266XL Compressor / Gate Owner/Operator Manual Manuel d'utilisation Bedienungsanleitung Manual de instrucciones WARNING CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN FOR YOUR PROTECTION, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING: WATER AND MOISTURE: Appliance should not be used near water (e.g. near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, etc). Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings. POWER SOURCES: The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance. GROUNDING OR POLARIZATION: Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated. POWER CORD PROTECTION: Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance. SERVICING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, the user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel. FOR UNITS EQUIPPED WITH EXTERNALLY ACCESSIBLE FUSE RECEPTACLE: Replace fuse with same type and rating only. MULTIPLE-INPUT VOLTAGE: This equipment may require the use of a different line cord, attachment plug, or both, depending on the available power source at installation. Connect this equipment only to the power source indicated on the equipment rear panel. To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, refer servicing to qualified service personnel or equivalent. A T T E N T I O N : RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE - NE PAS OUVRIR W A R N I N G : TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE The symbols shown above are internationally accepted symbols that warn of potential hazards with electrical products. The lightning flash with arrowpoint in an equilateral triangle means that there are dangerous voltages present within the unit. The exclamation point in an equilateral triangle indicates that it is necessary for the user to refer to the ownerÕs manual. These symbols warn that there are no user serviceable parts inside the unit. Do not open the unit. Do not attempt to service the unit yourself. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel. Opening the chassis for any reason will void the manufacturerÕs warranty. Do not get the unit wet. If liquid is spilled on the unit, shut it off immediately and take it to a dealer for service. Disconnect the unit during storms to prevent damage. U.K. MAINS PLUG WARNING A moulded mains plug that has been cut off from the cord is unsafe. Discard the mains plug at a suitable disposal facility. NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU INSERT A DAMAGED OR CUT MAINS PLUG INTO A 13 AMP POWER SOCKET. Do not use the mains plug without the fuse cover in place. Replacement fuse covers can be obtained from your local retailer. Replacement fuses are 13 amps and MUST be ASTA approved to BS1362. ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY This unit conforms to the Product Specifications noted on the Declaration of Conformity. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: ¥ this device may not cause harmful interference, and ¥ this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Operation of this unit within significant electromagnetic fields should be avoided. ¥ use only shielded interconnecting cables. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS NOTICE FOR CUSTOMERS IF YOUR UNIT IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER CORD. WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED. The cores in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code: GREEN and YELLOW - Earth BLUE - Neutral BROWN - Live DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY ManufacturerÕs Name: ManufacturerÕs Address: declares that the product: dbx 266XL conforms to the following Product Specifications: EMC: Safety: dbx Professional Products 8760 S. Sandy Parkway Sandy, Utah 84070, USA EN 55013 (1990) EN 55020 (1991) EN 60065 (1993) IEC65 (1985) with Amendments 1, 2, 3 As colours of the cores in the mains lead of this appliance may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows: ¥ The core which is coloured green and yellow must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter E, or with the earth symbol, or coloured green, or green and yellow. ¥ The core which is coloured blue must be connected to the terminal marked N or coloured black. ¥ The core which is coloured brown must be connected to the terminal marked L or coloured red. This equipment may require the use of a different line cord, attachment plug, or both, depending on the available power source at installation. If the attachment plug needs to be changed, refer servicing to qualified service personnel who should refer to the table below. The green/yellow wire shall be connected directly to the unit's chassis. Supplementary Information: The product herewith complies with the requirements of the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC, and the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC (1989), as amended by directive 93/68/EEC (1993). dbx Professional Products Vice President of Engineering 8760 S. Sandy Parkway Sandy, Utah 84070, USA February 26, 1998 European Contact: Your Local dbx Sales and Service Office or International Sales Office 68 Sheila Lane Valparaiso, Indiana Tel: (219) 462-0938 46383, USA Fax: (219) 462-4596 WARRANTY 1. The warranty registration card that accompanies this product must be mailed within 30 days after purchase date to validate this warranty. Proof-of-purchase is considered to be the burden of the consumer. 2. dbx warrants this product, when bought and used solely within the U.S., to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service. 3. dbx liability under this warranty is limited to repairing or, at our discretion, replacing defective materials that show evidence of defect, provided the product is returned to dbx WITH RETURN AUTHORIZATION from the factory, where all parts and labor will be covered up to a period of two years. A Return Authorization number must be obtained from dbx by telephone. The company shall not be liable for any consequential damage as a result of the product's use in any circuit or assembly. 4. dbx reserves the right to make changes in design or make additions to or improvements upon this product without incurring any obligation to install the same additions or improvements on products previously manufactured. 5. The foregoing is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, and dbx neither assumes nor authorizes any person to assume on its behalf any obligation or liability in connection with the sale of this product. In no event shall dbx or its dealers be liable for special or consequential damages or from any delay in the performance of this warranty due to causes beyond their control. CONDUCTOR L N LIVE NEUTRAL WIRE COLOR Normal BROWN BLUE Alt BLACK WHITE GREEN E EARTH GND GREEN/YEL WARNING: If the ground is defeated, certain fault conditions in the unit or in the system to which it is connected can result in full line voltage between chassis and earth ground. Severe injury or death can then result if the chassis and earth ground are touched simultaneously. 266XL Compressor / Gate MANUAL CONTENTS ENGLISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 FRAN,AIS DEUTSCH ESPA,,OL ENGLISH CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 OPERATING CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 COMPRESSOR SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 EXPANDER/GATE SECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CONNECTING THE 266XL TO YOUR SYSTEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 TECHNICAL SUPPORT / FACTORY SERVICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 REGISTRATION AND USER FEEDBACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 SPECIFICATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 BLOCK DIAGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 2 INTRODUCTION Congratulations on choosing the dbx 266XL Compressor/Gate. The 266XL provides traditional dbx sonic quality and performance for the working musician, DJ, studio operator or anyone who needs a friendly compressor/gate to achieve quality compression, gating and downward expansion quickly and easily. We recommend that you take a moment and read through the manual as it provides information that will assist you in using your unit to its fullest potential. The 266XL's compressor is packed with just the right features to effectively reduce and control the dynamic range of your audio, add punch to flabby, loose sounds, or add sustain to instruments. The 266XL begins with the classic dbx compression made famous by our 160 line of compressors. Just set the 266XL's Attack and Release controls to 12:00 to get the same response as those units. But there's more. We scaled the program-dependent Attack and Release controls with dbx's new AutoDynamicª circuitry, so that the 266XL's full range of controls produce voicings that extend from slow leveling to aggressive peak limiting. Common Compressor Applications: ¥ Fattening a Kick Drum or Snare Drum ¥ Adding Sustain to Guitar or Synthesizer String Sounds ¥ Smoothing Out a Vocal Performance ¥ Raising a Signal Out of a Mix ¥ Preventing Sound System Overload ¥ Digital to Analog Transfers The 266XL's gate is ready to tackle all your gating needs, whether you need to remove unwanted noise or other background sounds, tighten drum sounds, or change the characteristic envelope of an instrument. The 266XL's gate provides more flexibility than traditional switch gates because it actually functions as a combination gate/expander. Where switch gates are generally only suitable for a limited number of uses (e.g., gating percussion), the gate on the 266XL acts as a gentle downward expander at low Ratio settings (suitable for vocals, guitar, mixed program, etc.), and can effectively work as a switch gate when used at high Ratio settings. Common Gating Applications: ¥ Gating Dry Percussive Sounds (e.g., Snare Drum, Kick Drum) ¥ Gating Sounds That Have Longer Decay (e.g., Cymbal, Piano) ¥ Gating Hum or Buzz From Live Instruments or Recorded Tracks ¥ Downward Expansion to Reduce Noise Under Smooth Sounds (e.g., Vocals, Woodwinds) Refer to the following pages for suggested initial settings. These settings should suffice for traditional compressing and gating requirements. However, the 266XL can accomplish many more changes to sound quality. We recommend that you experiment with the 266XL's controls; take our suggested settings and run with them, try totally different settings, and try unorthodox combinations of compressor and gating controls. You might be surprised at what you hear. Best of all, you may create the perfect sound quality for your needs. 266XL Compressor / Gate 266XL Compressor / Gate OPERATING CONTROLS THRESHOLD + 3 GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 25 20 15 10 6 3 1 + THRESHOLD CHANNEL ONE -20 2:1 3:1 0 1.3:1 -20 -30 - 0 -40 -60 -10 0 +10 OverEasy 1.3:1 2:1 4:1 -10 0 +10 Stereo Couple -60 Auto 1:1 RATIO :1 FAST ATTACK SLOW FAST RELEASE SLOW -20 dB +20 OUTPUT GAIN Bypass OFF dBu +15 THRESHOLD 1:1 RATIO 4:1 -40 dBu +20 THRESHOLD EXPANDER/GATE COMPRESSOR Front Panel STEREO COUPLE Switch and LED This switch sets the 266XL for Stereo or Dual Mono operation. Press the STEREO COUPLE switch in for stereo operation where Channel 1 becomes the master controller for both channels. All of Channel 2's controls, switches, and LEDs will be disabled (except for Channel 2's GAIN REDUCTION meter), since Channel 2 is the slave. With the STEREO COUPLE switch out, the unit functions as two separate mono compressor/gates, each with its own independent controls. The red STEREO COUPLE LED indicates that the 266XL is stereo-coupled. BYPASS Switch and LED Press this switch in to bypass the front panel controls, effectively canceling the function and processing effect of the 266XL's compression, gating and gain settings. The input signal is still present at the 266XL's Output, but is now unaltered by the 266 ...