Behringer XR4400 Owner's Manual
Contents
1. We Hear You AN behringer2. Range variable 0 to 80 dB Expander Section Type IRC Interactive Ratio Control expander Attack program dependent Ratio variable 1 1 to 1 4 Frequency variable 100 Hz to 10 kHz BW Bandwidth variable 2 3 to 0 7 oct 13 _MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual Monitor monitors the side chain key signal Filter activates the side chain filter Mode gate expander switch Couple activates the FlexLink function indicator signal is below threshold Hold indicator signal reaches the threshold indicator signal is above threshold Gain Reduction 8 segment LED display 1 3 6 10 15 20 30 40 dB LED indicator for each function switch Power Supply Mains Voltages USA Canada 120 V 60 Hz U K Australia 240 V 50 Hz Europe 230 V 50 Hz General Export Model 100 120 V 200 240 V 50 60 Hz Power Consumption max 20 Watts Fuse 100 120 V T 630 mA H 200 240 V T 315 mA H Mains Connection Standard IEC receptacle Dimension 44 5 x 483 x 217 mm 1 34 x 19x 8 Net Weight approx 2 2 kg approx 4 8 Ibs Shipping Weight approx 3 5 kg approx 7 7 lbs BEHRINGER is constantly striving to maintain the highest professional standards As a result of these efforts modifications may be made from time to time to existing products without prior notice Specifications and appearance may differ from those listed or shown behringer com
3. the signal has passed the threshold to recover from the applied gain reduction i e to reverse the control process Extremely short transients level peaks such as hand claps and percussive instruments etc require an extremely short attack time to prevent the expander from cutting the signal flanks and thus deteriorating the sound The new BEHRINGER developed UTR circuit Ultra Transient Response in combination with a high grade VCA allows for an extremely short response time in gate mode without audible switching noise as it is generated by many conventional designs Release time Another important parameter is the release time as it determines the time the gate needs to reduce the signal level by a certain amount after the signal has dropped below the threshold Hold time The hold time parameter enables you to delay the starting point of the release process In particular when processing frequently interrupted signals such as vocals an additional hold time parameter is indispensable to prevent the gate from switching off and back on during signal pauses 5 2 3 IAC circuit Interactive Attack Control The MULTIGATE PRO features an IAC circuit Interactive Attack Control which analyzes the program material to calculate the attack time by way of interaction so that the hold release process is triggered automatically depending on the program material This is the reason why the MULTIGATE PRO does not need a dedicated attack
4. E ET hot ve 0 7 octaves so as to realize even extremely narrow band filter settings eet ada aoe aay eek ay Se te The FILTER control activates the parametric sidechain filter To edit this filter there you can use the frequency and BW control The MONITOR switch establishes a link between the sidechain control signal and the audio output As it also mutes the audio input signal the user can pre monitor the parametric filter output which makes it easier to tune the filter by ear Please note that the MONITOR switch disables the channel s audio signal input Balanced use with XLR connectors gt 1 ground shield Use the THRESHOLD control to set the threshold point of the expander 2 hot ve gate function within a range from BYPASS to 10 dBu Signals below the age threshold are reduced in level When the signal drops below the threshold the hold release function starts reducing the signal to a level adjustable with the RANGE RATIO control A Please note that the MULTIGATE PRO enters bypass mode when the THRESHOLD control is set to its left stop position i e all processing ea ln functions are disabled and the signal is routed directly from the input to the output Fig ene pug types 6 This traffic light LED chain shows the current operating mode of the unit the LED red indicates that the sidechain signal is below the threshold the HOLD LED yellow informs you tha
5. Output Cable Input Pin 1 Ground Shield Pin 2 Signal Signal Hum Positive Hum Signal Signal Hum Pin 3 Signal Negative gt Hum Signal 2 x Signal Signal 6 dB RFI and Hum Fig 3 1 Compensation of interference with balanced connections 7 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual O aie Han ade gabs SE sa en O O MULIGATES PARAMETRIC SC FITER Moea o Papa SC AL m armen ame 2 DEE PARAETRE a N ene PARAMETE SC u SORE 3 6 0008 605600 00 ol Se Fig 4 1 MULTIGATE PRO front panel Unbalanced TS connector 4 Co ntro l S strain relief clamp The BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO has four channels Each of these channels is To ___ sleeve equipped with 3 or 4 push buttons 6 rotary controls and 11 LEDs 4 i ar 4 1 The front panel control elements 6 en THRESHOLD GAIN REDUCTION pay lt 40 30 20 15910 mus EEIN Imi tip Balanced 14 TRS connector strain relief clamp gt O e sleeve Fig 4 2 Control elements on the front panel sleeve The FREQUENCY control determines the lower limit frequency of the 7 ri ground shield sidechain filter and covers a range from 100 Hz to 10 kHz ring The BANDWIDTH control determines the slope or bandwidth of the in sidechain filter The bandwidth can be set within a range from 2 3 to
6. adjusted hold time has expired the gate closes the audio channel depending on how the release function has been set Please note that this control can be used in gate mode only RELEASE control available in GATE mode only Many percussion instruments have long decay times e g cymbals As the release time can be adjusted on the MULTIGATE PRO the device allows you to follow the decay curve of the instrument so that its overall sound character will be retained In this way you can avoid that short release times affect the natural decay phase of the instrument or its corresponding reverb ambiance Slowly decaying or heavily reverberated signals are best processed with long release times You will note that with most drum sounds a short release time should be used for the sake of acoustic separation while longer release times are usually better for cymbals and tom toms Once all control elements have been set properly your percussion sounds will be mu dry powerful and acoustically well defined Please note that this control can be used in gate mode only RANGE control The RANGE control determines the amount of maximum attenuation of the audio signal When you process instruments with long decay times it will be helpful to set the RANGE control to mid travel position so that the signal will not be suppressed completely Although the MULTIGATE PRO allows for a maximum gain reduction of 80 dB it is usually no
7. cart stand tripod bracket or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus When a cart is used use caution when moving the cart apparatus combination to avoid LA injury from tip over 13 Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods oftime 14 Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way such as power supply cord or plug is damaged liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture does not operate normally or has been dropped 15 The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket outlet with a protective earthing connection 16 Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is used as the disconnect device the disconnect device shall remain readily operable LEGAL DISCLAIMER TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND APPEARANCES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE AND ACCURACY IS NOT GUARANTEED BEHRINGER KLARK TEKNIK MIDAS BUGERA AND TURBOSOUND ARE PART OF THE MUSIC GROUP MUSIC GROUP COM ALL TRADEMARKS ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS MUSIC GROUP ACCEPTS NO LIABILITY FOR ANY LOSS WHICH MAY BE SUFFERED BY ANY PERSON WHO RELIES EITHER WHOLLY OR IN PART UPON ANY DESCRIPTION PHOTOGRAPH OR STATEMENT CONTAINED HEREIN COLORS AND SPECIFICATIONS MAY VARY FROM ACTUAL PRODUCT MUSIC GROUP PRODUCTS ARE SOLD THR
8. certain level of inherent noise Current flowing through a conductor leads to uncontrolled random electron movements For statistical reasons this produces frequencies within the whole audio spectrum If these currents are highly amplified the result will be perceived as noise Since all frequencies are equally affected we term this white noise It is fairly obvious that electronics cannot function without components Even if special low noise components are used a certain degree of basic noise cannot be avoided This effect is similar when replaying a tape The non directional magnetic particles passing the replay head can also cause uncontrolled currents and voltages The resulting sound of the various frequencies is heard as noise Even the best possible tape biasing can only provide signal to noise ratios of about 70 dB which is not acceptable today since the demands of listeners have increased Due to the laws of physics improving the design of the magnetic carrier is impossible using conventional means 1 1 2 What are audio dynamics A remarkable feature of the human ear is that it can detect the most wide ranging amplitude changes from the slightest whisper to the deafening roar of a jet plane If one tried to record or reproduce this wide spectrum of sound with the help of amplifiers cassette recorders records or even digital recorders CD DAT etc one would immediately be restricted by the physical limitations of elec
9. equipment from signal overload 1 1 4 Expanders Noise gates Audio in general is only as good as the source from which it was derived The dynamic range of signals will often be restricted by noise Synthesizers effects devices guitar pickups amplifiers etc generally produce a high level of noise hum or other ambient background hiss which can disturb the quality of the program material Normally these noises are inaudible if the level of the desired signal lies significantly above the level of the noise This perception by the ear is based on the masking effect noise will be masked and thus becomes inaudible as soon as considerably louder sound signals in the same frequency band are added Nevertheless the further the level that the desired signal decreases the more the noise floor becomes a disturbing factor Expanders or noise gates offer a solution for this problem these devices attenuate signals when their amplitudes drop thereby fading out the background noise Relying on this method gain controlling amplifiers like expanders can extend the dynamic range of a signal and are therefore the opposite of a compressor In practice it is shown that an expansion over the entire dynamic range is not desired With an expansion ratio of 1 5 and a processed dynamic range of 30 dB an output dynamic range of 150 dB will be the result exceeding all subsequent signal processors as well as human hearing Therefore the amplitude con
10. etc Future oriented BEHRINGER technology Our MULTIGATE range of devices has been a hit ever since we introduced our first model several years ago This expander gate is based on many years of experience and findings in psychoacoustics and is used throughout the world in renowned studios sound reinforcement systems as well as in broadcast and television studios It was a real challenge to improve the well known MULTIGATE even further and we are proud of our success Compared to its predecessor models the MULTIGATE PRO not only has additional features but also comes with dramatically improved functionalities For example it now has a parametric filter enabling you to accurately set the trigger frequencies while the FlexLink system allows for great flexibility when linking the device s individual channels in a master slave configuration Basically quadruple gates are not a new invention However packing four simple noise gates into one enclosures usually means a compromise in terms of ease of operation and functionality Too many control elements make such a device impossible to handle and if you sacrifice crucial functions for the sake of easy operation the range of useful applications is restricted considerably The BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO is a quadruple expander gate with a maximum of functionalities and can still be operated conveniently Interactive functions make it easy and efficient to specifically process any kind of program
11. the mains Please also note the instructions given in the Installation chapter 5 AUDIO IN These are the audio inputs of your MULTIGATE PRO available both as balanced 6 3 mm jack and XLR connectors 19 AUDIO OUT These are the audio outputs of your MULTIGATE PRO Matching phone jack and XLR connectors are wired in parallel 5 Technical Background 5 1 EXPANDER mode As already described a so called downward expander automatically reduces the overall level of all signals that drop below an adjustable threshold and thus expands the dynamic range of the program material In other words an expander is the opposite of a compressor Expanders usually work with a relatively flat ratio curve to fade out the signal smoothly Noise gates are a special form of expander using a much steeper ratio curve to abruptly cut the signal when it drops below the threshold As expanders and gates are quite similar in what they do the following description of expanders and their functionalities also applies to noise gates amplitude audio signal masked noise audible noise output threshold time Fig 6 1 Expander mode 5 2 Interactive control functions Like the COMPOSER INTELLIGATE MULTICOM and others the MULTIGATE PRO uses the newly developed INTERACTIVE principle based on a chain of intelligent control functions For example the IRC expander Interactive Ratio Control does not use a fixed ratio curv
12. work and inaudible expansion of the program material 4 2 The rear panel elements The RANGE RATIO control performs a dual function depending on the position of the MODE switch i e depending on the operating mode of the unit gate or expander the RANGE RATIO control determines the maximum amount of gain reduction or the expansion curve In gate mode this control adjusts the RANGE determining the amount of maximum gain reduction from 0 dB to 80 dB In expander mode it works as a RATIO control setting the expansion ratio The ratio function determines the input vs output level ratio for all signals below the threshold The setting range is from 1 1 to 1 4 The 8 digit GAIN REDUCTION meter informs you about the current amount of gain reduction within a range from 1 to 40 dB When you press the COUPLE switch this channel is automatically configured asa slave channel Its left neighbor becomes the master now controlling both channels in all their parameters Q 0 00 AAO ee Q TOO 00n INPUTS 3 SAO INPUTS 2 maw OR a Fig 4 3 Rear panel elements FUSE HOLDER VOLTAGE SELECTOR Please make sure that your local voltage matches the voltage indicated on the unit before you attempt to connect and operate the MULTIGATE PRO Blown fuses may only be replaced by fuses of the same type and rating 4 MAINS CONNECTION Use the enclosed power cord to connect the unit to
13. OUGH AUTHORIZED FULLFILLERS AND RESELLERS ONLY FULLFILLERS AND RESELLERS ARE NOT AGENTS OF MUSIC GROUP AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO AUTHORITY TO BIND MUSIC GROUP BY ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED UNDERTAKING OR REPRESENTATION THIS MANUAL IS COPYRIGHTED NO PART OF THIS MANUAL MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING AND RECORDING OF ANY KIND FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MUSIC GROUP IP LTD ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2013 MUSIC Group IP Ltd Trident Chambers Wickhams Cay P 0 Box 146 Road Town Tortola British Virgin Islands LIMITED WARRANTY For the applicable warranty terms and conditions and additional information regarding MUSIC Group s Limited Warranty please see complete details online at www music group com warranty 4 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual 1 Introduction With the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO you purchased a dynamics processor of the high end class designed to meet highest requirements professional recording broadcast and television studios CD and digital production facilities etc Its complete range of features and innovative circuit topology make the MULTIGATE PRO an all purpose device for reducing noise in audio recordings for automatically muting stage mics expanding the dynamic range of compressed recordings improving the signal to noise ratio of noisy communications systems and for producing special effects
14. control 5 2 4 RANGE function On the MULTIGATE PRO the dynamic processing is controlled by a high grade VCA with a working range of more than 100 dB i e the input signal can be reduced in level by as much as 100 dB For most applications however it is neither desirable nor necessary to cut the signal completely after it has dropped below the threshold In particular when processing signals with lots of background noise this would result in abrupt and audible control processes that are less likely to enhance the overall sound quality For this reason the MULTIGATE PRO is equipped with a RANGE control that allows you to limit the maximum gain reduction applied Thus you can use smaller amounts of gain reduction making it possible to retain the natural sound of the program material in particular with signals that contain plenty of interference noise 5 2 5 IRC circuit Interactive Ratio Control In conventional expanders the control processes cut the signal abruptly below the threshold which usually leads to less satisfying results because the onset of the control function becomes audible When inaudible expansion is needed it is therefore better to use a soft knee characteristic around the threshold point that allows for a smoother transition The BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO uses the newly developed IRC expander Interactive Ratio Control whose attack time and ratio characteristics vary automatically depending on the progra
15. d to dripping or splashing liquids and no objects filled with liquids such as vases shall be placed on the apparatus Caution These service instructions are for use by qualified service personnel only To reduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any servicing other than that contained in the operation instructions Repairs have to be performed by qualified service personnel Read these instructions Keep these instructions Heed all warnings Follow all instructions Do not use this apparatus near water Clean only with dry cloth NA Sw NS Do not block any ventilation openings Install in accordance with the manufacturer instructions 8 Do notinstall near any heat sources such as radiators heat registers stoves or other apparatus including amplifiers that produce heat 9 Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding type plug A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet 10 Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the apparatus 11 Use only attachments accessories specified by the manufacturer 12 Use only with the
16. d warranty Or just use our online registration behringer com 3 1 Rack mounting The BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO fits into one standard 19 rack unit of space 1 34 Please allow at least an additional 4 depth for the connectors on the back panel Be sure that there is enough air space around the unit for cooling and please do not place the MULTIGATE PRO on high temperature devices such as power amplifiers etc to avoid overheating 3 2 Mains voltage Before you connect your MULTIGATE PRO to the mains please make sure that your local voltage matches the voltage required by the unit The fuse holder on the female mains connector has 3 triangular markers with two of these triangles opposing each other Your MULTIGATE RPO is set to the operating voltage printed next to these markers and can be set to another voltage by turning the fuse holder by 180 CAUTION this instruction does not apply to export models exclusively designed e g for 115 V operation 3 3 Audio connections The audio inputs and outputs on the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO are fully balanced If possible connect the unit to other devices in a balanced configuration to allow for maximum interference immunity Please ensure that only qualified persons install and operate the MULTIGATE PRO During installation and operation the user must have sufficient electrical contact to earth Electrostatic charges might affect the operation of the MULTIGATE PRO
17. e but varies this curve depending on the input level and the setting of the THRESHOLD control 9 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual The following chapter describes the interactive control functions in full detail 5 2 1 THRESHOLD control The THRESHOLD control determines the threshold point and disables the respective channel As it covers a very wide setting range it can be easily adapted to any operating level Input levels above the adjusted threshold point pass the circuit unprocessed However as soon as the input signal drops below the threshold dynamics processing sets on Simple noise gates usually have a control to set the switch on and switch off thresholds but must perform their task without any dedicated control elements that allow for varying the envelopes The BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO however is equipped with all necessary control options The following section makes clear why it is so important to be able to adjust these parameters 5 2 2 Attack release and hold times The BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO is equipped with a MODE switch as well as a HOLD and RELEASE control to adjust the time domain parameters that determine the so called envelope amplitude attack hold release 1 time Fig 6 2 Principle of envelope function Attack time The quality of an expander gate is largely determined by the speed of its attack function rise time This parameter defines the time the expander needs after
18. ecsssccsneeesseees 10 6 Applications ureoooseensnnennsnnensnnuensnunsnnnnnssnnsnsununennnee 10 6 1 Basic SEtt N Gassini 10 6 2 Proper positioning of microphones ssssssssssssssssssssss 11 6 3 Applications siisii 12 7 SpecificationS ss csssssonssgnsensisessnssessssussossensnsss ssensnsise 12 3 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual Important Safety Instructions EN CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN ATTENTION RISQUE D ELECTROCUTION NE PAS OUVRIR Terminals marked with this symbol carry electrical current of sufficient magnitude to constitute risk of electric shock Use only high quality professional speaker cables with 14 TS or twist locking plugs pre installed All other installation or modification should be performed only by qualified personnel This symbol wherever it appears alerts you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside the enclosure voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock This symbol wherever it appears alerts you to important operating and maintenance instructions in the accompanying literature Please read the manual Caution To reduce the risk of electric shock do not remove the top cover or the rear section No user serviceable parts inside Refer servicing to qualified personnel Caution To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock do not expose this appliance to rain and moisture The apparatus shall not be expose
19. enue MULTIGATE 7 RE padi EXPANDER GATE ns as uo INTERACTIVE auan expanner cate K gt behringer User Manual MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 Reference Class 4 Channel Expander Gate behringer 2 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual EX Table of Contents Important Safety Instructions cursonsonssrsonssnnsonsnnnnnne 3 Legal Disclaimer ossoussorsonssnssonsnnssonsnnssonsnnsonssnnsnnnnnne 3 Limited warranty csssossossonssnnsnnsnnnsnnsonsnnnsonsnnnsnnsonnnnnnne 3 1 Introduction ssorsoosssonssonennnnsnonenunennnssnnnennnennnsnnenen 4 1 1 Technical background 4 2 The Design Concept 2 1 High quality components and design 6 2 2 INPUTS and oufp ts usieaiesenunnn 6 3 Installation cosssonssonesoonsnonenonennnnsnnnssonsnnnennnnennnener 6 3 1 Rack MOUNTING nararanasan 6 3 2 Mains voltage an een 6 3 3 Audio connections uuasssensenssenssensssennssennssensssennseenn 6 4 Controls sesscosesssseseussonsansosssnsssunssnssssssssuensunsensanssensnene 7 4 1 The front panel control elements 7 4 2 The rear panel elements unessessessensseensseensseennseene 8 5 Technical Background u sssorsnssonssnnsnnennennennnsnnsnne 8 5 1 EXPANDER mode sssssssscssseessteccseccssccssecceseecsnecsseesnseesee 8 5 2 Interactive control functions 8 5 3 FLEXLINK function unassessenssensssensssensssensseunsssennsennneen 10 5 4 The SIDECHAIN filter ssssccssscssssccsssccssecsss
20. et so that the drum sound can be separated cleanly just as if the instrument were played alone 6 3 2 Reducing crosstalk in stage microphones The MULTIGATE PRO can be used in a variety of live stage and multimicrophone applications a moderately set expander can effectively suppress background noise or the noise build up that is typically produced by compressors as well as crosstalk between microphones etc without causing other unwanted side effects Typically an expander can be used to process vocal tracks Particularly when using a compressor the distance between singer and microphone is of crucial importance As the distance increases more and more disturbing background noise is picked up You should therefore use the expander function to fade out unwanted interference noise inaudibly during signal pauses In live situations you can eliminate bleeding for instance from drum to piano tracks or clean your recordings from other acoustic pollution If you do not have enough microphones or MULTIGATE PRO to record each instrument separately try forming so called subgroups comprise the snare and middle toms side toms kick drum and cymbals in one group using the subgroup facilities on your mixing console The goal is to position the group s microphones and to adjust the expander so that with each hit on a specific instrument only one microphone opens thus transmitting only one specific instrument while the remain
21. he instruments is normally filled up with noise produced by adjacent instruments or room reverb which makes it difficult or even impossible to separate microphones acoustically This unwanted crosstalk effect can be accurately eliminated with the MULTIGATE PRO 11 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual Adjust all controls and switches to the following basic settings MONITOR switch OUT SC FILTER switch OUT THRESHOLD switch fully clockwise HOLD control center position RELEASE control center position MODE switch GATE RANGE RATIO control fully counter clockwise Tab 6 1 Initial settings of the MULTIGATE PRO THRESHOLD control Now turn the THRESHOLD control counter clockwise until the lowest signal delivered by the instrument you wish to record triggers the expander and is reproduced without any sound deterioration The LED lights up as soon as the expander is triggered When everything s set up properly you will hear the instrument clearly stand out against the overall sound image HOLD control available in GATE mode only The program material e g speech vocal recordings often contains many and sometimes very short signal pauses which could switch the gate off and back on over and again The hold function prevents this annoying flutter effect known from conventional designs simply by delaying the starting point of the release process Thus the gate remains on during short signal pauses When the
22. he principal function used in these devices is dependent on an automatic gain control as mentioned in the previous section which reduces the amplitude of loud passages and therefore restricts the original dynamics to a desired range This application is particularly useful in microphone recording techniques to compensate for level changes which are caused by varying microphone distances Although compressors and limiters perform similar tasks one essential point makes them different Limiters abruptly limit the signal above a certain level while compressors control the signal gently over a wider range A limiter continuously monitors the signal and intervenes as soon as the level exceeds a user adjustable threshold Any signal exceeding this threshold will be immediately returned to the adjusted level A compressor also monitors the program material continuously and has a certain threshold level With compression in contrast to the action of a limiter signals are not reduced in level abruptly once the threshold has been exceeded but are returned to the threshold gradually The signal is reduced in gain relative to the amount the signal exceeds this point Generally threshold levels for compressors are set below the normal operating level to allow for the upper dynamics to be musically compressed For limiters the threshold point is set above the normal operating level in order to provide reliable signal limiting to protect subsequent
23. ing microphones remain muted 6 3 3 Reducing feedback in stage microphones As soon as a singer sings into his her microphone background noise is masked and thus not perceived During signal pauses however the microphone picks up the noise from PA and monitor speakers which can lead to torturing feedback By inserting the MULTIGATE PRO into the vocal channel and by adjusting it to mute the microphone when it is not in use you can reduce the risk of feedback in this particular channel Basically this configuration should be used for all stage microphones 7 Specifications Audio Input Connectors XLR and 1 4 jack Type RF filtered servo balanced input Impedance 50 kOhm balanced 25 kOhm unbalanced 21 dBu balanced and unbalanced typ 40 dB gt 55 dB 1 kHz Audio Output Max Input Level CMRR Connectors XLR and 1 4 jack Type Electronically servo balanced output stage Impedance 60 Ohms balanced 30 Ohm unbalanced 21 dBu 20 dBm balanced and unbalanced System Specifications Max Output Level Frequency Response 18 Hz to 30 kHz 3 dB Noise gt 95 dBu unweighted 22 Hz to 22 kHz THD 0 008 typ 4 dBu 1 kHz Gain 1 IMD 0 01 typ SMPTE Crosstalk lt 100 dB 22 Hz to 22 kHz Type UTR Ultra Transient Response gate Threshold variable BYPASS to 10 dBu Attack program dependent Hold variable 0 to 4 sec Release variable 50 ms to 4 sec
24. l in its dynamic range Side chain filter section When several microphones are used for example to pick up a drum set crosstalk between microphones can lead to unwanted triggering of the gate The built in parametric sidechain filter of the MULTIGATE PRO allows the user to accurately select the frequencies causing the trouble so that the device responds to these frequencies only The monitor function can be used to pre monitor the filter making it easier to adapt the circuitry to the acoustic properties of the program material FlexLink system An innovative couple function gives you great flexibility to synchronize the expander gate sections in a master slave configuration The following operational manual will introduce you to the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO and its various functions After reading the manual carefully make sure it is always on hand for future reference 1 1 Technical background By employing current modern analog technology it is possible to manufacture audio equipment with a dynamic range of up to 130 dB In contrast to analog techniques the dynamic range of digital equipment is approximately 25 dB less With conventional record and tape recorder technology as well as broadcasting this value is further reduced Generally dynamic restrictions are due to noisy storage in transmission media and also the maximum headroom of these systems 1 1 1 Noise as a physical phenomenon All electrical components produce a
25. llow for an extreme packing density plus the unit s reliability could be improved Additionally the unit is manufactured in compliance with a IS09000 certified management system 2 2 Inputs and outputs 2 2 1 Balanced inputs and outputs As standard the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO is installed with electronically servo balanced inputs and outputs The new circuit design features automatic hum and noise reduction for balanced signals and thus allows for trouble free operation even at high operating levels Externally induced mains hum etc will be effectively suppressed The automatic servo function recognizes the presence of unbalanced connectors and adjusts the nominal level internally to avoid level differences between the input and output signals correction 6 dB 3 Installation Your BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO was carefully packed in the factory and the packaging was designed to protect the unit from rough handling Nevertheless we recommend that you carefully examine the packaging and its contents for any signs of physical damage which may have occurred in transit Ifthe unit is damaged please do not return it to us but notify your dealer and the shipping company immediately otherwise claims for damage or replacement may not be granted Shipping claims must be made by the consignee Please take the time to complete and return the warranty card within 14 days of the date of purchase otherwise you will lose the right to the extende
26. ls in all their parameters Activating the COUPLE switch automatically disables all controls and switches of channel 3 except for the MONITOR switch Now the controls of channel 2 take over full control of channel 3 Similar to a stereo fader both channels work in sync To control channels 2 and 3 from channel 1 simply press the COUPLE switches of channel 2 and 3 5 4 The SIDECHAIN filter Each channel has a parametric filter whose frequency and quality bandwidth can be set precisely This tunable filter allows you to select and fade out specific frequencies that would otherwise lead to unwanted triggering of the expander circuit 5 4 1 The MONITOR function This switch links the sidechain control signal with the audio output while muting the audio input signal so that you can pre monitor the filter output and tune the parametric filter Please note that the channel s entire processing functions will be disabled when you press the MONITOR switch 6 Applications This chapter describes a few typical applications of the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO Starting from the basic setting shown below you can find solutions to most dynamics based problems Please take your time to study the following application examples thoroughly so as to be able to fully exploit the variety of features your MULTIGATE PRO offers Basically the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO can be used in three areas of application 1 Eliminating interference noise and su
27. m material The IRC expander is switched on with the MODE switch Low ratios and hence subtle expansion produce a smooth transition while higher ratios and heavy expansion result in a steeper transition between the characteristic curves This so called interactive i e nonlinear IRC characteristic is perfectly adapted to human hearing critical wanted signals around the threshold point are less expanded while interference signals with lower levels e g background noise are processed and faded out with a higher expansion ratio 10 _MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual output gain 0 dB threshold i l IRC curve lt 4 expander 1 8 lt 4 noise gate 1 00 input Fig 6 3 IRC characteristic curve The result is an expansion process that is less difficult to adjust and more tolerant towards wanted signals whose levels are only slightly above the level of the background noise 5 2 6 RATIO function The ratio of the input level change vs output level change after the onset of the control process i e after the signal has dropped below the threshold is called expansion ratio and can be set with the RATIO control RATIO settings from 1 1 2 through 1 4 give you smooth and exactly dosed downward expansion The RATIO scale printed on the front panel indicates the expansion ratio in decibels i e it shows you the decibels by which the output signal is cut for each reduction by one dB of the input
28. material while the need for adjustment work has been reduced drastically Each of the MULTIGATE PRO s four sections comprises an ultra fast gate a program dependent expander a filter section and high precision meters indicating both threshold point and gain reduction The IAC circuit Interactive Attack Control One of the MULTIGATE PRO s most outstanding features is the program dependent control of attack times The new IAC circuit Interactive Attack Control analyzes the program material to calculate the attack time by way of interaction so that the hold release process is triggered automatically depending on the program which is why the MULTIGATE PRO does not need a dedicated attack control Switchable gate expander function Another highlight of the MULTIGATE PRO is the switchable operating mode of gate and expander With the MODE function off the MULTIGATE PRO works in gate mode using an extremely fast attack time to gate all kinds of drum and synthesizer sounds without cutting their percussive edge In expander mode the device analyzes the shape and dynamic contents of the input signal to calculate the control time parameters It thus works as an interactive expander that adapts automatically to the program signal The result guitar sounds vocals and complex mix signals can be cleaned without audible clicks breathing or other detrimental effects Additionally you can freely expand any type of program materia
29. mic range When processing percussion sounds e g snare drum you can use downward expansion to create interesting effects for example by setting the threshold to about mid position so that only the lower part of the dynamics will be processed the signal decays unchanged until the adjusted threshold is reached and any subsequent signal portions are faded out with increasing attenuation 6 2 Proper positioning of microphones The main task of an expander is to separate unwanted background noise from the actual signal and to eliminate this noise inaudibly Understandably there must be a minimum difference in the levels of wanted signal and interference signal so as to be able to define a threshold point for the expander However the optimum operation of an expander depends on the proper choice and positioning of the microphones Be extremely careful when instruments with high frequency portions are played to the sides or back of a microphone with a cardioid polar pattern Most room microphones suffer from a deterioration of their directivity when picking up high frequencies For example with a sensitivity difference of not more than 2 3 dB around 5 10 kHz between the main and lateral axes cymbals can produce enormous crosstalk in tom tom microphones or the hi hats can mask the sound of the snare drum You should make optimum use of the specific directivity of a microphone to acoustically separate other instruments as perfec
30. o further improve the transmission quality by constantly monitoring the program material with the aid of a volume fader which manually levels the material During low passages the gain is increased during loud passages the gain is reduced Of course it is fairly obvious that this kind of manual control is rather restrictive it is difficult to detect signal peaks and it is almost impossible to level them out Manual control is simply not fast enough to be satisfactory r P dB A Clipping 20 4 o Headroom Operating level eN PPA perating 40 4 Effective SNR 60 4 80 4 Noise floor gt t N Fig 1 2 The interactive relationship between the operating level and the headroom The need therefore arises for a fast acting automatic gain control system which will constantly monitor the signals and which will always adjust the gain to maximize the signal to noise ratio without incurring signal distortion This device is called a compressor or limiter 1 1 3 Compressors Limiters By measuring the dynamic range of musical instruments in live recording situations you will find that extreme amplitudes occur which often lead to overload in subsequent signal processing equipment Especially in broadcasting and record cutting techniques these signal peaks can lead to heavy distortion To avoid this kind of distortion or for example to avoid loudspeakers being damaged by overload Compressors or Limiters are used T
31. ppressing crosstalk in multi channel or multi microphone configurations 2 Expanding the dynamic range of compressed program material refreshing sampled sounds and creating special effects and sounds 3 Using the MULTIGATE PRO as a de esser and to specifically eliminate interference noise from recordings as well as to reduce the risk of feedback in live situations 6 1 Basic setting Understandably there is no standard setting that suits all kinds of applications Rather the controls and switches must be set specifically for the application on hand However by studying the following practice oriented descriptions of typical applications you will soon develop a feel for how the various functions work 6 1 1 The gate function Gating is a so called high ratio expander function and represents the simplest function of the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO When the expander is operated with maximum gain reduction RANGE control fully to the left it works in hard gating mode The gate function is used to automatically mute single channels in multitrack mixdowns stage microphones currently not in use and to suppress background noise and crosstalk in multi track recordings In particular when processing percussive instrument the use of the hard gating function is recommended A few examples show you how to do it Electric signals from percussion instruments have a very short rise time The time between single hits on t
32. signal With a 1 1 ratio the output signal level is the same as the input signal level i e there is no signal change A ratio of 1 2 means that the output signal is reduced by 2 dB when the input signal drops below the threshold by 1 dB Accordingly with a ratio of 1 4 the output signal is cut in level by 4 dB when the input signal is 1 dB below the threshold 5 3 FLEXLINK function The four channels of the MULTIGATE PRO can be operated both independently of each other and in couple mode In particular when you record a choir it will be useful to couple the individual microphone channels For example when all microphones are controlled by one singer all vocals start and stop precisely at the same point of time Also when synchronizing several instruments inaccurate entries of individual musicians can be avoided To expand phase coherent stereo signals i e signals having the same phase itis imperative that the control processes be triggered simultaneously in both channels Due to the differences in perceived loudness between the left and right channels unwanted shifts with reference to the stereo basis would be produced The innovative FlexLink function implemented in the MULTIGATE PRO allows for a variety of couple options For example when you press the COUPLE switch of channel 3 this channel is automatically configured as a slave channel while its neighbor channel 2 becomes the master now controlling both channe
33. t the hold circuit release process has been activated while the LED green shows that the sidechain signal is above the threshold Never use unbalanced XLR connections with microphone cables as this would short circuit any phantom power transmitted over these cables The HOLD control determines the delay applied to the starting point of the release process after the signal has dropped below the threshold The setting range is 0 to 4 seconds 8 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual EN The HOLD control is enabled in GATE mode only The RELEASE control determines the time of the release process This process begins after the end of the hold phase and ends when the gain reduction adjusted with the RANGE control is achieved The setting range of the RELEASE control is from 0 05 to 4 seconds The RELEASE control is enabled in GATE mode only 9 The MODE switch is used to set the operating mode of the respective channel When the switch is out the corresponding section works as an ultra fast gate In this mode even percussive signals can be processed without any signal loss With the MODE function on the IRC expander Interactive Ratio Control is activated This interactive control function allows for the program dependent expansion of complex signals Both the attack time and the fade out characteristics ratio vary depending on the program material The agreeable results of this automatic process are less critical adjustment
34. t useful to reduce the signal level by this maximum amount In particular with highly noise affected signals we recommend that you use a signal attenuation of not more than 10 to 20 dB so that the onset of the gate function will not become too obvious 6 1 2 The expander function In contrast to the gate function the expander triggers a continuous attenuation of the signal as soon as it has dropped below the threshold RATIO control With the MODE switch in the MULTIGATE PRO works as an interactive expander The RATIO control determines the expansion curve For example when a piece of music was highly compressed during the recording session the lost dynamics can be restored through complementary expansion With a bit of feeling you can set the following controls by ear so that the original dynamics prior to the compression process will be restored We recommend that you set the RATIO control to about 1 1 2 through 1 2 to allow for a smooth expansion curve and that you adjust the THRESHOLD control so that the entire dynamic range of the music piece will be below the threshold point Now set the THRESHOLD control so that only the loudest passages of the program material surpass the threshold point LED flashes In the same way you can artificially expand the dynamic range of any instrument In particular when processing sampled sounds expansion can produce nice results because samplers usually have a highly limited dyna
35. tly as possible Do as best as you can to separate the sound sources acoustically simply by positioning the microphones correctly Yet in some applications even perfectly positioned microphones might not produce satisfying results With its side chain function the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO gives you the option of frequency selective expansion and thus another aid to ensure perfect acoustic separation of the sound sources 12 _MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual 6 3 Applications 6 3 1 Suppressing crosstalk in multi track applications One of the most frequent applications of an expander gate is the elimination of unwanted crosstalk between single channels during recording or playback In particular when recording acoustic drum sounds this type of application is frequently used because here several microphones closely positioned next to each other are used The high sound pressure levels of the individual instruments lead to crosstalk in adjacent microphones Frequency cancellations and a non defined sound comb filter effect are the result It has proven wise to use a separate microphone for each drum instrument and to gate each microphone channel Insert the BEHRINGER MULTIGATE PRO into the recording channel of the snare drum for example and adjust the device so that it responds only to hits on the snare drum Each single microphone should be optimally positioned before and the threshold of the respective channel should be s
36. trol is restricted to signals whose levels are below a certain threshold Signals above this threshold pass through the unit unchanged Due to the continuous attenuation of the signals below this threshold this kind of expansion is termed downward expansion The noise gate is the simplest form of an expander in contrast to the expander which continuously attenuates a signal below the threshold the noise gate cuts off the signal abruptly In most applications this method is not very useful since the on off transition is too drastic The onset of a simple gate function appears very obvious and unnatural To achieve inaudible processing of the program material it is necessary to be able to control the signal s envelope parameters 6 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual EN 2 The Design Concept 2 1 High quality components and design The philosophy behind BEHRINGER products guarantees a no compromise circuit design and employs the best choice of components The operational amplifiers NJM4580 which are used in the MULTIGATE PRO are exceptional They boast extreme linearity and very low distortion characteristics To complement this design the choice of components includes high tolerance resistors and capacitors detent potentiometers and several other stringently selected elements For the first time the MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 uses SMD technology Surface Mounted Device These sub miniature components known from aerospace technology a
37. tronic and acoustic sound reproduction technology The usable dynamic range of electro acoustic equipment is limited as much at the low end as at the high end The thermal noise of the electrons in the components results in an audible basic noise floor and thus represents the bottom limit of the transmission range The upper limit is determined by the levels of the internal operating voltages if they are exceeded audible signal distortion is the result Although in theory the usable dynamic range sits between these two limits it is considerably smaller in practice since a certain reserve must be maintained to avoid distortion of the audio signal if sudden level peaks occur Technically speaking we refer to this reserve as headroom usually this is about 10 20 dB A reduction of the operating level would allow for greater headroom i e the risk of signal distortion due to level peaks would be reduced However at the same time the basic noise floor of the program material would be increased considerably 5 MULTIGATE PRO XR4400 User Manual P dB A 140 4 120 4 100 4 80 4 5 a 60 1 o a 2 aok T 3 83 o g v 2 US s U zs Q Oo ao ny a E Se Fig 1 1 The dynamic range capabilities of various devices It is therefore useful to keep the operating level as high as possible without risking signal distortion in order to achieve optimum transmission quality It is possible t
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