©2000 Antares Audio Technologies. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All names of microphone manufacturers and microphone model designations appearing in this manual are used solely to identify the microphones analysed in the development of our digital models and do not in any way imply any association with or endorsement by any of the named manufacturers. Antares Audio Technologies 231 Technology Circle Scotts Valley, California 95066 USA voice: (831) 461-7800 email: info@antarestech.com web: www.antarestech.com Printed in USA Rev 1.1-11/2000 Contents Welcome Technical Support 5 6 Introducing the AMM-1 Chapter 1 Overview About the Technology So What Exactly Does It Do? 7 8 8 Setting Up Panel Controls and Connectors Chapter 2 Chapter 3 The Front Panel The Back Panel 9 10 13 Operation Chapter 4 Live or Mixdown? Signal Flow Controls Input Section Source Mic Section Modeled Mic Section Preserve Source Tube Saturation Bypass Output Level System Edit 14 14 15 15 16 21 25 26 27 28 28 The Microphone Models Chapter 5 Adding New Mic Models 33 Realistic Expectations Get Creative Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Appendix Acknowledgments AMM-1 Specifications Index 36 40 41 47 48 49 Welcome! On behalf of everyone at Antares Audio Technologies, we'd like to offer both our thanks and congratulations on your decision to purchase the AMM-1 Microphone Modeler. Before you proceed any farther, we'd like to strongly encourage you to fill out and return the AMM-1 registration card. To make it as easy as possible, we've included a sticker with your serial number already attached to the card. It's probably a good idea also to write it in your manual for future reference. As an AMM-1 owner, you are entitled to receive notification of any software upgrades, technical support, and advance announcements of upcoming products. But we can't send you stuff unless we know who and where you are. So please, send that card in. At Antares, we are committed to excellence in quality, customer service, and technological innovation. With your purchase of the AMM-1, you have created a relationship with Antares which we hope will be long and gratifying. Let us know what you think. You can count on us to listen. Again, thanks. The Whole Antares Crew 5 Technical Support In the unlikely event that you experience a problem using your AMM-1, try the following: 1. Make another quick scan through this manual. Who knows? You may have stumbled onto some feature that you didn't notice the first time through. 2. Check our web page for tips, techniques, or any late-breaking information: www.antarestech.com 3. Call your local Antares dealer. 4. Call us at (831) 461-7814 Monday through Friday between 9am and 5pm USA Pacific Standard Time. 5. Email us at: techsupport@antarestech.com For options 3, 4 and 5, please be prepared to provide the serial number of your AMM-1. 6 Chapter 1: Introducing the AMM-1 Overview If you've spent any time lately flipping through the pages of pro audio magazines, you have almost certainly noticed the intense focus on microphones. From the proliferation of exotic new mics to the almost cult-like following of certain historical classics, never has the choice been greater. But amassing a substantial collection of high-end mics is financially prohibitive for all but the most wellheeled studios. Enter the Antares AMM-1. Using our patented Spectral Shaping ToolTM technology, we've created digital models of a wide variety of microphones, from historical classics to modern exotics, as well as a selection of industry-standard workhorses. Simply tell the AMM-1 what microphone you are actually using and what microphone you'd like it to sound like. It's as simple as that. With the AMM-1, you can afford to record each track through a model of the specific mic that will best produce that ideal sound you're looking for. Or use it in live performance to get the sound of mics you'd never consider using on stage. You can even use it during mixdown to effectively change the mic on an already recorded track. Not only do the models reproduce the sonic characteristics that make each microphone unique, but they also give you control of each mic's specific options. Does the mic have a low cut filter? If so, it's in the model. Wind screen on or off? Close or far placement? Each option results in the same sonic effect that it would have with the actual modeled mic. And for that final touch of perfection, you can even add some tasty tube saturation. And with the ability to download new models from our web site, the AMM-1 will always keep you at the forefront of the microphone art. 7 About The Technology The models employed by the AMM-1 are not derived from theoretical considerations. They are generated by a proprietary analysis process that is applied to each physical mic modeled. Not only the sonic characteristics, but the behavior of other parameters such as low-cut filters or proximity effects accurately reflect the specific performance of each individual microphone we model. The precision of these models allows the AMM-1 to reproduce even the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) sonic variations that one often finds in different samples of the same model of microphone. Consequently, for some important mics, we've provided multiple models, each based on measurements taken from individual mics. Another advantage of our model-based approach is that there is essentially no processing delay apart from the natural phase effects of the microphones being modeled. Finally, the quality and signal-to-noise characteristics of the processing are pristine. Because of our commitment to model-based processing, there are none of the limitations or distortions characteristic of FFT-based algorithms. The quality of the output is limited only by the quality of the input. So What Exactly Does It Do? While there is a lot of fairly complicated stuff going on under the hood, the essential functionality of the AMM-1 is really quite simple. Basically, audio originally recorded by a microphone is input to the AMM-1 where it is first processed by a "Source Model" which serves to neutralize the known characteristics of the input mic. The audio is then processed by a second "Modeled Mic" model which imposes the characteristics of the modeled mic onto the previously neutralized signal. Finally, the audio is passed through a model of a highquality tube preamp offering the option of classic tube saturation distortion. 8 Chapter 2: Setting Up the AMM-1 Setting up the AMM-1 is very straightforward. 1. Find a suitable location. The AMM-1 is designed to be mounted in a standard 19-inch equipment rack. 2. Confirm that the included power supply is correct for the electricity in your part of the world. If you are not sure, or the power supply has a plug that is incompatible with your wall sockets, contact your local Antares dealer for help. Important! Do not attempt to modify the supply or use any other supply that is not specifically intended for the AMM-1. 3. First, connect the power supply's 7-pin DIN connector to the AC INPUT jack on the rear of the AMM-1. Then plug the power supply into an AC outlet. 4. Connect a balanced or unbalanced audio input to one of the INPUT jacks or a digital input to the AES/EBU digital input connector. (see Chapter 3 for details). 5. Connect a cable to one of the Analog OUTPUT jacks or the AES/ EBU digital output connector and route the output as appropriate for your application. 6. If you will be controlling your AMM-1 via MIDI or downloading new mic models via Standard MIDI Files, connect a MIDI cable from your MIDI source to the ATR-1's MIDI IN jack. An Important Note About Grounding: The AMM-1 is an extremely quiet piece of gear. When properly connected and grounded, analog noise and hum will be inaudible. However, as you're no doubt well aware, every studio has its own unique quirks when it comes to connections, grounding and noise. For the absolute best sonic performance, ensure that your analog input and output are fully balanced. 9 Chapter 3: Panel Controls and Connectors The Front Panel 1 Power Switch As will be immediately obvious, pushing this button in turns on your AMM-1. It will be left as a exercise for the user to discover how to turn it off. 2 D-in LED This LED lights to indicate the presence of a valid digital input at the AES/EBU input connector 3 Input Level Adjusts the digital level of the audio. Used in combination with the Level Meter LEDs to set the optimum input level without clipping. Turning this knob temporarily displays the input level in dBs on the LCD. 4 Input Level Meter These five LEDs light to indicate the level of the audio as it is being processed by both the Source and Modeled mic models. Ideally, you should adjust the input to the highest level that does not consistently cause the top red LED to light. (The red LED lights at a level of -3dB. Digital clipping, which introduces a particularly nasty-sounding distortion, will occur if the input exceeds 0dB.) 5 Edit Select Button Press this button to select either the Source Mic or Modeled Mic for editing. The associated LED lights to indicate the current selection. 6 Preserve Source Buttons Pressing the Treble or Bass Preserve Source button causes the selected frequency range of of the input signal to be passed through the AMM-1 without processing (preserving the sound of your source mic in that range). The associated LEDs light to indicate this state. 7 LCD An easy-to-read 20 character by 2 line display. You can set the optimum viewing angle in the System menu (See Chapter 4). 8 Data Entry Knob As its name implies, turn it to enter data. 10 AMM-1 Front Panel 1 3 7 13 14 2 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 9 Microphone/Cursor Button In normal operation mode, pressing this button allows you to select your desired source or modeled mic. In System Edit Mode, this button lets you move the cursor in the LCD display from field to field so that you can change each field's value using the Data Entry knob. 10 Proximity/Page Button In normal operation mode, pressing this button allows you to control the proximity effect of the source or modeled mic. When in System Edit Mode, press this button to cycle sequentially through the available edit pages. You can only move in one direction, but there are so few pages in System mode that you are never more than a few presses away from where you want to be. 11 Low Cut/Enter Button In normal operation mode, pressing this button allows you to select any available low cut filters for the source or modeled mic. When in System Edit Mode, press this button to confirm certain operations. 12 Pattern Button In normal operation mode, pressing this button allows you to select any available response patterns for the source or modeled mic. 13 Tube Saturation Drive This knob (in combination with the Input Level) controls the amount of tube saturation distortion that is applied to your signal. Turning this knob temporarily displays the drive level in dBs on the LCD. 14 System Button Press this button to set various parameters that affect the AMM-1's overall functionality (input format, new model download, LCD contrast, etc.) The accompanying LED lights to remind you that you are in System Edit Mode. When the LED is lit, press the SYSTEM button again to exit the System Edit Mode. 11 AMM-1 Front Panel 15 Bypass Button Press the Bypass button to pass audio through the AMM-1 without any processing. The AMM-1 can also be placed into Bypass Mode via a footswitch or by MIDI. The accompanying LED lights to remind you that you are in Bypass Mode, whether the mode was initiated by the Bypass button, the foot switch, or MIDI. 16 Output Level Sets the output level of the processed audio. This control provides attenuation only; no gain is available. Turning this knob temporarily displays the output attenuation in dBs on the LCD. 12 AMM-1 Back Panels 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 The Back Panel 1 Balanced Line Inputs Inputs can be 1/4-inch TRS (tip-ring-sleeve) Phone, 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) Phone or female XLR. Note: The XLR input is NOT a microphone input. A line level signal is required. Also Note: If you use a 1/4-inch TS plug, the input will of course not be balanced. Yet Another Note: The two inputs will not mix two signals. Plugging in a phone plug will disconnect the XLR input. 2 Line Outputs Outputs can be 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) Phone Unbalanced or male XLR Balanced. 3 AES/EBU Digital Input Connect an AES/EBU digital input signal here. 4 AES/EBU Digital Output Provides AES/EBU digital output regardless of the input format selection. 5 MIDI In Connect the MIDI Out from a MIDI sequencer, or other MIDI source in here. 6 MIDI Out Not currently used. 7 Bypass Foot Switch Plug in a foot switch here. A 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) plug is required. There are two varieties of foot switch: those that are shorted by default and those that are open b ...