Behringer Ultra-G User manual

Version 1.0 September 2001
ENGLISH
ULTRA-G® GI100
Users Manual
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ULTRA-G GI100
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Welcome to BEHRINGER!
Thank you for showing your confidence in us by purchasing the ULTRA-GI
GI100.
In addition to the nu erous advantages of an excellent DI box, the GI100
features an extre ely authentic, pure analog si ulation of a 4x12" guitar
speaker cabinet.
On stage and in the studio, it is often desirable to directly connect sound
sources with the console. Although this ethod has any advantages, it also
has its technical hurdles. Keyboards rarely offer balanced outputs, and its
si ply not possible to connect electric guitars or basses directly to a console.
Although co on practice, placing a icrophone in front of the speaker
cabinet is not really an ideal solution, since the ic tends to pick up signals
fro other instru ents and creates another potential source of feedback.
A DI (Direct Injection) box allows you to pick up a signal directly fro an
unbalanced, high i pedance output, like that of an electric guitar, and inject it
into the console, without using a icrophone. There are of course several
situations that call for feeding an unbalanced sound source directly into a
consolepreferably in a balanced for . Thats exactly what a DI box is for.
Basically, there are two types of DI boxes: passive and active. A passive DI
box contains uch si pler circuitry and requires no batteries, aking it is less
expensive. On the other hand, its perfor ance is dependent on the i pedance
of the connected gear. A change in i pedance on the output side will cause the
input i pedance to change. A ong other things, the i pedance ratings greatly
effect the frequency response. A passive DI box only works correctly when
i pedance specifications are adhered to (in short: high-Z input, low-Z output).
Active DI boxes, which use an a plifier to buffer the input signal, are not
subject to these li itations. The ULTRA-Gs input i pedance is extre ely
high, so it lets the input signal pass through with virtually no coloring. At the
other end, its balanced output has a particularly low i pedance, aking the
signal uch less susceptible to hu and noise. The GI100 is an active DI box
and perfor s opti ally regardless of the i pedance ratings of the connected
gear.
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ULTRA-G GI100
The ULTRA-G is based on the proven BEHRINGER OT-1 transfor er, which
ensures crystal-clear, distortion-free sound and a wide, linear frequency re-
sponse. In addition, it can be powered by the consoles phanto power or by an
internal battery. The battery is auto atically disconnected when phanto
power is present to preserve battery life.
+In order to avoid damage to your loudspeakers, always mute t e
corresponding c annel on t e consoles before connecting t e
GI100. T e same applies w en switc ing between p antom and
battery power.
The GI100 features a switchable speaker si ulation, developed in collaboration
with renowned a p designer Jürgen Rath, which adds the sound of a 4x12"
cabinet to your direct guitar signal at the touch of a button. Analog speaker
si ulations, offering the possibility to get a typical guitar cabinet sound to tape
or to a PA without the necessity of cabinets or icrophones, have been
available since the id-80s. Since then, the appeal of instant sound via
si ulation as a eans of reducing equip ent and hassle has continuously
grown. Having developed a great deal of convincing guitar gear with various
anufacturers, Jürgen Rath was an obvious choice for us in developing our
VIRTUAL 4x12" CABINET speaker si ulation. In the words of Ger anys top
specialty publication GITARRE & BASS, The Virtual Cabinet delivers an
authentic 4x12 si ulation with i pressive sound, cutting power and clear
reproduction. (Michael Do ers, 8/97)
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1. CONTROLS
Fig. 1.1: The GI100s front and back panels
1The VIRTUAL 4x12" CAB speaker si ulation can be switched on and off
with the SIMUL TOR ON/OFF switch.
2When activated, the GND LIFT breaks the ground connection between
input and output. Depending on the grounding of the connected equip-
ent, this can eli inate hu or ground loops.
3OUTPUT TO MIXER is the GI100s balanced, ic level output. Use a
high-quality, balanced XLR ( icrophone) cable to connect the ULTRA-G
to a console.
+You s ould never connect pins 2 or 3 wit pin 1 or remove t e
s ield from pin 1. Ot erwise, it will not be possible to operate t e
unit wit p antom power.
4B TTERY COMP RTMENT. To install or replace the 9V battery, re ove
the screw and lift the lid.
5The CLIP LED lights up when the input signal level is too high.
6The two -20 dB P D switches noticeably increase the operating range of
the ULTRA-G, allowing it to accept anything fro the low-level signal of
a high-i pedance icrophone or guitar to the loudspeaker output of a
guitar a p. These switches have repeatedly proven the selves in the
BEHRINGER ULTRA-DI DI100. Pressing both switches results in a gain
reduction of 40 dB.
1. CONTROLS
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ULTRA-G GI100
+Before using t e PAD switc es, be sure t at t e ULTRA-G is clip-
ping, and not t e mic preamp on t e console. You s ould only
attenuate t e input signal via t e GI100s PAD switc es if its CLIP
LED lig ts up frequently or remains lit. If t is is not t e case and
distortion occurs, c eck t e console settings. It is always best to
avoid attenuation of t e DI input to ensure an optimal signal-to-
noise ratio.
7INPUT. Use this 1/4" ono jack to connect the signal source, e.g. your
guitar, with a high-quality standard instru ent cable.
+T e GI100 is switc ed on as soon as you insert a plug into t e
INPUT. T e battery is disconnected w en t e plug is removed.
For t is reason, t e GI100 as no on/off switc . To preserve
battery life, always disconnect t e input w en t e ULTRA-G is not
in use.
8The DIRECT LINK TO C BINET is a direct output of the input signal,
allowing you for exa ple to si ultaneously run your instru ent through
the GI100 and co plete your nor al signal path by connecting the
DIRECT LINK to an a p or speaker cabinet.
+T e INPUT and DIRECT LINK sockets are directly connected. W en
connecting t e speaker output of a tube amp to t e input of t e
GI100, please be sure to connect a guitar speaker or ot er appro-
priate impedance load to t e DIRECT LINK socket in order to
avoid possible damage to your amplifier.
1. CONTROLS
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2. CONNECTION EXAMPLES
The following section illustrates various applications of the ULTRA-G GI100.
2.1 Conversion of guitar signals
Fig. 2.1: 1. Guitar ß GI100 ß Console
2. Guitar ß Tube amplifier ß GI100 ß Loudspeaker/Console
This diagra illustrates two co on applications in which unbalanced guitar
signals are converted into balanced signals. In the first exa ple the guitar is
connected directly to the GI100, which in turn feeds the console. No guitar a p
is used. In this case, the PAD switches should be deactivated with the
VIRTUAL CAB switched on or off depending on the sound desired.
2. CONNECTION EXAMPLES
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ULTRA-G GI100
The second exa ple shows the GI100 being driven by the loudspeaker output
of a guitar a p. If youre using a tube a p, its very i portant to connect an
i pedance loadpreferably a speakerto the DIRECT LINK TO CABINET
output in order to prevent da age to your a p. For this application, start with
one PAD switch depressed and the GND LIFT switch activated. We also
reco end using the VIRTUAL CAB speaker si ulation for an authentic guitar
sound.
2.2 Picking up a bass guitar or keyboard signal
Fig. 2.2: 1. Bass guitar ß GI100 ß mplifier/Console
2. Keyboard ß GI100 ß mplifier/Console
2. CONNECTION EXAMPLES
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This diagra illustrates two standard DI applications. The signal going to the
a p via the DIRECT LINK is unaffected; it is si ply picked up and additionally
fed, as a balanced, low-i pedance signal, to the ic inputs of the ixing
console. This is particularly advantageous with bass guitars, since icro-
phones that reproduce high-energy bass frequencies in a halfway linear
anner are rareand expensive. When using effects or other outboard
processors, these should be connected in front of the ULTRA-G in the signal
path, so that its output includes these signals.
Few keyboards have balanced outputs. Here, a quality DI box such as the
GI100 is indispensable to ensure clean signals, especially when using long
cables.
2.3 Converting a microp one signal from ig -impedance unbalanced
to low-impedance balanced
Many inexpensive icrophones have unbalanced high-i pedance outputs.
With the ULTRA-G, these icrophones can be used in spite of long cable runs
without the danger of hu or other interference. Si ply insert the GI100
between the icrophone and the console. For this application, you will ost
likely want to switch the VIRTUAL CAB speaker si ulation off.
2.4 Picking up a signal from a loudspeaker output
There are ti es when picking up a signal after a plifier processing is desirable
to achieve a certain sound, but no direct out is available. Thanks to the GI100s
two -20 dB PAD switches, you can feed a console fro the loudspeaker output
of an a plifier with a power rating of up to 3,000 Watts (4 Oh ) without
overloading the ULTRA-G. When using a tube a p, be sure to connect a
speaker or other i pedance load to the DIRECT LINK output. We reco end
using the VIRTUAL CAB speaker si ulation in these applications, when signals
fro electric guitars are trans itted.
2. CONNECTION EXAMPLES
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ULTRA-G GI100
Fig. 2.3: Connection to an amplifiers output
+Before connection to a loudspeaker output, always make sure t at
t e GND LIFT switc is activated (depressed) to prevent accidental
s ort-circuiting of t e amplifier output. T e metal casing of t e
GI100 s ould not ave direct contact wit ot er equipment. T e
tip of t e output socket s ould be connected to t e positive (red)
loudspeaker pole.
3. SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency response 10 Hz to 160 kHz
Noise -99.2 dBu
Distortion < 0.014% (1 kHz, 0 dBu in)
Input resistance > 250 kOh
Connection i pedance > 600 Oh
Input 1/4" ono jack
Output XLR balanced
Max. input level +8/+28/+48 dBu (Si ulation OFF)
-2/+18/+38 dBu (Si ulation ON)
Supply:
Phanto supply 18 V DC to 48 V DC
Battery 9 V 6LR91
Di ensions 6" (150 ) x 5" (130 ) x 2.4" (60 )
Weight approx. 650 g
BEHRINGER is constantly striving to maintain the highest pro essional standards. As a result o
these e orts, modi ications may be made rom time to time to existing products without prior notice.
Speci ications and appearance may there ore di er rom those listed or shown.
3. SPECIFICATIONS
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4. WARRANTY
§ 1 WARRANTY CARD/ONLINE REGISTRATION
To be protected by the extended warranty, the buyer must complete and return the enclosed warranty card
within 14 days of the date of purchase to BEHRIN ER Spezielle Studiotechnik mbH, in accordance
with the conditions stipulated in § 3. Failure to return the card in due time (date as per postmark) will void
any extended warranty claims.
Based on the conditions herein, the buyer may also choose to use the online registration option via the
Internet (www.behringer.com or www.behringer.de).
§ 2 WARRANTY
1. BEHRIN ER (BEHRIN ER Spezielle Studiotechnik mbH including all BEHRIN ER subsidiaries
listed on the enclosed page, except BEHRIN ER Japan) guarantees the mechanical and electronic
components of this product for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase, in accordance
with the warranty conditions described below. If the product shows any defects within the specified
warranty period that are not due to normal wear and tear and/or improper handling by the user, BEHRIN ER
shall, at its sole discretion, either repair or replace the product.
2. If the warranty claim proves to be justified, the product will be returned to the user freight prepaid.
3. Warranty claims other than those indicated above are expressly excluded.
§ 3 RETURN AUTHORIZATION NUMBER
1. To obtain warranty service, the buyer (or his authorized dealer) must call BEHRIN ER (see enclosed
list) during normal business hours BEFORE returning the product. All inquiries must be accompanied
by a description of the problem. BEHRIN ER will then issue a return authorization number.
2. Subsequently, the product must be returned in its original shipping carton, together with the return
authorization number to the address indicated by BEHRIN ER.
3. Shipments without freight prepaid will not be accepted.
§ 4 WARRANTY REGULATIONS
1. Warranty services will be furnished only if the product is accompanied by a copy of the original retail
dealers invoice. Any product deemed eligible for repair or replacement by BEHRIN ER under the terms
of this warranty will be repaired or replaced within 30 days of receipt of the product at BEHRIN ER.
2. If the product needs to be modified or adapted in order to comply with applicable technical or safety
standards on a national or local level, in any country which is not the country for which the product was
originally developed and manufactured, this modification/adaptation shall not be considered a defect
in materials or workmanship. The warranty does not cover any such modification/adaptation, irrespec-
tive of whether it was carried out properly or not. Under the terms of this warranty, BEHRIN ER shall not
be held responsible for any cost resulting from such a modification/adaptation.
4. WARRANTY
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ULTRA-G GI100
4. WARRANTY
3. Free inspections and maintenance/repair work are expressly excluded from this warranty, in particular,
if caused by improper handling of the product by the user.
This also applies to defects caused by normal wear and tear, in particular, of faders, potentiometers,
keys/buttons and similar parts.
4. Damages/defects caused by the following conditions are not covered by this warranty:
smisuse, neglect or failure to operate the unit in compliance with the instructions given in BEHRIN ER
user or service manuals.
sconnection or operation of the unit in any way that does not comply with the technical or safety
regulations applicable in the country where the product is used.
sdamages/defects caused by force majeure or any other condition that is beyond the control of
BEHRIN ER.
5. Any repair or opening of the unit carried out by unauthorized personnel (user included) will void the
warranty.
6. If an inspection of the product by BEHRIN ER shows that the defect in question is not covered by
the warranty, the inspection costs are payable by the customer.
7. Products which do not meet the terms of this warranty will be repaired exclusively at the buyers
expense. BEHRIN ER will inform the buyer of any such circumstance. If the buyer fails to submit a
written repair order within 6 weeks after notification, BEHRIN ER will return the unit C.O.D. with a
separate invoice for freight and packing. Such costs will also be invoiced separately when the buyer has
sent in a written repair order.
§ 5 WARRANTY TRANSFERABILITY
This warranty is extended exclusively to the original buyer (customer of retail dealer) and is not trans-
ferable to anyone who may subsequently purchase this product. No other person (retail dealer, etc.) shall
be entitled to give any warranty promise on behalf of BEHRIN ER.
§ 6 CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES
Failure by BEHRIN ER to provide proper warranty service shall not entitle the buyer to claim (conse-
quential) damages. In no event shall the liability of BEHRIN ER exceed the invoiced value of the
product.
§ 7 OTHER WARRANTY RIGHTS AND NATIONAL LAW
1. This warranty does not exclude or limit the buyers statutory rights provided by national law, in
particular, any such rights against the seller that arise from a legally effective purchase contract.
2. The warranty terms mentioned herein are applicable unless they constitute an infringement of
national warranty law.
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The information contained in this manual is copyright protected. No part of this manual may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying and recording of any kind, for any purpose, without the express written permission of
BEHRIN ER Spezielle Studiotechnik mbH.
BEHRIN ER, ULTRA- and ULTRA-DI are registered trademarks. BEHRIN ER Instrument
Amplification is a Division of BEHRIN ER. ALL RI HTS RESERVED.
© 2001 BEHRIN ER Spezielle Studiotechnik mbH.
BEHRIN ER Spezielle Studiotechnik mbH, Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Str. 36-38, 47877 Willich-
Münchheide II, ermany
Tel. [phone] / 92 06-0, Fax [phone] / 92 06-30
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