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MC2.1 Monitor Controller Operator`s Manual

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2. MONITOR CONTROLLER DRAW HER ED he e HEADPI ENE 2 AUK DM gt PIME CONTENTS Warranty as icine ae 3 Safety Consideration 3 Radio Frequencies Statement 3 Chapter 1 Introduction Introduction 4 Installation 6 Power Connection 7 Audio Connection 8 Typical Connection Guide 9 Chapter 2 Control Description Contol Description Intro 10 MC2 1 5 11 Monitor Calibration 16 Mix Checking Tips 20 Chapter 3 General Information If a fault develops 23 Contacting Drawmer 23 Specification 23 Block Diagram 24 DRAW COPYRIGHT This manual is copyrighted 2013 by Drawmer Electronics Ltd With all rights reserved Under copyright laws no part of this publication may be reproduced transmitted stored in a retrieval system or translated into any language in any form by any means mechanical optical electronic recording or otherwise without the written permission of Drawmer Electronics Ltd ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY Drawmer Electronics Ltd warrants the Drawmer MC2 1 Monitor Contro
3. Whether you are installing one two or three sets of speakers it is imperative that your system is calibrated not only to centre the stereo image and to ensure that all speaker levels are the same but also to ensure that you are mixing your music at industry standard listening levels The MC2 1 can calibrate the speakers of any system as it has individual rotary level trim controls for every speaker attached found on the under side of the product The following method is by no means the only way to calibrate your system and a quick look on the internet will soon find many others but is a good starting point Before beginning the procedure there are a couple of things that you will require Sound Pressure Level SPL Meter Unfortunately it is virtually impossible to measure the level of sound from each speaker by ears alone A good instrument that does a more accurate job is a Sound Pressure Level meter SPL Meters come in two varieties with an analog meter or with a digital display either works well just choose your prefered type You can purchase an SPL meter from most electronic stores or search the internet in stores such as Amazon with prices ranging from 25 to 800 Radio Shack is a good source for reasonably priced SPL meters in the USA though to get better results you may consider a more expensive SPL meter such as Galaxy Gold Line Nady etc The ideal meter should have the industry standard C weighted curve
4. UK Alternatively contact us by E mail on tech drawmer com Further information on all Drawmer dealers Authorised service departments and other contact information can be obtained from our web pages on http www drawmer com SPECIFICATION Note These specfications are provisional and may alter slightly upon product release INPUT Maximum Input Level 21dBu OUTPUT Maximum Output Level before clipping 27dBu DYNAMIC RANGE unity gain 118dB CROSSTALK L R 1kHz gt 85dB Adjacent Input gt 95dB THD amp NOISE unity gain OdBu input 0 0014 FREQUENCY RESPONCE 20Hz 20kHz 0 2dB PHASE RESPONSE 20Hz 20kHz 2degrees max POWER REQUIREMENTS 115V or 230V at 50 60Hz 20VA Voltage set by internal voltage switch FUSE RATING 115V T315mA 230V T160mA Conforming to IEC 127 2 FUSE TYPE 20mm x 5mm Class 3 Slo Blo 250Volt working CASE SIZE Depth with Controls amp Sockets 272mm Width 215mm Height with Feet 81mm WEIGHT 2 5kg MC2 1 Monitor Controller 23 ER DRAW Il ind LHS 102 1331 1 LHS 102 1331 Ref 1v01 A 22 05 13 ANOHdOXDIN MOVE WIVL jauueys 1 BLOCK DIAGRAM Drawmer Electronics Ltd Coleman Street Parkgate Rotherham South Yorkshire S62 6EL England Tel 44 0 1709 527574 Fax 44 0 1709 526871 Email tech drawmer com Web www drawmer com
5. especially during musical passages that would normally be quiet The volume knob circuit design incorporates a parallelled custom quad potentiometer for excellent channel matching and a smooth feel with a range from infinity to 12dB of gain Before you can make full effective use of the Volume control it is necessary to calibrate the entire monitoring system see the Monitor Calibration section this allows for accurate level control as well as left right balance throughout the knob s range Note that the actual output levels including the maximum output level and the position of unity gain 0 around the knob will alter depending on the calibration of the monitors WARNING It is recommended that you turn the volume control down to a lower level before turning the MC2 1 off this is to ensure that a sudden volume increase when turning on does not damage your speakers or your hearing 7 POWER LED A lit 2mm LED indicates that the unit is switched on To turn the MC2 1 on see the mains input section MC2 1 Monitor Controller 13 TALKBACK f WAE DRAWMER T A j HEZ an MERE LE KEKO MONO SPEAKER OUTPUTS INPUTS INPUTS The MC2 1 has four inputs comprising a I P1 a balanced Neutrik XLR 2 balanced Neutrik XLR jack combi combining a 3 pole XLR receptacle and 14 phone jack in one XLR housing and also AUX a shared input
6. a cd dvd recording checking a mix for balance and doing comparisons plus a multitude of other tasks you ll have spent weeks designing the perfect studio environment and a fortune on active speakers dynamics processors various microphone and preamplifier combinations as well as a whole room full other gear one thing is for sure a monitor controller is central to every recording setup and probably the most important element of the entire signal chain providing the reference listening signal that enables the user to achieve the optimal mic placements the perfect balance and EQ etc There is one thing that should always be absolutely guaranteed that you can rely on the accuracy of your monitor controller It is imperative that what you ve recorded is exactly what you hear this is the philosophy that is at the heart of the design of the MC2 1 A monitor controller should certainly not degrade the quality of a recording in any way but it should not artificially improve it either otherwise how are you supposed to trust anything that you re recording You may have come across the term WYSIWYG as used in web design what you see is what you get we would like to think that the MC2 1 is the audio equivalent to this term What You Record Is What You Get Active vs Passive Circuits There is a great debate as to which is best a passive or active monitor control circuit The theory is that passive monitor con
7. are contributing to the sound the level of the bass seems to be over inflated To truly hear a monogised signal via one speaker the way everyone else will hear it the mono switch should be active but also either Left Cut or Right Cut should also be activated depending on preference location to derive the signal from a single location Listen to the Stereo difference or side signal A very useful facility of the MC2 1 is the ability to listen to the stereo difference or side signal very quickly and easily The side signal is the difference between the two channels and describes those elements that contribute to the stereo width Hearing the stereo difference is so simple using the MC2 1 with the stereo signal playing activate the Phase Reverse switch and then sum the left and right channels using the Mono switch in other words Left Right Its that simple Being able to audition the side signal is particularly useful for judging the quality and quantity of any ambience or reverberation in a stereo mix It is also an invaluable facility if the stereo recording has timing differences between channels such as caused by an azimuth error on a tape machine or for aligning a pair of desk channels for use with X Y stereo mic pairs In both cases listening for a deep cancellation null as the two signals cancel each other out is a very fast and accurate way of matching levels in each channel which is the basis of accurate alig
8. as opposed to connecting to pint The MC2 1 conforms to the EMC standards Ground Loops If ground loop problems are encountered never disconnect the mains earth but instead try disconnecting the signal screen on one end of each of the cables connecting the outputs of the MC2 1 to the patchbay If such measures are necessary balanced operation is recommended 8 TYPICAL CONNECTION GUIDE 104 OJ UO9 Q pwa y J 40 AINO IY EA 999 i 1 WIG Wi Sa 3 lt lt OL gt ANOHdGVSH MC2 1 Monitor Controller DRAWN ER CHAPTER 2 CONTROL DESCRIPTION As well as a transparent and precise signal path the MC2 1 Monitor Controller incorporates many impressive features which are invaluable to the sound engineer when listening to and examining the quality of the audio Three stereo balanced speaker outputs plus mono speaker sub woofer output with individual level control for level matching Comprehensive mix checking facilities Four simultaneously selectable inputs Two headphone amp
9. correct polarity phase inversion on a particular instrument can at times improve the way the instrument interacts with the rest of the mix by removing the phase cancellation Monogising Check your mix in mono often Just because a mix sounds good in stereo doesn t mean it will sound good when the left and right channels are combined Why should you Care if your mix sounds good in mono Well most live music venues and dance club sound systems are mono running the PA or sound system in mono is common practice to ensure music sounds good everywhere in the room because it removes the sweet spot and the complex phase issues of stereo In many cases the low frequencies will be put through a crossover and summed to mono before being sent to the sub such as in a home theatre system for example Monogising is also necessary when testing the audio for use on non standard applications such as for broadcast or mobile phone In addition monogising will highlight phase problems In some cases when you activate the Mono switch you may hear comb filtering which will colour the sound of your mix and cause peaks and dips in its frequency response When a stereo mix is combined into mono any elements that are out of phase will drop in level or may even disappear completely This could be because left and right outputs are wired out of phase but its more likely to be due to phase cancellation What causes phase cancellation Many stereo widening effe
10. 1 4 TRS jacks each with individual level control Note that they have their own level control and are not affected by the main large monitor volume knob In addition note that the headphones are not always affected by the switches in the same way as the monitor outputs The Source Controls I P1 2 and Aux and Output controls Phase Rev Mono and Dim affect the headphones in just the same way as the speakers however the Mute and L R Cut switches affect them differently see above Warning It is advisable to unplug the headphones before switching the MC2 1 on or off It is also recommended that you turn the headphone level down before inserting the jack and turn it up to your desired listening level these measures will not only prevent your ears from being damaged but also the headphone s drivers Also note that these are high quality circuits and have been designed for professional headphones so care must be taken when using lower standard consumer quality headphones such as earbuds or ipod phones etc as damage could occur 5 TALKBACK The MC2 1 has a dedicated talkback function including inbuilt microphone and gain level control Talkback Switch When active engages the inbuilt microphone and routes the operator s voice through the headphones and also to the output on the rear of the unit Remember to un latch the switch for normal operation 12 Talkback Level The knob adjusts the gain level of the tal
11. ING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON INFRINGEMENT PURCHASER S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY UNDER THIS WARRANTY SHALL BE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT AS SPECIFIED HEREIN IN NO EVENT WILLDRAWMER ELECTRONICS LTD LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT INDIRECT SPECIAL INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT INCLUDING LOST PROFITS DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW DAMAGE FOR PERSONAL INJURY EVEN IF DRAW MER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES Some states and specific countries do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties or limitations on how long an implied warranty may last so the above limitations may not apply to you This warranty gives you specific legal rights You may have additional rights that vary from state to state and country to country For the USA FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENT This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no gua
12. T TO CHANGE OR TAMPER WITH THE SUPPLIED MAINS CABLES WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE REPLACE THE MAINS FUSES ONLY WITH A FUSE THAT CONFORMS TO IEC127 2 250 VOLT WORKING TIME DELAY TYPE AND BODY SIZE OF 20mm x 5mm THE MAINS INPUT FUSE MUST BE RATED AT T315mA at 115V and T160mA at 315V In the interests of product development Drawmer reserve the right to modify or improve specifications of this product at any time without prior notice MC2 1 Monitor Controller 3 DRAWWER CHAPTER 1 MC2 1 Monitor Controller With the Drawmer MC2 1 Monitor Controller incorporated into your system you combine the clarity fidelity and transparency of the highest quality monitoring circuit with the complexity of a host of mix checking features It is versatile and intuitive but above everything else where the Drawmer MC2 1 excels is in it s accuracy and ability to faithfully reproduce what has been recorded 1 LEFT MUTE RIGHT A e et q n lt 2 SPEAKERS CUTTACK LEVEL h 1 AUX PHASE MONO DM oo max 0 HEADPHONE 1 SOURCE VOLUME e The MC2 1 incorporates four inputs with three stereo balanced speaker outputs plus a dedicated mono speaker sub woofer output each with individual left right trims under the unit to provide complete control over level matching The active circuit has been designed to faithfully produce the audio signal whilst removing many of the pro
13. blems that a passive circuit will bring In addition it has a host of mix checking features not often found on other controllers such as individual left right cut as well as two separate headphone amplifiers and a talkback facility making the MC2 1 a true engineers tool Drawmer MC2 1 Monitor Controller Features at a Glance low noise and transparent circuit design Linear power supply with low hum toroidal transformer and internal voltage selector switch m3 stereo balanced speaker outputs plus a dedicated mono speaker sub woofer output All have individual left amp right trims under the unit to provide complete control over level matching Timed relay protection on all speaker outputs to prevent power up down bangs Comprehensive mix checking facilities including Left Right Cut Phase Reverse Mono Dim Mute custom quad pots on main and headphone level controls for excellent channel matching and smooth feel m Four inputs including balanced Neutrik XLR balanced Neutrik XLR JACK COMBI and shared aux phono or 3 5mm jack Two headphone amplifiers with individual level controls m Built in talk back microphone with level control mono output jack and internal headphone routing Rugged steel chassis and stylish Black brushed aluminium cover be stacked and is rack mountable using a 2U mounting kit mDimensions 272mm W 215mm x 81mm Weight 2 5kg 4 Whether you re mastering
14. comprising of stereo RCA s and a 3 5mm stereo jack Each input is activated by the Source switches see Note that AUX is a shared input and if both inputs are used simultaneously the signal will be summed into one stereo signal however level matching will need to be controlled prior to the MC2 1 9 OUTPUTS Three stereo balanced speaker outputs A B and C plus a dedicated mono speaker sub woofer output MONO are found on the rear of the unit all in the form of Neutrik 3 pin XLR s Each of these outputs has an individual Left Right Mono trim potentiometer on the underside of the unit to enable easy and accurate monitor level room matching throughout see Monitor Calibration Each output is activated by the Speakers switches see 2 and can be activated individually or simultaneously and in any configuration 10 TALKBACK A dedicated talkback output be found on the rear panel in the form of a jack so that as well as being routed through the headphones a talkback signal can be routed to other devices at the engineers discretion This could usually be patched into the live room active monitor speakers for convenience when recording acoustic ensembles where the performers may not wish or need to wear headphones It could also be used as an added channel on a mixing desk to be patched into a multiple headphone amplifier along with the stereo mix for example The jack also allows for routing into a separa
15. cts and techniques such as chorus Simultaneous direct box and mic recording If you ve ever recorded a guitar simultaneously through a direct box and a microphone you may have noticed the time alignment problems this causes This type of situation can often be fixed by careful mic placement or realigning the waveform in a DAW Any situation where more that one microphone is used to record a source ona multi miked drumkit two mics may pick up exactly the same signal and cancel each other out It may sound unlikely but one handy tip is to adjust the panning of your drums whilst in mono suddenly all the phase cancellation of the drums will improve and sound even better when reverted back to stereo MC2 1 Monitor Controller 21 DRAWMER Listening in mono also highlights problems with the stereo width and balance of the mix and is more apparent when you use a lot of stereo widening or width enhancing techniques and tools Switching mono in and out fairly quickly may make it apparent that the centre of the mix is shifting to the left or right something that may go unnoticed if only working in stereo True Mono As a mono signal would normally originate from a single source it would be wrong to simply activate the mono switch as both left and right speakers are still active When you listen to a mono signal on two speakers you hear a false or phantom image which is derived midway between the speakers but because both speakers
16. d rather than only attenuated making subtle problems within the mix such as noise at low levels or unwanted harmonics more obvious and easier to iron out especially during passages that would normally be quiet Here There and Everywhere Listen to your mix on as many systems as possible The three monitor outputs allows for the addition of a non standard testing setup i e the system could be forced to emulate low quality domestic reproduction systems as well as car speakers or a portable radio by incorporating limited bandwidth speakers to output C In such conditions you may find that an instrument drops out of the mix or another is too prominent and adjustment to the mix need to be made For best results calibrate the speakers to match the output level of the rest of the system 20 Cut It Out Using the left and right cut switches will highlight the stereo balance of each channel In stereo the mix sounds ok however it may be that you want an instrument to be panned so far left that it doesn t occur at all in the right channel by cutting the left and only hearing the right channel you will hear whether the instrument bleeds across and panning adjustment can be made Phase Reverse Make use of the phase reverse switch If the sound doesn t become less focussed when the polarity is flipped then there is something wrong somewhere Not only will the switch help confirm that the monitor speakers are wired up in the
17. desired level 12 To calibrate each speaker repeat steps 7 to 11 replacing the speaker on step 7 for each set A B or C 13 To calibrate the sub play the 40 80Hz signal but this time have only Speaker A active Left and Right Cut need not be active as the frequency of the signal is limited to only the sub 14 On the underside of the MC2 1 increase the Mono trim increasing the volume of the sub until the desired SPL meter reading is reached 15 Repeat steps 7 to 12 whilst playing the full bandwidth pink noise and adjusting to suit The readings should be pretty close and only require fine adjustment 16 You are finished and the calibration process has been completed The volume control will have a few dB s of headroom so care must be taken to both your hearing and system when increasing the volume passed the 12 o clock position As with all things that are calibrated it s a good idea to regularly check the calibration of your monitors to ensure that nothing has changed 1 1 1 2 MONO A B LEFT MONITOR OUTPUT TRIMS LEFT MONITOR OUTPUT TRIMS RIGHT MONITOR OUTPUT TRIMS A 1 RIGHT MONITOR OUTPUT TRIMS A B DRAWMER K2 MCR G MC2 1 Monitor Controller 19 DRAWMER Mix Checking Tips Due to the versatility of the MC2 1 and its thorough array of controls some very useful techniques for checking your mix can easily be achieved that can help improve t
18. e output level is attenuated by 20dB s It enables you to lower the volume without adjusting any of the settings MC2 1 Monitor Controller 11 DRAWMER Mix Checking cont Under the Cut heading three switches have been incorporated Left Cut Mute and Right Cut Left Cut Mutes the Left channel signal allowing only the right signal to be heard Right Cut Mutes the Right channel signal allowing only the left signal to be heard Mute Cuts both channels especially useful in an emergency If Left Cut and Right Cut are both active it is just the same as Mute being active Note that Cut Mute does not affect the headphones see in the same way as it does the speakers see 9 With the Mute switch active the headphones will still pass audio in just the same way as if it was off they are not affected This allows for someone to edit audio using headphones whilst a conversation is occurring in the control room for example Also note that when activating Left or Right Cut whilst using headphones the signal is not 100 panned one way or the other i e the signal centre moves to the side but is not completely removed from the opposite ear of the headphone this is so that the Left Right Cut sounds a little more natural after all if listening through speakers with only the left speaker active some of the signal well reach the right ear a few milliseconds later HEADPHONES The MC2 1 has two dedicated headphone outputs via
19. he balance within a mix pinpoint stereo width phase and mono problems and also aid when monogising The following are a few handy tips to help eradicate problems and bring about a balance within the mix Nottoo loud Give your ears a break Do not have the volume too loud frequent monitoring at anything above 90dB will only make your ears tired meaning that you won t really hear the problems that may be occurring and give you a false sense that the mix sounds and loud Also constant listening at anything above 100 will probably have a long term detrimental effect on your hearing Shhhh Get into a habit of listening to your mix at very low levels quite often Remember that not everyone listening to your song has music blasting out As well as giving your ears a break it will heighten problems in the mix Do the key elements have a good balance or are some instruments more prominent than they should be If something is too quiet or loud adjust its volume or use E Q to fix it If the mix sounds good at low levels it s likely that it will when loud Note that on the MC2 1 it is better to lower the volume level using the DIM switch and then turn the volume up rather than only turning the volume down as you maintain greater control over the volume as well as better left right channel matching Increase the Volume of Quiet Passages Because the MC2 1 circuitry is active it allows for the signal level to be increase
20. he potential to introduce noise and distortion Designing a clean monitor control system is far from simple however using only the very best components and clever circuit design with the Drawmer MC2 1 we have overcome all of these problems and managed to combine the best of both whilst retaining the transparency and responsiveness that a passive circuit would bring with the advantages of an active one MC2 1 Monitor Controller 5 DRAWMER INSTALLATION The MC2 1 is a free standing desktop unit with controls and headphone jacks on the front panel and all other inputs and outputs on the rear Multiple units can be stacked whilst sitting on the desk however the MC2 1 can be screwed to the desk or into a standard 19 rack using the optional bracket purchased separately Note that whether fixing to a desk or to a rack the speaker trims on the base of the unit will not be accessible and so the calibration procedure should be carried out before fastening the MC2 1 in place see Monitor Calibration 37 5 _ 140 0 37 5 Screwing the MC2 1 to a desk Rather than having the MC2 1 free standing it can be fastened down to a desk by utilising the holes that hold the rubber feet to the underside 56 0 Drill four holes into the desk at 4mm in diameter and to the dimensions as shown in the diagram Note that the diagram is viewed from above 1111111111111111 11111111111111111 134 0 Pushing fo
21. kback microphone It can be adjusted to compensate for the distance that the operator is from the microphone how loud his voice is or the volume of the underlying music played as well as several other factors TalkBack Microphone An electret condenser microphone as been incorporated into the MC2 1 and is located above the Talkback Level on the front panel Activating the Talkback automatically engages the Dim switch i e attenuates the volume by 20dB for the headphones 4 making it possible for the artist to clearly hear the instruction No other outputs are attenuated As well as the headphones the talkback signal is also routed to the direct talkback output jack on the rear of the unit 49 to be routed the engineers discretion To operate talkback press the talkback switch and then turn the gain level up until all those wishing to hear the operator s voice can De activate the switch after use 6 MONITOR VOLUME The Monitor Volume control adjusts the signal level of both stereo channels for all speaker outputs The Volume knob affects the volume of the monitors A plus the mono B amp C only and does not have a bearing on any other output such as the headphones or talkback jack Because the circuitry is active it allows for the signal level to be increased rather than only attenuated making subtle problems within the mix such as noise at low levels or unwanted harmonics for example more obvious and easier to iron out
22. lifiers with individual level controls Built in talkback microphone with level control mono output jack and internal headphone routing LEFT MUTE RIGHT DRAWER 2 TROLLER e N Q S AUX HEADPHONE 1 MADE IN ENGLAND R SPEAKER OUTPUTS INPUTS The MC2 1 Controls 1 SOURCE Three switches select which of I P1 2 AUX is heard see 8 Each be operated individually or simultaneously and in any combination When operated simultaneously the individual signals are summed into a single stereo signal Note that the MC2 1 does not provide individual level trims for the inputs and so any level matching should be applied before it reaches the MC2 1 SPEAKERS Three switches select which of the three speaker outputs A plus additional mono output B or C are heard see Q Each switch can be operated individually or simultaneously and in any combination and is perfect for performing A B comparisons between various monitor setups As the switches do not toggle between outputs when doing A B comparisons both of those switches should be pressed at the same time i e to compare speakers A and C with A active press both the A and C switches to swap the output to C active and then again to return to the previous setting this method can be used between all three outputs if required An additional benefit is derived when using sub bass If the s
23. ller to conform substantially to the specifications of this manual for a period of one year from the original date of purchase when used in accordance with the specifications detailed in this manual In the case ofa valid warranty claim your sole and exclusive remedy entire liability under any theory of liability will be to at Drawmer s discretion repair or replace the product without charge or if not possible to refund the purchase price to you This warranty is not transferable It applies only to the original purchaser of the product For warranty service please call your local Drawmer dealer Alternatively call Drawmer Electronics Ltd at 44 0 1709 527574 Then ship the defective product with transportation and insurance charges pre paid to Drawmer Electronics Ltd Coleman Street Parkgate Rotherham S62 6EL UK Write the RA number in large letters in a prominent position on the shipping box Enclose your name address telephone number copy of the original sales invoice anda detailed description of the problem Drawmer will not accept responsibility for loss or damage during transit This warranty is void if the product has been damaged by misuse modification unauthorised repair or installed with other equipment that proved to be faulty THIS WARRANTY IS INLIEU OF ALLWARRANTIES WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN EXPRESSED IMPLIED OR STATUTORY DRAWMER MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTY EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUD
24. ng altered by the size of the room this can alter essentially the smaller your room is the lower your listening level should be down to around 76dB The following table should give an idea of the sound pressure level to use for your environment Room Size SPL Reading Cubic Feet Cubic Metres gt 20 000 gt 566 10 000 to 19 999 283 to 565 5 000 to 9 999 142 to 282 1 500 to 4 999 42 to 141 lt 1 499 lt 41 Listening at appropriate levels for your specific environment will help maintain the integrity of your mixes as they move from one system to another in rooms of varying sizes DRAWMER OUTPUT OSA 25 9 OUTPONS INPUTS lt REAR OF MC2 1 BLeft ASub Woofer ARight B Right Right z 9 6 w All monitors have level trim control for complete level matching MC2 1 Monitor Controller 17 DRAWMER The Procedure 1 Begin by turning off the monitoring system and ensuring that all inputs and speakers are correctly connected 2 Set all DAW System controls to OdB unity gain this should be left at this setting from now on Remove all e g and dynamics from the signal path 3 If you have active speakers with their own level control or speakers with an amplifier set all of these to maximum so that they do not attenuate the signal 4 On the underside of the MC2 1 you will find the speaker calib
25. nment 22 CHAPTER 3 MC2 1 GENERAL INFORMATION IF FAULT DEVELOPS For warranty service please call Drawmer Electronics Ltd or their nearest authorised service facility giving full details of the difficulty A list of all main dealers can be found on the Drawmer webpages On receipt of this information service or shipping instructions will be forwarded to you No equipment should be returned under the warranty without prior consent from Drawmer or their authorised representative For service claims under the warranty agreement a service Returns Authorisation RA number will be issued Write this RA number in large letters in a prominent position on the shipping box Enclose your name address telephone number copy of the original sales invoice and a detailed description of the problem Authorised returns should be prepaid and must be insured All Drawmer products are packaged in specially designed containers for protection If the unit is to be returned the original container must be used If this container is not available then the equipment should be packaged in substantial shock proof material capable of withstanding the handling for the transit CONTACTING 1 AW HER Drawmer Electronics Lid will be pleased to answer all application questions to enhance your usage of this equipment Please address correspondence to Drawmer Technical Help line Coleman Street Parkgate Rotherham 62 6EL
26. or nearest mains input voltage is visible on the switch actuator The switch is located to the top right of the main circuit board between the mains I E C and toroidal transformer For conversion to 115Volt AC previously set to 230Volt AC 4a Exchange the 160mA fuse below the mains socket for a similar type rated at 315mA For conversion to 230Volt AC previously set to 115Volt AC 4b Exchange the 315mA fuse below the mains socket for a similar type rated at 160mA In all cases 5 Replace the top cover using the eight screws 6 Re connect to mains power source DRAWMER AUDIO CONNECTIONS XLR OUTPUT MALE XLR INPUT FEMALE IF GROUND HUM LOOPS OCCUR DISCONNECT 7 GROUND HERE ON ONE END OF CABLE IF GROUND HUM LOOPS OCCUR DISCONNECT GROUND ON gt ONE END OF CABLE COLD COLD HOT HOT SCREEN SCREEN 1 4 JACK BALANCED MONO 1 4 TALK BACK JACK UNBALANCED MONO GROUND HERE ON ONE END OF CABLE HOT COLD PHONO JACK 3 5mm HEADPHONE JACK RIGHT LEFT SCREEN SCREEN e Interference If the unit is to be used where it maybe exposed to high levels of disturbance such as found close to a TV or radio transmitter we advise that the unit is operated in a balanced configuration The screens of the signal cables should be connected to the chassis connection on the XLR connector
27. rantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turing the equipment off an on then the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one ofthe following measures Re orient or relocate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver Connectthe equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help Unauthorised changes or modification to this system can void the users authority to operate this equipment This equipment requires shielded interface cables order to meet FCC class B limit For Canada CLASS B NOTICE This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department of Communications CLASSE B AVIS Cet appareil num rique d passe pas les limites de la classe au niveau des missions de bruits radio lectriques fix s dans le R glement des signaux parasites par le minist re Canadien des Communications SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS CAUTION SERVICING DO NOT OPEN REFER ALL SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL WARNING TO REDUCE RISK OF FIRE ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO MOISTURE WARNING DO NOT ATTEMP
28. ration trims using a screwdriver initially set all of them to their full attenuation position by rotating each fully counter clockwise See photo opposite page 5 Set the large volume on the front of the MC2 1 to 12 O clock and leave it there throughout the calibration procedure this will be the position that provides the 85dB listening level from now 6 Turn the system on and play the 500 Hz 2 5 kHz bandwidth limited pink noise at 20 dBFS Select the required Source on the front of the MC2 1 I P1 2 or AUX You should not hear it yet Speaker Selection Left and Right ABC Cut DRAV MER ly monitor coriTROLLER A LEFT MUTE RIGHT SPEAKERS LEVEL e HEADPHON 1 P2 AUX PHASE MONO DIM a HEADPHONE 1 SOURCE OUTPUT TALKBACK VOLUME 7 Activate the A Speaker by having only the Speaker A switch active in the speakers section on the front panel 8 In order to hear only the Left A speaker remove the right speaker by activating the Righ Cut switch 9 On the underside of the MC2 1 rotate the Left A trim clock wise You will now start to hear the signal but only for that speaker Rotate until the SPL meter reads 85dB 10 In order to hear only the Right A speaker switch in Left Cut and deactivate the Right Cut 18 11 On the underside of the MC2 1 rotate the Right A trim clock wise until the SPL meter reads the
29. slow setting Refer to your meter s manual to learn how to select these settings If all else fails there are iphone Android apps that claim to be SPL meters whilst these are no where near the quality of a dedicated meter they are better than nothing Test files Test tones can either be generated through your DAW such as the Signal Generator plug in in Pro Tools but you can also download test calibration files from the internet if you search around wav files are prefered to mp3 s due to compression limited frequency range of mp3 s You can also purchase good quality reference CD s DVD s from various stores The tones required for this calibration process are 1 40Hz to 80Hz bandwidth limited pink noise file recorded at 20dBFS 2 500Hz to 2500Hz bandwidth limited pink noise file recorded at 20dBFS 3 Full bandwidth pink noise file recorded at 20dBFS 16 Holding the SPL Set the meter to C weighted and on the slow scale Start by sitting in your normal mixing position hold the SPL meter at arm s length and at chest level with the microphone of the meter facing toward the monitor to be calibrated Maintain this position throughout the calibration process this could be easier if it is fixed via a stand and bracket and moved only to point at the relevant speaker The following method sets the sound pressure level to 85dB the standard listening level for film tv and music however due to the sound bei
30. te channel of a DAW or other recording facility to allow for information overdubs to be added to a recording 14 MAINS 1 AND POWER SWITCH The mains inlet I E C which also incorporates the internal mains fuse can be found on the rear of the unit A mains lead will have been provided with the MC2 1 to suit the mains configuration for the country of your purchase The power switch is located above the I E C and is used to switch the unit on and off This is a hard boot switch as opposed to a soft stand by switch and so when in the off position the MC2 1 will draw no mains power Note that a timed relay protection circuit has been incorporated into the MC2 1 to prevent bangs and other potentially harmful artifacts from occurring during power up and power down SPEAKER CALIBRATION TRIM CONTROLS On the under side of the MC2 1 there are seven rotary controls that allow the individual speaker level calibration of your system Each speaker output has a control including the mono sub To alter the speaker level use a small screwdriver to turn counter clockwise turns the speaker level down and clockwise up For the calibration process see the Monitor Calibration section of this manual Once the system has been calibrated these trims should not be touched UP2 AUX lt ot LEFT MONITOR OUTPUT TRIMS MC2 1 Monitor Controller 15 DRAWMER MONITOR CALIBRATION
31. trollers must be best since they do not add transformers or other components to the signal path along with the noise and distortion that they can bring however they have severe disadvantages over active circuits The most significant is that the output impedance of the connected source equipment and the input impedance of the power amp or active speaker will affect the workings of the passive controller each needs buffering to remain reliable and consistent otherwise level matching problems will be inevitable Since even the best cables have capacitance it is extremely important to keep cable lengths to an absolute minimum i e less than a couple of meters to avoid signal degradation especially in high frequency signals Long cables will act like a simple low frequency filter Furthermore it is incredibly difficult to get a mono signal from a passive circuit without affecting the sound so any kind of reliable mix checking becomes near impossible Active designs make it easier and more reliable to guarantee a high performance level as the signal attenuation and switching is actively buffered as well as providing complete control over distortions crosstalk frequency response and transient fidelity Moreover cable lengths of tens of meters should not be an issue Furthermore it makes it possible to introduce mix checking features that would otherwise be missing The disadvantage with active monitor controllers is that the electronics have t
32. ub bass is attached to output A delivering the lower frequencies outputs B and C could deliver the higher frequencies and allow for A B or in this case B Sub C Sub comparisons between the two monitor setups by pressing the B and C switches simultaneously and leaving A always active Note that each speaker output has individual level trimming on the base of the unit so that precise monitor level matching can be achieved see sections 9 amp and also the Monitor Calibration section 3 CHECKING The mix checking section comes under two headings Cut and Output and when used in conjunction with each other is a very thorough and versatile checking tool Under the Output heading three switches have been incorporated providing Phase Reverse Mono and Dim Phase Reverse Inverts the polarity of the signal on the Left Channel and is used primarily to outline any phase problems that may be occurring in the mix recording such as phase cancellation or an unbalanced stereo signal As the switch is toggled any phase issues will become more apparent and easier to identify Mono With the switch active both Left and Right stereo signals are combined into a single mono signal It is necessary when testing the audio to not only listen to the signal in stereo but also in mono It helps to outline problems in the mix but also when testing for use on non standard applications such as for broadcast or mobile phone Dim With the switch active th
33. ur screws through the under side of the desk screw the MC2 1 including the rubber feet to the panel to secure The screws should be and have a length of 14mm plus the thickness of the panel 60 0 POWER CONNECTION The MC2 1 unit will be supplied with a power cable suitable for domestic power outlets in your country For your own safety it is important that you use this cable to connect to the mains supply earth The cable must not be tampered with or modified The power supply socket has an integral fuse drawer containing the power fuse of the same value to suit the mains voltage for which the unit has been supplied Removal of the drawer is only possible with the power cord removed The fuse should never blow under normal operation If the fuse is suspected of having blown then a fault will have occurred and this fault condition should be inspected by a qualified service engineer When replacing the fuse always comply with the Safety Instructions If the unit is to be used with a mains input operating voltage different to that for which the unit is supplied the following procedure must be carried out by a technically competent person 1 Disconnect the unit from the mains 2 Using a number 1 size pozidrive screwdriver remove the eight screws that retain the top cover Two screws are found along each side and four on the top 3 With the cover removed slide the voltage change over switch S14 until the correct

MC2.1 Monitor Controller Operator`s Manual

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