ATM BETTERMAKER User manual
The Bettermaker crew would like to thank all the people that were deeply involved in
the development of our first products, from EQ230P till this day
Thanks to all the Beta-testers that gave us hands-on tips and all people involved in the
conceptual stage We hope we have listened to you carefully so as to produce an ideal
tool in the hands of every engineer
Thank you guys!
I would like to personally thank my development team, the past and the present as
their passion to work and bright minds made all that happen I would not take all my
wild concepts to the point they are now without you guys
Marek Walaszek
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I. Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer - all
analog sound with the flexibility of digital control! Welcome to the family! The
hybrid audio equalizer now in your possession is the result of years of research and
development in emerging digital control technologies The final hand-built result is
currently glowing happily in your rack (lucky You) The Mastering Equalizer brings
the flexibility, ease of use, and instant recall-ability of software plug-ins to the realm
of High Fidelity analog processing, like no other analog equalizer on the market
The Company
Addicted to Music has begun in 2004 in Warsaw, Poland as a recording and
mixing studio Long before it was a hardware company, we were deeply involved in
the international music and recording scene This is not a company run by scientists
who crunch numbers all day, we are a company run by engineers who live, eat, and
breathe music (like You do) We know good sound, and know first-hand what it takes
on both sides of the glass to capture the perfect take We developed the Mastering
Equalizer to go from the perfect take, and make it even better!
Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer
was designed to have the greatest flexibility of any analog EQ, while still
allowing absolute recall and repeatability We often found the strengths of software
plug-ins wasn’t their sound, but the ability to quickly audition different settings This
allowed us to make faster, better informed musical choices The ability to jump back
and forth between (sometimes vastly different) settings allowed us to keep a clear
vision of the sonic goal in mind, while quickly making decisions on the best setting to
use However, we recognized the sonic superiority of our analog gear compared to
their digital counterparts In countless shoot-outs, the analog versions always won
Since we’re a company that cares about better sound over processing speed, our
engineers would take the extra time to use a full analog chain because it simply
sounds better We developed the Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer to give us the
speed of plug-ins, but the fidelity of analog domain
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In the traditional analog world the time spent in the act of having to set and
reset potentiometers and buttons to audition between settings often skewed our
choices More time was spent tweaking knobs trying to recover an earlier setting than
was spent listening The limited resolution of the mechanical parts often meant only
very coarse adjustments were possible (previously only solvable by very expensive
mechanical switches) A difficult situation to say the least, but the greater fidelity,
openness, and depth of the analog gear was always worth it to our ears
Even after years of advancement in digital algorithms, the older analog
versions always sounded better With these goals in mind, we strove to create a
hybrid equalizer that was the best of both worlds: a true analog equalizer based on
classic designs, but with the repeatability, fine resolution, and consistency of digital
plug-ins Enter the inspiration for the Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer!
We’ve put a large amount of time, effort, money, and listening tests into the
research and development of the analog stages of the Bettermaker Mastering
Equalizer We feel that it represents one of the best values, highest fidelity, and
newest methods of working available in audio today We set out to make a product
that broke new ground, a equalizer with the highest sonic quality, ease of use, and a
full pallet of sound shaping tools to allow engineers to make the best-sounding
record In the following pages, we’ll share this knowledge, show how the controls
work and interact to provide a complete sound - sculpting system
Choosing modern components and design practices over older traditional
methods helped maintain the wide frequency response and low noise-floor necessary
for today’s recording practices Wherever possible we choose over-spec’d
components to ensure trouble free operation and a long product life Where feasible
we increased the gain resolution and frequency range to ensure the greatest flexibility
no matter what source (from tracking to 2-bus and mastering applications) Most
importantly we listened first, changed, tested and then listened again We hope you
enjoy your Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer
Now go make some music Better!
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II. Important sa ety in ormation
Be ore you turn the unit on
Before turning the unit on for the first time, remember to set it to correct AC
voltage (115V or 230V) depending on your location Always use quality AC power
cord with safety (earth) pin and ensure that the power outlet in the wall has the earth
connection too It is important for safety reasons, but also helps to keep the unit’s
noise levels low
Sa ety Warnings
Do not operate this unit in the presence of rain, liquids or condensing moisture
Liquid entering the product enclosure presents the risk of electric shock injury
Do not operate the Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer in any place near water
Always be sure to protect the unit from dust, particles, water, beer, groupies, and
stage divers
For normal operation it is not necessary to access the interior of the Mastering
Equalizer The only user serviceable part is the AC fuse located in the compartment
below the AC mains socket
Always remove the AC power cord from the socket before attempting to
change the fuse (0 63A slow-blow fuse)
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III. Construction o the Mastering Equalizer
The sound of the Equalizer is of course based on the quality of its analog audio
path But all the control and user interactions are performed in the digital domain
This allows us to incorporate options and possibilities not found in any standard
analog EQ:
Save and recall presets from on-board memory (400 slots available)
Instant reset of all parameters
Rapid, precise and repeatable adjustments
Precisely linked stereo operation with the ease of a single control
DAW automation and recall of all available parameters
Front panel and LCD touchscreen
The front panel of the Mastering Equalizer is build around big LCD
touchscreen, that allows you to control almost all functions available in the device
Apart from that, you can also monitor input/output levels, see the equalization curve
or store and recall presets using on-screen QWERTY keyboard
On both sides of the LCD screen you will find our knobs placed on endless
rotary encoders These knobs are labeled LEVEL, P1, P2 and P3 The big LEVEL
knob adjusts the output level of MEQ The others allow to control particular filters
selected on the touchscreen All knobs are velocity-sensitive for fine
increment/decrements when turned slowly
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The ENGAGE button allows you to turn the audio processing on (the button is
lit) or bypass the unit (relay based true bypass). When you turn the Mastering
E ualizer off completely (witch MAINS switch) it will still pass unprocessed audio.
Analog section
Great care and thought went into the development and implementation of the
analog section of the Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer High quality capacitors and
low noise op-amps are used in the analog path Relays were used, whenever creating
the shortest path for the audio signal was necessary
The analog section consist of high quality input/output buffers capable of
passing thru high level audio signals, multiple active and passive filters, M/S matrix
and precise gain stage for fine adjustments
All these modules are controlled by the digital section of the Mastering
Equalizer, so no mechanical switches or knobs are required to adjust any of the
filters
Internal signal path
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As you can see in the diagram above, the signal flow of the Mastering
Equalizer is quite straightforward After input buffers and optional M/S matrix, the
signal is equalized by following filters:
12 or 24dB/oct high-pass filter with adjustable cutoff frequency (10Hz – 240
Hz) This filter also has adjustable resonance
Active parametric filters with 15dB boost/cut range and variable Q (0 2 - 7):
- EQ1: 22 Hz – 470 Hz (bell or shelf)
- EQ2: 90 Hz – 2 kHz (bell)
- EQ3: 480 Hz – 10k Hz (bell)
- EQ4: 1 kHz – 23 kHz (bell or shelf)
12dB/oct low-pass filter with adjustable cutoff frequency (2 – 38 kHz)
passive filter with extended hi-boost section (air bands: 20 and 28 kHz)
Then the signal can be boosted or attenuated up to 10dB, before it hits optional
M/S to stereo matrix and output buffers Please note that whole unit can work in
stereo, M/S or dual-mono mode, where both channels are 100% independent
The Mastering Equalizer allow you to monitor the input and output levels (in
peak or RMS modes) and display RTA graph of processed signal
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IV. General Operation
The guide below will walk you thru all the screens and functions available in
the Mastering Equalizer
Connecting the Mastering Equalizer to your system
Apart from selecting the correct AC voltage and connecting AC plug to the
wall socket (with grounding pin) you will also need:
- to connect the USB LINK to your MAC/PC It is recommended to use quality
USB cable that is no longer than 1 5m or additional USB hubs might be required
The USB LINK will allow you to control the unit from your favorite DAW via
VST/AAX/AU Bettermaker control plug-in and perform the firmware update in the
future
- to connect XLR inputs and outputs Using balanced, quality cables is essential here
to provide best possible signal quality with very low noise floor Markings on the
back of the unit will make this process very straightforward
Main Screen
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After powering the unit on, you will be transferred to the Mastering Equalizer
main screen Here you will spend 99% of the time with your MEQ The layout is
divided between three main parts:
input and output meters (you can switch them in peak or RMS mode in MAIN
MENU)
row of buttons in the bottom part of the screen, allowing access to specific
filters and MAIN MENU button There is also UNSAVED tile that will turn
red if you modify the preset loaded from internal non-volatile memory
Main window that can display either real-time equalization curve or RTA It
also has a bunch of different button that we will discuss now:
1. ilter ON/OFF – allows to
enable selected filter
2. A/B switch – to compare two
independent settings Hold it to
copy between In our example
preset A will be copied to B
3. EQ MODE selector – hold it
to show the selection You can
choose between STEREO, M/S or dual-mono mode In M/S and dual-mono new
button FOCUS will appear – it allows you to listen to selected channel only To
switch between channels tap on MID, SIDE,
LEFT or RIGHT button The label on the
button will indicate the selected channel Please
note that if you switch from M/S or dual-mono
mode to stereo, the channel that is not selected
will be replaced with selected one, as in stereo
mode both channels need to have the same filter settings
4. OUTPUT GAIN – shows the amount of output gain set by LEVEL knob
5. EQ/RTA switch – allows you to display either real-time equalization curve or RTA
graph
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Adjusting Filters
By pressing on HPF/LPF,
EQ1, EQ2, EQ3, EQ4 and
PASSIVE filter tiles you can
adjust each of them quickly
and precisely Selected filter
is highlighted RED If the
filter is active, but not
necessary selected for
adjustments it’s highlighted
BLUE
You can turn every filter ON or OFF in top left corner of the EQ/RTA window
Use knobs
P1 or requency, P2 or gain and P3 or Q
for all parametric filters For HPF/LPF section the assignment is a bit different:
P1 or HPF cuto , P2 or HPF resonance and P3 or LPF cuto
Apart from these settings you can also access additional functions by holding the tile
with particular filter
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For the HPF/LPF filter you can select 12dB or 24dB slope and also add a
resonance to the high-pass filter For all parametric filters you can enable AUTO-Q
function – for low boost/cut settings the filter slope will be very broad This will
provide very musical response from the Mastering Equalizer More boost or cut you
apply more sharp the frequency response of particular filter will be This is handy
when cutting off unwanted resonances from your mix
For EQ1 and EQ4 you can also switch from BELL to SHELF filter shape by
pressing on appropriate icon
There is also unique function called GAIN LOCK available for all parametric
filters You can enable it if the MEQ works in dual-mono or M/S mode To
understand how it works imagine the following scenario:
Your MEQ works in M/S mode and you mix is nearly finished. You have EQ3 filter set
at around 1kHz with different ains for mid and side. But now you need to add 0.5dB
on both channels. You can enable Gain Lock for EQ3 and then adjust the ain for
just one channel – the other will follow in the back round!
This function is also very useful if you have stereo source that has inconsistent
frequency spectrum between channels It can be old recording for example You can
set the Mastering Equalizer in dual-mono mode, fix all the problems between the
channels and then apply Gain Lock All further changes will be applied to both
channels, to make mixing process faster and more convenient
You can also adjust the
parametric filters by holding your
finger on the EQ curve for 2
seconds and then dragging up and
down for cut/boost of left and right
for frequency change As this is
very quick way to localize and
remove unwanted resonances in
your mix, we have called this
function Search&Destroy :)
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To clear all ilters and reset
the Mastering Equalizer to default
state please double press P3 knob
and confirm your choice To reset
selected filter only – use P2 knob
instead
Adjusting Passive Filter
By pressing on PASSIVE button you access yet another set of filters, based on
classic design, but with extended hi-boost frequency selection with 20 and 28 kHz
bands added Tap it again to go back to the rest of the filters
There are three sections for this filter Before you start the adjustment, you need to
select which section the changes will apply to:
low cut/boost – P1 knob will adjust the BOOST, P2 CUT and P3 – frequency
hi boost – P1 adjusts the BOOST, P2 the BANDWIDTH, and P3 – frequency
hi cut – P1 adjusts the ATTENUATION and P3 - frequency
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Main Menu
To enter the MAIN MENU please tap MENU on the main screen Here you
can change the input and output level meter TYPE (PEAK or RMS) and the PEAK
HOLD time constant In RMS mode, the value in decibels is shown below the
input/output level meters If peak hold is set to FAST then the peak value markers
will fall within 2 seconds after the signal disappears In INF (infinity) mode, user can
tap on one of the meters to reset the peak value markers
Switches below let you choose the RTA measurement SOURCE, display style
and set the Peak Hold time constant for Bar Style
The next section in the menu is dedicated to saving and loading presets By
pressing LOAD icon, you will enter presets list Move P1 knob to search the list, and
press LOAD to recall selected preset
After pressing SAVE in Main
Menu, choose free slot by moving P1
knob and press SAVE again Use
onscreen keyboard to enter new name
for the preset You can also
RENAME or DELETE unused
preset
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On the presets list you may notice the RED or GREEN dot beside the number
and name The dot shows up when the preset was loaded or saved If you’ve loaded a
preset, but haven’t made any changes to it, the dot will be GREEN But if any
changes have been made, the dot will turn RED You will also get UNSAVED!
warning on main screen of the Mastering equalizer – this is a sign that you should
save your preset again before you turn the unit off
NOTE: apart from presets, the Masterin Equalizer will remember the last filter
state, even when you reboot the unit. These settin s however will be lost if you reset it
to defaults (double press on P3 knob).
You can lock all the equalizer controls by pressing LOCK icon in the main
menu This allows you to avoid accidental changes made by unauthorized person
To unlock the unit, hold P2 and P3 knobs together.
Settings
Press SETUP (gear) icon in
the Main Menu to enter
settings Here you can adjust
the BRIGHTNESS of the
screen (touch and drag the
virtual slider on the screen),
check the firmware version,
see the number of power
cycles (how many times the
unit was turned off and on),
check the serial number of your Mastering Equalizer and its up time
If you wish to clear the presets memory, simply tap on CLEAR MEMORY
and confirm your choice You will see the progress on the screen When the
procedure is over the unit will restart itself
IMPORTANT!
I you decide to erase the presets memory, you need to remember that you
cannot undo this action. All your settings and presets will be gone!
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For your convenience, METERING INPUT and OUTPUT CALIBRATION
let’s you match the levels shown by the Mastering Equalizer with the levels shown by
your AD/DA converter In other words: you need to show the equalizer where the
digital 0dB is, so the reading will be accurate Please use on-screen instructions to
perform the calibration Please note that changing calibration values doesn’t change
the audio gain staging at all – it only affects input and output audio level metering
In this window you will also find controls for:
NOTE ON/OFF – show or
hide labels with musical
notes on the main EQ
screen Applies to all
parametric filters
L/R CAL – allows you to
calibrate left and right
channel audio levels of
your Mastering EQ Please
note that this is independent from main output LEVEL adjustment
ENC MODE (1 or 2) – this feature allows the firmware to support older units
and solve some encoder problems Should not be changed unless the unit
behaves unexpectedly
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V. DAW integration
The Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer can communicate with your DAW via
USB connection The unit appear as a HID device and can be managed via
Bettermaker Mastering Equalizer Plugin
Please download the latest version o the plugin installer orm our site:
https://www bettermaker com/downloads
Everything you set on the hardware will appear in the plugin and every change
of the plugin will be followed by the Mastering Equalizer All the settings will be
stored in you session every time you save the project in your DAW
The plugin appears in your DAW as an audio effect plugin You can open it as
an insert or anywhere in your Host (on mix bus for example) We recommend to keep
the plugin on the track that you are currently editing, so it will be obvious for you
what track is affected Notice that the plugin only sends and receives parameter
changes of the Mastering Equalizer, it does not affect the sound by itself - you need to
insert your analog EQ physically via your D/A & A/D converter The plugin will
connect automatically with the EQ as soon as you load the session (you need to
power up the unit first)
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VI. Product Speci ication
100% analog audio signal path
USB connectivity with MAC/PC
all parameters are digitally controlled via touchscreen and/or DAW (with
dedicated plugin)
399 presets with unique names, total recall, A/B comparison
5-inch capacitive touchscreen with backlight, four encoders with push-button
action for ease of control
stereo, dual-mono and mid/side operation modes with focus function
stereo 12 or 24dB/oct high-pass filter with adjustable cutoff frequency (10Hz –
240 Hz; extended to 6Hz with the resonance enabled)
four stereo parametric filters with 15dB boost/cut range, variable Q (0 2 - 7):
- EQ1: 22Hz – 470Hz (bell/shelf)
- EQ2: 90Hz – 2kHz (bell)
- EQ3: 480Hz – 10kHz (bell)
- EQ4: 1kHz – 23kHz (bell/shelf)
stereo passive equalizer with extended hi-boost section (air bands: 20 and 28
kHz)
stereo, 12dB/oct low-pass filter with adjustable cutoff frequency (2 – 38 kHz)
adjustable output level (+/- 10dB)
Frequency Search, Gain Lock, Note and Auto-Q functions
on-board measurement of PEAK/RMS levels and RTA analyzer
on-screen live representation of the equalization curve
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Technical speci ication (may change without notice):
Frequency response 20Hz to 20kHz (+/- 0 2 dB)
Dynamic range: 102dB (+23dBu, 22kHz BW)
THD+N: 0 03% @ +4 dBu, 0 06% @ +18 dBu, 20 kHz BW
CMRR: max 85 dB @ 3 kHz, min 52 dB @ 20Hz, 20 kHz BW
Crosstalk: min -100 dB @ 30Hz, max -65 dB @ 20kHz, +18 dBu, 20 kHz BW
balanced stereo input (XLR), 23dBu max input level (THD < 0 2%)
balanced stereo output (XLR), 23dBu max output level (THD < 0 2%)
Operating Level: +4dBu
Input impedance (differential): 48kΩ (for balanced signal)
Output Impedance: 50Ω + 50Ω (electronically balanced)
2U enclosure, 230mm deep
115/230V switch
advanced linear power supply with toroidal AC mains transformer
Maximum power consumption: 20W
Shipping weight: 5 5 kg
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VII. RMA Warranty / Contact in o
Warranty:
Addicted to Music warrants to the purchaser of a new Bettermaker Mastering
Equalizer that the unit is free from manufacturing defects in materials and
workmanship for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase
Addicted to Music’s sole obligation under this warranty shall be to provide,
without charge, parts and labor necessary to remedy defects, if any, which appear
within one (1) year from the original date of purchase
All warranties expressed or implied by Addicted to Music, including
warranties of merchantability and fitness, are limited to the period of this warranty
Addicted to Music is not responsible for indirect, incidental or consequential
damages arising from the use or failure of this product, including injury to persons or
property This warranty does not cover damage due to: misuse, abuse, modification,
accident, or negligence
The warranty does not apply if the unit is connected, installed or used
otherwise than in accordance with the instructions furnished by Addicted to Music
If the equipment requires warranty repair, return authorization must be
obtained from Addicted to Music prior to shipment Equipment should not be shipped
until return authorization and proper shipping address is obtained from Addicted to
Music The equipment (with all its component parts and connecting cables) must be
suitably packaged, including a note with the registered owners name, return address,
telephone number, and description of the reason for return The owner is responsible
for all shipping charges, and it is suggested that the shipment be insured for its full
value
This limited warranty is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied,
and no representative or person is authorized to represent or assume for Addicted to
Music any liability in connection with the sale of our products than set forth herein
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