Arx Pc-pre2 User manual

To obtain warranty service for your PC-Pre, call, write, or Email to ARX

or the dealer you purchased it from. They will give you the correct

address to send your unit to. Have your sales receipt showing date of

purchase handy, and include a copy of it with the unit. Please pack it up

well - we are not responsible for any damage caused by unsuitable packing

during shipment. Send the unit to us pre-paid, by a delivery service like

FedEx, UPS, DHL or any other service that can track the shipment. We

will return it to you freight paid. If you have any questions, or any part of

this is unclear, please write to ARX Systems in the country of purchase, or

to the address below.

PO Box 15,Moorabbin, Victoria 3189, Australia. Phone: +61 (0)3 9555

7859 Fax: +61 (0)3 9555 6747

You can Email the factory at: [email protected]

Page 7Page 6

Page 4 Page 5

ARX Systems (ARX) warrants to the first purchaser of this PC-

pre product that it is free from defects in materials and workman-

ship under normal use and service. ARX’s sole obligation under this

warranty shall be to provide, without charge, parts and labour

necessary to remedy defects, if any, which appear within twelve

(12) months from date of purchase; and to supply parts only for

the life of the product to the original purchaser. ARX shall not be

responsible for parts that have been discontinued by the original

manufacturer

This is our only warranty. It does not cover finish or appearance

items, nor does it apply if the unit has been, in ARX’s sole judge-

ment:

• Subjected to misuse, abuse, negligence or accident;

• Repaired, worked on, or altered by persons not authorized by ARX,

• Connected, installed, adjusted or used otherwise than in accord-

ance with the instructions supplied by ARX.

This warranty gives you and us specific legal rights, and you may also

have other rights which can vary from state to state.

INTERNATIONAL LIFETIME WARRANTY

Starting Recording

1. Connect the microphone(s) to the PC-pre. If they are condenser

mics needing Phantom power, press the phantom switch IN. If they

are dynamic mics, then don’t. If you are unsure of what type you

have, here’s the rule: If it works OK without Phantom power,

then it’s a dynamic microphone

2. Set the front panel Level controls initially at 0dB. If you know you

have a card which is set to +4dB, then turn the output control to

that setting. High end cards can have internal jumpers to set the

nominal level, so check your documentation.

3. Open up the Control Panel/Sounds and Audio Devices Properties in

Windows, (or similar utility on Macs) and check the settings on the

Audio Properties/Recording. Set the volume slider at around 75%

(¾ way to the Right) as a starting point.

4. Set the PC-pre Input Gain at 20 - 30 dB as a starting point, then

open up your audio software and start the RECORD process. Make

sure you can see the meters.

5. Try the traditional sound engineer’s “Check 1 - 2” into the

microphone, and watch (a) the levels on the screen, and (b) the

Overload LED on the front of the PC-pre. If it lights up, reduce

the Input Gain. If the levels are too low on the screen, increase the

Input Gain slightly until the level improves. If the onscreen levels are

still too low, and the Input Gain is around 30-40+, increase the

Output level on the PC-pre until the level gets better. It’s a matter

of trial and error initially, until you are used to the interaction

between the PC-pre, sound card, and the audio software.

6. Different microphones will require different Input Gain settings, as

will singers with louder and softer voices, and louder and softer

instruments. It’s a good idea to create a page of different settings

that you can refer back to for speed.

7. You can use the jack input of the combo connector to plug a line

input (eg guitar) into the PC-pre. You can either go in direct -

straight out of the guitar, or through any effects pedals you have.

Just be aware of the extra noise these devices can add, which may

require some subtle noise-gating once you have the track recorded.

8. Don’t worry about getting maximum level on to the hard disk. You

just need a good sounding clean signal that is loud enough, but not so

loud that you risk going into the red/overload state. See ‘About

Digital Recording’ below

PC-Pre2 Specifications

Input Impedance

Mic 2K Ohms Balanced; XLR type Pin 1 Audio Ground, Pin 2 +, Pin 3–

Line 25 KOhms Balanced, ¼" TRS jack Tip +, Ring– Sleeve Ground

Phantom Power Voltage +48 V DC on XLR Pins 2 and 3

Max Input Level Mic +15 dB, Line +20 dB

Input Gain 6 dB Minimum, variable to 50 dB Maximum

Overload Indicator Measured at all Gain points throughout the

circuitry

Output Noise -90 dB Unweighted, -97 dB 'A' weighted

(Measured with Gain at nominal 20 dB)

Frequency Response 20 - 20 KHz ± 0.25 dB

Distortion

100 Hz 0.0085%; 1 KHz 0.008%; 10 KHz 0.0083%

(Measured with Mic Gain 20 dB, Output 0 dB)

Output impedance 150 ohms

Maximum output level +20dB

Distortion Max 0.1% prior to clipping

Output Connectors

Single Mono RCA with Channels A and B mix

Insulated 6.5mm jack with Channels A and B mix.

Wired Tip: +, Sleeve: Ground / Earth

Dual Insulated 6.5mm jacks

Wired Tip: +, Sleeve: Ground / Earth

Power Requirements 12v Connection from computer or external

power supply

Size 146mmW x 42mmH x 142mm D (5¼"W x 1¾H x 5"D)

Weight Under 1 Kilo (2.2 lbs)

About Digital Recording (a VERY short primer!)

If you’ve ever recorded on to a tape deck or cassette deck, you’ll be aware

that it’s usually OK to let the needles bounce into the red OCCASION-

ALLY. In fact, it often sounds bigger and fatter this way, thanks to the soft

analog tape distortion.

Digital recording is different. Once the level hits the red that’s TOO

MUCH. Digital audio has no analog type headroom. Maximum level is just

that - maximum, which means absolutely no more. Any attempt to go

over 0dB will result in a horrible crackling sound, which is probably not the

effect you’re looking for!

Your mission, Jim, is to get the cleanest, best sounding signal you can onto

the hard disk, and leave the audio massaging and sweetening to the mixing/

post-production process.

Most audio recording programs have extensive compression, limiting, EQ,

pitch control, tube-sound and other filters built in, so you can do and re-

do all this until you find the magical sound you’re looking for.

The ARX PC-pre is designed to be there when inspiration strikes, ready

and waiting in your computer to capture that magic.

Please Note

Although the PC Pre has been created for easy use with both Mac and

PC computers, it is also super easy to use as a front end for any other

recording or production system. As long as there is provision for line level

signals to be connected, the PC-pre will deliver superb audio

Page 3

1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789

23456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678

1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789

Owner's Manual

Page 2

ARX Systems Pty Ltd, PO Box 15,

Moorabbin, Victoria 3189, Australia

Phone: (03) 9555 7859 Fax: (03) 9555 6747

International Fax: +61-3 -9555 6747

On the Net: www.arx.com.au

Email: [email protected]

Front Panel

Combo Input connectors. These have both 3 pin Balanced XLR type

for Mic input, wired Pins1 Ground,2+,3–, and a ¼” TRS (TipRingSleeve)

balanced jack for Line (will happily accept unbalanced guitar jack)

Input Gain controls. Adjust the level of the signals coming into the PC-

pre

Phantom Power Switch. Provides global 48V DC on XLR pins 2 and 3

for powering condenser microphones. Is on when switch is pushed in and

adjacent LED is lit

Overload LEDs. Will light up if any part of the PC-pre circuit is about to

clip (and distort the signal)

Pwr LED. Indicates that 12V DC power is connected and the unit is

powered up ready for use

Level controls. Adjusts the level of the signal going out of the PC-pre,

from infinity (off) to +6dB

Rear Panel

DC connectors. Accepts DC power from either the computer’s power

supply or 12V wall-wart. (Use one or the other - NOT BOTH!)

Mono Outputs Summed mono signals available on either an RCA type

connector or a 6.5mm jack

Audio Out. Dual Jack connectors, wired A (Left Out) and B (Right Out)

Audio to Soundcard. A lead from this connector can be plugged into the

internal CD IN connector of your sound card (if fitted) for a super neat

installation with no external leads. Wired summed mono: 1+/2G/3G/4+.

A Condenser microphone needs Phantom power to make it work, so

press in the Phantom switch on the front panel

A Dynamic microphone needs no phantom power and will just plug into

the front panel

Connecting a microphone

Table of contents

Other ARX Amplifier manuals

ARX

ARX ZR C Series User manual

ARX

ARX PowerDrive User manual

ARX

ARX ZR series User manual

ARX

ARX e-pre Technical manual

ARX

ARX AmbiDrive User manual

ARX

ARX ZA 400 User manual

ARX

ARX EarDriver User manual

ARX

ARX 8-pre User manual

ARX

ARX SX Series User manual

ARX

ARX ZA 400 User manual

ARX

ARX ZA 5.1 User manual

ARX

ARX 8-pre User manual

ARX

ARX e-pre User manual

ARX

ARX DI Pre User manual

ARX

ARX 8-pre User manual

ARX

ARX Cinema Pro CP550 User manual

ARX

ARX SX 1500 User manual

Popular Amplifier manuals by other brands

Universal Audio

Universal Audio 175 B operating instructions

Pioneer

Pioneer Elite C-72 Service manual

DLS

DLS CC-2 user manual

Kenwood

Kenwood KAC-719 instruction manual

Falcon

Falcon 4114 instruction manual

Crown

Crown XTi 1000 Specifications

WPI

WPI DAM50 instruction manual

Russound

Russound CAI instruction manual

NXP Semiconductors

NXP Semiconductors BGY883 datasheet

Saluki

Saluki S3871 Series user manual

NF CA5360 instruction manual

Yamaha

Yamaha A-1020 owner's manual

Arcam

Arcam DiVA A85 Service manual

Massive

Massive D4000.2 user guide

Omnitronic

Omnitronic MTC Series user manual

Daudio

Daudio M8000 Install instructions

Rogue Audio

Rogue Audio M-150 owner's manual

Onkyo

Onkyo TX-SV919THX instruction manual

ARX PC-pre2 User manual

Popular Amplifier manuals by other brands