User manual SABINE FBX SOLO SM-610

OPERATING GUIDE SL-610 SM-610 The Sabine FBX-SOLO models SM-610 and SL-610. CONGRATULATIONS! You now have the state-of-the-art in feedback control. The Sabine FBX-SOLO gives you automatic real-time feedback control for any channel on your mix, makes your system louder, and increases the clarity of your mains and monitors. It includes a user-selectable noise gate, especially useful in systems with a number of open microphones, such as courtrooms or conference rooms. The FBX-SOLO incorporates the latest in design and digital signal processing technology. It automatically senses feedback in a sound system and determines its pitch. It then places one of its six micro-filters on the resonating frequency and eliminates the feedback in typically less than one second. Before the invention of the FBX, the most common device for controlling feedback was the 31-band graphic EQ. However, the FBX has three distinct advantages. The most obvious is the FBX functions automatically, even during the program. Another is the FBX microfilters are precisely placed while EQ filters are fixed. The difference: FBX filters do not have to be as deep, so there is more system gain. The most important advantage is that FBX micro-filters are ten times narrower than 31-band EQ filters. FBX micro-filters return up to 90 percent of the power removed by EQ filters. Over the years, engineers stopped using 12-band EQs in favor of the narrower-filter 31band EQ for controlling feedback. The FBX represents the next step. An EQ would need more than 10,000 sliders to be equivalent to your FBX. With the SOLO, your monitors will finally sound loud enough, everyone in the audience will understand each word, and the mains will sound natural and transparent. FBX and FBX Feedback Exterminator are registered trademarks of Sabine, Inc., and are the brand names of its line of automatic feedback controllers. Covered by U.S. Patent No. 5,245,665, Australian Patent No. 653,736, and Canadian Patent No. 2,066,624-2. Other patents pending. A DIRECT HIT ON FEEDBACK! The FBX-SOLO targets feedback without taking a big chunk out of your sound. Tests prove that a single 1/3-octave EQ slider pulled down 12 dB removes almost half the power going to the speakers over a two-octave range. And, as the illustration at right shows, you can't place a graphic EQ filter precisely on the ringing frequency. When you pull down multiple sliders in a normal setup (below), you end up with giant holes in your sound. On the other hand, FBX micro-filters are 10 times narrower - you get back up to 90% of the power you lose with a graphic EQ! That means more gain before feedback and no loss in sound quality. 0 dB 6 dB 12 dB 500 Hz 1000 Hz 2000 Hz 0.0 dBV -1.875 FREQUENCY RESPONSE: Full Set-Up FBX vs. 1/3-Octave Graphic Equalizer. Test procedure: A PA system was set up using a microphone, mixer, FBX, power amp and two speakers. The system's gain was raised until the FBX removed six feedback points. Next, the FBX was replaced with a 1/3-octave graphic EQ. The EQ was adjusted while the input was raised to the same level achieved with the FBX. The frequency response curves of each device were then plotted. What this means to you: Doubling the cost of your microphones, speakers and power amp probably would not improve your system's frequency response as much as replacing your EQ with an FBX for chasing feedback. -3.750 -5.625 -7.500 -9.375 -11.25 -13.13 -15.00 100 Hz 1K 10K HOW CAN THE SOLO BE USED? Assign a SOLO to any specific mixer channel. Use the SL-610 model for line level insert points on your mixer's inputs. Use the SM-610, which includes a microphone preamp and user-selectable phantom power, with mixers that don't have insert points. You can also use the SM-610 to connect a phantom-powered mic to a non-phantom-powered mixer. 2 Look for this symbol for specific information on the SL-610, for mixer insert points. Look for this symbol for specific information on the SM-610, for mic or instrument inputs. INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPERATION Note: See pages 8 and 9 for front and back panel illustrations and descriptions. The FBX automatic feedback controller improves any sound reinforcement system. By following these simple instructions, you will be assured of the most benefit from your FBX and sound system. The instructions presume that you are familiar with the fundamentals of sound reinforcement. If any of the terms are not clear, or if the system does not perform as expected, contact your local Sabine dealer for further information. Read on for a basic explanation of FBX features you should understand before using your FBX. POWERING UP The only way to power up the FBX-SOLO is by connecting the power supply to the unit; there is no power switch on the FBX-SOLO. When connecting the power supply to the FBX-SOLO, push the connector into the input gently, with the lip facing up as shown. Do not force the connector into or out of the FBX. FIXED vs. DYNAMIC FILTERS The FBX has two types of filters: FIXED and DYNAMIC. FIXED FILTERS are set during the initial setup and retain their frequency center-points until the unit is reset by the user. The system's gain before feedback is provided by the FIXED FILTERS; i.e., increasing the number of FIXED FILTERS increases the system's gain before feedback. The FBX's DYNAMIC FILTERS control intermittent feedback that occurs during the program. They are continually reset automatically to different frequencies as new feedback occurs during the program. For many applications, the optimal setting is the one which gives maximum gain - i.e., four FIXED and two DYNAMIC filters (default setting). However, in some applications, such as use of wireless microphones, mobility is more important than maximum gain. In this case you may wish to set three fixed and three dynamic filters. The filters can be reconfigured easily from the factory default setting (four fixed and two dynamic). For example, the following procedure will set three filters fixed and three dynamic: 1. Place the unit in BYPASS mode. 2. Power down the SOLO. 3. While depressing the RESET button, power up the unit. 4. Release the RESET button. The FILTER INDICATOR LEDs will now light in sequence. 5. When the third LED is lit, press the RESET button. 6. Notice that the first three LEDs flash three times to verify that they are now the fixed filters. Note: The fixed filters flash three times whenever the FBX is powered up. WHERE TO PLACE THE SOLO IN YOUR SOUND SYSTEM SL-610: Patch the SL-610 into the insert point of the desired channel. If your mixer has a single connector insert point, connect the mixer to the IN/OUT connector on the SL-610 using one TRS (Tip=input/Ring=output/Sleeve=ground; 1/4" phone connector) cord. Otherwise, use the IN/OUT connector as the SL-610's input and the OUTPUT as the output. You can also use a Y-cord from a single connector insert point. (See page 10 of this manual for information on use with a guitar amplifier.) Use the following wiring diagrams (presented in order of most common to least common setup) as guides for setup: SL-610, Configuration 1: 3 SL-610, Configuration 2: SL-610, Configuration 3: SL-610, Configuration 4: SM-610: Connect your microphone or instrument directly to the SM-610 mic level input, and then connect the SM-610's line level output to an input on your mixer or amp. (See page 10 of this manual for information on use with a guitar amplifier.) The SM-610 input accepts both standard 1/4" phone and XLR input connectors. SM-610 Setup: 4 SL-610 SYSTEM INITIALIZING PROCEDURE Follow these steps to obtain the maximum gain before feedback without changing the tonal quality of your program. Set up only one SOLO at a time. The following instructions are for using the SOLO on the mains. For use with monitors, substitute monitor send and master monitor control for input channel level fader and mixer master output. Be sure to turn off the mains when initializing the SOLO in your monitor system. 11. Place the speakers and microphones in the positions where they will be used during the program. Avoid placing microphones directly in front of speakers. 2. Set the mixer master output, all channel level faders, and the monitors to minimum. 3. Turn on the SOLO by connecting the power supply to the SL-610. (There is no power switch.) 4. Turn on the mixer, any signal processing equipment, and finally the power amp. Press the SOLO's RESET button until the LEDs stop flashing to clear out filters set previously. 5. If you are using a graphic EQ, adjust it only for the desired tonal qualities. DO NOT NOTCH FOR FEEDBACK. 6. Be sure the SL-610 is in active mode. The "BY" LED will light green to indicate the SL-610 is active and red if it is in bypass mode. 7. To set the input channel clip level, play program material at nominal levels and adjust the mixer input gain control as high as possible without lighting either the channel or FBX CLIP LED. This will optimize the dynamic range of the SOLO with the channel of the mixer. 8. Set the mixer master output to a nominal level, and lower all channel levels to minimum. 9. Slowly raise the input channel level fader for the channel being set until feedback occurs. The SL-610 should quickly remove the feedback. The first FILTER LED will then blink to indicate a filter has been set. 10. Keep raising the level slowly until all FIXED FILTERS and one dynamic filter is set. Any uninitialized dynamic filters will be set later if feedback occurs during the program. 11. Now lower the channel level fader slightly so that the system is not on the verge of another feedback point. This is the maximum volume level that the SL-610 will be able to provide. Higher levels will cause uncontrollable feedback. Note: Once you become accustomed to this procedure, you will be able to set up your FBX in one or two minutes. SM-610 SYSTEM INITIALIZING PROCEDURE SM-610 Phantom Power Selection: Your SM-610 is delivered from the factory with the phantom power function enabled. If you do not wish to use phantom power - for example, if your microphone will be adversely affected by using phantom power - you may disable the function by opening the unit and switching the jumper. Please note: Phantom power does not affect mics with 1/4" input jacks. The majority of low impedance balanced non-phantom-powered mics are wired to ignore phantom power. Check your microphone owner's manual for verification to avoid damage. To defeat phantom power, follow these instructions: 1. Disconnect the power supply and remove the SM-610's MIC GAIN knob, nut and washer on the front panel. 2. Remove the back panel's four corner screws. Gently pull the back panel and printed circuit board assembly out of the unit. 3. Find the phantom power jumper, located between the XLR connector and the 1/4" connector. See the following diagram. (The jumper is shown in enabled position.) 5 4. Pull the jumper off the pins in phantom power enabled position, and push the jumper onto the pins in phantom power disabled position, as shown: 5. Carefully slide the printed circuit board and back panel assembly back into the unit, and re-insert the four corner screws. 6. Re-install the front panel nut, washer and MIC GAIN knob. To initialize the SM-610: Follow these steps to obtain the maximum gain before feedback without changing the tonal quality of your program. Set up only one SOLO at a time. The following instructions are for using the SOLO on the mains. For use with monitors, substitute monitor send and master monitor control for input channel level fader and mixer master output. Be sure to turn off the mains when initializing the SOLO in your monitor system. 1. Place the speakers and microphones in the positions where they will be used during the program. Avoid placing microphones directly in front of speakers. 12. Set the mixer master output, all channel level faders, and the monitors to minimum. 13. Turn on the SOLO by connecting the power supply to the SM-610. (There is no power switch.) Make sure the channel input is set for line, not microphone. Press RESET until the LEDs stop flashing to clear out filters set previously. 4. Turn on the mixer, any signal processing equipment, and finally the power amp. 15. If you are using a graphic EQ, adjust it only for the desired tonal qualities. DO NOT NOTCH FOR FEEDBACK. 6. Be sure the SM-610 is in active mode. The "BY" LED will light green to indicate the SM610 is in active mode and red if it is in bypass mode. 7. To set the SOLO clip level, play or talk into the connected microphone at nominal levels (if using the SM-610 with an electric/acoustic guitar, set the guitar's output control to maximum) and adjust the SOLO's MIC GAIN control as high as possible without lighting its red CLIP LED. Then adjust the SM-610 MIC GAIN control one click counter-clockwise to insure a margin of safety before clipping. If your mixer has an input gain control, adjust it to match the clip level of the SOLO. 8. Adjust the mixer's master output to a nominal level, usually 0dB. 9. Slowly raise the channel level fader for the channel being set until feedback occurs. The SM-610 should quickly remove the feedback. The first FILTER LED will then blink to indicate a filter has been set. (For use with electric/acoustic guitars, adjust the SM-610 MIC GAIN control fully clockwise at this point to speed up the filter-setting process. Return the MIC GAIN control to the previously determined level setting after initialization.) 10. Keep raising the channel level fader slowly until all FIXED FILTERS and one dynamic filter is set. Any uninitialized dynamic filters will be set later if feedback occurs during the program. 11. Now lower the channel level fader slightly so that the system is not on the verge of another feedback point. This is the maximum volume level the SM-610 will be able to provide. Higher levels will cause uncontrollable feedback. Note: Once you become accustomed to this procedure, you will be able to set up your FBX in one or two minutes. HOW TO USE THE "LOCK FIXED" FEATURE In certain situations the FBX may mistake music for feedback and drive the fixed filters deeper than necessary. Typical examples might be in a church with a pipe organ or during a performance with a great deal of intentional sustained electric guitar feedback. You may prevent the fixed filters from deepening beyond their initial depth by pressing the "LOCK FIXED" button on the front panel AFTER setting the fixed filters as described previously. The "LOCK FIXED" LED will light to indicate that the FBX is in "LOCK FIXED" mode. The fixed filters will stay locked until you press the "LOCK FIXED" button again. The dynamic filters are not affected. In almost every situation, it is best to lock the fixed filters right after the initial setup. 6 LIMITING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ACTIVE FILTERS You may choose to limit the total number of active filters for each application by using the "LOCK FIXED" button. For example, if you wish to use only three fixed and one dynamic filter, set the FBX so there are five fixed and one dynamic filter. Then during the setup procedure, simply press the "LOCK FIXED" button after setting the first three fixed filters. The remaining two fixed filters will be locked in their zero position. SELECTING FILTER WIDTH If the SOLO is to be used for a music application, 1/10-octave filters are most effective. However, in spoken word applications, such as lectures or teleconferencing, the wider 1/5octave filters are recommended. Select the filter width using the switch on the SOLO back panel. The change takes effect only on power-up. Selecting a new width has no effect unless you power down and then power up again. ENGAGING THE NOISE GATE One outstanding feature of your FBX-SOLO is a user-selectable noise gate. It acts as an automatic switch that opens a microphone only when someone is speaking directly into the mic. A noise gate is especially useful in systems that have a number of open microphones, such as courtrooms, conference rooms, or parliament buildings. Gating microphones greatly reduces the number of possible feedback points in the room and allows for more system gain. The level that turns the noise gate on and off is called the threshold. If the level coming into the gate is greater than the threshold, the noise gate opens, and the mic is turned on. If it is less than the threshold, the noise gate closes, and the mic is turned off. You can adjust your SOLO to four different threshold levels (see diagram at right), or turn it off. To select the threshold, power down the SOLO. Hold in the LOCK FIXED button, and power up the SOLO. The clip level LEDs will light in sequence. Select the threshold level by pressing the LOCK FIXED button again when the clip LED lights at the corresponding threshold level. The noise gate is now enabled, indicated by a flashing level LED on powerup. Pressing the LOCK FIXED button with no clip LEDs lighted turns off the noise gate. If no lights flash on power-up, the noise gate is not engaged. When the SOLO's noise gate is enabled, it will not become engaged until after you've set all fixed filters and one dynamic filter (if the SOLO is configured for any). USING SABINE'S OPTIONAL SOLO ACCESSORIES 1-U rack tray (model #SL6RACK): An optional 1-U rack tray holds up to six SOLOs. Mount the SL-610s, SM-610s, or a combination of both side by side on the tray. Use only Sabine supplied screws; use of any other screws may damage the SOLO and void the warranty. 7 SL-610 Front & Back Panels ACTIVE/BYPASS Bypass mode takes the unit out of the signal path so that it will have no effect on the program. In Active mode, the unit controls feedback automatically. The two-color "BY" LED lights green when the unit is in Active mode and lights red when in Bypass mode. RESET Press until the LEDs stop flashing to reset or clear all filters. FILTER ACTIVITY When one of the unit's filters is activated, the corresponding LED lights. A blinking LED indicates the filter that was most recently activated. LOCK FIXED FILTERS When the "LOCK FIXED" button is pressed, its LED will light to indicate that the FBX is in "LOCK FIXED" mode. "LOCK FIXED" mode can be activated at any time after system setup and will stay on until the button is pressed again and the LED turns off. 12VDC ADAPTOR The FBX external power supply (single unit power supply; model #S-PSU1) is included with the unit. Use of any other power supplies may cause permanent damage to the unit and WILL VOID THE WARRANTY. INPUTS & OUTPUTS The connector labeled IN/OUT serves as both the unit's input (tip) and output (ring) when used with a single TRS plug. When used with a Y-cord, use the IN/OUT as the input and the OUTPUT as the output. FILTER WIDTH SWITCH Switch to narrow 1/10-octave filters for music applications or to wider 1/5-octave filters for spoken word applications. The change takes effect only on power up. Selecting a new width has no effect unless you power down and then power up again. MEMORY: The FBX stores the positions and depths of the filters in nonvolatile internal memory when the unit is turned off or during a power failure. The unit will return all filters to their previous frequencies and depths when it is turned back on. BYPASS MODE: The SL-610 has a true power-off bypass. The signal is unaffected in bypass mode even if the unit is turned off. If the unit is in active mode, no signal will pass if the power is off. Placing the SM-610 in bypass mode only shuts down the FBX function; the microphone preamp still functions when the unit is in bypass mode. The SM-610 will not pass signal if the power is off in either active or bypass mode. RESETTING THE FILTERS: The user must reset the FBX if the microphones or speakers are moved significantly. To reset the unit, press RESET until the LEDs stop flashing. POWER DOWN: Place the unit in BYPASS MODE before removing power from the unit. 8