Behringer MINIFEX FEX800 User manual

DEUTSCH
MINIFEX FEX800
Users manual
Version 1.0 October 2005

2
MINIFEX FEX800
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock,
do not remove the top cover (or the
rear section). No user serviceable
parts inside; refer servicing to
qualified personnel.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric
shock, do not expose this appliance
to rain and moisture. The apparatus
shall not be exposed to dripping or
splashing and no objects filled ith
liquids, such as vases, shall be
placed on the apparatus.
This symbol, herever it appears,
alerts you to the presence of
uninsulated dangerous voltage
inside the enclosurevoltage that
may be sufficient to constitute a risk
of shock.
This symbol, herever it appears,
alerts you to important operating and
maintenance instructions in the
accompanying literature. Please
read the manual.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
DETAILED SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Read these instructions.
2) Keep these instructions.
3) Heed all arnings.
4) Follo all instructions.
5) Do not use this apparatus near ater.
6) Clean only ith dry cloth.
7) Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance ith the manufacturers instructions.
8) Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9) Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has t o
blades ith one ider than the other. A grounding type plug has t o blades and a third grounding prong.
The ide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your
outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10) Protect the po er cord from being alked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point here they exit from the apparatus.
11) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
12) Use only ith the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold ith the
apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution hen moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury
from tipping over.
13) Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or hen unused for long periods of time.
14) Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required hen the apparatus has been
damaged in any ay, such as po er supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate
normally, or has been dropped.
15) CAUTION - These service instructions are for use by qualified service personnel only. To reduce the
risk of electric shock do not perform any servicing other than that contained in the operation instructions
unless you are qualified to do so.

3
MINIFEX FEX800
DEUTSCH
FEX800
MINIFEX
Ultra-Compact 24-Bit Stereo Multi-FX Processor
sUltra-compact 9.5 stereo multi-effects processor for studio and stage
applications
s16 awesome FX presets in 24-bit 48 kHz resolution including reverb, delay,
chorus, flanger, phaser, rotary speaker, pitch shifter and multi-effects
sIntuitive FX Preset control with LED's indicating the selected program
sVersatile Edit and Tap Select functions to control a wide range of FX
parameters
sStereo Input Level control with accurate 6-digit LED Input meter for precise
level indication
sDedicated Mix Balance and Output Level controls for perfect effects level
adjustment
sAdditional footswitch connector for easy FX on off control
sHigh-quality potentiometers and illuminated switches for long-term reliability
sUltra low-noise audio operational amplifiers offer outstanding sound
performance
sAll Mini Series models can be stacked on top of each other to create an ultra-
compact signal processor solution
sHigh-quality components and exceptionally rugged construction ensure long
life
sConceived and designed by BEHRINGER Germany

4
MINIFEX FEX800
FOREWORD
Dear Customer,
welcome to the community of Mini eries users and thank
you very much for expressing your confidence in
BEHRINGER products by purchasing the FEX800. It is one
of my most pleasant tasks to write this letter to you, because
it is the culmination of many months of hard work delivered
by our engineering team to reach a very ambitious goal: to
design an outstanding device whose high level of
functionality will give you maximum performance.
The task to design our new MINIFEX certainly meant a great
deal of responsibility. You, the discerning user and musician,
were the focus of our entire development efforts. It also
meant a lot of work and night shifts to accomplish this goal.
But it was fun, too. Developing a product usually brings a
lot of people together, and what a great feeling it is when
everybody who participated in such a project can be proud
of what weve achieved.
It is our philosophy to share our joy with you, because you
are the most important member of the BEHRINGER family.
With your highly competent suggestions for new products
youve greatly contributed to shaping our company and
making it successful. In return, we guarantee you uncompromising quality as well as excellent
technical and audio properties at an extremely favorable price. All of this will enable you to fully
unfold your creativity without being hampered by budget constraints.
We are often asked how we can make it to produce such high-grade devices at such unbelievably
low prices. The answer is quite simple: its you, our customers! Many satisfied customers means
large sales volumes enabling us to get better conditions of purchase for components, etc. Isnt it
only fair to pass this benefit back to you? Because we know that your success is our success, too!
I would like to thank all people whose help on Project MINIFEX FEX800 has made it all possible.
Everybody has made very personal contributions, starting from the designers of the unit via the
many staff members in our company to you, the user of BEHRINGER products.
My friends, its been worth the trouble!
Thank you very much,
Uli Behringer

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MINIFEX FEX800
DEUTSCH
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 5
1.1 Before you get started .......................................................................................................... 6
1.1.1 hipment .................................................................................................................... 6
1.1.2 Initial operation ........................................................................................................... 6
1.1.3 Online registration ...................................................................................................... 6
2. CONTROL ELEMENTS AND CONNECTIONS ........................................... 7
2.1 Front panel ............................................................................................................................ 7
2.2 Rear panel ............................................................................................................................ 8
3. THE EFFECTS ............................................................................................ 9
3.1 REVERB 1 ............................................................................................................................ 9
3.2 REVERB 2 ............................................................................................................................ 9
3.3 DLY/MOD ........................................................................................................................... 10
3.4 FX/DUAL ......................................................................................................................... 10
4. APPLICATION EXAMPLES ....................................................................... 10
4.1 The MINIFEX in the aux(iliary) path .................................................................................. 10
4.2 The MINIFEX in the insert path .......................................................................................... 11
4.3 The MINIFEX as an effects unit for instruments ................................................................ 11
5. AUDIO CONNECTIONS ............................................................................ 12
5.1 Connection with insert cables ........................................................................................... 12
5.2 Connection with 1/4" cables .............................................................................................. 13
5.3 Footswitch connection ....................................................................................................... 13
6. APPENDIX ................................................................................................. 14
6.1 List of effects and parameters ........................................................................................... 14
7. SPECIFICATIONS ..................................................................................... 15
8. OTHER MINI PRODUCTS......................................................................... 16
9. WARRANTY .............................................................................................. 17
1. INTRODUCTION
Thank you for showing your confidence in BEHRINGER products by purchasing the MINIFEX FEX800.
With the MINIFEX FEX800 you have purchased an extremely flexible yet easy-to-use multi-effects
device, which you will surely come to appreciate for its sound enhancement capabilities both on
stage and in the studio.
Our ultra-compact stereo multi-effect processor is a useful addition to any set-up: You get 16 fantastic
effects presets in 24-bit quality, including reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, phaser, rotary speaker,
pitch shifter and other multi-effects. Thanks to the intuitive FX preset control with its LEDs displaying
the currently selected program, nothing could be easier than operating the FEX800. What is more,
a variety of edit and tap/select functions allows you to modify the effect parameters extensively. A
high-precision, 6-digit LED display can be used to accurately set the stereo input level.
1. INTRODUCTION

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MINIFEX FEX800
Further features are the handy Mix Balance and Output Level controls for precise effect level setting,
as well as an additional footswitch connector for easy enabling/disabling of effects.
The FEX800 will take your music productions to a higher level!
1.1 efore you get started
1.1.1 Shipment
Your FEX800 was carefully packed at the assembly plant to assure secure transport. hould the
condition of the cardboard box suggest that damage may have taken place, please inspect the unit
immediately and look for physical indications of damage.
+Damaged equipment should NEVER be sent directly to us. Please inform the dealer
from whom you acquired the unit immediately as well as the transportation company
from which you too delivery. Otherwise, all claims for replacement/repair may be
rendered invalid.
+Please always use the original pac aging to avoid damage due to storage or shipping.
+Never let unsupervised children play with the FEX800 or with its pac aging.
+Please dispose of all pac aging materials in an environmentally friendly fashion.
1.1.2 Initial operation
Be sure that there is enough space around the unit for cooling. To avoid overheating, do not place
the FEX800 on top of power amps or near radiators, etc.
+To power the FEX800, use only the power supply unit that is delivered with your
equipment.
+Please ensure that the unit is installed and operated only by people qualified to do so.
During installation and operation the user must have sufficient electrical contact to
earth. Electrostatic discharge may affect the operation of the unit.
+Malfunction may occur due to static discharge at the inputs/outputs of the FEX800. In
this case, switch off the unit temporarily.
1.1.3 Online registration
Please do remember to register your new BEHRINGER equipment right after your purchase by
visiting www.behringer.com (alternatively www.behringer.de) and kindly read the terms and conditions
of our warranty carefully.
hould your BEHRINGER product malfunction, our goal is to have it repaired as quickly as possible.
To arrange for warranty service, please contact the retailer from whom the equipment was purchased.
hould your BEHRINGER dealer not be located in your vicinity, you may directly contact one of our
subsidiaries. Corresponding contact information is included in the original equipment packaging
(Global Contact Information/European Contact Information). hould your country not be listed, please
contact the distributor nearest you. A list of distributors can be found in the support area of our
website (www.behringer.com/support).
Registering your purchase and equipment with us helps us process your repair claims quicker and
more efficiently.
Thank you for your cooperation!
1. INTRODUCTION

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MINIFEX FEX800
DEUTSCH
2. CONTROL ELEMENTS AND CONNECTIONS
2.1 Front panel
Fig. 2.1: Front panel control elements of the FEX800
The two LED displays show the effect preset currently selected. One LED is assigned to each
preset.
+The presets are grouped in four categories: REVERB 1 (1-4), REVERB 2 (5-8), DELAY/
MODULATION (9-12), SPECIAL FX/DUAL EFFECTS (13-16).
Use the PRESETS control to select one of the 16 effect presets.
The EDIT control allows you to edit one effect parameter. The center position corresponds to
the default setting programmed for the preset.
+When you change presets the FEX800 always recalls the default or user settings for
the selected preset, irrespective of the position of the EDIT control. However, the user
settings will remain effective only as long as the unit is not switched off or disconnected
from the mains.
The T P/SELECT button performs two functions:
sTAP (tempo entry): Hit the button several times in the tempo of the music piece to adapt the
delay time of presets 9 and 15 or the modulation speed of presets 10-12. The button starts
flashing in the corresponding tempo.
sSELECT (additional effect parameter): Press this button to choose between two different
effect characteristics when using presets 1-8, 13-14, 16. When the button lights up this means
that the corresponding parameter of the selected preset has been activated.
+Table 6.1 gives you an overview of all effect parameters that can be edited in the
various presets .
Use the INPUT LEVEL control to adjust the input signal level. Please be sure to set a level that
is sufficiently high but does not overload the unit.
The L+R LED display is for monitoring the input level. It comprises 6 LEDs. When the CLIP
LED lights up, this indicates that digital distortion may occur at the input of the FEX800. In this
case, the input signal level must be reduced.
Use the MIX B L NCE control to adjust the ratio of original vs. effect signal. Turn the control
fully to the right to hear only the processed effect signal. Turn it fully to the left to hear only the
unprocessed input signal.
2. CONTROL ELEMENT AND CONNECTION

8
MINIFEX FEX800
The IN/OUT button enables/disables the effect signal. The button lights up when the input
signal is being processed by the FEX800. In order to hear the processed signal you have to set
a suitable ratio of effect vs. direct signal using the MIX BALANCE control .
Use the OUTPUT LEVEL control to adjust the output level.
The switch turns your MINIFEX FEX800 on and off. The switch lights up when the unit is
switched on.
+Merely switching the unit off does not mean that it is fully disconnected from the
mains. To disconnect the unit from the mains, pull out the mains connector. Please
ma e sure before installation that the mains connector has not been damaged. If you
do not use the unit for an extended period of time, please disconnect it at the mains.
2.2 Rear panel
Fig. 2.2: Rear panel connectors of the FEX800
The FEX800 is connected to the mains using a 2-pole POWER connector jack. A matching
mains adaptor is included with the unit.
+To avoid damage to your FEX800 always use the mains adaptor supplied with the
unit.
A single footswitch can be connected to the IN/OUT connector. This footswitch allows you
to remotely control the IN/OUT button on the front panel and switch the effect signal on
and off.
The two OUTPUT connectors are on 1/4" connectors and provide a balanced left/right signal.
The two INPUT connectors are on 1/4" connectors and can be used for unbalanced signals.
A single mono signal should be connected to the L jack.
SERI L NUMBER.
2. CONTROL ELEMENT AND CONNECTION

9
MINIFEX FEX800
DEUTSCH
3. THE EFFECTS
Your MINIFEX FEX800 comes with 16 presets, which are grouped in four different categories. All of
them are stereo effects.
+Table 6.1 contains a list of the preset effect parameters which can be edited as well as
a description of the TAP/SELECT buttons function.
3.1 REVER 1
The presets from the REVERB 1 category reproduce the characteristics of natural spaces of different
sizes.
sCATHEDRAL simulates the reverberation that you can hear in big cathedrals. This effect is
characterized by a long reverb and very specific echoes. It works well with solo instruments
and vocals.
sCONCERT simulates the reverberation in a mid-size concert hall. The preset is well suited for
all natural instruments such as piano. When used sparingly, it also gives vocals an interesting
touch, for example, in ballads.
sCLUB simulates the cozy atmosphere of a mid-size jazz club or theater. This reverb is
characterized by its early reflections and short decay. The preset works well with vocals,
electric piano, drums, saxophone and other instruments.
sCHAMBER simulates the typical characteristics of a studio. The preset is well suited for drums,
guitars and vocals or whenever you need an unobtrusive reverb to breathe some life into a
signal.
3.2 REVER 2
REVERB 2 comprises popular artificial reverb algorithms, which characterize numerous pop/rock
and dance tracks of the last few years.
sGOLD PLATE simulates the legendary sound of a reverb plate as used in former studio reverb
units. This effect features a very dense sound of its own and is particularly suited to produce a
very distinct reverb, e.g. for drums and vocals.
sGATED REV simulates the reverb type cut off by a gate, which was very popular in the 80s.
This effect was typically used with snare or kick drums, but can be used to achieve interesting
effects with other instruments too.
sREVERSE produces a reverb which has its reverb tail reversed. Consequently, the reverb
volume does not decrease over time but increases. This preset can be used for unusual
effects with the most varied kinds of signals. A very popular application is to use it for snare
drums.
sAMBIENCE provides the signal with spatial information, however, does not produce an audible
reverb. The preset works well with drums, keyboards, guitars and vocals or whenever you
need an unobtrusive room sound without reverb.
3. THE EFFECT

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MINIFEX FEX800
3.3 DLY/MOD
The DELAY/MODULATION category offers three modulation effects for special sound-tweaking
applications and one stereo delay preset.
sDELAY produces several echoes/delays of the input signal, reduces them in level and adds
them to the original signal (echo effect). Use the DELAY preset to create effects which are
very interesting in terms of rhythm. This preset can be used for virtually any instruments. It is
particularly useful for keyboards, guitars and vocals.
sCHORUS gives a signal more body and width, so that it sounds richer. CHORU can be used
for virtually any signals which should sound a bit fuller.
sFLANGER gives a signal a wonderful retro touch. FLANGER has always been a popular
effect for guitars and keyboards. But you can also produce interesting sounds in combination
with drums, vocals or other signals.
sPHASER is an effect which adds a copy of the input signal, however, shifted in phase. PHA ER
is a traditional guitar, electric piano and keyboard effect. But you can also produce distinctive
effect sounds in combination with drums or other signals.
3.4 SFX/DUAL
This category includes two effects for special sound modifications, as well as two presets providing
a combination of two effects.
sROTARY simulates the accelerating, braking and rotating movements of a Leslie® loudspeaker
system. The fast rotation produces a characteristic shifting of frequencies. Traditionally, this is
an effect for electronic organ. However, it can also be used for other signals.
sPITCH SHIFT adds another signal to the original signal, below or above the original pitch. This
effect is particularly suited to enhance the sound of guitars and vocals.
sDELAY+REV is a useful combination of the DELAY and CONCERT effects. This effects
combination works particularly well with guitars, keyboards and vocals.
sCHORUS+REV is a useful combination of the CHORU and CLUB effects. This effects
combination is a classic effect for guitars and electric pianos.
4. APPLICATION EXAMPLES
The FEX800 can be integrated into the signal path in various ways. Please find a few wiring examples
below.
4.1 The MINIFEX in the aux(iliary) path
It is particularly advisable to connect the MINIFEX via the aux paths of a mixing console. Aux paths
are signal busses to which you can route specific signals. Each channel strip on a mixing console
has a level control for each aux path, which determines the signal portion routed from the respective
channel strip to the aux bus. The signal is routed from the aux bus output of the console to an effects
unit for processing. ubsequently, the processed effect signal from the external effects processor is
routed back to the console via an aux return or other mono/stereo input, where it is mixed with the
unprocessed original signal in the main mix bus.
This way of connecting your FEX800 allows you to adjust different effect intensities for different
instruments. For example, you could give a snare drum more reverb than a kick drum. The volume
ratio of direct vs. effect signal is determined using the aux return level control, while the aux send
control in the corresponding channel strip adjusts the effect intensity for each instrument. Two mono
aux paths are required for stereo signal processing. If you want to process single signals in mono,
please use only one aux path. In this case, the aux send output must be connected to the L(MONO)
jack in the INPUT section of the FEX800.
4. APPLICATION EXAMPLE