Sound Performance Lab Parametric Equalizer User's Manual
Contents
1. Boost Cut 12 dB Bandwidth Q 1 0 Frequency 1kHz 0 035 24 OPTIMIZER Fig 22 Noise Measurement CCIR 468 83dB Boost Cut 12 dB Bandwidth Q 1 5 Frequency 1kHz NOISE MEASUREMENTS LLL um Noise Measurement CCIR 468 84dB Boost Cut 0 dB Bandwidth Q 1 5 Frequency 1kHz COMMON MODE REJECTION Fig 24 Common Mode Rejection of differential XLR Inputs Frequency range 20Hz to 100kHz CCMR 76 73dB OPTIMIZER 25 LIMITED WARRANIY HIT BE em A 1 PA F BE EIL SPL electronics GmbH hereafter called SPL products are warranted only in the country where purchased through the authorized SPL distributor in that country against defects in material or workmanship The specific period of this limited war ranty shall be that which is described to the original retail purchaser by the authorized SPL dealer or distributor at the time of purchase SPL does not however warrant its products against any and all defects 1 arising out of materials or workmanship not provided or furnished by SPL or 2 resulting from abnormal use of the pro duct or use in violation of instructions or 3 in products repaired or serviced by other than authorized SPL repair facilities or 4 in products with removed or defaced serial numbers or 5 in com ponents or parts or products expressly warranted by another manufacturer SPL agr2. even when all four filters are linked up Ihe Output control allows level adjustments to compensate for level changes due to dramatic boost or cut adjustments Ihe Optimizer is designed for standard 19 rack moun ting and occupies 2U of rack space Avoid mounting the unit directly above power amplifiers or power supplies that radia te significant amounts of heat and always connect the mains earth to the unit Fibre or plastic washers may be used to pre vent the front panel becoming marked by the mounting bolts Care must be taken when rack mounting the unit to support the rear of the case especially in mobile systems Ihe Optimizer has connectors for unbalanced as well balanced operation Ihe XLR inputs and outputs are electronically balanced on conventionally wired XLRs pin 1 screen pin 2 hot and Input Output balanced unbalanced balanced unbalanced pin 3 cold Unbalanced inputs and outputs are also availa ble on mono quarter inch jacks The signal connected to the jacks will always be prefer red A connection set up with XLR s and jacks can remain connected Unplugging the jacks will select the XLRs as pri mary inputs The XLR inputs and outputs can be unbalanced by connecting the pin 3 to the ground terminal pin 1 For pro per wiring see figure below The operating level is switchable between High and Low nominally OdBu or 10dBv Choose the High position for all pro audio applications Select the 10
3. at 12dB Fig 5 2 frequency range from 16Hz to 3300Hz at 12dB Ihe frequency control Hz varies the filter frequency over the range selected with the Frequency Range switches Ihe two Frequency Range switches are used in combina tion to select four frequency ranges Ihe switch positions are shown clearly on the Optimizer s front panel Ihe ranges are 1 10Hz to 2 4kHz 2 16Hz to 3 3kHz 3 34Hz to 7 1kHz 4 112Hz to 23kHz Sufficient overlap is provided between ranges so you can select a suitable range that allows the Hz control to be used near the center of its travel Ihere is also enough overlap to equalize over the entire frequency range from 10Hz to 23kHz when the Dual mode is selected In practice you will normal ly only use the 1 and 4 frequency range as the overlap is 2 288 Hz Frequency ranges 2 and 3 can be used for fine tuning UNTA L OPTIMIZER when working in Parametric Band pass and Notch mode where as in Low pass mode it will determine the upper and BERNER EEE ER N UV GR E in High pass the lower corner frequency The scale has 11 marks The center position 12 o clock is nuniber 6 Band 1 1 10 789 2 19 819 3 113 85 4 179 64 5 243 46 6 305 82 7 414 48 8 561 75 9 886 36 2 15 778 24 895 166 49 283 45 356 03 482 53 606 12 886 36 1398 5 Band 3 32 436 79 621 195 90 590 24 778 0
4. a mix with the bare minimum of processing There is virtually no limit to the number of equalization effects you can create through combining the various filters Proportional Q and Roll Off allow processing without any side effects Optimizer s extremely low frequency response is ideal for creating subwoofer com 11 SEI UP amp APPLICATIONS CONTROLS The OPTIMIZER is equipped with four filter bands which can be used eit her in a 4 band mono or dual 2 band stereo configuration All controls and switch func tions are incorporated into each of the four filter bands except Master EQ and Dual switch 12 Start positions Boost cut Roll off 0 Bandwidth 1 Frequency center OPTIMIZER ee EE EE il Peak LED illu minates 3dB before clip ping a x ih me 1 Pz m t ET Er Freq range 1 or 4 band u T E Lh Filter mode switch choose parametric mE TL Dual depress for stereo applications re r 6 rl Ja Notch off i um Active on Master EQ on when using XLRs All four channels of the Optimizer are identical I he cen trally mounted Dual switch selects between stereo 2 band and mono 4 band operation In Dual mode a green status LED illuminates For use with stereo signals such as complete mixes or sub mixes the Optimizer should be switched to Dual mode and both
5. as variable Q The amplitude varies depending on the Q setting Using low Q values automatically readjusts the amount of boost or cut selected to keep the subjectively perceived laudness constant With constant Q equalizers there is often only a limited range of useable settings Sometimes this is so narrow you may wonder why the Q control was not permanently fixed at the point it sounded really good Above that position it often starts to sound harsh and peaky and below with the broad bandwidth the sound is colored so you need to constantly re set the boost cut control Not so with proportional Q Ihe Q control provides useable settings over the entire range giving you more versatility to be creative EQ adjustments with proportional Q sound a lot more musically related and offer a greater range of possible Q choices that really sound good and appropriate Figure 3 shows curves within varying Q adjustments but with constant boost and cut lm OPTIMIZER With proportional Q the sig nal level is dependent of the bandwidth setting elimina ting the need for constant level readjustment when changing the filter settings Fig 3 Q values are between 0 2 and 1 5 at maximum boost and cut of 12dB CONTROLS 15 STOULNO gt There is a huge overlap in the frequency range to really allow you to zoom in For general use 1 and 4 Fig 4 1 frequency range from 10Hz to 2400Hz
6. sets of channel controls set to the same position Equalizers 1 and 2 work as a pair as do 3 and 4 However in Mono mode Dual button out the signal is automatically routed from the output of equalizer 2 to the input of equalizer 3 placing all four equalizer sections in series Because the signal routing is controlled by the Dual switch and not by normalising connectors no additional measures need to be taken when using the Optimizer with a patchbay system In Mono mode both sets of outputs continue to function normally allowing one signal to be tapped off after passing through filters 1 and 2 and another to be taken after passing through all four filter sections Ihe Active switch is used to switch the individual equali zer section in and out of the signal path Ihe Active switch operates as an electronic bypass Iake care when switching the Active function in and out when listening at high moni tor levels Depending on the EQ settings a click may occur at the moment of switching so dim or mute the monitors if necessary Ihe Master EQ switch is a hard relay bypass which links the input socket directly with the output socket to bypass all filters by pressing just one button Note this only applies when using the balanced XLR inputs and outputs in stereo operation When working with unbalanced signals this switch has no effect Ihe switch has an integral red lamp which illuminates when Master EO is active To increase operati
7. 9 957 26 1261 9 1782 5 2697 3 elow is a chart for pinpointing the exact frequencies Band 4 110 74 195 90 1084 7 1918 9 2370 6 3161 1 4204 5 5592 3 9212 4 OPTIMIZER Fig 6 3 frequency range from 34Hz to 7100Hz at 12dB Fig 7 4 frequency range from 112Hz to 23000Hz at 12dB Chart for precise adjustment of frequencies with the Hz control Numbers 1 11 representthe scale marks around the pot The center position is mark 6 17 CONTROLS STOULNO gt 18 A unique feature is the indi vidual filter output control You can set up the individual filter exactly then feed in just the right amount The Optimizer features active output stages resulting in a significantly improved phase linearity This also compensates for level changes Fig 8 Two frequency curces with centerfrequency at 1kHz Q 0 2 and Q 1 5 are boosted by 5dB with the Output level control 20185 21677 10 2045 1 11 2380 5 2990 7 3481 7 6180 6 7096 3 All frequencies in Hertz Hz Ihe output control sets the output level of the filter sec tion You can adjust the gain from 80dB to 5dB Output operates in all filter modes and can be used to correct the signal level if the next equalizer section is being overloaded or under driven Ihe Output control can also be used to compensate for level changes due to cutting or boosting Ihis can be very helpful in situations w
8. ONS For precise location of the fre quency you want set the Boost Cut control fully clock wise to provide maximum boost Use the Output to compensate for level changes The Optimizer is ideal for equalizing stereo signals 10 PARAMETRIC SET UP To use the Optimizer as dual channel parametric equalizer proceed as follows Set all filters to PARAMETRIC e Set to DUAL mode and ensure MASTER BYPASS is out e Use filter ACTIVE control to set up one equalizer sec tion at a time e Select appropriate frequency range for each filter e Set Q initially to midway point SETTING UP PROCEDURE When trying to locate the pre cise frequency range requiring adjustment set the Boost Cut control fully clockwise to provide maximum boost By sweeping through the entire frequency range it should be easy to locate the precise frequency range that needs cutting or boosting Once found the Boost Cut control can be backed off to provide the desired degree of cut or boost and the Q setting adjusted by ear Initially it helps to bypass the other equalizer sections so that you can work on each equali zer independently When the equalizer sections have been set independently they can be switched in simultaneously and further adjust ments made if required Ihe Output control can be used to restore any level change caused by intensive EQ cutting or boosting For 4 band Mono use set the Dual switch to out and pro ceed as d
9. OPTIMIZER parametric equalizer Owner s Manual Operation Applications Measurements Specifications 1994 SPL electronics GmbH OPTIMIZER Owner s Manual Operation Applications Measurements Specifications Written by Paul White and Hermann Gier Manual version 1 1 94 The information in this document has been carefully checked and is assumed to be correct However Sound Performance Laboratory SPL electronics GmbH reserves the right to modify the product described in this manual at any time This document is the property of SPL electronics GmbH and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner in part or full without the authoriza tion of SPL electronics GmbH Construction and circuit layout are subject to con stant improvement and development Changes will be made without notice O 1994 SPL electronics GmbH All rights reserved INTRODUCTION 4 INSTALLATION 7 CONNECTORS 7 OPERATING LEVEL 8 POWER SUPPLY 8 REAR PANEL 9 INPUT amp OUTPUT SPECIFICATIONS 9 APPLICATIONS 10 MASTERING WITH THE OPTIMIZER 10 OPTIMIZER USED IN THE INSERTS 11 CONTROLS 12 FRONT PANEL 12 DUAL 13 ACTIVE 13 MASTER EQ 13 PEAK 13 Boosr Cur 14 BANDWIDTH Q 15 FREQUENCY amp FREQUENCY RANGE 16 OUTPUT 18 NOTCH 19 PARAMETRIC HIGHPASS BANDPASS LOWPASS 20 PHASE MEASUREMENTS 22 NOISE MEASUREMENTS 24 COMMON MODE REJECTION 25 LIMITED WARRANTY 26 OPTIMIZER CONTENTS INTRODUCTION The OPTIMIZER is
10. dB when the input sour OPTIMIZER INSTALLATION The OPTIMIZER offers XLR connectors for balanced ope ration and quarter inch jacks for unbalanced use How to unbalance balanced XLR connetors The operating level is switchable between High and Low nominally OdBu or 10dBv 7 NOILVTIVISN A Ground Lift switch is provi ded to assist in the eliminati on of ground loop problems ce is not driving Optimizer 5 filters sufficiently with the pro viso that the Peak LED on the front panel is not continually flashing Ihis will achieve equalization at a lower signal level and will result in a more intensely processed sound Note this level change also effects the signal when the filters are in bypass so you will loose direct comparability as the listening level changes Based around a toroidal transformer the integral power supply is designed to minimize induced hum and noise due to the non existence of an air gap Ihe primary voltage may be selected between 230V 50Hz and 115V 60Hz by means of a recessed slide switch on the rear panel A Ground Lift switch is provided to assist in the eliminati on of ground loop induced hum in complex installations If ground loop problems remain after activating the Ground Lift switch do not disconnect the mains earth Instead try disconnecting the signal screen at the end the cables that connect the outputs of the Optimizer to the patchbay If such measures are neces
11. designed for both corrective and creative applications producing effects impossible to achieve using conventional EQ Yet it remains very simple to operate Rather working out a theore tically ideal filter response on paper we have taken a more creative tack experimenting directly with perceived sound across a wide range of fre quencies The Optimizer provides a powerful flexible and easy to operate means of equali zing sound The Optimizer produces a smooth and linear phase res ponse giving unsurpassed musicality and sonic transpa rency The advantage of proportional Q is that it produces a more musical result and fine tuning of the filters is much easier 4 Congratulations on purchasing the Optimizer one of the most advanced and musical sounding parametric equalizer currently available Ihe Optimizer is a highly specialized and creative equali zer In addition to familiar parametric functions it features a range of modes that enable it to perform Band pass High pass Low pass and Notch filtering As you would expect from SPL the company that developed the highly acclaimed Vitalizer psychoacoustic equalizer the Optimizer is no ordi nary equalizer It excels in both corrective and creative applications and can produce many effects impossible to achieve using conventional parametric equalizers Yet it remains very simple to operate Ihe design of the Optimizer has been based on proven ps
12. ees through the applicable authorized distributor to repair or replace defects covered by this limited warranty with parts or products of original or improved design at its option in each respect if the defective product is shipped prior to the end of the warranty period to the designated autho rized SPL warranty repair facility in the country where purcha sed or to the SPL factory in Germany in the original packaging 26 a replacement supplied by SPL with all transportation costs and full insurance paid each way by the purchaser or owner All remedies and the measure of damages are limited to the above services It is possible that economic Loss or injury to per son or property may result from the failure of the product howe ver even if SPL has been advised of this possibility this limited warranty does not cover any such consequential or incidental damages Some states or countries do not allow the limitations or exclusion of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitation may not apply to you Any and all warranties express or implied arising by law course of dealing course of performance usage of trade or otherwise including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for particular are limited to a peri od of 1 one year from either the date of manufacture Some sta tes or countries do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts so the above lim
13. effects and similar treatments In the High pass and Low pass modes the Q control changes the filter characteristic from over damped to under damped with the higher Q settings producing a tighter NINE FH CUE LU S RT NT _ 1 E E more focused sound OPTIMIZER lt Fig 12 E Curve 1 Q Low pass Q 1 5 Roll Off steep Curve 2 High pass Q 1 5 Roll Off steep Curve 3 Band pass Q 1 5 Roll Off steep Fig 13 Curve 1 Low pass Q 1 5 Roll Off gentle Curve 2 High pass Q 1 5 Roll Off gentle Curve 3 Band pass Q 1 5 Roll Off gentle Fig 14 Curve 1 Low pass Q 0 2 Roll Off gentle Curve 2 High pass Q 0 2 Roll Off gentle Curve 3 Band pass Q 0 2 Roll Off gentle 21 4 Fig 15 Curve 1 Low pass Q 1 5 Roll Off gentle Curve 2 Low pass Q 1 5 Roll Off steep PHASE MEASUREMENTS Fig 16 Doted line Frequency response Solid line Phase response Measurements at Q 1 0 Frequency 1kHz Boost Cut OdB Frequency range 34 7100Hz 22 The following measurements show that the Optimizer s phase response is very stable at high amplitudes Ihe doted line in fig 16 illustrates the frequency response from OHz to 200kHz for two combined equalizers band 1 and 2 The solid line shows the phase reponse with only 2 diver t
14. escribed for stereo operation In this mode up to four equalizer bands can be employed at one time If fewer are required the unused bands should be individually bypas sed using the appropriate Active button If only two bands are needed it is best to use the Optimizer in Dual mode as this provides the shortest signal path between input and out put Apart from the Optimizer s more conventional applicati MULTI TRACK RECORDER Master out Output filter stages 2 and 4 Input filter stages 1 and 3 RR tee Jj Ld Poder hd e ei zum OPTIMIZER ons as a general studio equalizer it is particularly effective at treating stereo programme material either at the mixing stage or during post production Ihe special characteristics of the Optimizer allow you to add weight and punch to the bass end of a mix or to lift harmonic detail out of the top end of a mix without inadvertently adding harshness or muddiness to the sound In this respect the Optimizer can produce results every bit as dramatic as those achieved using sub bass synthesizers or harmonic generators but without adding distortion to the original signal Where more subtle treatments are required the Optimizer s exploitation of psychoacoustic principles ena bles it to significantly improve the focus tonal balance and general clarity of detail within a mix with the bare mini mum of processing Ihis is particularly important when a client wan
15. ging the filter settings When broadening the band width the boost or cut will be reduced proportionally so that the subjectively perceived loudness remains constant The proportional Q principle operates according to the way our hearing system perceives sound With constant Q equalizers there is often only a limited range of useable settings Sometimes this is so narrow you may wonder why the Q control was not permanently fixed at the point it sounds really good Above that position it often starts to sound harsh and peaky and below with the broad bandwidth the sound is colored so you need to con stantly re set the boost cut control Not so with proportional Q Ihe Q control provides useable settings over the entire range giving you more versatility to be creative Ihe Optimizer comprises four identical filter stages which can be configured for 4 band mono dual 2 band mono or 2 band stereo operation Ihe front panel Dual switch selects between 4 band or dual 2 band operation Both balanced XLR and unbalanced jacks are provided for signal connections to and from the Optimizer In Mono mode the filters are all connected in series but the outputs from each pair of filters remain accessible so you can get two differently filtered versions of the same signal which can be useful when you are creating special effects Each filter covers the frequency range 10Hz to 23kHz in four switched frequency ranges to give fine frequency con tro
16. here extensive equalization was used to match the equalizers and original signal If you are using two or more sections of the Optimizer on one signal you can use the Output control to boost the out put levels where cuts have been made and to attenuate them where boosts were needed Ihe Output control is a feature that you will not find on any other parametric equalizer We have created a new approach by using active output stages to mix filters Commonly filters in parametric or gra phic equalizers mix passively resulting in increased phase distortion as each filter is added to the signal path Ihe Optimizer overcomes this fault by using controllable all active output stages resulting in a significantly improved dL DLL HI rss TTT _ ILL 1 phase response even when all four filters are linked up Ihe Output control allows level adjustments to compensate for OPTIMIZER level changes due to dramatic boost or cut adjustments Ihe Notch switch puts the filter into notch filter mode It provides a deep cut of over 60dB which can be varied in fre quency to address any part of the audio spectrum providing in excess of 60dB of attenuation at the center frequency Ihe Q control varies the bandwidth of the notch from narrow to wide while the roll off control may be used to select either a steep or gentle roll off at each side of the notch Ihe Notch filter is usefu
17. ion at 20kHz A broad frequency range has become a major demand for sabes idem OPTIMIZER Cees Seti iani us MELIH wu IEH H 19 59 60 equalizers in modern recording technology Ihe Optimizer has an extremely broad frequency response from to 200kHz that guaranties that the Optimizer s filters operate with maximum tonal flexibility and without technically induced limitations FECAL ZFL FHFZG ER ee RO we FO A aar Zu 1 anys ven gx x FEDIU PEELCIEIUM TT A APL Ce um 11 OPTIMIZER Fig 17 Curve 1 Frequency response 1kHz Curve la Phase response Curve 2 Frequency response Notch 1kHz Curve 2a Phase response Measurements at Q 1 0 Boost Cut 12dB Fig 18 Band pass Dotted line Frequency response Solid line Phase response Messungen bei Q 1 5 Frequenz 1kHz Boost Cut 12dB Fig 19 Four filter stages in series Dotted line Frequency response Solid line Phase response Boost Cut 12dB 23 PHASE MEASUREMENTS 4 NOISE MEASUREMENIS ALU PRC TS ZPL MHULS OR LUGAR EO ABEL vk AL ere 11 FER oO 2 Fig 20 Noise Measurement A WTG 92 56dB Boost Cut OdB Fig 21 Noise Measurement A WTG 108 79dB Boost Cut OdB Master EQ Bypass Fig 22 Noise Measurement THD amp Noise
18. itations may not apply to you This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state coun try to country OPTIMIZER SOUND PERFORMANCE LABORATORY SPL electronics GmbH Hauptstrasse 59 D 41372 Niederkr chten P 0 Box Postfach 1227 D 41368 Niederkr chten Tel 49 0 2163 8761 Fax 49 0 2163 83028
19. l regardless of which part of the audio spectrum is under process Iuning the equalizer is very intuitive because the frequency control law has been designed to match the cha racteristics of the human hearing system Being able to equalize starting at 10Hz with full boost cut power gives a new dimension for mixing and pro ducing of subwoofer compatible soundtracks Ihe frequency response of the circuitry used in the audio signal path exceeds the limits of human hearing by a consi derable margin effectively eliminating undesirable phase shifts which even when relatively small can seriously impair the high frequency transparency of a less well desi gned equalizer Each filter has its own mode switch to select between High pass Low pass Band pass and Parametric modes In OPTIMIZER The Optimizer comprises four identical filter stages which can be configured for 4 band mono dual 2 band mono or 2 band ste reo operation Each filter covers the same enormous frequency range 10Hz to 23KHz Each filter has its own mode switch so complex combina tions of filter types can be used in the same signal path INTRODUCTION NOLLOnGOWLIN The depth of the Notch is in excess of 60dB The Optimizer s proportional Q parametric filter design combined with its switchable alternative filter modes gives you the flexibility to emulate many different types of equa lizer The Boost Cut control beco mes the Ge
20. l in corrective applications where it can be used to attenuate mains hum and similar pitched interference Because mains hum contains harmonics better results are often achieved by using two Notch filters together one tuned to the fundamental frequency and one an octave higher I he narrower the notch the less the wan ted sound will be affected by the filtering Notch filtering also can be used to simulate phasing by manually sweeping NAT _ Wt U u RR dh D Se key OPTIMIZER The Notch filter provides attenuation of more than 60dB per filter stage It is variable in Q and roll off Create a pseudo stereo image from a mono source by splitting the signal and applyind different notches Fig 9 Notch Curve 1 1 5 Roll Off steep Curve 2 Q 0 2 Roll Off steep Fig 10 Notch Curve 1 1 5 Roll Off gentle Curve 2 Q 0 2 Roll Off gentle 19 CONTROLS STOXINOY 20 Fig 11 Notch Curve 1 Q 1 5 Roll Off steep Curve 2 0 2 Roll Off steep Curve 3 Q 1 5 Roll Off gentle Curve 4 Q 0 2 Roll Off gentle a notch across the audio spectrum A further creative use is to create a pseudo stereo image from a mono signal by split ting the signal and applying different notches to each of the two channels If these two channels are then panned left and right in the final mix it creates an illusio
21. n of space Ihe position number and width of the notches must be fine tuned by ear Curves 2 and 3 show an alomst identical response in Fig 11 Nevertheless there is an audible difference that is much greater than shown in the graph Ihe 4 way rotary switch sets the equalizer function Parametric Low pass High pass Band pass although if you select Notch this overrides whatever other equalizer mode has been selected When using these three modes you should be aware that the filters are connected in series and depending on the fil ter types and settings it is possible to set up a situation where there is no output at all For example if one filter is set as a High pass filter with a cut off frequency of 1kHz everything below 1kHz will be attenuated If this signal is now fed into the next stage set as a Low pass filter with a cut off frequency of 500Hz it will pass only signals below 500Hz As the first filter s output contains little or nothing below 1kHz the result is very little signal For this reason Band pass filters are often used on their own while High pass and Low pass are usually used as a pair to provide control over the extremes of the audio spectrum Conversely they can be used to bracket a narrower section OPTIMIZER ZELTE NFL vg FEEQUREJ BEI BER NS br L NJ B of the audio spectrum to contrive a bandpass filter for the production of telephone
22. ntle Steep control in Notch Band Pass High Pass or Low Pass modes Turning the control fully anti clockwise produces a gentle roll off while turning it fully clockwise produces a steep sided response The Optimizer has active output stages for each filter increasing phase stability dramatically addition each filter is equipped with a notch filter Selecting the Notch mode overrides the mode switch selector So com plex combinations of filter types can be used in the same sig nal path For example a parametric filter could be combi ned with a High and Low pass and Notch filter When working in Notch Band pass High Pass or Low Pass modes you have a choice of roll off characteristics which greatly extends the tonal capabilities of the Optimizer For example in the Notch filter mode you have control over frequency and bandwidth and also over the steepness of the sides of the notch Ihe depth of the Notch is in excess of 60dB providing an extremely high degree of rejection compared with conventional parametric filters Ihe subjective performance of certain classic equalizers is highly dependent on the roll off characteristics of their filter circuitry Ihese equalizers sound excellent but their circuit topography imposes a rather fixed character on them By contrast the Optimizer s proportional Q parametric filter design combined with its switchable alternative filter modes gives you the flexibility to emulate ma
23. ny different types of equalizer In addition you can set up further equa lization types that even the best conventional equalizers can not provide Io keep the control layout simple the BoostCut control used in Parametric mode becomes the Gentle Steep control in Notch Band Pass High Pass or Low Pass modes Turning the control fully anti clockwise produces a gentle roll off while turning it fully clockwise produces a steep sided res ponse If the control is set in the center position the input signal will cancel itself out completely resulting in no out put Settings between the extremes and the center null posi tion produce further useful variations in filter slope charac teristic though you may need to compensate for the level loss incurred by settings close to the center position by tur ning up the Output level control Selecting a steep filter characteristic produces a tightly focused punchy tonal characteristic while choosing a gentle slope produces a subtle change in tonality which has the effects of adding a sonic gloss to the programme material We have invented a new all active output stage approach to mixing filters Commonly filters in parametric or graphic equalizers mix passively resulting in increased phase distor OPTIMIZER tion as each filter is added to the signal path Ihe Optimizer overcomes this fault by using controllable all active output stages resulting in a significantly improved phase response
24. on reliability especially in Live or On Air situations the Optimizer monitors the power supply s primary and secondary voltages and switches automatically to hard bypass once certain tolerances have been exceeded A peak LED is fitted to each EQ section which flashes at approximately 3dB below the level at which clipping occurs If the Peak LED constantly flashes the input to the equalizer OPTIMIZER In mono mode the signal is routed from output 2 to the input of 3 this places all four sections in series You can tap out after 2 as well as 4 you can use this feature for blends on the mixer Each of the four OPTIMIZER filters is equipped with an individual bypass switch The Master EQ switch hard relay bypasses all filters with balanced XLR connectors The Peak LEDs flash at approximately 3dB below the actual clipping level CONTROLS 13 4 STONINO 14 The Boost Cut controls has two distinct functions depen ding on the mode you are in Boost and Cut as well as roll off characteristics Fig 1 Dotted line Max boost and cut 12dB Q 1 5 Solid line Phase response at 1 5 Fig 2 Dotted line Max boost and cut 12dB Q 0 2 Solid line Phase response at Q 0 2 Ihe Boost Cut control is has two functions depen ding on the mode you are working in If the rotary switch is set to Parametric the control acts as a conventional Boost Cut control
25. providing a range of plus or minus 12dB In Notch Band pass High Pass or Low Pass modes the control determines the roll off characteristics of the filter res ponse In the fully anti clockwise position the response is gentle while the fully clockwise position produces a steep filter res ponse As the control is moved towards the center position the input signal is nulled with itself with complete cancella tion occurring at the center or zero position In Notch Band pass High Pass or Low Pass modes this control would normally be set at or close to its extremes though other settings can produce useful results if you com pensate for any gain loss using the Output control On the front panel all legends for Notch Band pass High Pass or Low Pass modes are printed in italics to indica te that the roll off function also in italics applies to them weis tt i OPTIMIZER Ihe Q control sets the bandwidth of the Parametric Notch or Band Pass filters In the context of the High and Low Pass settings the Q control influences the cut off cha racteristics of the filter Q is variable from 1 5 to 0 2 Ihe Q is set to high Q 1 5 when turned fully counter clockwise Ihe influenced range covers approximately 0 75 octaves Turning the Q control fully clockwise selects low Q values 0 2 covering approximately 5 octaves Ihe OPTIMIZER utilizes the proportional Q principle also known
26. sary balanced operation is recommen ded When the Ground Lift switch is set off the circuit ground is connected to the chassis ground The mains fuse should be rated at 800mA A detachable 3 wire U ground power cord is included in the packaging OPTIMIZER EANO 1 OL TFUT BARI 2 m r m GLTPLT BAME 4 Ih PJT sae nn LO Lee A TL CL fa ui i OPTIMIZER Input amp output specifications XLR balanced Inputs Electronically balanced differential transformerless Impedance 20kOhms Nominal input level 6dB Input level selector HIGH OdB LOW 10dB Maximum input level 22dBm Input peak LED indica tes potential peak 3dB before actual clipping Outputs Electronically balanced differential transformerless Impedance 75 Ohms Nominal output level 6dB Minimum load ohms 600 Ohms Connectors Type Neutrik NC 3 XLR Pin wiring Pin 2 high and Pin 3 low Jacks unbalanced Inputs unbalanced Impedance 20kOhms Nominal input level OdB Outputs unbalanced Impedance 600 Ohms Nominal output level OdB Minimum load ohms 600 Ohms Connectors Type 1 4 Jacks 6 25mm Pin Wiring Tip high and Sleeve GND GND LIFTswitch off chassis ground on ground lift Power selector 115V 60Hz 230V 50Hz Fuse 800mA fast INSTALLATION SET UP amp APPLCATI
27. ts to improve the sound of a mix but doesn t want to make any significant change to the overall tonal balance Even filter Cut Boost settings of less than half a dB can bring about significant changes in the perceived quality of the mix being treated Ihe more specialized equalizer modes are most likely to be used for treating individual signals to create special effec ts Ihere is virtually no limit to the number of equalization effects you can create through combining the various filters Common studio effects such as telephone or transistor radio sounds can be set up in moments while the Notch fil ters can attenuate mains hum and rumble reduce the level of lighting buzz or even recreate vintage phasing effects Proportional Q and Roll Off will help processing without any side effects You also can use the Notch filters to synthesize a pseudo stereo signal from a mono source by placing not ches at different frequencies in the left and right channels MULTI TRACK RECORDER Master out Insert send 2 Insert send 1 Input filter MERE stages 1 and 3 Output filter stages 2 and 4 Insert return 1 3 tia Hodey hd f ne TE Nac Ir Insert return 2 a OPTIMIZER The Optimizer can produce results as dramatic as sub bass synths or harmonic generators but without side effects The Optimizer improves the focus tonal balance and general clarity of detail wit hin
28. ychoacoustic principles and particular regard has been taken to the way the human hearing system perceives sound at all stages of development Rather working out a theoretically ideal filter response on paper and trying to emulate it we have taken a more creative tack experimen ting directly with perceived sound across a wide range of fre quencies Ihe result of this creative work is an equalizer without equal both technically and artistically Not only does it pro vide a powerful flexible and easy to operate means of equa lizing sound but it boasts a noise level approaching the theoretical minimum for advanced analogue circuit design and a dynamic range even better than 18 bit digital systems Ihe filter circuits are based on an advanced state varia ble filter topography which employs the proportional Q principle active output stages for each filter band and the new roll off function to produce a smooth and linear phase response giving the Optimizer unsurpassed musicality and sonic transparency Rather than employing the standard constant Q equali zer design commonly used in sound reinforcement and room equalizers the Optimizer works on the proportional Q prin ciple Ihe advantage of proportional Q is that it produces a more musical result and fine tuning of the filters is much easier Ihe signal level is dependent of the bandwidth setting eliminating the need for constant level readjustment when OPTIMIZER chan
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