What would you like to do ? Help us find the most requested user's guides Upload your
user manual Search for a user manual Register Login and access your manuals Reset your password

	Browse all user guides
	The SAMSON SCOM product forum
	Upload your user manual
	Sign-up Log in
	Help us find the most requested user's guides
	Include the add-on to download manuals from your site, forum or blog
	Frequently Asked Questions
	Contact Diplodocs team
ALL GUIDES BY CATEGORY Domestic Appliance TV & Audio Car & Motorcycle Phone Computer Camera & Video Music Sport Gardening & Housekeeping Video Game & Software Jewelry & Watch Baby & Toys Hygiene & Health Other

S Class Signal Processors GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 INPUT / OUTPUT LEVEL dB -30 -24 -18 -12 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +18 GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 INPUT / OUTPUT LEVEL dB -30 -24 -18 -12 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +18 POWER EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 COMPRESSOR / LIMITER THRESHOLD -10 10 CH 1 RELEASE 1 STEREO LINK EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 COMPRESSOR / LIMITER THRESHOLD -10 10 CH 2 RELEASE 1 RATIO 4:1 ATTACK 50 OUTPUT 0 ENHANCER 5 RATIO 4:1 ATTACK 50 OUTPUT 0 ENHANCER 5 STEREO COMPRESSOR GATE 50 0 FAST -30 +10 2 6 KEY LISTEN 15 IN/OUT 1 200 .15 3 -10 +10 3 7 IN/OUT 2 50 0 GATE -30 FAST +10 2 6 KEY LISTEN 15 200 .15 3 -10 +10 3 7 OFF +10 dB RELEASE SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 300 .05 Sec AUTO 5 mSec -20 +20 dB I/O METER OFF 10 OFF +10 dB RELEASE SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 300 .05 Sec AUTO 5 mSec -20 +20 dB I/O METER OFF 10 STEREO COMPRESSOR Safety Instructions Caution: To reduce the hazard of electrical shock, do not remove cover or back. No user serviceable parts inside. Please refer all servicing to qualified personnel. CAUTION FOR CONTINUED PROTECTION AGAINST RISK OF FIRE, REPLACE ONLY WITH SAME TYPE FUSE ENGLISH ATTENTION UTILISER UN FUSIBLE DE RECHANGE DE MÊME TYPE WARNING DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE AVIS RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRONIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this unit to rain or moisture. The lightning flash with an arrowhead symbol within an equilateral triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated "dangerous voltage" within the products enclosure that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons. The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product. Important Safety Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Please read all instructions before operating the unit. Keep these instructions for future reference. Please heed all safety warnings. Follow manufacturers instructions. Do not use this unit near water or moisture. Clean only with a damp cloth. Do not block any of the ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide blade or third prong is provided for your safety. When the provided plug does not fit your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet. Protect the power cord from being walked on and pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and at the point at which they exit from the unit. Unplug this unit during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel. Servicing is required when the unit has been damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug damage, or if liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the unit, the unit has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped. 10. 11. 12. 1 Table of Contents Table des matières ENGLISH Forward by Ray Kennedy Introduction S·com Features Controls and Functions Front Panel Layout Rear Panel Layout Operating the S·com Setting Up the S·com Compressing A Signal Gating A Signal Using The Expander Using the Spectra Using the Enhancer Dynamics Processing 101 Applications System Set-ups S·com Connections Specifications Block Diagram 3 4 5 Inhalt DEUTSCHE Vorwort von Ray Kennedy S·com Features Regler und Funktionen Vorderseite Rückseite Bedienung des S·com S·com einrichten Signal komprimieren Signal gaten Expander einsetzen Expander einsetzen Enhancer einsetzen Dynamikbearbeitung 101 Anwendungen System-Einrichtungsbeispiele S·com Anschlüsse Technische Daten 32 33 Contenido 34-35 34-35 6-7 6-7 8 8 9 9 10 10 11-12 13-14 15-16 17 60-61 62 36 36 37 37 38 38 39-40 41-42 43-44 45 60-61 FRANÇAIS Note de Ray Kennedy Caractéristiques du S·com Réglages et fonctions Face avant Face arrière Utilisation du S·com Configuration du S·com Compression d'un signal Utilisation du Noise Gate Utilisation de l'expanseur Utilisation du circuit Spectra Utilisation de l'Enhancer Éléments de base sur les processeurs de dynamique Applications Configurations du système Connexions du S·com Caractéristiques techniques 18 19 ESPAÑOL Prólogo de Ray Kennedy Características y funciones del S·com Controles y funciones Distribución del panel frontal Distribución del panel posterior Utilizar el S·com Preparar el S·com Comprimir una señal Aplicar una compuerta a una señal Utilizar el Expander Utilizar el Spectra Utilizar el Enhancer Procesamiento de la dinámica 101 25-26 Aplicaciones 27-28 Instalaciones del sistema 29-30 Conexiones del S·com 31 60-61 Especificaciones 60-61 59 57-58 55-56 46 47 20-21 20-21 48-49 48-49 22 22 23 23 24 24 50 50 51 51 52 52 53-54 Copyright 2001, Samson Technologies Corp. Printed May, 2001 Samson Technologies Corp. 575 Underhill Blvd. P.O. Box 9031 Syosset, NY 11791-9031 Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766) Fax: 516-364-3888 www.samsontech.com Forward By Ray Kennedy The use of compressors and limiters in recording and mixing are some of the most important tools available and much more useful than many realize. To me, compression is much more of a sound than a dynamics control device. Each model has its own sound and ideal application which is why I have about forty units to choose from. Learning which type of unit and what settings to use takes a lot of trial and experimentation but eventually you'll find the best applications. Peak limiting and soft compression are basically good for maximizing levels to tape or disk without a lot of coloration. Essentially knocking the peaks down and bringing the quieter portions of a sound up louder by narrowing the dynamic range. Slow attack and fast release times allow for more transparent sound. I personally like the sound of compression and use it at times to extremes. Depending on the type of unit and the settings, so many tonal characters can be achieved from thickening, adding ambience, toughening, softening, equalizing and much more. My favorite 'manic compression"' trick is to make vocals feel suspended in the mix, dry and intimate, as if the singer is right there in your face but not too loud. My partner Steve Earle says the amount of compression we use on the vocals on his records lets people know what he had for breakfast. In many ways, it becomes a replacement for reverb and used in extreme, it pulls in all the ambience around a vocal mic as well as digging out character from down in your vocal cords. On an overhead or room mic, you can actually change the perceived size of the room by making it suck in the decaying sound as it travels away. Again slow attack and fast release times will bring the best results because you can hit the threshold much harder. Stereo bus limiting and compression is also a very good method for actually gluing tracks together and making bands sound tighter than they really are. It also allows for more saturation to analog two track as well as fuller modulation to digital formats. For me, it is not unusual to hit three stereo limiters before getting to the hard disk in mastering, which the final parts will be cut from. Quite often running a signal through several compressors will allow some interesting results which cannot be achieved with one unit. There certainly are no rules but it is important to know that there are many different designs in squashing sound. Some are entirely tube, some tube and optical, just optical, FET transistors, VCA's (voltage control amplifiers) Pure Class A, Class A/B, Digital, as well as other combinations. Now, we have finally arrived in an age of very high quality VCA's which are not too expensive and are allowing for very sophisticated and versatile designs, as are the S-Class units from Samson. Ray Kennedy ENGLISH Ray Kennedy is a Nashville based Producer, Engineer and Songwriter whose production company Twang Trust, a partnership between Ray and singer songwriter Steve Earle, has been credited with well known artist recordings and performances including Steve Earle, Art Garfunkel, Willie and Waylon, Farm Aid, The Del McCoury Band, Nancy Griffith, Lucinda Williams, David Alan Coe, Shaver, V-Roys, and Rosie Flores. 3 Introduction Thank you for purchasing the Samson S·com dynamics processor. The Samson S·com is a one-space dual channel dynamics processor optimized for recording, live sound reinforcement systems, DJ set-ups and commercial installations. The S·com is a complete dynamics processing solution offering two channels of full function Compressor, Expander/Gate, Spectra and Enhancer. S·com's convenient meters provide instant status of important gain management settings. In these pages, you'll find a detailed description of the features of the S·com dynamics processor, as well a description of its front and rear panels, step-by-step instructions for its setup and use, and full specifications. You'll also find a warranty card enclosed--please don't forget to fill it out and mail it in so that you can receive online technical support and so we can send you updated information about these and other Samson products in the future. With proper care and adequate air circulation, your S·com will operate trouble free for many years. We recommend you record your serial number in the space provided below for future reference. Serial number: Date of purchase: ENGLISH Should your unit ever require servicing, a Return Authorization number (RA) must be obtained before shipping your unit to Samson. Without this number, the unit will not be accepted. Please call Samson at 1-800-3SAMSON (1-800-372-6766) for a Return Authorization number prior to shipping your unit. Please retain the original packing materials and if possible, return the unit in the original carton and packing materials. 4 S·com Features GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 INPUT / OUTPUT LEVEL dB -30 -24 -18 -12 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +18 GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 INPUT / OUTPUT LEVEL dB -30 -24 -18 -12 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +18 POWER EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 COMPRESSOR / LIMITER THRESHOLD -10 10 CH 1 RELEASE 1 STEREO LINK EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 COMPRESSOR / LIMITER THRESHOLD -10 10 CH 2 RELEASE 1 RATIO 4:1 ATTACK 50 OUTPUT 0 ENHANCER 5 RATIO 4:1 ATTACK 50 OUTPUT 0 ENHANCER 5 STEREO COMPRESSOR GATE 50 0 FAST -30 +10 2 6 KEY LISTEN 15 IN/OUT 1 200 .15 3 -10 +10 3 7 IN/OUT 2 50 0 GATE -30 FAST +10 2 6 KEY LISTEN 15 200 .15 3 -10 +10 3 7 OFF +10 dB RELEASE SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 300 .05 Sec AUTO 5 mSec -20 +20 dB I/O METER OFF 10 OFF +10 dB RELEASE SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 300 .05 Sec AUTO 5 mSec -20 +20 dB I/O METER OFF 10 ENGLISH The Samson S com dynamics processor utilizes the latest technology in gain management design. Here are some of its main features: · Full featured, dual channel dynamics processor including Compressor/Limiter, Expander/Gate, Spectra and Variable Enhancer. SKD (Smart Knee Detector) switches from soft to hard knee based on the level of input signal. AEG (Automatic Envelope Generator) mode constantly adjusts the Compressor's Attack and Release times based on input signal. Manual adjustment of Attack and Release time is also facilitated. 12 Segment LED Input/Output Meter, plus 12 Segment LED Gain Reduction Meter. External Keying with Key Listen Switch available on front panel. Adjustable Enhancer to restore high-end loss resulting from heavy gain reduction. Expander/Gate with variable Threshold control and switchable Fast and Slow Release time. Gate function can be switched from hard Off to Light Downward Expander. Gate Open and Closed LED's. Spectra circuit enabling mid-high frequency contour for removing sibilance. Advanced circuit design, utilizing low noise operational amplifiers and high quality VCAs. Stereo Link Switch. Servo balanced inputs and outputs on XLR and 1/4" connectors. Switchable +4 and ­10 operating levels. High quality 41 position detent pots and backlit switches. The stylish bead blasted electric blue anodized front-panel is as easy to read as it is to look at. Three-year extended warranty. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · Auto Envelope GENERATOR Smart Knee DETECTOR Enhanced Frequency R E C OV E RY 5 Controls and Functions FRONT PANEL LAYOUT 1 2 3 4 5 INPUT / OUTPUT LEVEL dB 6 ENGLISH GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 -30 -24 -18 -12 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +18 EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 COMPRESSOR / LIMITER THRESHOLD 10 -10 CH 1 RELEASE 1 STEREO LINK RATIO 4:1 ATTACK 50 OUTPUT 0 ENHANCER 5 STEREO COMPRESSOR GATE 50 0 FAST -30 +10 2 KEY LISTEN 6 15 IN/OUT 1 200 .15 3 -10 +10 3 7 IN/OUT 2 50 OFF +10 dB RELEASE SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 300 .05 Sec AUTO 5 mSec -20 +20 dB I/O METER OFF 10 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 1 2 3 4 5 6 GATE OPEN & CLOSED LED - Indicates when the gate is open and closed GATE SWITCH - Selects either Gate or Expander mode. GAIN REDUCTION METER - Displays the amount of Gain Reduction when Compressor circuit is activated. INPUT/OUTPUT METER - Displays the Input or Output signal level based on the settings of the I/O meter switch. ENHANCE LEVEL- Used to set the level of the S· com's Enhanced Spectrum Recovery circuit restoring the high end loss resulting from extreme Gain Reduction. STEREO LINK SWITCH- When engaged channel 2's functions are controlled by the settings on channel 1.. 7 8 9 10 11 12 CHANNEL 2 CONTROLS - The same knob and switch complement as channel 1 . MAINS POWER SWITCH - When turned on, acti- vates the S·com plus. RACK EARS - Used for mounting into a standard 19 inch rack. TRIGGER- Controls the threshold level that the Expander/Gate becomes active. RELEASE SWITCH - Selects FAST or SLOW Release Time for EXPANDER/GATE. THRESHOLD - Used to set the minimum signal level at which the Compressor circuit begins to function. SPECTRA SWITCH - Enables the S·com's SPECTRA circuit for high frequency contouring. RATIO - Controls the amount of Gain Reduction in proportion to the amount of signal over the selected threshold level. E F G H 13 14 REAR PANEL LAYOUT A B C D CHANNEL 2 -10 KEY INPUT OUTPUT BALANCED OUTPUT BALANCED INPUT +4 LEVEL A AC INLET - IEC standard AC Power cable Connector. B CHANNEL 2 XLR INPUT - XLR Balanced line input. C CHANNEL 2 1/4" TRS INPUT - 1/4" TRS Balanced line input. D OPERATING LEVEL SWITCH - Switches the operating level from -10dB to +4dB. E CHANNEL 2 KEY INPUT - Input connection allowing external control of the S·com plus' Compressor detection circuit. F CHANNEL 1 KEY OUTPUT - S· com plus' detector circuit is sent here. Use the Key Output to process the compressor's detector through an external effect like an equalizer. 6 Controls and Functions 7 8 9 ENGLISH GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 INPUT / OUTPUT LEVEL dB -30 -24 -18 -12 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +18 POWER POWER LINK EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 COMPRESSOR / LIMITER THRESHOLD -10 10 CH 2 RELEASE 1 RATIO 4:1 ATTACK 50 OUTPUT 0 ENHANCER 5 T1 50 T2 OFF +10 dB 0 GATE -30 FAST +10 2 KEY LISTEN 6 15 200 .15 3 -10 +10 3 7 SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 300 .05 Sec AUTO 5 mSec -20 +20 dB I/O METER OFF 10 RELEASE 15 KEY LISTEN SWITCH - When engaged, the signal present at the KEY INPUT is sent directly to the channel output. 16 KEY SWITCH- Selects the key input so that an external signal may trigger the compressor. 17 ATTACK - Adjusts the amount of time the compressor takes to reach full gain reduction. 18 AUTO - Activates S ·com plus' AEG (Auto Envelope Generator) which dynamically adjusts the attack and release time based on signal content. 19 RELEASE - Adjusts the length of time the compressor takes to return the signal to it's original level. 20 INPUT/ OUTPUT METER SELECT SWITCH - Selects either Input or Output level to be displayed on the Input/Output Meter. 21 LEVEL - Controls the amount of Output level. 22 CHANNEL 1 IN/OUT SWITCH- Activates S·com Channel 1. 23 CHANNEL 2 IN/OUT SWITCH- Activates S·com Channel 2. I CHANNEL 1 -10 KEY INPUT OUTPUT BALANCED OUTPUT CED UT BALANCED INPUT +4 LEVEL G CHANNEL 2 XLR OUTPUT - XLR Balanced line output. H CHANNEL 2 1/4" TRS OUTPUT - 1/4" TRS Balanced line output. I CHANNEL 1 - Same inputs and outputs as Channel 1. 7 Operating The S·com Whether you are an experienced audio engineer, just starting out, or you just want to experiment, follow the steps below to get going. Further sections in this manual will cover basic dynamics and the associated parameters, system set-ups and applications for using dynamics processing in recording and live sound applications. ENGLISH SETTING UP THE S·com · Connect one or both sets of inputs and outputs to the designated connectors on the rear panel. · Set the controls to the following positions: GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 INPUT / OUTPUT LEVEL dB -30 -24 -18 -12 -6 -3 0 +3 +6 +9 +12 +18 EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 COMPRESSOR / LIMITER THRESHOLD -10 10 CH 1 RELEASE 1 STEREO LINK RATIO 4:1 ATTACK 50 OUTPUT 0 ENHANCER 5 STEREO COMPRESSOR GATE 50 0 FAST -30 +10 2 KEY LISTEN 6 15 IN/OUT 1 200 .15 3 -10 +10 3 7 IN/OUT 2 OFF +10 dB RELEASE SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 300 .05 Sec AUTO 5 mSec -20 +20 dB I/O METER OFF 10 EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER ­ OFF GATE SWITCH ­ OUT FAST RELEASE ­ OUT COMPRESSOR THRESHOLD ­ +20dBu (fully clockwise) SPECTRA - OUT RATIO ­ 1:1 KEY SWITCH - OUT ATTACK ­ 0.3 (fully counter-clockwise) AUTO SWITCH- OUT RELEASE -5 (fully clockwise) METER SWITCH ­ IN OUTPUT LEVEL ­ O dBu ENHANCER - OFF (fully counter-clockwise) STEREO LINK SWITCH ­ OUT CHANNEL 1 ENGAGE ­ OUT In this configuration, the S·com is simply passing audio at unity gain with no dynamics processing. It is a good idea to check your gain structure at this point. Use the Input/Output meter to match the level. Send a signal to either or both of the S·com's inputs and outputs. · Press the METER switch to see that the input and output levels are matched. COMPRESSING A SIGNAL S·com's Compressor section can be used for a variety of gain management tasks including printing signals to a multi-track recorder, as a mix-down effect, mastering, and for increasing the loudness of a live PA system. To begin compressing your signal, follow the steps below: · · · · Follow the section above, "SETTING UP THE S·com" for normalizing the controls. Press the CHANNEL IN switch (located in the middle of the unit) to the IN position. Press in the AUTO switch (located in-between ATTACK and RELEASE). Adjust the Ratio to 2:1. 8 Operating The S·com · Now gradually turn down the THRESHOLD level and listen for the compression. For a visual representation, the amount of compression is indicated on the GAIN REDUCTION meter. Press out the AUTO button to experiment with manually controlled ATTACK and RELEASE times. GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1 -3 TE THRESHOLD -10 10 COMPRESSO RATIO 4:1 ATT 5 ENGLISH · TE -30 FAST +10 2 6 KEY LISTEN 15 SLOW -40 +20 dB SPECTRA 1 dB KEY .3 mS ASE GATING A SIGNAL Unwanted noises, buzzes and hisses can be easily removed by using S·com' s GATE. The idea is to have the Gate open only when your desired signal is playing and to mute off (Gate closed) the unwanted noise, buzz and hiss. To Gate your signal, do the following: · · · Follow the section above," SETTING UP THE S·com" for normalizing the controls. To engage the Gate, make sure that the EXPANDER/GATE switch is pressed in. Press the RELEASE switch to the IN position to select FAST release time. Now increase the THRESHOLD level and listen as the signal begins to gate. For a visual representation of the gate opening and closing, look at the GATE OPEN/CLOSED LED's located above the EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER control. EXPANDER/GATE TRIGGER 20 30 · STEREO COMPRESSOR GATE 50 0 FAST -3 OFF +10 dB RELEASE SLOW USING THE DOWNWARD EXPANDER You can set the S·com's Gate section to work as a DOWNWARD EXPANDER to lower the volume of a signal. Try the simple steps below: · · Follow the section above, "SETTING UP THE S·com" for normalizing the controls. To engage the EXPANDER, make sure that the EXPANDER/GATE button is switched to the OUT position. Press the RELEASE switch out to select a SLOW RELEASE. Now increase the TRIGGER level and listen as the signal begins to get softer. · · 9 Operating The S·com USING THE SPECTRA ENGLISH The S·com's SPECTRA is a powerful tool for removing annoying problems like heavy sibilance on vocal tracks or bright cymbals. To listen to the SPECTRA try the following: · Follow the section above, "SETTING UP THE S·com" for normalizing the controls. Press the CHANNEL IN switch (located in the middle of the unit) to the IN position. Run a signal with extra sibilance through the S·com. FAST GAIN REDUCTION dB 30 27 24 21 18 15 12 9 6 4 2 1