Guitar Recording Interface User Manual V1.0 audient.
Welcome and Thank You Thank you for choosing this Audient Product Sono was designed to be the ultimate audio interface for guitarists. Sono provides a valve Guitar channel featuring a real high voltage 12AX7 and classic 3-band tone controls, plus power amp and cabinet simulation from Two Notes. There is also two Audient console mic pre’s for great sounding recordings and optical inputs to expand your setup using ADAT or S/PDIF.
Sono Overview Sono Overview 12V DC Power Input Mic Pre Gain Speaker Output Level Headphone Output Level USB C Input Microphone To Valve Switch Speaker Outputs Monitor Mix Control ‘Mic Input To Valve’ Indicator Phantom Power Switch Power Switch Status Light Optical Input Mic/Line Input Phantom Power Indicator Three Band Tone Control Re-amp Output Guitar Preamp Input Gain Power Amp Drive Control Guitar Preamp Output Meter Cab Simulation Present Selector Guitar Preamp Output Volume Guitar I
Box Contents and Setup Safety Information In your Sono packaging you should find the following items: • • • • • Important Safety Instructions Please read all of these instructions and save them for later reference before connecting the DC power adapter to the mains and powering up Sono. Sono 12V DC Power Supply with Regional Adaptors USB Type C cable USB Type C to Type A Cable Quick Start Guide To prevent electrical shock and fire hazard follow all instructions on the 12VDC power supply.
Safety Information Declaration of Conformities Important Safety Instructions 1. Read these instructions 2. Keep these instructions 3. Heed all warnings 4. Follow all instructions 5. Do not use this equipment near water 6. Clean only with dry cloth 7. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other equipment (including amplifiers) that produce heat FCC Part 15B 11. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
Declaration of Conformities We, Audient Ltd, Aspect House, Herriard, Hampshire, RG25 2PN, UK, 01256 381944, declare under our sole responsibility that the product Sono complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: 1. 2.
MacOS Installation MacOS Installation System Requirements Connect Sono 4. Double Checking Connectivity Menu/Task Bar Icons • • Using the USB cable provided, connect Sono to your computer’s USB port. Then connect the included 12v DC power adaptor. To ensure Sono has been detected by your computer, navigate to: On MacOS, the Sono icon appears in the menu bar in the top right hand corner of the screen. This gives you quick access to various functions of the Sono. MacOS: 10.7.
Windows Installation Windows Installation System Requirements 4. Double Checking Connectivity • • To double check the connection, go to PC sound settings by following: • Windows 7 or later (64 bit) Intel Core 2 @ 1.6 GHz, or AMD equivalent 1 GB RAM Minimum PC Settings > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound Connect Sono Here you can see whether Sono is visible to the PC and you can make it the computers default sound device by pressing ‘Set Default’.
Hardware Features Guitar Preamp Channel Sono includes a dedicated guitar channel utilising a High Voltage 12AX7 valve and can be treated just like the input of a classic valve amplifer. This section will explain the stages of the Guitar Preamp channel and how they can all be used to dial in your perfect tone. Hardware Features Guitar Valve Stage 1 The Signal Chain of the Guitar Channel can be seen to the left. Each part of this chain is then discussed in more detail in the next few pages.
Hardware Features Guitar Channel Sono is designed to work with a wide variety of Guitars, including bases. The high impedance valve input means that regardless of whether you’re using a Classic Single Coil Blues Guitar, a humbucker equipped Rock Axe or a Modern Active Pickup Metal Machine, you’ll still get the same response and feel as you would get from a valve amplifier. Experimenting with the Volume and Tone control of the Guitar itself can often give great results.
Hardware Features Sono offers three hardware presets which allow you to store your three favourite Two notes settings. These can be selected by pressing the C.A.B button and cycling through the A, B and C settings, indicated by the three lights above the buttons. These are stored on the device itself meaning you don’t need to be connected to a computer to use these tones.
Hardware Features Hardware Features Monitor and Headphone Controls Speaker Outputs Headphone Output To Amp Output Sono gives you independent control over the monitor and headphone outputs. The rear outputs are designed to send audio out to a set of active monitors or to an amplifier powering a pair of passive monitors. Sono includes a powerful, semi-discrete class AB headphone amplifier which will happily drive any headphone with a nominal impedance within the range of 8-600 Ω.
Signal Flow Diagrams Signal Flow Diagrams Sono Input Flow Diagram When the C.A.B button is illuminated, the Torpedo Processing is active. Pressing and holding the C.A.B button will bypass the processing and the switch will become unlit. The below diagram shows how the input signal is routed through Sono. Sono Output Flow Diagram There are two ways in which the Sono outputs can be controlled, either using the Monitor Mix Control on Sono itself, or using the Sono Mixer.
Sono Output using the Sono Mixer DSP Mixer Main Mix Cue Mix Fader Inputs 1, 2 & No Cab & Pan Fader & Pan Software Features Fader Digital Inputs & Pan Fader & Pan DAW Playback 1+2 Fader & Pan Fader & Pan DAW Playback 3+4 Fader & Pan Fader & Pan Speakers DAC 1+2 DAW THRU Routing Matrix Volume Headphones DAC 3+4 To-Amp Jack Sensing Volume To- Amp 26
Software Features Sono Application Software Features Getting Started With Sono Mixer Application Sono is controlled with two pieces of software, which this section of the manual will explain in depth: When first launched, Sono Application will run in the background. On MacOS, this can be found in the menu bar in the top right-hand corner of the screen, next to the clock.
Sono Application Sono Application Analogue Input Channels DAW Return Channels Mix Selection Pane Channel View Options Sono Application Menu Set ASIO Buffer Size (Windows Only) The system tray menu gives you quick access to various functions you may need whilst using Sono directly Allows you to set the buffer size used by your DAW to increase/decrease latency. Show Mixer If the mixer window has been hidden, this will bring it back to the forefront. Quit Fully closes the Sono mixer application.
Sono Software Mixer Sono Application Sono Mixer Channel Strips DAW 3+4 Channel Strip Features The Sono Mixer app is made up of a number of channel strips which each control the monitoring of a particular input or DAW Return. DAW 3+4 is the output 3+4 from your DAW. This allows you to have multiple sends from your DAW for more complex monitor mixes. DAW 3 is also the channel you would use for the To Amp output.
Sono Software Mixer Master Section At the far right of the mixer is the master section. This part of the mixer will affect things on a more global scale. Master Mix When selected, this changes the currently active mix to the Main Mix. This would be the mix for the engineer to send to the main speakers Cue When selected this selects the Cue mix as the currently active mix. The mixer will have green glow to indicate this.
Sono System Panel Sono System Panel Optical Format Routing Matrix Talkback Setup This allows you to select between using ADAT or S/PDIF protocols for the optical input depending on what device you wish to connect. The Routing Matrix allows you to select the audio source for the Monitor and Headphone outputs. Choose from the following options: Sono gives you the ability to use talkback, allowing you to easy communicate to an artist between takes to help encourage them or give direction.
Sono Application Sono Application Firmware Update Saving and Recalling Mixer Presets Keyboard Shortcut Index Audient will release firmware updates for Sono in order to add new features, improve compatibility and address any bugs. Therefore you may wish to periodically check for updates. If you have a Mixer setup you use a lot then you can save this as a preset.
Torpedo Remote Application Built into Sono is Two notes Torpedo cabinet simulation. Allowing you to dial in realistic, punchy tones from the comfort of your desktop. Two notes Remote Software The Torpedo Remote application allows you to adjust numerous parameters such as the cabinet, the microphone used, the room it’s been recorded in and much more.
Torpedo Remote Application Torpedo Remote Application Initial Setup Upon opening the Torpedo Remote software for the first time, you’ll see the Log-in Screen. Simply click on the Sono to start using the remote software. At this point, you will need to register your Sono to your account. If you already have an existing Two Notes Account, then simply log in using your current email address and password.
Torpedo Remote Application Torpedo Remote Application Choose Your Mic Choose Your Room To capture the sound of the Cabinet, you’ll need a microphone! Therefore, Two notes Torpedo gives you a variety of microphones to capture your virtual cabinet with. Choose a vintage ribbon microphone for a warm loose sound, a dynamic for a punchy tone or a condenser style microphone for a precise capture of your playing. You can also adjust the distance of the microphone from the front of the cabinet.
Torpedo Remote Application Torpedo Remote Application Choose Your Tone Saving Presets Once you have got your perfect tone dialled in, you can save it to one of the C.A.B preset slots on Sono itself. Finally, you can make adjustments to your overall tone using the Effects Rack. Power Amp The C.A.B presets are stored on the Sono’s on-board memory so even if you’re not connected to a computer, you can still use your three favourite Cab setups.
Torpedo Remote Application Cabinet Manager The cabinet manager screen can be accessed from the top of the Torpedo Remote and allows you to view your list of available cabinets and store up to three onto the Sono itself. To save a cabinet to Sono, simply drag and drop the cabinet onto one of the three slots available on the left hand of the screen. Please note that if all three slots are full, you will need to remove one cab first to free up a slot.
Pro Tools Setup Logic Pro Setup Operation with Pro Tools I/O Setup Operation with Logic Pro Once Sono has been successfully installed following the steps detailed in this manual, launch Pro Tools and ensure that a new session is created at the desired sample rate (if clocking internally) or at the rate of the clock source (if clocking externally). Go to Setup > I/O to label your inputs and outputs and ensure that Sono is correctly reporting 11 inputs and 4 outputs to and from Pro Tools.
Logic Pro Setup Cubase Setup Operation with Logic Pro Operation with Cubase / Nuendo If you are using an external clock source (ADAT or S/PDIF) to clock Sono, please ensure that your Logic Pro project is set to the same sample rate when recording and playing back in a session, otherwise things may sound a bit sharp or flat! Once Sono has been successfully installed following the steps detailed earlier in this manual, launch Cubase and head straight for the Studio menu: Studio > Studio Setup Select Audi
Cubase Setup Buffer sizes can be set in the control panel within the VST devices display. It is ideal to keep them quite high to reduce CPU loading if you use the Sono app as the input monitoring device while recording. Support & ARC Here you can ensure that all buses have been created in Cubase / Nuendo and therefore all ports are addressable in your session. Add new buses and assign them to the necessary I/O if required.
Technical Specifications MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER: MIC GAIN: 0 to +60 dB LINE GAIN: -10 to +50 dB PHANTOM POWER: 48v +/-4v @ 10mA/Channel MIC EIN: -128dBu CMRR: >80dB @ 1kHz MAXIMUM INPUT LEVEL: +16dBu INPUT IMPEDANCE (Mic): >3kΩ Balanced INPUT IMPEDANCE (Line): >10kΩ Balanced FREQUENCY RESPONSE: +/-0.5dB 10Hz to 22kHz CROSSTALK: <-90dB @ 1kHz & 10kHz THD+N @ 0dBu (1kHz): 0.
Warranty Service Please note that if you purchased the product from outside of your country of residence you must return the unit to the original point of purchase for repair. Service Information The Audient warranty term is additional to any statutory rights in the country of purchase or as offered by the dealer at the time of purchase. Sono contains no user-serviceable components, please refer to qualified service personnel for diagnosis and repair.
Glossary Below are a list of common words you may encounter in this manual or whilst using Sono. A Amperes ADAT Alesis Digital Audio Tape ADC Analogue to Digital Converter DAW Digital Audio Workstation CPU Central Processing Unit CUE Artist Headphone Mix DAC Digital to Analogue Converter dB Decibel dBu Decibel referenced to 0.775Vrms = 0 dBu dBFS Decibel Full Scale DC Direct Current D.
