Changing I aoe S Angie ANA LEFT ref lvl ANA RIGHT EFT reflvl DIG RIGHT ref lvl the processing with 1 1 ANALOG xc Source my AITTA Ee 20 dB 20 dB 20 dB the remote applica 3 SCHEDULE DAYPARTS 1 4 tion is as simple as 3 DAYPARTS 5 8 adjusting sliders and pressing buttons Operating Manual 29 Remote Control and Presets The Ariane Sequel remote application makes it easy to load save and change presets Click the Preset button at top left of the window to see the Preset list on the left hand pane of the screen see illustration below Understanding the Preset List persis I The Preset list displays all of the presets stored in your Ariane The User Presets are prefixed U1 to U8 and Factory Presets from F1 to The following terminology explains how th
97. typical audio the black line its RMS energy Note that the RMS level does not closely follow the peak level but rather represents the short term average density of the audio In all charts the horizontal axis represents time going from left to right More Level The Ariane Window Now let s superimpose an illustration of the Ariane Sequel s dynamic windowing control system upon that same RMS Level waveform and demonstrate the corresponding counter acting AGC Gain IDR Window More V 1 less m U M Bw N W mom mm 2 B m 61 7 8 9 10 B 11 More x c EN Less e The red yellow green horizontal band above represents the Ariane s hysteresis window over time The unchanging height of the band blue arrows represents the user determined IDR decibel window As long as audio s RMS energy remains within the IDR window small short term variations are al lowed with NO dynamic gain change and the band is colored amber Increases in audio energy that reach the top of the window push the window upward Attack number 1 above The horizontal dashed red line represents the Gate threshold Whenever the RMS energy goes below that level the release is gated and the Ariane s gain holds steady with no change When this is true the horizontal window band is colored red
98. vid and Jim Mike Erickson WFAN A few words on the Ariane The first thing that most people myself included needed to do when encountering the Ariane is to FORGET the fact that the AGC has to traditionally be audible to be doing its job and by audible mean that in a NEGATIVE way After years and years of popular AGC s sounding a certain way Audimax Compellors Prisms Co Operators your first instinct is to think it s either not working at all or it s set up incorrectly Any change to the audio with the Ariane should be a positive and natural one When setting up the Ariane most if not all other AGC circuits should be defeated upstream if you use with the DSP X their multiband AGC works well with the Ariane in Omnia and Orban the wideband AGC s should go both AM and FM Also don t put an AGC on the front of the Ariane This is not a Texar Prism that can benefit from a wideband AGC to keep it in the zone The Ariane makes all the zone plays on its own When setting up for Matrix it s good to set the L R to flat IDR 4 or 5 and release of all bands between 3 and 5 Play with the L R injection and restriction to find how much stereo enhancement you feel is needed Remember watch your meters you don t want the L R to wander too far away and create an unnatural effect and we all know what excess L R does to stereo broadcasting if you overdo it this is probably the ONLY time the Ariane could sound bad
99. y for relatively small amounts of variable gain i e less than 20 dB This is OK for peak limiting where the range of control is usually less than 15 dB but for the purpose of a modern AGC this range is too limited A Feed forward or open loop detector analyzes the signal before the variable gain element and creates a control signal that can accurately mirror level variations in the incoming audio With a feed forward system the effective range is many decades of decibels and its linearity and consistency of control is virtually perfect from one extreme of gain to the other For an initial AGC for audio of an unknown level a feed forward system makes great sense In the Ariane Sequel the control range is well over 40 dB and the control characteristics are the same at both extremes Putting It All Together The most successful presentation of programming audio would logically be that which human listeners find most easy to accept Quiet levels that force the listener to strain to hear the program one moment followed by levels that scream out the next can be nerve wracking So it is clear there is some need for program level control But while extreme loudness variations are disturbing corrective control systems that themselves add obvious side effects are equally if not more disturbing In other words if audio leveling itself is audible and distracting the cure can be worse than the illness Since the Ariane was created
100. zontal row from the top in our illustration on our meter which shows levels of 1 dB RMS with 8 dB peak We could set the reference levels and analog peak output level identical to how we set the input levels in the last section which would be a typical setup but for this example we ll set them differently We ll set the RMS Output Reference levels to these menu settings OUTPUT LEFT OUT REF LVL 18 dB and OUTPUT RIGHT OUT REF LVL 18 dB More About Metering AGC SEQUEL Our actual Left channel digital output RMS level is adding the indicated level to the reference level 1 dB 18 dBfs 17 dBfs and the peak level is 8 dB 18 dBfs 10 dBfs The above Output Reference Level menus set the Reference levels for both analog and digital outputs Rather than being called dBfs dB Below Full Scale the analog output would be considered dB below clipping but we use the same values If we know our that our analog outputs will be driving another piece of equipment whose peak clipping level at input is only 10 dBu such as with some computer sound cards we could calibrate our analog output peak level to match it with the menu OUTPUT ANALOG PEAK LVL 10 dBu Which would mean that our example s actual metered analog RMS output level is 17 dB 10 dBu 7 dBu and this says that the metered peak level is 10 dB 10 dBu 0 dBu 6dB 3dB 0dB 3dB de j Low

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