Audio Gear Obsession SUMMINGFACILITY User manual

SUMMINGFACILITY
User’s Manual
Audio Gear Obsession

Contents
1 Warranty 3
2 Device Overview 3
3 Block Scheme 4
4 Panel Control 5
4.1 ChannelSection........................... 5
4.1.1 InputJacks......................... 5
4.1.2 ChannelStrip........................ 6
4.2 MasterSection ........................... 7
4.2.1 Aux............................. 7
4.2.2 StereoMaster........................ 8
4.2.3 Aux Send Jacks, Master Output Jacks & Aux Return Jacks 9
5 Vu Meter 10
6 VU meter Calibration 11
7 Power Connection 12
8 Direct Output 12
9 Specifications 13
List of Figures
1 SUMMINGFACILITY Block Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2 InputJacks ............................. 5
3 ChannelStrip............................ 6
4 Aux ................................. 7
5 StereoMaster............................ 8
6 Aux Send Jacks, Master Output Jacks & Aux Return Jacks . . . . 9
7 VuMeter............................... 10
8 VUmeterConnector ........................ 10
9 VuMeterTrimmers ......................... 11
10 PowerConnector .......................... 12
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1 Warranty
Audio Gear Obsession warrants this product to be free of defects and malfunctions
for a period of two years from the purchase date (i.e. the invoice date).
Malfunctions caused by the improper use of this device such as:
• wrong power supply connection
• usage with voltage above absolute maximim rating (see the Specification
section)
• any components removing
• use with different Vu Meter
and any other malfunctions determined by Audio Gear Obsession to be caused
by improper user actions, will void the warranty. Standard service rate will apply.
Audio Gear Obsession do not accepts responsability for harm to people, animals,
objects and the environment caused by the improper use of this product.
2 Device Overview
SUMMINGFACILITY is a 6 channels, 2 buses stereo mixer.
This device is an ergonomic medium to sum signals inside and outside the Euro-
rack system, making the connection between Eurorack and non-Eurorack gear
easier. Every input channel has Gain and Level controls, 2 Aux Send and active
Pan control. Master and Aux buses can be independently muted on channels.
Input and output circuitry offers plug-and-play balanced and unbalanced con-
nections capabilities. The Master section offers Output Level controls, Aux Send
Level controls and two Aux Return channels with Input Gain, active Pan and Mute.
The engineering behind this module is pointed toward obtaining the lowest noise
and the best performance possible.
3

3 Block Scheme
The figure below shows the functional block scheme of SUMMINGFACILITY.
Input Signal
Input Stage
Direct
Out
Input Stage
Aux Return
Output
Stage
Output
Stage
Aux A Send Aux B Send
Σ Σ
Output
Stage
Σ
Output
Stage
Σ
Master L Master R
6 6
6
2
Gain
Level
Send A
Master
Bus
Mute
Aux
Bus
Mute Sum Sum Sum
Meter L Meter R
Master Bus
L
R
Aux Bus A & B
A
B
2
Gain
Pan Pan
Send B
Level
Level Level
Master
Bus
Mute
Figure 1: SUMMINGFACILITY Block Scheme
4

4 Panel Control
4.1 Channel Section
4.1.1 Input Jacks
The Input Jacks for the 6 audio channels are located to the top left side of the
panel.
Figure 2: Input Jacks
SUMMINGFACILITY features six 3.5 mm balanced Inputs Jacks. The balanced
inputs can be exploited to accomodate the interconnections between Eurorack
and non-Eurorack gear (e.g. API500, Rack 19”, Desktop...). Standard 3.5 mm
mono patch cables can be used.
5

4.1.2 Channel Strip
Figure 3: Channel Strip
The Channel Strip section features: 2 dual concentric potentiometers that control
Level and Gain, 1 potentiometer to control the Panorama, 1 led to monitor signal
level and 2 mute switches. In Figure 3 is represented only one of the six input
channels of the mixer, yet the same settings refer to all six channels. The Channel
Strip controls are the following:
• 0 Level & Gain: The upper knob sets the Level (”lvl.” on the panel) for the
corresponding channel; it ranges from −∞ dB to 0 dB relative to signal
after the Gain stage. The lower knobs set the Gain for the corresponding
channel; it ranges from -10 dB to +12 dB relative to input level, with the
blue dot on the scale corresponding to unity gain.
• 1 Channel LED: The led monitors the signal activity after the Gain stage.
• 2 Aux A & Aux B: The upper knob sets the level of the signal sent to the
Aux A bus. The lower knob sets the level of the signal sent to the Aux B
bus. Both Level controls range from −∞ dB to 0 dB relative to signal after
the Gain stage.
• 3 Panorama: This control sets the panning across the Master bus stereo
field.
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• 4 Master Switch: When the switch is active (i.e. ON position) it connects the
Channel to the Master stereo bus. When the switch is not active (i.e. OFF
position) it mutes the channel from the Master stereo bus.
• 5 Aux Switch: When the switch is active (i.e. ON position) it connects the
Channel to the Aux A&B buses. When the switch is not active (i.e. OFF
position) it mutes the channel from the Aux A&B buses.
DESIGN NOTE (PAY ATTENTION): as the user can see from the Channel Strip de-
scription, SUMMINGFACILITY uses the following convention for the stacked dual
knobs: UPPER KNOB(inner shaft) –> UPPER CONTROL ON THE PANEL, LOWER
KNOB(outer shaft)–> LOWER CONTROL ON THE PANEL. This convention has been
used for all the dual concentric knobs on the mixer.
4.2 Master Section
4.2.1 Aux
Figure 4: Aux
The Aux section features 2 dual concentric potentiometers to control the Aux Send
Level and 2 Aux Return Gain, 2 led to monitor the Aux Return signal, 2 Panorama
controls for the Aux Return, 2 switches that mutes the Aux Return. List of controls
and descriptions:
• 6 Send A & Return A: The upper knob sets the Level of the Aux Send A
(”SEND A” on the panel); it ranges from −∞ dB to +6 dB relative to bus
level. The lower knob sets the Gain for the Return A (”RTN. A” on the panel);
it ranges from -10 dB to +12 dB relative to the input level. The red dot refers
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approximately to the unity gain settings for the Aux Send A bus. The blue
dot refers to the unity gain settings for the Aux Return A.
• 7 Send B & Return B: The upper knob sets the Level of the Aux Send B
(”SEND B” on the panel); it ranges from −∞ dB to +6 dB relative to bus
level. The lower knob sets the Gain for the Return B (”RTN. B” on the panel);
it ranges from -10 dB to +12 dB relative to the input level. The red dot refers
approximately to the unity gain settings for the Aux Send B bus. The blue
dot refers to the unity gain settings for the Aux Return B.
• 8 Return A Status Led: The led monitors signal activity after Gain stage of
the Aux Return A.
• 9 Return B Status Led: The led monitors signal activity after Gain stage of
the Aux Return B.
• 10 Return A Panorama: This control sets the panning of the Aux Return A
across the stereo Master bus field.
• 11 Return B Panorama: This control sets the panning of the Aux Return B
across the stereo Master bus field.
• 12 Return A Switch: When the switch is active (i.e. ON position) it connects
the Aux Return A to the stereo Master bus. When the switch is not active
(i.e. OFF position) it mutes the Aux Return A from the stero Master bus.
• 13 Return B Switch: When the switch is active (i.e. ON position) it connects
the Aux Return B to the stereo Master bus. When the switch is not active
(i.e. OFF position) it mutes the Aux Return B from the stero Master bus.
4.2.2 Stereo Master
Figure 5: Stereo Master
• 14 Left Master Output: This control can be used to adjust the left Master
Output Level; it ranges from −∞ dB to 0 dB.
8

• 15 Right Master Output:This control can be used to adjust the right Master
Output Level; it ranges −∞ dB to 0 dB.
4.2.3 Aux Send Jacks, Master Output Jacks & Aux Return Jacks
The Output Jacks of the Aux Send A&B and the Stereo Master Output are located
on the top right of the panel alongside the Aux Return A&B Input Jacks.
Figure 6: Aux Send Jacks, Master Output Jacks & Aux Return Jacks
The Aux Return inputs balanced connection can be exploited to accomodate the
interconnections between Eurorack and non-Eurorack gear (e.g. API500, Rack
19”, Desktop...). Standard 3.5 mm mono patch cables can be used. The Master
outputs and the Aux Send outputs feauture ground-cancelling balanced circuitry.
Standard 3.5 mm patch cable can be used.
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5 Vu Meter
Figure 7: Vu Meter
SUMMINGFACILITY features 2 analog VU meters. The mixer ships pre-calibrated.
The VU meters monitor the stereo master bus activity. Depending on the envi-
ronment and the setup, calibration over time might be required. The VU meters
calibration steps will be enumerated in the following section.
It is possible to disconnect the VU meter power connectors in order to minimize the
power consumption. The meter power connector ”Mtr_PSU” is located on the top
left side of the PCB. The VU meter signals are connected through the ”Mtr_SIG”
connectors.
Figure 8: VU meter Connector
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6 VU meter Calibration
Figure 9: Vu Meter Trimmers
To perfrorm the calibration grant access to the PCB side of the module. Take a
look at Figure 9, (16) and (17) are, respectively, the Right VU meter (R_Trim on
the PCB) and Left VU meter (L_Trim on the PCB). Then:
1. Connect a calibration signal generator with a square wave of 10 Vpp to an
input channel
2. It is mandatory to only have the calibration signal going to the stereo Master
bus
3. Set the channel Gain to 0 dB and the channel Level at maximum (i.e. 0 dB)
4. Set the channel Panorama in the center position
5. Set the stereo Master bus Levels at maximum (i.e. 0 dB)
6. Adjust the VU meter trimmers until the niddles reach 0 dB on the VU meter
scale
In case the user want to use different reference levels for its VU meters, it is
possible to calibrate them using square waves with different amplitudes. It is
mandatory to not use calibration signals with voltages above +12 V and below
-12 V (see the Specification section) since they will void the warranty.
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7 Power Connection
Figure 10: Power Connector
SUMMINGFACILITY uses a standard Eurorack 10 pin connector. Since the con-
nector is not keyed users must pay attention to the connection orentation, even
if we implemented a reversed power connection protection. Connect the female
connector with the red wire of the power cable as indicated on the PCB.
8 Direct Output
SUMMINGFACILITY features a Direct Out on each of its six input channels. Refer
to Figure 1 to further information about the Direct Out position in the signal path.
An expander that provides this functionality will probably released in feature, but
there no plan for it at the moment.
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9 Specifications
In the following table, mechanical and electrical specifications will be provided.
Parameter Value
Width 38 HP
Height 3U
Recommended PSU Positive Voltage +12 V
Recommended PSU Negative Voltage -12 V
+12 V consumption 170 mA / 225 mA with VU meters lamp
-12 V consumption 170 mA / 225 mA with VU meters lamp
Table 1: Specifications
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