MODEL EQ16 16 CHANNEL - 3 BAND PARAMETRIC EQUALIZER Model EQ16-16 Model EQ16-32 Reference Manual speck electronics
ii Notice Speck Electronics makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Speck Electronics shall not be liable for errors contained herein or for incidental consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material. This document contains proprietary information which is protected by copyright. All rights are reserved.
iii Contents Contents Chapter 1 Introduction General ...................................................................................... Operator Safety Summary ......................................................... Power source ....................................................................... Grounding the product ........................................................ Use the proper power cord .................................................. Use the proper fuse ..........................
Contents iv Installation ........................................................................... Default Control Settings ............................................................ Cleaning .................................................................................... Interfacing the Model EQ16 ...................................................... Things that can be interfaced ............................................... Connecting to a balanced output .....................................
Chapter 1 1 Introduction Section Introduction General Thank you for purchasing our Model EQ16 Sixteen Channel Equalizer. This manual covers the operation of the Model EQ16-16 and Model EQ16-32. The Model EQ16 has operational features that are easy to understand and you should be up and running in no time. If you are unfamiliar with audio equipment or audio signal flow, it is recommended that you read this manual.
Chapter 1 Introduction Section 2 Figure 1a. Front Panel Layout Figure 1b.
Chapter 1 Introduction Section Do not remove covers or panels General Description 3 To avoid personal injury, do not remove the top cover from the power supply, or the rear panel of the Model EQ16 and never operate the external power supply without the cover properly installed. If it becomes necessary to remove the rear panel of the EQ16 for service, always unplug the AC power and disconnect the DC interface cable before proceeding.
Chapter 1 Introduction Section CAUTION! IMPORTANT! Rack mount adapters 4 ALWAYS CHECK THE PROPER OPERATING VOLTAGE BEFORE OPERATING THE MODEL USE ONLY THE POWER SUPPLY THAT IS SPECIFIED FOR YOUR PRODUCT. The Model EQ16 is supplied with a set of rack mount adapters. If the intention is to mount the EQ16 in a standard 19" equipment rack, these adapters must be mounted to the left and right sides of the mixer.
Chapter 2 5 Initial Preparation Initial Preparation Unpacking and Inspection The Model EQ16 is delivered in a special, protective container and was carefully inspected both mechanically and electrically before shipment. It should be physically free of mars and scratches and in perfect electrical order upon receipt. To confirm this, the product should be inspected for physical damage that may have occurred in transit. Any damage should be reported to your dealer or delivery company as soon as possible.
Chapter 2 Initial Preparation 6 Rack grounding Merely affixing the Model EQ16 into an equipment rack is no guarantee that the product is making a reliable ground connection. The mounting rails in the equipment rack should never be depended upon for a ground connection. Repacking For Shipment The following information is provided as a general guide for repackaging your Model EQ16 for shipment. If you have any questions, contact your local Speck Dealer or Speck Electronics direct.
Chapter 3 Installation Section 7 Installation General The following information should give you the basics on how to install the Model EQ16 and Power Supply. The proper installation of the Model EQ16 as a part of a larger system requires a clear understanding of audio wiring, AC distribution, grounding, and shielding techniques. When the EQ16 is being installed into a larger system it may be necessary to retain the services of someone experienced in these matters.
Chapter 3 Installation Section 8 The PS3 offers a variety of mounting options. The power supply may be placed on any flat surface, permanently affixed to a flat surface, or mounted on a single rack rail with the optional rack mount adapter. One of the primary reasons that the power supply of the EQ16 is external is to insure that the power transformer enclosed within the power supply chassis maintains a safe distance from the active electronics of the EQ16.
Chapter 3 Installation Section 9 There are 5 terminals available on the power transformer of the power supply. The configuration of the five terminals determine the operating voltage of the power supply. It is only necessary to change the black (line) and white (neutral) AC wires. Do not attempt to remove or change the Green AC safety wire or the multicolored wires used at the DC terminals. It is recommended that you measure the DC voltages at the DC connector before reconnection to the mixer.
Chapter 3 10 Installation Section Next, fit the square plug into the connector at the rear of the Model EQ16. These connectors are also keyed to fit in only one direction. Once the plug has been connected to the EQ16, it may be secured with a cable tie to the adjacent cable tie holder. Power supply DC pin The following chart represents the DC voltages available at the 6 pin connector (Figure 2) on the Model PS3 Power Supply. 1 2 3 4 5 6 PIN 1 - DC COMMON PIN 2 - MINUS 16.
Chapter 3 11 Installation Section Cleaning IMPORTANT! Interfacing the Model EQ16 Equalizer To clean the front or rear panel, wipe the surface gently using a soft lintfree cloth to avoid scratching the panel or markings. Paper towels are not recommended. Commercially available window cleaner solutions may be used; however, the solution should be applied to the cloth and not the panel to avoid the seepage of liquid to the inside of the enclosure. DO NOT USE BRUSHES OR FEATHER DUSTERS TO REMOVE DUST.
Chapter 3 Installation Section Connecting the Model EQ16 to a Mixer General 12 Due to the flexibility of the Model EQ16, there are many places it may be interfaced - too many to enumerate in the manual. A basic rule to follow when interfacing the EQ16 is that inputs connect to outputs, and outputs connect to inputs. This rule applies regardless of the type or brand of product that is interfaced to the EQ16. Each manufacturer has their own recommendation for interfacing external equipment.
Chapter 3 13 Installation Section A few of the larger recording consoles that lack a patchbay may use two jacks for the channel's insert points; one jack for insert output, and another for the insert input. Most of the smaller rack mount mixers mentioned in this manual utilize a stereo (TRS) jack for the insert points. For these mixers it will be necessary to utilize a special "Y" cable with a stereo plug at one end and two mono plugs at the other ends. (See figure 5) Figure 5.
Chapter 3 14 Installation Section Interface to the Xtramix Mixer There are no special requirements for installation and interface of the EQ16 to the Xtramix except to use reasonable care in the layout of the audio wires. It is recommended that the EQ16 be installed directly above or below the Xtramix. This will allow you to keep the cable lengths short, thereby reducing the susceptibility to hums and buzzes caused by EMI emissions. The EQ16 may be connected to virtually any signal path of the Xtramix.
Chapter 3 15 Installation Section Figure 6.
Chapter 3 16 Installation Section Figure 7.
Chapter 4 17 Operation Section Operation General We hope to give you basic information on the operation of the Model EQ16 and adequately describe its controls, switches, and connectors. The information in this manual is intended to help with the technical process when using your Model EQ16. Words alone could not adequately describe how to adjust the controls on the EQ16. Your ears should be your best gauge of how to adjust the frequencies to make the sound fit your requirements.
Chapter 4 Operation Section 18 The Model EQ16 utilizes 2 of the previously mentioned parametric controls; the frequency select control and boost/cut control. These controls are equally divided into 3 audio bands; low band: 50Hz to 500Hz, mid band: 500Hz to 5kHz, and the high band: 5kHz to 15kHz. The bandwidth on the EQ16 is adjusted automatically when the sweep control is adjusted.
Chapter 4 Operation Section 19 Figure 10.
Chapter 4 Operation Section Bandwidth (Q) 20 The bandwidth of the selected frequency is automatically adjusted with the selection of the frequency sweep control. The lowest setting on any band will result in a narrow bandwidth of approximately 11 dB/octave (Q = 3.3). As the frequency sweep control is adjusted to its highest setting (fully clockwise), the bandwidth widens to approximately 4 dB/octave (Q = .8).
Chapter 4 Operation Section 21 As long as you don't dramatically change the sound of the low frequency audio, this could remove a little noise. Every little bit improves the overall quality of your sound. 3. Mid boost/cut 4. Mid frequency sweep This control provides 15dB of bell shaped boost or cut for the mid band (500Hz to 5kHz) frequency range, and is used in conjunction with the high frequency sweep adjust (see item 4).
Chapter 4 Operation Section 22 Figure 11.
Chapter 4 Operation Section 23 REAR PANEL Refer to Figure 11 for location of items 8 thru 10. General The Model EQ16 is available in two versions: The EQ16-16; 16 mono channels, and the EQ16-32; 16 stereo channels Each channel of the EQ16-16 has two jacks; one input and one output. Each channel of the EQ16-32 has four jacks; left and right inputs jacks and left and right outputs jacks.
Chapter 4 Operation Section Headroom and Boost/Cut 24 When using the EQ16 it is important to understand the relationship between the maximum input level, the maximum output level, and the boost/cut controls. The maximum input level for the EQ16 is +28 dBu, and the maximum output is +28 dBu. The EQ16 can not exceed these maximum input or output levels without incurring distortion. The equalizer channels do not have any gain, so any signal that goes in will come out at the same level.
Chapter 4 Operation Section 25 If the headroom is exceeded, it will be necessary to either reduce the amount of "boost" and/or reduce the input level. Reducing the level to the equalizer channel is usually the preferable option. When the channels of the Model EQ16 are connected to a mixer's insert points, the level to the input of the EQ16 is adjusted by the controls of the mixer's input channel.
Chapter 5 Wiring and Other 26 Wiring and Other General It is assumed that in addition to the Model EQ16, a considerable investment has been made in electronic equipment such as a mixer, synthesizers, samplers, effects, and computers. We believe that the overall performance of the EQ16 and your mixing system is dependent on the condition and quality of this equipment. A general discussion about AC, AC grounding, audio grounding, EMI, and quality wiring is discussed in this section.
Chapter 5 Wiring and Other Connectors 27 All wire and cable interfaced to the EQ16 and Speck products should be terminated with high quality connectors. A 1/4" plug or XL connector should make a positive connection to its respective mating jack and provide adequate strain relief to its cable. All connectors should also have a metal shell to provide 100% shield for exposed conductors. Speck Electronics offers a complete line of interface cables for the project studio.
Chapter 5 Wiring and Other 28 Clock noise and AC Clock noise is one of the greatest enemies of the audio racks AC system. If a synth or any microprocessor based device emits or somehow couples its clock signal with the neutral or earth of its own power cable, it will contaminate your AC system and carry the clock noise into other equipment; almost always with undesirable results.
Chapter 5 Wiring and Other 29 If a patchbay is utilized in your mixing system, the rules for shielding change. With a patchbay, normally all shields are connected at the patchbay jacks, and not connected at the mixer or external audio equipment. EMI and RFI The occurrence of EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) and RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) in a modern digital based recording system should be of great concern and not overlooked when installing the Model EQ16.
