Behringer MDX2200 manual

COMPOSER ® PRO MDX2200 www.behringer.com ENGLISH User’s Manual Version 1.3 June 2001[...]

2 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to important operating and mainte- nance instructions in the accompanying literature. Read the manual. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CAUTION: T o reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside; refer servicing to qualified personnel. WA[...]

3 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 FOREWORD Dear Customer, Welcome to the team of COMPOSER PRO users and thank you very much for expressing your confidence in BEHRINGER products by purchasing this unit. It is one of my most pleasant tasks to write this letter to you, because it is the culmination of many months of hard work delivered by our engineering team to[...]

4 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 MDX2200 MDX2200 MDX2200 MDX2200 MDX2200 COMPOSER ® PRO Interactive 2-channel expander/gate/compressor/limiter of the reference class V IKA (Interactive Knee Adaptation) compressor concept combines the advantages of “hard knee” and “soft knee” characteristics V Attack and release times controllable automatically or ma[...]

5 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 T ABLE OF CONTENTS 1 . INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 7 1. 1 Before you begin ............................................................................................................................. 8 1. 2 Design concept .[...]

6 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 6. EXTERNAL SIDE CHAIN APPLICA TIONS ........................................................................... 24 6. 1 The side chain function ..................................................................................................... ............ 2 4 6. 2 Using an equalizer in the side chain path ................[...]

7 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 1. INTRODUCTION In purchasing the new COMPOSER PRO MDX 2200, you have acquired an extremely efficient and universal dynamics processor, which combines the most commonly used dynamic functions within a compact stereo unit: every channel has its own independent compressor/limiter, an expander/gate and a peak limiter. The precis[...]

8 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 1.1 Before you begin The BEHRINGER COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 was carefully packed in the factory, in order to ensure safe transport. Nevertheless, should the box show signs of damage please check the equipment itself immediately for any signs of external damage.  If the unit is damaged, please do not return it to us, but notify[...]

9 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 1.2.4 Transformer balanced outputs (optional) In contrast to electronic balancing, the use of transformer-balanced outputs offers the advantage of galvanic separation between units. Electrical potential differences and ground loops in audio installations do not there- fore impair the performance of the units. The transformer-[...]

10 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 3 The RATIO control is used to adjust the expansion ratio when the signal drops below the threshold value. This control determines whether the unit works as an expander (low ratio level) or as a gate (1:8). The expansion ratio can be set from 1:1 to 1:8. 4 When a signal below the threshold value is applied, the “-” LED l[...]

11 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 13 Using the SC MON switch will enable you to connect the side chain control signal to the audio output, whilst at the same time muting the audio input. This function provides you with the ability to monitor the side chain signal that is returned via inserted equalizers or other external processors. The SC MONITOR function w[...]

12 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 2.4 Rear panel control elements of the COMPOSER PRO Fig. 2.5: Control elements of the rear panel 21 SERIAL NUMBER . Please take the time to complete and return the warranty card within 14 days of the date of purchase, otherwise you will lose the right to the extended warranty. Or just use our online- registration (www.behrin[...]

13 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 also cause uncontrolled currents and voltages. The resulting sound of the various frequencies is heard as noise. Even the best possible tape biasing can “only” provide signal-to-noise ratios of about 70 dB, which is not acceptable today since the demands of listeners have increased. Due to the laws of physics, improving [...]

14 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 t P/dB +20 0 -20 -40 -60 -80 Clipping Headroom Operating level Effective SNR Noise floor Fig. 3.2: The interactive relationship between the operating level and the headroom The need therefore arises for a fast acting automatic gain control system which will constantly monitor the signals and which will always adjust the gain[...]

15 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 inaudible as soon as considerably louder sound signals in the same frequency band are added. Nevertheless, the further the level that the desired signal decreases, the more the noise floor becomes a disturbing factor. Expanders or noise-gates offer a solution for this problem: these devices attenuate signals when their ampli[...]

16 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 average level without affecting signal peaks above the threshold, this is referred to as the program limiter. For this purpose the attack time will be set above 20 ms. If the attack time is further reduced in order to also control signal peaks, this is defined as the peak limiter. Clipping In contrast to the two previously m[...]

17 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 4.2.1 Controlling leakage in the studio Expander/gates are most commonly used to suppress undesirable leakage of sound from one track to another during recording or playback. They are usually used when recording drum kits, where the mics are very close to each other. High volume levels of individual instruments often cause c[...]

18 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 4.2.3 Reducing leakage in stage mics The COMPOSER PRO has many uses in live-work, on stage and in multi-miking situations: a well set up expander/gate can effectively suppress background noise, compressor type pumping noise and microphone leakage etc. without producing any undesirable side effects. Expander/gates are commonl[...]

19 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 Threshold Gain 0 dB Input Output o o:1 Limiter Ratio 2:1 Ratio 4:1 Hard Knee green yellow red IKA Curve LED Fig. 4.2: IKA characteristic of the compressor section The new IKA (Interactive Knee Adaptation) circuit prevents aggressive compression, created by high ratios, from sounding too unnatural. This is achieved with an in[...]

20 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 technique is required, the attack and release times can also be manually adjusted. The experienced user will be in a position to specify parameters while in bypass mode and thus realize the effect before the unit is actually switched into operation. This is important in live situations, where a signal needs to be managed eff[...]

21 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 Output Input Peak Limiting Program Limiting Release Threshold t/ms Level 20 ms 10 20 30 5 ms approx. 1 s Fig. 4.3: IGC characteristic of the limiter section The diagram illustrates the functioning of the IGC limiter. The solid graph represents the output signal, while the dashed graph above shows the input signal response. T[...]

22 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 5.1.1 The COMPOSER PRO in digital recording and sampling In an analogue recording, too low recording levels lead to an increased noise level, whereas too high levels will cause a compressed and “squashed” sound. In extreme cases, it will cause distortion due to tape saturation. In contrast to analogue, side effects in th[...]

23 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 5.2.1 Protection of a system with a passive crossover If your sound system incorporates a passive crossover network (included in the loudspeaker case), insert the BEHRINGER COMPOSER PRO between your mixing console output and the power amplifier input. It is used as the last link in the chain preceding the power amp. Thus, yo[...]

24 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 6 . EXTERNAL SIDE CHAIN APPLICATIONS 6.1 The side chain function The BEHRINGER COMPOSER PRO offers an exceptionally usable external facility by using the side chain function. By activating the SC EXT switch, the COMPOSER PRO’s control path is disconnected from the audio input and therefore interrupted. The audio input is r[...]

25 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 l o r t n o C g n i t t e S h c t i w s T X E C SN I h c t i w s N O M C ST U O h c t i w s E V I T C A R E T N IF F O h c t i w s R E T L I F C ST U O l o r t n o c D L O H S E R H TB d 0 2 + : l o r t n o c O I T A R4 : 1 h c t i w s O T U AT U O l o r t n o c K C A T T As m 1 l o r t n o c E S A E L E Rs m 0 5 1 l o r t n[...]

26 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 6.4 “Voice-over” compression (“ducking”) The COMPOSER PRO can be used to automatically reduce music to a background level, when an announcer is speaking through a microphone. For this purpose, the COMPOSER PRO is used as an automatic fader and is controlled by the announcer’s microphone, which is connected to the S[...]

27 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 Unbalanced use of mono 1/4" jack plugs Ring Balanced use of stereo 1/4" jack plugs Balanced use with XLR connectors 1 2 3 2 1 3 Input Output Tip = Signal Tip = hot (+ve) Sleeve = Ground / Shield Sleeve = Ground / Shield Tip Ti p Sleeve Sleeve Strain relief clamp Strain relief clamp Ring = cold (-ve) For connection [...]

28 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 8. SPECIFICATIONS 8. SPECIFICATIONS AUDIO INPUT Connectors XLR and 1/4" jack T y pe RF filtered, servo-balanced input Impedance 50 kOhm balanced, 25 kOhm unbalanced Nominal operating level +4 dBu/-10 dBV switchable Max. input level +21 dBu balanced and unbalanced CMRR typ. 40 dB, >55 dB @ 1 kHz AUDIO OUTPUT Connector[...]

29 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 8. SPECIFICATIONS PEAK LIMITER SECTION T y p e IGC (Interactive Gain Control) peak limiter Threshold variable (+4 dB to OFF (+22 dBu)) Ratio o o:1 S tage 1 Limiter T ype Clipper Attack “zero” Release “zero” S tage 2 Limiter T ype Program limiter Attack program dependent, typ. < 5 ms Release program dependent, typ.[...]

30 COMPOSER PRO MDX2200 9. WARRANTY The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording of any kind, for any purpose, without the express written permission of BEHRINGER S pezi[...]