Sound Performance Lab EQ MAGIX User's Manual
Contents
1. 4 PROCESS ACTIVE HARMONICS SOFT lt O gt TIGHT If you are working with a VITALIZER filter network for the very first time it is advisable to operate the control parameters in a certain order to achieve optimum results as quickly as possible You should use a mono signal of good quality as a signal source You can either preamplify it in the INPUT section or feed it directly into the INSERT RETURN so that the signal goes directly into the PARAMETRIC section The picture above shows the initial settings on the EQ MAGIX First tum the Bass control to the centre position 0 the HARMONICS and the PROCESS control on zero as well extreme left and turn the Mip Hi TUNE control to 3 5 kHz The 10 dB DEEP and ComBINE functions are left on Bypass for the time being Press the AcTIVE switch There is no audible change in the sound at this stage Slowly move the PROCESS control in from the extreme left You will find that there is no audible change in the sound until the MIN position ca 11 o clock That is just how it should be All frequencies from 3 5 kHz initial setting Mip Hi TUNE are only raised with increasing intensity above this point First set the PROCESS control at 3 o clock The bass range is not yet influenced at this point The next step is to shift the Bass control from the zero position to both sides Watch out for the differing bass sounds nuances the creation of which2. Output 3 amp 4 Output 1 amp 2 Return Send Mic Line Input GND LIFT helps to prevent hum loops Feed in t he power of electrical life for your EQ MAGIX here t Send Ret Only use the mains cable nsert 5 end Ret urn supplied An alternative The microphone signal ground connection can be made via this Select the right binding post mains volt age here 230V or IBV can be looped t hrough ot her processors e g compressor limiter reverb or effects unit Microphone Announcer or singer acoustic instrument The EQ MAG IX output signal can Guitar amp be fed into one or two insert miking returns of a mixing desk The signal can be recorded directly onto one or two tracks of a multi track recorder L 11 4 12 Control elements Input REECH O The INPUT stage of the EQ MAGIX is based on the SSM 2017 semicon ductor The strengths of this particular component are its extremely low noise and distortion characteristics Unlike discretely designed circuits the SSM 2017 has 64 transistor functions discretely up to 24 thus achieving a common mode rejection of over 90 dB measured at INSERT SEND Preamplification of the input signal is determined by the Mic LiNE control The control range of the preamplification values ranges from 7dB to 65 dB The maximum amplification value specified is a minimum value The preamplifier stage p
3. Germany Warranty 29 SOUND PERFORMANCE LABORATORY SPL electronics GmbH Tel 49 0 21 63 98 34 0 Fax 4 49 0 21 63 98 34 20 Factory address Sohlweg 55 D 41372 Niederkr chten Postal address P O Box 12 27 D 41368 Niederkr chten 1994 All rights reserved printed in Germany
4. i e cuts out the appropriate frequencies thus changing the spectral content of the original signal The VITALIZER however relies on a more subtle method of ampli tude depending phase shifting This does not involve altering the spectral composition of the signal but it does maintain the subjective impression of loudness Moreover graphic equalizers produce comb filter effects because of the interaction between adjacent filters when broad band frequencies are raised The Mip Hi TUNE filter can raise the broad band spectrum with a very linear frequency response without colouring the signal Above the Mip Hi Tune value set the VITALIZER filters create a linear increase i e one that is adapted to the human ear This compensates any inability of our hearing as regards perceiving frequencies ranging between 5 kHz and 10 kHz The Mip Hi Tune filter works with a wide bandwidth and always sounds musical never bell like Gradually go down from 20 kHz extreme left to lower frequencies The further down you go the brighter the sound image becomes as an increasing number of frequencies are included in the process The Mip Hi TUNE control can also be used to tone down excessively sharp sounding material by setting frequencies of 10 kHz or higher and setting the PROCESS control on Max Seeing as the PROCESS control is also responsible for deleting dominant mid frequencies all frequencies are gradually reduced down to the application frequency
5. MAGIX The internal signal processing of the VITALIZER correlates the phase with the amplitude in such a way that masking effects in the original signal are compensated The bass sound colours SOFT amp TIGHT The Mip Hi Tune filter provides shelving filtering with a broad bandwidth which therefore sounds very neutral The PROCESS control adapts the output signal to the curves of equal loudness thus realizing an intelligent loudness concept The Harmonics filter stage accen tuates even and odd harmonics The VITALIZER is the creative sound component in the EQ MAGIX It works intelligently provided the appropriate parameters are preselected This means that it does not just raise or lower a certain frequency range but analyses the signal and reacts to it influencing the frequency and phase response in a sophisticated fashion Independently of the potentiometer settings on the front panel the VITALIZER filter system can correlate the phase and amplitude relations of adjacent frequency bands in such a way that the increasing amplitude of a frequency is given a growing phase drift which however can never endanger the signal s mono compatibility The maximum phase drift is 20 which equals a time difference of around 1 ms to 2 5 ms This time span is sufficient to trigger two hearing perceptions Quiet frequencies which are normally masked by louder ones are effectively demasked and thus become audible The front pane
6. Murt function of the OurPur stage of the EQ MAGIX can be utilized for this purpose see page 27 point 25 The output signal of the PARAMETRIC stage is increased by 10 dB in the sone scale loudness scale when the 10dB switch is activated Increasing the drive level intensifies the VITALIZER s working process This feature is especially suitable to liven up dull sounding samples but it also proves useful when it comes to more effective voice processing The INPUT stage of the VITALIZER section is equipped with a PEAK LED which lights up around 3 dB before the VITALIZER effect signal path is poten tially overdriven Make sure that the PEAK LED only lights up briefly if at all It is essential to avoid the PEAK LED being lit up for any length of time There are four possible ways to prevent Clipping Firstly if the 10dB feature is switched on switch it off Secondly reduce the gain in the PARAMETRIC section Thirdly Reduce the microphone or line preamplification Fourthly Reduce the output volume of a looped in device INSERT The Bass control is responsible for the colour of the bass sound your signal is to have If you move the Bass control to the right you get a drier percussive bass sound known as TIGHT As a result of this on the right hand side of the scaling points there are squares which increase in size in line with increased intensity They symbolize the contoured TIGHT bass sound If the Bass cont
7. Pin 2 hot In addition the EQ MAGIX also has unbalanced INsERT jacks which inter rupt the signal flow between the microphone preamplifier and the PARAME TRIC equalizer The INsERT SEND jack can also be used as an output of the microphone preamplifier The INSERT RETURN jack can then pick up an independent signal which means that two signals can be processed in parallel to each other One signal uses the microphone preamplifier and another signal is processed by the EQ MAGIX equalizer Input Output balanced unbalanced balanced unbalanced 1 GND 2 hot 3 cold Installation Inputs amp Outputs Fig 1 The diagram shows how to unbalance balanced wiring correctly Power supply A stable and well filtered toro idal core power supply provides the basis for good sound proces sing The GND Lift switching option helps remedy hum loops A binding post permits connection of an alternative circuit ground Ample filtering smoothings and calibrations make for stable constant service voltage Protective circuitry prevents premature aging or damage to components The phantom supply voltage is from a separate power supply with sophisticated filtering and selected components Special attention has been paid to the power supply of the EQ MAGIX The power pack is the heart of any unit and the more accurately it works the more this improves results The power supply is installed aroun
8. for the harmonics control you can sit back to listen to the new sound image Switch AcriVE off to retum to the original signal If you now say l don t believe that or Booh you belong to the overwhelming majority of those people who have ever heard a VITALIZER It was this sound impression which led to VITALIZER technology winning awards like the Golden Ear from Europe s biggest Audio magazine for the most innovative product in 1993 4 The PROCESS control It defines the process ratio between the Bass and Mip Hi TUNE section and the dry signal 5 The HARMONICS control 21 Introduction into the VITALIZER The VITALIZER s control elements 22 EEZCEN EELLEN RN The Active function switches the VITALIZER section of the EQ MAGIX on or off The status LED indicates that the VITALIZER has been activated As with the PARAMETRIC stage the AcTIVE function of the VITALIZER stage is an electronic bypass Any DC voltages are filtered out via coupling capa citors To increase the operational safety of the monitor loudspeakers you should not switch the VITALIZER on or off at high monitor volume At high amplitudes inside the filter there may be residual charges on the switching contacts which may be discharged when you switch over These may become apparent as audible click sounds If applicable mute the monitor loudspeakers before switching a filter on or off The
9. spersing the sample rate frequencies 44 1 kHz and 48 kHz into the audio path is a well known phenomenon whereby subharmonic elements can be transposed right down into the audible frequency spectrum Furthermore this can result in audible phase shifts and distortions With the EQ MAGIX you can now influence these frequencies actively The sample rate frequencies are inscribed on the scale 44 48 All frequencies can be boosted or cut with 15dB throughout the entire frequency range from 14 Hz to 58 kHz The PARAMETRIC equalizer of the EQ MAGIX is based on the constant Q principle and provides an inversible Qx i e when filtering out a interfering frequency inverting the boost value to a cut value results in precise inversion of the bandwidth Q values Notching is also possible with a variable RoLL Orr to select a STEEP or GENTLE filter slope Extremely flexible bandwidth defintion allows Q values between 0 6 and 3 6 The concept of sound processing in the EQ MAGIX The PARAMETRIC section serves to perfectly remove any interference frequency or to accentuate a frequency band as desired With its enormous range of frequencies from 14 Hz to 58 kHz the EQ MAGIX provides a plat form for experimentation as to the extent signal portions affect the tonal perception range beyond the spectrum of the human hearing the EQ MAGIX ing in The concept of sound process The VITALIZER is the creative sound component in the EQ
10. the Bass and Mip Hi TUNE sections whilst dominant mid frequencies are reduced according human hearing at the same time The below sections contain more detailed information on this aspect Familiarize yourself with the sound changes before deciding on the setting which sounds best We shall now turn our attention to the HARMONICS control Note the improved detail in the high frequency range the further you tum the control in In practice values between 4 and 6 have proved to be the most common The harmonics are accentuated by the VITALIZER with equalizer techno logy unlike other procedures Previously so called Exciters devices to generate harmonic tones produced their harmonics with the aid of a gene rator which mainly added type K3 and type K5 distortions to the signal odd harmonics of 3rd and 5th order The familiar disadvantages of this principle are as follows although odd harmonics do add to the brilliance of the audio signal to a significant degree they tend to be somewhat sharp which leeds to hearing fatigue for listeners Another pitfall is that the distor tions added were not part of the original signal The VITALIZER accentuates the harmonics which are also part of the original signal The HARMONICS filters are designed in such a way that even and odd harmonics K2 K3 K4 K5 are accentuated equally This makes the processed signal more natural with a soft silky sounding top end Once you have selected the setting
11. AGIX outputs off Similar to the Mure functions of a mixing desk channel muting can be performed when recording a signal directly from EQ MAGIX on to a R Dat or the like after the recording has taken place without the level settings having to be changed Output e PAN e EIN co RE NEN 27 EQ MAGIX Specifications 28 L Frequency range Equalizer Frequency range CMRR common mode rejection ratio Set up for measurements input resistor 150 Q OdB measured at the XLR output THD amp N total harmonic distortion amp noise Set up for measurements input resistor 150 Q OdB measured at the XLR output Signal to Noise A WTG CCIR 468 Input stage 10 Hz 100 kHz 100 kHz 3dB 14 Hz 58 kHz 85dBu 100 Hz 76dBu 1 kHz 65dBu 15 kHz Gen OdBu 20dBu OdBu Preamp min min 60dBu 20 Hz 0 0132 0 0025 0 1080 1 kHz 0 0131 0 0028 0 0612 10 kHz 0 0161 0 0164 0 0590 20 kHz 0 0202 0 0281 0 0590 All PQ PQ Vita All Bypass in in Max 92 74 89 91 89 67 79 85dB 87 60 81 72 81 72 72 34dB XLR MiC LINE Instrumentation amplifier electronically balanced differential transformerless nominal input level Jack INsERT RETURN unbalanced nominal input level Input impedance XLR balanced Input impedance INsERT RETURN unbal Output stage XLR electronically balanced differential transformerless nominal output level Jack INSERT SEND OurPursS unbalanced nominal outp
12. Bud uz FREQ Hz 26 OCT 94 10 56 40 5 000 m 0 000 15 900 10 000 rL i 3 0000 The Boosr Cur control determines amplification and attenuation of the selected frequency range Increases and decreases of 15 dB and 15dB are possible Apart from determining boost and cut the Boosr Cur control has a second function when the NorcH mode has been activated Once the NorcH filter has been activated the Boosr Cur control changes to the RoLL Orr function thus becoming the control for basic sound charac teristics also see point 12 NorcH RoLL Orr In the 15dB setting extreme left the slope of the Notch RoLL Orr corresponds to a flat rise or fall This position is known as GENTLE In the 15 dB setting extreme right the ROLL OFF corresponds to a steep rise or fall This position is known as STEEP The EQ MAGIX is designed to be able to process individual signals and therefore supports the constant Q principle so as to allow quick and accu rate work which also permits influencing the sound quite drastically In the constant Q principle the amplitude of any frequency selected remains constant if the bandwidth Q is increased or decreased When the Q potentiometer is turned to the extreme left the bandwidth around the selected centre frequency is ver
13. Owner s Manual SOUND PERFORMANCE LABORATORY TT SOUND PERFORMANCE LABORATORY EQ MAGIX Owner s Manual by Hermann Gier Manual version 2 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 authorization of SPL electronics GmbH Construction and circuit layout are subject to constant improve ment and development Changes will be made without notice 1994 SPL electronics GmbH All rights reserved 1993 Vitalizer is a registered trademark of SPL electronics GmbH SPL electronics GmbH Sohlweg 55 D 41372 Niederkriichten Germany Tel 0 21 63 98 34 0 Fax 0 21 63 98 34 20 Foreword Introduction The concept of sound processing in the EQ MAGIX Installation Inputs amp outputs Power supply Rear panel Connection examples Control elements Input Mic Line Line 30dB Peak Phase reverse 48V phantom power supply Insert Parametric Active Frequency Boost Cut Bandwidth Q Q Fine Notch Deleting an interference frequeny Introduction into the Vitalizer The control elements of the Vitalizer Active 10dB Peak Bass Deep Mid Hi Tune Process 25 Harmonics Combine Out
14. T jacks The INPUT section can be used separately for one signal whilst the equa lizer sections are available for a second signal Use the INSERT SEND as the output for the INPUT section and the INSERT RETURN as the input for the second signal 3 PARAMETRIC The PARAMETRIC equalizer is to boost or cut different frequencies or to cut out specific interference noise signals It is in a manner of speaking a corrective instrument in the EQ MAGIX chain of sound processing tools The PARAMETRIC works according to the constant Q principle The frequency ranges between 14 Hz and 58 kHz The control characteristics of the bandwidth Q control ranges from QO 6 to Q3 6 and can be sensitized via the Q FINE switch to set more subtle Q values The boost or cut range is max 15dB The integrated Notch filter can be controlled in frequency bandwidth and also in the filter slope ROLL OFF from gentle decreasing or increasing GENTLE to steeply decreasing or increasing STEEP This significantly increases the tonal flexibility of the NorcH Filter The INPUT section features a microphone preamplifier with 48V phantom power supply PHASE REVERSE and LINE 30 dB switch PEAK indicator INSERT jacks between microphone preamplifier and PARAMETRIC equalizer PARAMETRIC equalizer with a frequency range from 14 Hz to 58 kHz constant Q Q FINE switch 15dB Boost CuT NorcH with ROLL OFF Introduction Introduction The VITALIZER in
15. an output stage with active PAN control A double Mono signal is produced from the Mono input signal which is available via the balanced and unbalanced outputs The output signals can be fed to two insert returns on the mixing desk a recorder or a stereo effects processor The active PAN control determines the balance between the left and right output channel Unlike the passive pan pot on cheaper mixing desks the EQ MAGIX active PAN control is able to compensate for losses in loudness of up to around 3 dB PAN control also proves useful if output signals are being looped into insert points on the mixing desk where the user wants to split the Mono signal actively into two Mono signals for further processing on the mixing desk which should have different levels on the insert return The output peak levels PPM values are indicated on the LED display The levels are indicated in steps of 3 dB from 18 dB to 9 dB The FADER switch converts the PAN control to a FADER function The level is not altered when the potentiometer is set in the centre position A attenua tion of around 50 dB is possible on both sides of the control setting This function is useful to compensate an increase in level compared with the input signal which may have been caused due to processing in the PARAMETRIC and VITAUZER sections On the other hand a variable output is also useful to prevent overdriving units located downstream The Mute function switches the EQ M
16. ch supplies the microphone via the balanced audio lines pins 2 and 3 When the supply voltage is switched on a phantom circuit is formed whereby the 48V DC supply voltage is applied simultaneously to the two supply lines of the microphone and fed back via the cable screen There is no DC voltage between the two modulation lines which is why dynamic microphones can be used when the phantom voltage is switched on without this doing the microphones any harm The influences of noise voltages which can superpose the DC supply voltage such as hum loops and parasitic currents in the cable screen are reduced by the phantom power supply Moreover this type of connection is particularly resistant towards RF As there is no potential difference between the supply lines the connection technique of the phantom supply is compatible with moving coil and ribbon microphones Rm o PHASE REVERSE numm Phantom power supply according to DIN 45 596 IEC 268 15 13 Input Input gt 14 2S INSERT m All microphones with balanced floating output i e also microphones equipped with tubes can be used when the phantom voltage is switched on WARNING It is essential to switch the phantom supply off if other types of microphones are used A line signal source or an unbalanced microphone may only be used if the phantom supply is switched OFF There is a switchable INSERT path between t
17. d a toroidal core transformer which does not cause any electronic humming or mechanical sounds as a result of its minimum leakage field The primary voltage can be switched between 230 V 50Hz and 115 V 60 Hz A 3 pole standard IEC mains connection socket serves to connect a detachable 3 pole mains lead which is included in the scope of supply Transformer power cable and mains connector comply with the require ments of VDE UL and CSA The fuse rating is 200 mA The connection between ground and housing can be separated via the GND LIFT switching option Hum loops can be remedied in this way Eloxal has been removed from the back of the ears which serve to attach the unit in a 19 rack in order to achieve 10096 contact to the rack rail in case the rac rail is used as a central ground If the mains ground is inadequate an alternative connection for the ground can be obtained via the binding post after activating the GND LIFT switch On the secondary side of the power supply an RC combination is used to filter out noise and hum voltages from the mains side Both half waves are smoothed with 4700 uF capacitors in the positive and negative voltage path Both pathes are calibrated separately via trimmers as deviations of only a few millivolts can result in audible changes such as a diffuse sound pattern After the calibration stage the current is again smoothed Service voltage is raised gradually when the unit is switched on This preven
18. d principles and is therefore ideal to achieve creative sound effects The combination of a flexible parametric EQ and VITALIZER means that the EQ MAGIX is not only predestined to process the sounds of acoustic instruments but also to post process samples or poor quality Sync audio tracks ranging from the elimination of aliasing artefacts or other digital interferences to the addition of sub basses or comprehensive sound impro vements via the VITALIZER The EQ MAGIX provides you with equalizer technology which is unri valled in comparable units You will find that this equalizer can not only be set quickly and accurately at the desired frequencies but with the aid of loudness sound control can also form sound pattems which cannot be achieved with conventional equalizers The section below contains a brief description of the EQ MAGIX s func tion groups 1 INPUT Microphone and line level signals can be preamplified in the INPUT section Microphone signals can be preamplified up to 65 dB Activating the LINE switch attenuates the preamplifiers stage by 30 dB There is a phantom power supply 48 V for condensor microphones The PHASE REVERSE switch is used to change the polarity of the microphone The PEAK LED provides adequate waming of potential overdriving of the output stages in the INPUT section 2 INSERT Additional sound processing equipment such as a compressor de esser or reverb can be looped into the EQ MAGIX via the INSER
19. e Mip Hi TUNE filter at max PROCESS value and Bass at O 1 1 kHz 2 2kHz 3 3 5 kHz 4 8 kHz 5 20 kHz NEN Fig 9 The dotted line shows frequency responses for a soft Bass Sorr at varying PROCESS and a MiD Hi TUNE of 3 5 kHz The solid line shows the phase responses which always drift only a few degrees if the PROCESS inten sity is increased The diagram shows very clearly that the mid attenuation gets stronger as the PROCESS value increases 25 The VITALIZER s control elements The VITALIZER s control elements 26 HARMONICS Er Tag o The VITALIZER works with steep filters and controlled changes of the phase relationships of the harmonics to process the harmonics structure We consciously did without the generator principle of Exciters The VITALIZER s harmonic filter does not add any distortions to the original signal unlike with the generator principle It extracts all the information it needs from the original signal This significantly reduces the hearing fatigue effect on the listener By influencing the phase relationship in an intelligent fashion the harmonics which have been filtered out are empha sized with increasing addition expressed as a percentage The effect signifi cantly improves the speech intelligibility and the transparency Old archived recordings sound fresh and silky again The brilliance of any audio signal can be improved without it sounding sharp The Harmonics filt
20. e bandwidth control Q must be set at 0 6 extreme right so as to ensure a 1 1 level ratio with the original signal Narrower notches can be obtained if the Q control is turned to the extreme left However then the output level is also reduced by around 20dB Figure 4 shows the curves for the NoTcH with GENTLE and STEEP characte ristics at QO 6 along with the same curves at Q3 6 AUDIO PRECISION SPL FREQ AMPL dABu us FREQ Hz 20 OCT 94 10 40 06 20 000 Meg eese MCN Ap 18 800 ie ens 50 90 por pp 60 98 1 4 4d Hom HH HHB eR UNUM i oo 8 09 LL LLLI bt Ed desea TEC EET on me op J zd 28 00 188 EE SM AUDIG PRECISIUN SPL FREU AMPLidBud vc PREQGIz 28 OCT 94 10 48 47 2zn 000 TTTTT Ap 10 080 D 90 6 7190 00 i 4 20 00 1 30 00 Le T TED ET 50 00 s LLL TTT d LU m UN UU T n 28 100 ite etait D 10k 100k EQ Two possibilities are available with the EQ MAGIX to delete a interfe rence frequency 1 The Cur mode with max attenuation of 15 dB 2 The NorcH mode with max attenuation of 30 to 50 dB In order to localize and delete an interference frequency pr
21. er derives its input signal from the original signal and the output of the Mip Hi Tune filter If you dose the PROCESS control extreme left the BAss and Mip Hi TUNE controls do not function any more You can then listen to the HARMONICS control separately The second potentiometer level of the Mip Hi TUNE control is responsible for the cut off frequency of the HARMONICS filter A variation of the Mip Hi TUNE control alters the cut off frequency fundamental tone of the harmo nics Both filters complement each other in an ideal fashion as they each always process the part of the audio signal which is not being processed by the other filter If the Mip Hi TUNE control is set at 20 kHz the HARMONICS filter intervenes at low frequencies If the Mip Hi TUNE filter is at 1 kHz the HARMONICS filter affects higher frequencies The characteristics of the two filters therefore complement each other in an ideal fashion The COMBINE circuit is used to combine the PARAMETRIC and the VITALIZER sections The VITALIZER needs the original signal portion to define the mid attenua tion by the Process If the mid attenuation is not required COMBINE switches the original signal off The Process control becomes the LEVEL control of the VITALIZER Normally the LEVEL control is set at MAX When CowBINE has been activated the VITALIZER works like an equalizer which works on a purely additive basis The OUTPUT section is
22. ery deep sound character SOFT The result is a pleasanter and livelier sound pattern with an unrivalled wealth of detail You will be amazed by how transparent and powerful almost every audio signal sounds after it has been processed with the VITALIZER 5 Output The OurPur section enables you to create a two channel output signal from a one channel input signal You can return the signal to two desk channels or feed it directly into a multi track recording medium or effect unit Balanced outputs available via XLR sockets and unbalanced outputs available via jacks can be used in parallel A signal can therefore be recorded on two media simultaneously On the front panel two bargraph meters each featuring 10 LEDs provide information about the output level of each channel The indication of PPM values peak values provide more information than a VU display average values The MuTE switch can be used to mute the output signal altogether The PANORAMA control allows active panning between the two output channels compensating the loss in volume 3dB which arises in conjunction with panning to one channel The FADER switch alters the characteristics of the PANORAMA control making it an output level control The output level can be reduced for both channels to compensate diffe rences in the levels of the processed and the dry signal The EQ MAGIX features a PARAMETRIC constant Q equaliser combined with the VITALIZER equaliser system Th
23. he INPUT stage and the PARAMETRIC stage The signal can be fed to other sound processing units such as compressors limiters de essers or reverb units The INSERT jacks at the rear of the EQ MAGIX are designed as unba lanced jacks for SEND and RETURN It is also possible to use the microphone preamplifier independently of the PARAMETRIC and VITALIZER stages via the INSERT by feeding the micro phone signal out at the INSERT SEND jack whilst feeding a second signal into INsERT RETURN This means that two independent signals can be processed in the EQ MAGIX at the same time If there is no signal connected at the INSERT jacks and the INSERT switch is activated the microphone signal is maintained as the signal flow is not interrupted until there is a jack plugged into the SEND and RETURN jacks The Active function switches the PARAMETRIC equalizer on or off If the switch has been pressed the integrated LED indicates that the PARAMETRIC section has been activated The Active funciton is a so called electronic bypass Any DC voltages are filtered out via coupling capacitors To increase the operational safety of the monitor loudspeakers you should however avoid switching the parameters on or off at a loud monitor volume levels At high amplitudes inside the filter there may be residual charges on the switching contacts which may be discharged when you switch over These may become appa rent as aud
24. ible click sounds If applicable mute the monitor loudspeakers before switching a filter on or off The Murt function of the OurPur stage of the EQ MAGIX can be utilized for this purpose see page 27 point 25 The FREQUENCY control determines the centre frequency of the frequency band which is to be processed The outer scaling ring indicates the selec table frequencies when the frequency switch is not pressed The frequency bandwidth ranges from 280 Hz to 58 kHz Equalizers do not normally provide frequencies above 20 kHz Practical applications have shown however that interfere frequencies from digital audio equipment quantization and formantization noise crosstalk of the Sampling Rate etc can cause sound deterioration in the audible range This particularly involves 44 1 kHz and 48 kHz and their related subhar monics The EQ MAGIX makes these frequencies accessible They can be removed with the NorcH filter See point 12 on page 17 for more detailed information on the NorcH filter For the first time you have the opportunity to intervene in these frequency ranges with a filter and to experiment your self as to whether and the extent to which such crosstalks into the programme material can be corrected The frequency range of the FREQUENCY control is divided by factor 20 after activating the switch LED lights up The control range of the FREQUENCY control varies between 14 Hz to 3 kHz This qualifies the EQ MAGIX to carry out sound p
25. in conjunction with high starting frequencies of the Mip Hi TUNE control AUDIO PRECISION SPL FREQ AMPL dBu vs FREQ Hz2 12 DEC 94 11 04 56 The third control of the VITALIZER section determines the ratio between Bass and Mip Hi TUNE to the original signal The HARMONICS control is not affected by the PROCESS control The PROCESS control determines the damping intensity of dominant mid frequencies This allows rapid adaptation to the loudness curves Fletcher Munson curves curves of equal loudness The human ear perceives the audio frequency spectrum at varying sound pressure levels very differently Perception is by no means linear The VITALIZER alters the frequency spectrum in such a way that the balance is maintained between all frequency ranges even at varying monitor volumes For the human ear the sound is more pleasant and easier to perceive than the original In other words increasing the PROCESS value also increases the intensity of the Mip Hi TUNE filter and the Bass filter whilst dominant mid frequencies are damped by amplitude controlled phase shiftings This improves the perception of loudness darity and the bass punch i e the strength and fullness of the audio signal AUDIO PRECISION SPL PHAS PHA SE deg amp AMPLCOdBu ve FREQOHZ 12 DEC 94 11 36 29 180 00 ep i Fig 8 Five frequency responses are shown for th
26. is increased Fig 7 The dotted line shows frequency responses for a hard Bass TiGHT at maximum PROCESS and a MID Hi Tune of 3 5 kHz The solid line shows the phase response whichhas a phase rela tion of 180 at 50 Hz but other wise also drifts only by a few degrees at increasing amplitudes The VITALIZER s control elements The VITALIZER s control elements 24 EN LIN O LXX The DEEP circuit increases the processed bass range The bass range endoses frequencies between ca 20 Hz and 110 Hz with a bass centre frequency at 50 Hz The Deep function enlarges this range to approx 16 Hz to 140 Hz with the same bass centre frequency and increases the amplifi cation level by ca 3 dB The Mip Hi TUNE control is used to set the starting frequency of the broad band shelving filter In line with the setting of Process control all frequencies above this value right through to the end of the audio range are processed The control range of the Mip Hi TUNE control is between 1 kHz extreme right and 20 kHz extreme left In practice common settings vary between 3 5 kHz and 8 kHz As the human ear perceives the range between 1 kHz and 3 kHz parti cularly clearly at all volumes between O and 120 phon it makes sense to adapt this frequency range You might feel inclined to say Yes but do that with my graphic EQ as well The main difference is that the graphic EQ really reduces the effective loudness of the frequency
27. is combination of filters is based on the assumption that after succes sful microphoning you only have one problem zone if at all that needs to be equalized The VITALIZER provides all the necessary circuitry for creative sound post processing The EQ MAGIX provides a total of five processing ranges the PARAME TRIC section provides an extremely variable and efficient filter for selective intervention in a frequency band between 14Hz and 58kHz The VITA LIZER interferes in 4 frequency ranges bass mid and treble along with the harmonical frequencies pertaining to even and odd overtones The PARAMETRIC section is designed to clean up one problem zones in the frequency spectrum of the recorded instrument or voice perfectly without prejudicing the sound and without being inhibited by technical limitations of standardized filter circuits The equalizer used in the EQ MAGIX is based on the state variable filter type SVF Its function is phase stable and neutral right down to 14 Hz in the infra sonic range The frequency range extends right up to breath taking 58 kHz This initially provides a platform for experimentation as to whether interspersing digital components affects into the tonal perception range 16 Hz to 20 kHz or whether the removal thereof can remedy sound problems directly or indirectly We have visited sound engineers and producers in European and American audio and video studios and they pointed out to us that inter
28. is only controlled in that way by the VITALIZER Tum to the right The bass sounds tight and dry Turn to the left The bass sounds soft and round You should perform these hearing tests on appropriate full range monitors because near field monitors normally cannot reproduce the deep bass generated by the VITALIZER in its entirety Decide on a bass sound of the desired amplitude Now start varying Mip Hi TUNE The original setting is 3 5 kHz Tum to the right The programme material sounds brighter and gets more mids from about 1 5 kHz The impression you hear is the reverse of the poten EQ tiometer scaling the lower the frequency the brighter and clearer sounds the programme material This is because the Mip Hi TUNE control sets a starting frequency above which all frequencies are processed If this star ting frequency is lowered the frequency spectrum included in processing increases The programme material then sounds brighter and clearer Turning the control to the left shifts the starting frequency from 3 5 kHz to higher frequencies The programme material then sounds increasingly dull because fewer and fewer frequencies are being included in the process the higher the frequencies become The setting you choose is a matter of personal taste A section within the VITALIZER with one of the most decisive influences on the sound is PROCESS control If you continue to tum the PROCESS control up more of the signal is added to
29. l also accommodates controls to define the bass sound colour SOFT TIGHT the starting frequency of the Mip Hi TUNE filter the PROCESS intensity and the addition of the harmonics The Bass control provides up to 20 dB gain thus affecting the direction of the phase drift by the bass sound colour selected The fact that the phase drift is controlled by the amplitude means that even high bass amplifica tion remains free from negative sound colouration in the lower mid range The mid high frequency filter Mip Hi TUNE works with shelving filters which provide linear broadband amplification This rules out any comb filter effects which create sound distortions similar to those produced by graphic equalizers The PROCESS control determines the addition of the bass sound selected and the Mip Hi Tune filter to the dry signal In addition dominant mid frequencies are lowered by phase shifts which means that as the PROCESS value increases they are adapted automatically to curves of equal loudness Fletcher Munson curves The PROCESS is in a manner of spea king an intelligent loudness control which can be used to set the typical bath tub curves on graphic EQ s by tuming one potentiometer The HARMONICS circuitry provides a silky sounding refreshed version of the original signal This proves particularly beneficial for voices and acoustic instruments No distortions are added to the original as there is no Exciter involved The filters me
30. limit of the PARAMETRIC stage as this varies depending on the values set on the EQ The PARAMETRIC stage has a lower headroom limit 22 dB when the stage is activated and the Boosr Cur control is on OdB If the PEAK LED lights up and the PARAMETRIC stage is in use the preamplification Mic LiNE must be decreased Pressing the phase switch PHASE REVERSE inverts the polarity of the microphone signal When the switch has not been pressed status LED is off the polarity is in phase Pressing the switch means that the polarity is out of phase Phase inversion can be used for a number of different reasons 1 1f for example the microphone signal of a singer or speaker is pream plified in the EQ MAGIX and the monitor signal is folded back to the head phones the singer or speaker cannot hear himself very well Pressing the phase switch inverts the polarity of the microphone and consequently of the headphone signal and the singer or speaker can then hear himself on his headphones without having to increase the level 2 The phase inversion feature is also very useful when the polarity of the XLR input jack has to be inverted to match the polarity of the micro phone or the microphone cable The pin assigment of the XLR connector is as follows Pin 2 hot and Pin 3 cold 3 Sometimes it is desirable to swop the polarity of a microphone because of the sound Condensor microphones require a supply voltage of 48V DC whi
31. n each respect if the defective product is shipped prior to the end of the warranty period to the designated authorized SPL warranty repair facility in the country where purchased or to the SPL factory in Germany in the original packaging or 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 person or property may result from the failure of the product however 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 period of 1 one year from either the date of manufacture Some states or coun tries do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts so the above limitations 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 country to country SPL electronics GmbH 41372 Niederkr chten
32. oceed as follows 1 a 1 b 1 c 1 d 1 e Activate the PARAMETRIC stage Set the Q control to the smallest bandwidth extreme left Q 3 6 Set the Boosr Cur control to max Boost extreme right 15 dB This helps to localize the interference frequency very quickly Sweep the FREQUENCY control and stop if the interference frequency has reached its loudest level Tum the Boosr Cur control to max Cur extreme left 15 dB For broader interference noise the result is better if the Q value is shifted from its maximum position extreme left to lower Q values If 15 dB attenuation is not sufficient to eliminate the interference frequency satisfactorily use the NorcH mode which offers an attenuation down to 50cB 2 a 2 b 2 2 d Zei Activate the PARAMETRIC stage Set the Q control to the broadest bandwidth extreme right Q 0 6 Activate the NorcH mode Set the Boosr Cur control i e RoLL Orr control in NorcH mode to STEEP extreme right This attenuates the noise frequency by 30 dB If this is not sufficient again tum the RoLL Orr control to GENTLE extreme left The attenuation is now 50 dB EQ Deleting an interference frequency 19 Introduction into the VITALIZER 20 The initial settings on the VITALIZER Switching on the VITALIZER section 1 The PROCESS control 2 The BAss control 3 The Mip Hi TUNE control OdB BASS MID HI TUNE
33. put Pan PPM Meter Fader Mute Specifications Block diagram Circuit layout Main board amp top board EQ MAGIX legend Warranty 10 11 11 12 12 13 13 13 14 15 15 16 17 17 17 19 20 22 22 22 23 24 24 26 26 27 27 27 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 EQ magix Contents Foreword Introduction Dear customer Thank you for the confidence you have shown towards SPL electronics GmbH by purchasing the SPL EQ MAGIX The EQ MAGIX is a first rate Equalizer with exemplary specifications excellent workmanship and unri valled sound quality Please study this owner s manual carefully so that you can make the most of the wide range of possible applications offered by the EQ MAGIX and to ensure ease of operation We have tried to write this manual in such a way that it is easy to under stand with as clear a layout as the complexity of such a sophisticated product allows The manual is divided into two columns throughout The main column contains a detailed description whilst the margin contains headings and summarized information We wish you every success and unlimited enjoyment with your new EQ MAGIX SOUND PERFORMANCE LABORATORY SPL electronics GmbH The EQ MAGIX is a single channel equalizer system consisting of a para metric and a psychoacoustic equalizer Both are combined with a superior microphone preamplifier and an active two channel panorama output stage People in MIDI h
34. r setting 15 dB on the Boosr Cur control is not sufficient The NorcH filter of the EQ MAGIX is variable in bandwidth Q and there fore if it is used with broader bandwidths low Q it can also be used to filter out wide areas in the audio spectrum e g lowering mids The FREQUENCY control is responsible for a frequency range of between 14 Hz and 58 kHz also see point 8 FREQUENCY page 15 thus enabling removal of interference noise such as quantization and formantization noise which can be induced by digital equipment The NorcH filter s slope characteristics known as Rou Orr can be varied After NorcH mode has been activated the Boosr Cur control takes on the function of the ROLL OrF control This means that the slope characte e o WEG Fig 3 5 different Q values with boost and cut at 15dB at 1kHz centre frequency Rm 17 Parametric Parametric Fig 4 The NOTCH curves on the OdB line are shown for Q0 6 On the outside the curve is shown for GENTLE RoLL Orr The inside shows the curve with STEEP ROLL OFF The NortcH curves on the 20dB line are shown for Q3 6 On the outside the curve is shown for GENTLE RoLL Orr The inside shows the curve withSTEEP ROLL OFF Fig 5 Three NOTCH curves with STEEP RoLL Orr Placed at around 1 kHz 44 kHz and 48 kHz ristics can be altered from GENTLE to STEEP also see point 9 Boosr Cur page 16 Important If you switch on the NotcH mode th
35. rely amplify the harmonic tones contained in the original The EQ MAGIX is constructed like a mixing desk channel Direct recor dings can be made on to a recording medium multi track machine or hard disk which means that one less mixer channel is required The housing of the EQ MAGIX has the standard 19 EIA format and occupies 1 height unit 1 U 44 mm in your rack When installing the unit in a 19 rack the rear side of the unit needs some support especially in a Touring Case The EQ MAGIX should not be installed near units which produce strong magnetic fields or extreme heat Do not install the EQ MAGIX directly above or below power amplifiers or digital processors If possible the EG MAGIX should be placed in an analog rack where the majority of or all the equipment installed is analog This eliminates problems which could result from interfering high frequency signals such as dock frequencies MIDI or SMPTE control signals Make sure that the correct mains voltage has been set on the mains voltage selector located at the rear of the EQ MAGIX The EQ MAGIX is equipped with an electronically balanced 3 pole XLR socket to connect a microphone or a line signal The outputs of the EQ MAGIX are designed balanced on XLR sockets as well as unbalanced on 1 4 jacks The outputs can be used parallel to each other This means that four output signals can be produced from one input signal The Pin assignment of the XLR jacks is
36. rocessing right down into the subsonic range With 14 Hz the EQ MAGIX works below the range of human hearing This means that the filter also features phase stability and accuracy at high amplitudes above 14 Hz Parametric o RS Oo NIA 15 Parametric gt 16 Fig 2 The processable frequencies of the EQ MAGIX s PARAMETRIC stage ranges from 14 Hz to 58 kHz As an example the frequencies 14 Hz 280 Hz 2 kHz and 58 kHz are boosted by 15aB ci O pl Practical applications bring accurate processing of subwoofer tracks to mind along with a problem which modem recording procedures PCM hard disk samplers etc frequently involve here the frequencies recorded are often in the infra sonic frequency range digital coding When they are reproduced which involves D A conversion low frequency signal portions can cause phase distortions in the audible range creating secondary effects which cannot be corrected subsequently The EQ MAGIX can filter these interferences out On the other hand moder sound reproduction technology is extending the range of frequencies which can be used sensibly by the addition of lower and lower frequencies On the potentiometer scale the frequency 1 kHz has been outlined for reasons of clarity and ease of orientation The diagram below shows the frequency range which can be processed by the EQ MAGIX in the PaRAMETRIC stage 14 Hz to 58 kHz aupnia PRECISION SPL FREQ AMPL d
37. rol is moved from the centre position 0 to the left the bass sound becomes very deep soft and warm This sound is known as Sorr This is symbolized with round scaling points which also increase in size as the intensity increases The further the Bass control is shifted to the right or left of the centre position the more intensive the bass sound in question However PROCESS must be positioned to the right of the MIN setting for the bass to be audible You can always hear the original dry bass if the Bass control is in a centre position The PROCESS control determines the processing ratio between the set bass sound colour and the original signal This results in varying bass sound structures if you combine high bass amplification on the Bass control with a lower PROCESS value you get a different bass structure than with a lower bass amplification combined with a higher Process value Choosing the best solution is a matter of personal taste and also depends on the type of original signal involved AUDIO PRECISION SPL PHAS PHASE deg amp AMPL dBu ve FREQ Hz Zi SEP 94 14 26 53 AUDIO PRECISION SPL PHAS PHASE deg amp AMPLidBu vs 360 89 4 i 270 00 be DEE WE NECEM Fig 6 The dotted line shows frequency responses for a soft Bass SOFT at maximumPROCcEss and a Mip Hi TUNE of 3 5 kHz The solid line shows the phase response which always drifts only a few degrees if the amplitude
38. rovides up to 75 dB This value can be lower depending on the tolerance of the potentiometer but it never falls below a value of 65 dB When setting the Mic LiNE value take note of the transducer type condensor or dynamic microphone and the free field transmission factor of the microphone type The sound pressure level of the sound source to be recorded the distance to the microphone and the room acoustics are other factors which also have to be taken into account when setting the MiC LINE potentiometer The free field transmission factor of a dynamic microphone is around 2mV Pa that of a condensor microphone can be up to 20mV Pa which equals an increase in the output level of 20 dB The EQ MAGIX can also be used as a gain on amplifier for Line signals The input sensitivity of the preamplifier stage is reduced by 30 dB by pres sing the LiNE 30 dB switch The corrected preamplification value on the MiC LINE control can be ascertained by subtracting 30 dB from the value set on the potentiometer Alternatively line signals can also be looped in via INSERT RETURN However in this case it is not possible to match the level see INSERT page 14 EQ The INPUT section of the EQ MAGIX is equipped with a PEAK LED which lights up approximately 3 dB below the value which would signify poten tial overdriving of the output INSERT SEND The headroom of the INPUT stage is around 26 5 dB The PEAK LED does not indicate the overdriving
39. the EQ MAGIX The new generation of psycho acoustic equalizers for the first time in a 19 mixer channel module together with microphone preamplifier PARAMETRIC equalizer and PANORAMA output stage The PANORAMA output stage creates a double Mono output signal from the Mono input signal and enables active panning between the two channels Two LED meters indicate the PPM peak values MUTE and FADER switch options 4 VITALIZER The ViTAUZER is an equalizer concept which makes use of scientific psychoacoustic technology to process audio signals The unique combination of dynamic equalizers amplitude controlled phase correction and harmonic filtering in the VITALIZER opens up a whole new listening dimension by adapting the sound pattern to the non linearities of the human ear The VITALIZER is thus the creative element amongst the EQ MAGIX s sound processing tools The VITALIZER gives the mid frequencies accurate transparency with a soft unobtrusive sound The treble and harmonics range is reworked with broadband shelving filters of 2nd and 4th order which focus on achieving a smooth silky sound pattern High frequencies are livened up without them sounding hard or agressive The VITALIZER uses a newly developed filter network to process the low frequency range The bass is accentuated without any risk of emphasizing the lower mid frequencies unnaturally You can choose between a dry percussive bass TIGHT or a punchy soft and v
40. ts voltage peaks e g switch on cracks affecting the operational amplifiers This safety circuit in turn prolongs the service life of the unit Safety diodes also ensure that the power pack is not damaged if there is a short circuit within an IC An independent self contained power pack is used for the phantom power supply It obtains unregulated AC voltage from 2 x 25 V coils in the transformer This results in 22 5 V DC via bridge rectifiers which are filtered with 1000uF The DC voltage is adjusted to exactly 48 V in the switching power supply LM 311 downstream lt is then smoothed again and stabilized The power supply current flows to the intrusion point via the PCB An RC combination stabilizes the power supply again at this point Two medicinal 6 81 k 2 resistors with a tolerance of only 0 196 are used as bridging resistors EQ MAGIX rear panel Rear panel electronically balanced mic line input pin 2 hot pin 3 cold unbalanced INSERT SEND RETURN jacks outputs XLR balanced 6dB and jack unbalanced OdB mains voltage selector 220 240V 50Hz or 100 120V 60Hz GND LIFT switch and binding post for alternative ground connection YYY YV V V mains inlet connector for non heating appliances with detachable 3 pole mains cable Connection examples SPL ELECTRONICS CMUM U 41372 NIECARKH CHTEN MADE IN GERMANY RIGHT omen LEFT wonri SERIAL EQ RETURN Gomes SEND MIC LINE
41. ut level Output impedance XLR balanced Output impedance jack unbal Output impedance INSERT SEND unbal Peak indicators Output peak preamp Input peak VITALIZER Chassis Dimensions Weight EQ 6dB OdB lt 100 kQ 47 kQ 6dB OdB 75Q lt 600 Q 600 Q LED lights up 3dB before clipping LED lights up 3dB before clipping RF proof aluminium housing 19 1U 482x 44 x 237mm 2 7kg 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 warranty 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 product 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 components or parts or products expressly warranted by another manufacturer SPL agrees 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 i
42. y narrow This is known as high Q with a value of Q3 6 When it is tumed to the extreme right the selected bandwidth is of maximum width i e low Q The value is Q0 6 The bandwidth factor is calculated from the width of the frequency curve on the 3 dB points relative to the O dB line The below diagram shows various Q values at a centre frequency of 1 kHz The Q FiNE switch is responsible for fine tuning of the control characteri stics of the Q potentiometer When the switch is activated the Q values change in so that position Q3 6 extreme left takes on the value Q1 9 In the 12 o dock position Q1 all Q values are halved The values between Q1 and Q0 6 remain unchanged Q FiNE enables you to make more differentiated settings in the critical control ranges of bandwidths relevant for musical applications Two Q values can therefore be compared more easily by switching over quickly AUDIO PRECISION SPL FREQ AHPL dBu us FREQ Hz 2B OCT 94 10 20 57 25 000 Ap 20 006 4 15 000 19 990 p eben EE EE EE 5 08000 e d ag X ae i kk T MM oL P 9 0 M fa Ba P LU 5 060 A E S 10 00 d DM Ae IE TS ers 15 00 20 00 E d 25 99 LLL LE LITT LI 20 o LOG PS 1k E 10k Zok The Nom filter is used to filter out discrete interference frequencies where the maximum Cu
43. ybrid studios or production studios often need a single mixing desk channel with superior microphone preamplification and perfect sound control to record different song tracks saxophone or guitar soli on R Dat hard disk or samplers The EQ MAGIX is so to speak an all in one tool for applications of this nature The EQ MAGIX is ideally suited for both a demanding instrumentalist s or a singer s rack Existing equipment can be looped into the signal path via INSERT The unit s outputs are either connected directly with the recording medium or with one to four 2x balanced and 2x unbalanced mixing desk channels From there the signal is fed into the Insert Retum after the EQ section provided that appropriate Insert points are available so as to bypass as much desk circuitry as possible As you know a signal is also influenced if all the switches are on off and all controls are in the centre position or on O That is why it is advisable to feed the signal in after the desk equalizer The technology in the microphone preamplifier is used in the very latest generation of mixing desks made by Harrison and SSL The PARAMETRIC equalizer of the EQ MAGIX is based on SVF design state variable filter and provides a operation frequency range between 14 Hz and 58 kHz The integrated VITALIZER was developed by SPL and has achieved a significant degree of popularity over the years The filter concept works on the basis of psychoacoustic soun
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