Behringer EURORACK MX2004A User manual

www.behringer.com
Version 1.1 March 2001
User’s Manual
ENGLISH
EURORACK® MX2004A

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EURORACKMX2004A
Thissymbol,whereveritappears,alerts
you to the presence of uninsulated
dangerous voltage inside the enclo-
sure—voltagethatmaybesufficientto
constitute a risk of shock.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts
you to important operating and mainte-
nance instructions in the accompanying
literature.Read the manual.
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electrical shock, donotremove
thecover (or back).No user serviceablepartsinside;
referservicing toqualified personnel.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not
expose this appliance to rain or moisture.
DETAILEDSAFETYINSTRUCTIONS:
Allthe safety and operation instructions should be readbeforethe appliance is operated.
RetainInstructions:
Thesafety and operatinginstructions should beretained for future reference.
Heed Warnings:
Allwarningsonthe appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
Followinstructions:
Alloperation and user instructions should befollowed.
Water and Moisture:
Theappliance shouldnot beused nearwater (e.g.near abathtub, washbowl,kitchen sink,laundry tub,in awet
basement, or near a swimming pool etc.).
Ventilation:
The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation.
For example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa rug, or similar surface that may block the
ventilation openings, or placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the
flowof airthroughthe ventilationopenings.
Heat:
The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
appliance(including amplifiers) thatproduce heat.
Power Source:
Theappliance should be connected to apowersupply only of the type describedinthe operating instructions
or as marked on the appliance.
Grounding or Polarization:
Precautionsshouldbetakensothatthegroundingorpolarizationmeansofanapplianceisnotdefeated.
Power-Cord Protection:
Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed
upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, convenience receptacles and the point
wherethey exit from the appliance.
Cleaning:
Theappliance should be cleanedonly as recommended bythe manufacturer.
Non-usePeriods:
Thepowercordoftheapplianceshouldbeunpluggedfromthe outletwhen leftunused fora longperiod oftime.
Object and Liquid Entry:
Careshould betakenso thatobjects do notfall and liquidsare not spilledinto the enclosurethrough openings.
Damage Requiring Service:
Theappliance shouldbe serviced byqualified servicepersonnelwhen:
-The power supply cord or the plughas been damaged; or
- Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or
-The appliance has been exposed to rain; or
-The appliance does not appear tooperate normally or exhibits a markedchange in performance; or
-The appliance hasbeen dropped, or theenclosure damaged.
Servicing:
Theuser shouldnot attempt toservice theappliancebeyond thatis described inthe Operating Instructions.All
otherservicing shouldbe referredtoqualified servicepersonnel.

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EURORACKMX2004A
FOREWORD
DearCustomer,
Welcome to the team of EURORACK users and thank you very much for expressing your confidence in
BEHRINGERproducts by purchasing this unit.
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 produce a compact mixer,
which fully satisfies your and our expectations and delivers a superior sound quality, easy operation and
technicalspecifications. Inaddition tothatthe mixeris affordableforalmost everymusician. Thetaskto design
the EURORACK certainly meant a great deal of responsibility, which we assumed by focusing on you, the
discerning user and musician. 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
everybodywho participated insuch a project canbe proud of whatwe’ve achieved.
Itis ourphilosophy to shareour joywithyou, becauseyou are themost importantmemberof theBEHRINGER
family. With your highly competent suggestions for new products you’ve greatly contributed to shaping our
companyand makingitsuccessful. Inreturn,we guaranteeyouuncompromising quality(manufacturedunder
ISO9000 certified management system) 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.
Weare often asked how we canmake it to produce such high-gradedevices at such unbelievably low prices.
The answer is quite simple: it’s you, our customers! Many satisfied customers means large sales volumes
enablingustoget 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 the following people, whose help on “Project EURORACK MX2004A” has made it all
possible:
▲The existing users of BEHRINGER equipment (whose comments and suggestions have made them the
mostimportant members of the BEHRINGERdesign team),
▲Thorsten(for thismarvellous manual layout),
▲Bernhard(Rammi) (whose technicalingenuity is unique),
▲C.W.for the finemechanics(key-phrase “Tooling modification”),
▲andall the others, whohave made very personalcontributions.
Myfriends,it’sbeen worth the trouble!
Thankyou very much,
UliBehringer

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EURORACKMX2004A
EURORACK
MX2004A
Ultra low-noise 20-channel, 4-bus mi er
s8mono input channelswithgold-plated XLRs andphone connectors
s4stereo input channels with balanced TRSconnectors
s2additional multi-functional stereo auxreturns
sPreand post-fader auxsendsfor external effectsdevicesand monitoring
sMaster aux sends with gain control
sExtremelyhigh headroom—offeringmore dynamicrange
sUltralow-noise discrete microphone preampswith +48 V phantompower
sBalancedinputs and main outputs
sPeak LEDs, insert facilities and switchable low-cut filter on all mono channels
sUltra-musical3-band EQ on all monochannels
sMute/Alt3-4, solo-in-place and pre-fader-listenfunction on all channels
sSeparatemain mix, control room andheadphones outputs
s2-trackinputsassignable to main mix or control room/headphones outputs
sHighlyaccurate 13-digit bargraphmeterson output
sHigh-qualityfaders andsealed potentiometers
sRuggeddesign power supplyensures superior transientresponse
sState-of-the-art 4580 ICs and high quality components ensure crystal-clear audio performance and
excellentnoise figures
sRuggedconstruction ensures longlifeeven under themost demanding conditions
sManufacturedunder ISO9000certified managementsystem

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EURORACKMX2004A
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................7
1.1 Architecture .................................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 Beforeyoubegin ............................................................................................................................. 8
1.2.1 PSU(power supply unit) ....................................................................................................... 8
1.2.2 Warranty............................................................................................................................... 8
1.2.3 Packing ................................................................................................................................8
1.2.4 Rack mountingtheMX2004A ................................................................................................ 8
2. MONO INPUT CHANNEL.......................................................................................................8
2.1 Inputlevelsetting ............................................................................................................................ 8
2.2 Equalizer......................................................................................................................................... 9
2.3 Aux sends ...................................................................................................................................... 9
2.4 Routing,fading and muting.............................................................................................................. 9
2.5 Insert ............................................................................................................................................ 10
3. STEREO INPUT CHANNEL .................................................................................................10
3.1 Inputlevelsetting .......................................................................................................................... 10
3.2 Equalizer....................................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Aux sends .................................................................................................................................... 10
3.4 Routing ......................................................................................................................................... 10
4. MAIN SECTION.....................................................................................................................10
4.1 Aux sends .................................................................................................................................... 10
4.2 Stereoaux returns .........................................................................................................................11
4.3 Metering.........................................................................................................................................11
4.4 Solo function ..................................................................................................................................11
4.5 2-trackinput and output ................................................................................................................ 12
4.6 Monitoring ..................................................................................................................................... 12
4.7 Alt 3-4 output ................................................................................................................................ 12
5. SETTING UP .........................................................................................................................13
5.1 Selectinginputs ............................................................................................................................ 13
5.2 Initializing channels forgain setting ............................................................................................... 13
5.3 Auditioning a signal and setting up a channel................................................................................13
5.4 Desknormalization ....................................................................................................................... 13
5.5 Multitrack initialization .................................................................................................................. 14
5.6 Recordinglevels............................................................................................................................ 14
5.7 Tracksheet ................................................................................................................................... 14
6. APPLICATIONS .....................................................................................................................14
6.1 Keyboard mixing, live or in the studio ............................................................................................ 14
6.2 Livegig with simultaneous 2-trackrecording .................................................................................15
6.3 Projectstudio—laying vocals to tape ............................................................................................ 16
6.4 Patchbay ...................................................................................................................................... 17
6.4.1 Patchbayconfiguration........................................................................................................ 17
6.4.2 Parallel ............................................................................................................................... 18
6.4.3 Half-normalled ..................................................................................................................... 18
6.4.4 Normalled ........................................................................................................................... 18
6.4.5 Open................................................................................................................................... 18
6.4.6 Patchbayorganization ........................................................................................................ 19
6.4.7 Loomingproblems .............................................................................................................. 20

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EURORACKMX2004A
7. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND ..............................................................................................20
7.1 Mixing........................................................................................................................................... 20
7.1.1 Equalization........................................................................................................................ 20
7.1.2 Gainoptimization................................................................................................................ 21
8. INSTALLATION .....................................................................................................................21
8.1 EURORACKMX2004Aconnections.............................................................................................. 21
8.2 Connections.................................................................................................................................. 22
8.3 Modifications................................................................................................................................. 24
8.4 Expanding..................................................................................................................................... 24
9. SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................................25
10.WARRANTY...........................................................................................................................26

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EURORACKMX2004A
1. INTRODUCTION
Congratulations.InpurchasingourEURORACKyouhave acquireda mixerwith incredibleversatility andaudio
performance. Your EURORACK is built to the same outstanding quality as our top-of-the range console, the
BEHRINGEREURODESKMX9000.
Later we will see how adding the BEHRINGER ULTRALINK PRO MX882 to your system can inexpensively
expandthe capacity and flexibility ofyoumixing power even further. Firstofall, however, we want totakeyou
ona guidedtour of yournew rack-mounted console—theBEHRINGER EURORACKMX2004A.
Werecommend thatyou experimentwith yourEURORACKaway fromthe pressuresof a recordingsession or
live concert, in order to get a feel for it. It is a musical instrument. Learn to play it well.
Next to the specifications you will find some pages with drawings showing the front and rear panel of your
EURORACKrespectively. Keepthem turnedover, lyingtothe leftof thetext pages,while studyingthemanual.
All functions will be numbered consistently throughout the manual, whether they be in the text or on an
illustration.
Most specialist subjects are not really all that difficult provided you understand the language used, and the
vocabularyofmixingisprettystraightforward.Neverthelessitisaswelltobeclearaboutwhatcertaintermsmean.
A “slot” in a recorder will always be referred to as a track, while that in a mixer will invariably be a channel. I will
attempt to be as unambiguous as possible with terms, since much confusion can arise from sloppy definitions.
1.1 Architecture
Theconfiguration is20 into4(2+2) into2. Thereare eight monochannels, fourstereo channelsandtwo stereo
auxreturns. Inadditionthere isa2-track inputroutableto themainmix. Achannelis alwaysroutedto themain
mix outs unless Alt 3-4 is selected, in which case its signal is sent to outputs 3 and 4 instead. Outputs 3
and 4 may be blended with the main mix at the control room output via a switch .
Mono input channels
Channels1 to 8are mono, withachoice of balancedmicrophone or lineinputs.The vintage-style high-current
discrete microphone amps are of the same incredible quality as those found on the acclaimed BEHRINGER
EURODESKMX9000, whilealarge externalpowersupply ensureslownoise andsuperiortransient response
at all times.
Stereo input channels
Afurther 8line inputson theMX2004A areconfigured as4 stereoinput channels.These areidealfor multitrack
tapereturns, or for accepting outputs fromMIDIand other electronic instruments.
Channel outputs
A high-quality true logarithmic 60-mm fader feeds the main mix or Alt 3-4 bus via the channel pan.
Auxsends
Thereare two aux sendbuseson the MX2004A.
Stereo aux returns (stereo line inputs)
Thestereo aux returns lie directly abovethemaster aux sends. These can berouted to the cue send (i.e.aux
send1 settopre-fader) directlyby pressing , inorder to enableperformers to geta “wet” foldbackmix. The
aux returns may also be used for mixing in extra MIDI instruments etc.
Main mix output
Main mix output level is via a pair of high-quality true-log 60-mm stereo faders and is monitored by a pair of
accurate13-segment bargraph peak meters, surrounded by4status LEDs.
Inaddition, your MX2004Aprovides an adjustablephonesoutput, a separate2-track in/output andtheabove-
mentionedAlt 3-4 output.
Channels 1 to 8 have overload LEDs, while the L and R outputs have 13-segment bargraph meters. The L/R
meters double up as mono PFL or stereo solo meters. The meters should average around 0 dB during loud
passages.Iftheyreadpersistentlyhigher,orarepeakingabove+10 dB,reduce eitherthe mainL/R fadersand/
orchannel faders, or channel input gain.Perhaps the PFL sequence should berepeated.
1. INTRODUCTION

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EURORACKMX2004A
1.2 Before you begin
1.2.1 PSU (power supply unit)
Anyamplifiercircuitislimitedinitstransientresponsebytheavailablecurrent.Everymixerhasnumerouslinelevel
operationalamplifiers(op-amps)inside.Whenbeingdrivenhard,manydesksbegintoshowsignsofstressdueto
powersupplylimitations.Notsowith theEURORACKMX2004A.Thesoundwillalwaysstaycleanandcrisp right
up to the operating limits of the op-amps themselves, thanks to our generous 40 W external power supply unit.
Pleaseconnect the PSU with the EURORACKMX2004A PSU connector on the rear panelofyour mixer
and switch on your MX2004A with the POWER switch .
+Do not connect the PSU to the EURORACK while the PSU is connected to the mains supply.
Connect switched-off desk and PSU first before you connect the PSU to the mains supply.
Lastly switch on desk.
1.2.2 Warranty
Please take the time to have the warranty card filled out completely by your specialized dealer, and return it
within14 days after the dateofpurchase, so as to beentitledto benefit from our extendedwarranty.You may
alsouse our online registration option availableonthe Internet at www.behringer.com. You willfindthe serial
number ofyour MX2004A on therear panel.
1.2.3 Packing
Your BEHRINGER EURORACK was carefully packed in the factory and the packaging was designed to
protectthe unit from rough handling.Nevertheless, we recommend that you carefullyexamine the packaging
and its contents for any signs of physical damage, which may have occurred in transit.
+If the unit is damaged, please do NOT return it to us, but notify your dealer and the shipping
company immediately, otherwise claims for damage or replacement may not be granted.
Shipping claims must be made by the consignee.
1.2.4 Rack mounting the MX2004A
Enclosedinthe shipping box you will find a 19" rackmount kit. If you want to make yourMX2004Aa rack mixer,
loosenthescrewsfrom thesidepanels andusethemtofixtherack ears(note,that thereisaleftandaright one).
+Be sure that there is enough space around the unit for cooling and please do not place the
MX2004A on high temperature devices such as power amplifiers etc. to avoid overheating.
+When switched on, parts of the desk and the power supply unit will become very warm, which
is normal during operation.
2. MONO INPUT CHANNEL
Each channel is equipped with a balanced line input 1/4" TRS connector , and an XLR microphone input
. Phantom powering is switchable from the back panel .
+Whenusing the microphone input please make sure nothing is connected to the same channel’s
line input, and vice versa.
Thegain circuit has an unusually wide range, obviating the need for mic/line switching. The crucial operating
levels +4 dBu and -10 dBV are clearly and accurately marked .
2.1 Input level setting
Channel input level is determined by the GAIN control . Use the PFL/SOLO switch to bring the
channelinput onto theleft and rightbargraph meters respectively. Thisalso sends thePFL/solo-edsignal
to the left and right speakers.
2. MONOINPUTCHANNEL

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EURORACKMX2004A
Forlevel-setting (as opposed tolocalizedlistening) select the monoPFLbus rather than thepost-fader(post-
channelpan) stereo solo bus (CHANNEL MODE global switch up).
PFL/solo never interrupts the mix at the main recording outputs. It follows that aux sends must also be
unaffected, since they contribute directly to the main mix.
Inaddition to switchable PFL/solo metering, a channelLED illuminateswhen a channel is going into
overload. You do not want the overload light to come on except very intermittently during a take or a mix. If it
doeslight persistently, reduce input gain (see also chapter5“SETTING UP”).
There is a steep low-cut (high pass) filter , slope at 18 dB/oct., -3 dB at 75 Hz, for reducing floor rumble,
explosives, woolly bottom end etc.
2.2 Equalizer
Allmono input channels are fittedwith 3-band EQ and the abovementioned switchable low-cut filter forelimi-
nating unwanted subsonics. All three bands have up to 15 dB of cut and boost, with a centre detent for “off”.
Theupper and lower shelving controlshave their frequenciesfixedat 12 kHzand 80 Hzrespectively.
The midrange control is semi-parametric with a peaking response, Q fixed at 1 octave. The gain is set with
control , the center frequency can be adjusted with control ranging from 100 Hz to 8 kHz.
2.3 Aux sends
Bothaux sends are mono andpost-EQ.Aux send 1 can be takenfroma point before or after thechannel
fader, i.e. pre or post by . Aux send 2 is always wired post-fader.
For almost all FX send purposes, you will want aux sends to be post-fader, so that when a fader level is
adjusted, any reverb send from that channel follows the fader. Otherwise, when the fader is pulled down, the
reverb from that channel would still be audible. For cueing purposes, aux sends will usually be set pre-fader,
i.e.independent of the channelfader and mute.
Mostreverbs etc.sum internallytheleft andright inputs.Thevery fewthat don’tmaybe drivenin truestereoby
using 2 aux sends.
There is +15 dB of gain on every aux send. Such a high boost is usually only appropriate where the channel
fader is set around -15 dB or lower. Here, an almost exclusively “wet” signal will be heard. In most consoles,
such a wet mix requires the use of a pre-fader setting for the channel aux send, losing fader control. With the
EURORACKyou can have a virtually wetmixwith fader control.
2.4 Routing, fading and muting
Level to the main mix and Alt 3-4 buses is ultimately determined by the channel faders . These are
speciallymanufactured forBEHRINGER mixingconsoles, andare designedto givea smoothlogarithmic taper
ofa typemoreusually associatedwith very expensiveconsoles. The performance,at low levelsparticularly, is
farsmoother than thatofa normal “budget”fader.
Channel pan positions the output of the channel in the stereo field. Its constant-power design ensures
there are no level discrepancies whether a signal is hard-panned, center-stage, or somewhere in-between.
Such pinpoint accuracy will be a revelation if you have been working on consoles with lower quality circuits.
Channel pan also determines the stereo position of any signal routed to the Alt 3-4 bus ( depressed).
PFL/solo were encountered in chapter 3.1. Solo also follows channel pan.
TheMUTE/ALT 3-4button is ergonomically placedimmediately abovethe channel fader.Engaging mute,
indicated by , is equivalent to setting a fader level of minus infinity.
OntheMX2004AtheMUTE/ALT 3-4 button serves two functions. When mixing directly to stereo, it acts as a
normal mute. However, this button also acts as a routing button to the Alt 3-4 outputs. In other words, you
select between the main mix and Alt 3-4 stereo buses via . This is very useful when submixing live or
recording to multitrack, as we shall see later.
2. MONOINPUTCHANNEL

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EURORACKMX2004A
2.5 Insert
Insertpoints are useful for adding dynamicprocessingor equalization to a channel orthemix. Unlike reverbs
etc., which are usually added to the dry signal, dynamic processing is normally applied across an entire
signal. Here an aux send would be inappropriate. Instead the signal is intercepted somewhere along the
channel,fed throughthe dynamics processorand/or EQ, thenreturned totheconsole atthe same pointwhere
it left. The insert point is normalized, i.e. the signal is only interrupted when a jack is plugged into it.
3. STEREO INPUT CHANNEL
Each stereo channel comes with two balanced line level inputs on 1/4" TRS connectors, for left and right
signals. When only the left input is connected, the channel operates in mono.
3.1 Input level setting
Thestereo inputs are designedforany line level signal.Most line level sources suchas MIDI instruments and
FX units will have their own output level control. Those that don’t, for example CD players, all have an output
level within the scope of the MX2004A. When the channel and master fader are set to unity gain the meters
shouldread between -4 and +7dB.Remember that there is 15dB gain on both the channelas well as master
fader.
3.2 Equalizer
Thestereoinputchannelsarefittedwith4-bandEQ.The upper andlower shelvingcontrols havetheir frequen-
cies fixed at 12 kHz and 80 Hz. The peaking high midrange and low midrange /are fixed at
3kHz and 500 Hz respectively.Astereo equalizer is generally preferable tousing two mono equalizers when
EQ-ing a stereo signal, as often discrepancies between left and right settings can occur.
3.3 Aux sends
These are the same as for mono channels (see 2.3). Note that a mono sum is taken from the stereo input.
3.4 Routing
Theonlydifferenceherefromthemonochanneldescribedin 2.4is inthe implementationof thebalance control
.
Whena channelisrun instereo, this controlfunctions as abalance control, determiningthe relative balanceof
theleft andrightchannel signalsbeingsent tothe left andright main mixbuses. For example,with the balance
control turned fully clockwise, only the right portion of the channel’s stereo signal will be routed to the main
mix.
Balance also determines the relative amount of left and right channel signals being sent to buses 3 and 4
respectivelywhen Mute/Alt 3-4 isengaged.
4. MAIN SECTION
4.1 Aux sends
Master aux send levels are determined by and . These controls have a centre detent indicating unity
gain.Don’t worry ifyour effects unit hasno input gaincontrol—youhave a further+15 dB available from these
outputs.
3. STEREOINPUTCHANNEL

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EURORACKMX2004A
4.2 Stereo aux returns
There are two additional stereo line inputs (aux returns 1 and 2) on your MX2004A. Aux returns 1 is perma-
nently assigned to the main mix. If you connect a jack to the left socket only, the aux return 1 operates in
mono. Aux return 2 can be switched between the main mix and the cue feed (aux send 1) via a switch
FX TO AUX 1 .Thisenablesyoutoprovideawet(signalwitheffect i.e.reverb) cuemix forthe headphones
orfoldback speakers.
Ifno connectionis madetoaux return2, thesignal is “normalled”(connected directly)to auxreturn1. Depress-
ing the FX TO AUX 1 switch will then feed the signal from aux return 1 into the cue feed (aux send 1) and can
becontrolledin level independently with aux return 2. This feature is primarily useful when you are using one
effect for the main mix and for the foldback speakers.
+When using aux send 1 as a second (pre-fader) effects send and aux return 2 as the effect
input, do not engage FX TO AUX 1 switch. The connection from aux return 2 to aux send 1
could cause feedback.
However,there areexceptions: For instanceif you deliberatelywant to sendone effect intoanother, e.g.delay
into chorus etc.
The aux returns are multifunctional. They may be used for returning the outputs of effect units. You can use
themas tape returnsfroma multitrack recorder.Theymay also beusedas extra instrumentinputs,especially
ifyourMIDIkeyboardorracksuppliesapre-mixedstereosignal.
Certainstereo effects produce aperceived imbalance between theleft and right channellevels. To correct for
this you will have to bring your stereo effect back on a stereo channel, which has a balance control.
When applying short left and right delays, the shortest one will always seem loudest. When pitch shifting up
and down in wide stereo to thicken a sound, the signal shifted upwards will seem louder than one that goes
down. In both cases use the balance control to compensate.
When performing any stereo imaging exercise, don’t just rely on the control room monitors. Get a pair of
headphonesand listenin stereoandin reversestereo, justin case youhave anysignificant hearingdiscrepan-
cies.
Sometimesanengineer wantsto narrowthe stereowidth ofa reverbfield. Todothisyouwill haveto comeback
on two mono channels to get independent pan for the left and right signals.
4.3 Metering
Main mix/PFL/solo level is displayed on a pair of highly-accurate 13-segment bargraph peak meters .
Additional LEDs indicate POWER ON , +48 V phantom power present , and whether the mono Pre-
Fader-Listen bus or the stereo solo bus is engaged.
4.4 Solo function
The CHANNEL MODE switch determines whether Solo-In-Place or Pre-Fader-Listen is assigned to the
channelSolo buttons.
Solo
Solo is the preferred method for auditioning an isolated signal, or group of signals. Whenever a PFL/SOLO
buttonis pressed, all unselected channelsaremuted in the monitors. Stereopanningis maintained. The solo
bus is derived from the output of the channel pans, aux sends and stereo line inputs. It is always post-fader.
PFL
Pressing once disengages the stereo solo bus, and replaces it with a separate mono PFL (Pre-Fader-
Listen)bus. All solosignalsare reconfigured toPFL. PFL should alwaysbe used for gain-setting(see also the
essentialchapter 5“SETTINGUP”).
The L/R meters follow whatever source is being auditioned (the meters won’t make much sense if more
than one source is selected!). Selecting PFL/solo does not affect the signal from the L/R recording outputs.
Just as well, or every time you wanted to do a quick Solo check during a mix, you’d have to start again!
4. MAINSECTION

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EURORACKMX2004A
4.5 2-track input and output
Input
A 2-track input, on RCA connectors /, provides easy connection to DAT and other professional or
semi-professionalaudioequipment.
The2-track input is primarily for auditioningmix playback from tape. The switch2TK routes this signal to
themonitors and/or phones.
However, it can also be routed to the main mix via the switch 2 TK TO MIX and will act as an additional
inputfortape playback, MIDI instruments etc. Here switch should be disengaged, or you willbelistening
tothe 2-track signal twice over!
With depressedyou haveanotherstereo lineinput available tothe mix, usefule.g. for addingthe outputof
asecond EURORACK ora BEHRINGER ULTRALINK PROMX882 to yourmix.
Output
The main mix output is delivered by XLR connectors and TRS connectors on the back panel as well
as by RCA connectors on the front .
Level is ultimately determined by a pair of precision faders .
Althoughthe 2-track output is primarily designed for recording, itcan also be used as a PA feed, orasa send
to the input of your sampler. Depressing on the rear panel will lower the level at the XLR connectors by
20 dB.
4.6 Monitoring
Though most of you will want to audition the main mix most of the time there are exceptions. These
include the Alt 3-4 bus and 2-track playback .
A single stereo volume control sends the level to the headphones and main monitors .
If you want to audition external sources very often, you could connect a hi-fi pre-amp (or tape out) to your
2-track input, allowing you to monitor a variety of extra sources such as vinyl, cassette, CD etc.
4.7 Alt 3-4 output
Bydepressing the MUTE/ALT 3-4 button a channel’soutputwill be routed to the Alt 3-4output instead of
the main mix.
Level to the Alt 3-4 outputs (phone connectors on the back panel) is adjusted by . Use to have the
signal PFL-ed ( and up).
Alt 3-4 is likely to bewilder newcomers. We want to illustrate how this feature may be used most effectively.
Subgroupsare commonly used asa mixing aid bothlive and in thestudio, e.g. to combinetheoutputs from all
drumchannels onto just1 or 2submaster faders. They arealso used toroute to multitrackrecorders(see also
sections 9.2 and 12.3).
Thereare nofully-fledged subgroups onthe MX2004A. However,the Alt3-4bus offersyou a secondindepen-
dent stereo submix with its own submaster stereo fader .
E.g.:If you want to generatetwo mono subgroups in additiontothe normal main mix stereobus, patch Alt 3-4
outs back into two mono channels, and use these as Subgroup masters (the subgroup return channels must
notbe routed to the Alt 3-4 busthemselves, as this would constitute a feedbackloop).Engaging mute on any
input channel routes to the Alt 3-4 bus. Channel pan now selects between Alt 3-4 outputs (left = 3, right = 4).
+Subgroups can be mixes of several channels of sound: don’t be surprised if, once you have set
up the input gain correctly, the submaster faders are set higher than “normal” channels.
Remember that when Alt 3-4 is in use, you do not have a channel mute facility on your desk: you will have to
pull down the fader to silence any channel.
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5. SETTING UP
5.1 Selecting inputs
1) Mono channels accept microphone or line inputs. If you are using the microphone input, make sure
nothingis connected to thelineinput (and vice-versa).
+The microphone inputs are more sensitive than the line inputs. Do not connect microphones
with phantom power switched on. Never use unbalanced mic cables with the phantom power
switched on ever! Shorting 48 V to earth can cause serious damage.
2) Stereo channels accept -10 dBV or +4 dBu line level signals. Any stereo channel can be run in mono
simplyby connecting into the left connector only.Thesechannels are suitable for a variety ofline-level
sourcesincluding MIDI instruments and tape returns frommultitrack.
3) Stereo line inputsareprimarily designed forreturning effects units,thoughthese too maybe given over
to multitrack returns or MIDI instrument outputs.
5.2 Initializing channels for gain setting
1) Set GAIN to minimum and all aux sends to off (fully counter-clockwise).
2) Set EQ to flat (all knobs at 12 o’clock).
3) Where applicable, set LOW-CUT switch ON for most microphones, OFF for signals with desired
verylow frequencycontent.
4) Set CHANNEL MODE to PFL .
5) Depress PFL/SOLO switch .
5.3 Auditioning a signal and setting up a channel
1) Provideaninput signali.e. rollthe tape.There shouldalso besome activityat themain L/Rbargraph meters
, indicating the PFL level.
2) For microphone/line inputs: Adjust the GAIN control until transient peaks are regularly hitting +6 dB.
Continuous signals should not exceed 0 dB.
3) For stereo line inputs: Adjust the source’s output gain until transients are regularly hitting +6 dB. Continu-
ous signals should not exceed 0 dB.
4) If EQ is used, repeat steps 1 to 3.
5) If an insert is used to patch in a compressor, gate, EQ etc, use the outboard processor’s bypass or effect
offswitch to A/B monitor the effect. If it does not haveabypass switch or equivalent, you will have to keep
connectingand disconnectingthe deviceuntil youcomplete thefollowing procedure:Adjust theprocessor’s
outputlevel so that effected and bypassed signalsareof comparable level, i.e. “unity” gain.
6) PFL/solo switch UP. Move onto next channel.
5.4 Desk normalization
Allboard settingsshould beset tothe normaldefaultcondition beforeor afterevery session.Usually fadersare
setto zero (minusinfinity) EQ’s setflat and switched out,trimpots and channelaux sends turnedfullycounter-
clockwise etc. Many controls have a natural initial setting. For EQ cut and boost this is centre position.
However, some settings, such as selecting pre or post for channel aux sends, will depend on the operating
environment(e.g. studio orlive), or ona particular engineer’spreferredway of working.
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5.5 Multitrack initialization
Set up the multitrack so that any track in “record ready” condition has its input monitored when the tape is
stationary.Place all tracksto be recorded into“record ready” status. (Oncea recording hasbeenmade, these
tracks should automatically switch to tape playback. Check that the input levels to each track are optimized
beforerecordingcommences).
5.6 Recording levels
When recording to digital, it’s a good idea to keep the recorder’s peak meters below 0 dB. Most (not all, esp.
samplers) read 0 dB with some headroom left. This is because, unlike with analog, the onset of digital distor-
tionis as sudden as it is horrible. If you really want to take your recordinglevelto the limit (and fully exploit for
instance16-bit digital’s96 dB dynamicrange), you’llhaveto dosome calibrating. Howto doit? Well, youcould
run a tone at 0 dB from the mixer and use that as your DAT reference. But your DAT may be way under its
maximum input limit. Probably a better way to work out just how hard you can drive your recorder is to
incrementallyincrease the record level untilthe onset of digital distortion,subtract, say, 5 or 10dB,and never
exceedthatlevel.Engage“peakhold”on yourrecorder beforerecording ifyou wantto confirmthat youhaven’t.
Whenrecording toanalog, the tapemachine’s VU metersshould showaround+3 dBon bass, butonly around
-10 dB for hi hat. Although analogue distortion is more like compression at modest overload levels (often
desirableon bottom end),higher frequencies cause saturationeven at modestlevels (resulting in anunpleas-
ant “crunchiness”). Also, VU meters tend to progressively under-read above 1 kHz, due to their sluggish
responsetime. Hi-hats should readabout -10 dB ona VU meter, asagainst0 dB foratypical snare drum, and
+3 dB or more for a kick drum.
Peakmeters read more-or-less independentoffrequency. Aim for 0 dBrecording level for all signals.
5.7 Track sheet
When laying out channels for recording or mixing, try to be sensible. Keep toms together, etc. Work out a
schemethat suits you and stick to it. A common orderis:kick drum, snare, hi-hat, tom-toms (as the audience
sees the kit), cymbals (ditto), bass, guitars, keyboards, other instruments, vocals. From session to session
and gig to gig you will soon know where you are without hardly ever having to look at your track sheet.
6. APPLICATIONS
Experience tells us that the cables in a studio environment get tangled very quickly (inviting mistakes). A
patchbaywill facilitatepatching and repatchingconsiderably. The BEHRINGERULTRAPATCH PROPX2000
makespatching easier and troublefree, increasing both ergonomics andproductivity.
6.1 Keyboard mixing, live or in the studio
This is relatively simple to achieve. Simply use the line inputs to mix stereo or mono outputs from your
keyboards. It may be useful to use the Alt 3-4 outs e.g. to control the level of drums versus music. Aux sends
maybe usedeither to feedon-stage monitors, artistsheadphones oreffectsunits. Themain mix outputshould
feed the FOH or studio mixer. A typical comprehensive live setup is shown below.
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EURORACKMX2004A
Keyboard Mixer
Source Mic/Line Mono/Stereo Input
MIDI Instrument #1 Line Mono 1
MIDI Instrument #2 Line Mono 2
MIDI Instrument #3 Line Mono 3
MIDI Instrument #4 Line Mono 4
MIDI Instrument #5 Line Mono 5
MIDI Instrument #6 Line Mono 6
MIDI Instrument #7 Line Mono 7
MIDI Instrument #8 Line Mono 8
MIDI Sampler #1 Line Stereo 9/10
MIDI Sampler #2 Line Stereo 11/12
MIDI Synth #1 Line Stereo 13/14
MIDI Synth #2 Line Stereo 15/16
Effect #1 Stereo Aux 1
Effect #2 Stereo Aux 2
Aux out 1 > Effect (post-fader)
Aux out 2 > Effect (post-fader)
Main Mix out L > P.A.
Main Mix out R > P.A.
Monitor out L > Monitor system
Monitor out R > Monitor system
Tab. 6.1: Keyboard mixing, live or in the studio
6.2 Live gig with simultaneous 2-track recording
Live Gig with 2-TK recording
Source Routing Mic/Line Mono/Stereo Input
Vocals Main Mix Mic Mono 1
Vocals Main Mix Mic Mono 2
Vocals Main Mix Mic Mono 3
Vocals Main Mix Mic Mono 4
Alt 3-4 out Main Mix Line Mono 5
Alt 3-4 out Main Mix Line Mono 6
Bass Drum Alt 3-4 Mic Mono 7
Drum Overhead Alt 3-4 Mic Mono 8
Guitar Alt 3-4 Line Stereo 9/10
Bass Alt 3-4 Line Stereo 11/12
Keyboard #1 Main Mix Line Stereo 13/14
Keyboard #2 Main Mix Line Stereo 15/16
Effect Stereo Aux 1
CD player Stereo Aux 2
Alt 3-4 out (Instruments) > 2-TK input
Aux out 1 > Cue 1 (pre-fader)
Aux out 2 > Effect (post-fader)
Main Mix out L > Recording (DAT L)
Main Mix out R > Recording (DAT R)
Monitor out L > P.A.
Monitor out R > P.A.
Tab. 6.2: Live gig with 2-track recording
Heresome orallmono channelsarelikely tobetied up withstage microphones. Carefullyposition these soas
tominimize feedback. Try tokeepthe stage volume aslowas possible, as stagesound can interfere with and
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EURORACKMX2004A
muddy FOH sound, as well as causing a reduction in feedback thresholds. Don’t forget to notch out trouble-
some frequencies using a graphic or parametric equalizer, or feedback destroyer (see the BEHRINGER
ULTRA-CURVEPRO DSP8024orthe FEEDBACKDESTROYER PRO DSP1124P,which do allof these and
more). Use the low-cut filters to eliminate floor rumble, mics popping etc.
Switching logic for this setup is: and up, and down, down for channels 1 to 8 except 6.
6.3 Project studio—laying vocals to tape
8-track MIDI project studio with sampler, 8-track recording system, one vocal mic and two effects units:
Projekt Studio, laying vocal tracks
Source Routing Mic/Line Mono/Stereo Input
Vocals Alt 3-4 M Mono 1
Band Main Mix L Mono 2
Band Main Mix L Mono 3
Band Main Mix L Mono 4
Band Main Mix L Mono 5
Band Main Mix L Mono 6
Band Main Mix L Mono 7
Band Main Mix L Mono 8
Sampler #1 Main Mix L Stereo 9/10
Sampler #2 Main Mix L Stereo 11/12
Sampler #3 Main Mix L Stereo 13/14
Sampler #4 Main Mix L Stereo 14/15
Effect #1 Stereo Aux 1
Effect #2 Stereo Aux 2
MX 882 Mix out > 2-Track input
Alt 3-4 out > Available
Aux out 1 > Effect 1
Aux out 2 > Effect 2
Main Mix out L > Recording (DAT L)
Main Mix out R > Recording (DAT R)
Monitor out L > Monitor system
Monitor out R > Monitor system
Tab. 6.3: MX2004A example "Project studio, laying vocals to tape"
Withlargely computer-generatedmusic you willwant tohave plenty ofLine inputs,andan abilityto take vocals
quickly, efficiently, and with minimal desk disturbance. Often a vocal line is added after the music is almost
complete. For this we try not to use a valuable aux send as a cue feed. In general, the mix in the artist’s
headphones can be the same as that going into the control room monitors: basically a stereo mix with 1) the
vocalchannel raised abovethe “mix”level involume and 2)any off-putting channels muted.
Ifyou intend to take several tracks in quicksuccession,you can route the channel via the Alt3-4bus simulta-
neously into all tape tracks via a simple junction box, splitter lead, line mixer like our MX882, or patchbay.
Note: When using Alt 3-4 to send to tape, you can either audition the signal via the tape recorder track, or by
assigning Alt 3-4 to the control room monitors , or both. If you are auditioning the vocalist via both routes,
the voice should appear louder to you (and the singer) during a take, but be set properly in the mix during
playback. By a benign twist of fate, this is usually exactly what you (and they) want.
Note that there are two aux sends and two stereo aux returns. If you want to use more than two effects units,
these can either be 1) patched across insert points, 2) inserted between the sampler’s outputs and desk
inputs,or3)drivenfromthe channelinsert.Ifyouhaveinvestedinthe8-channelBEHRINGERULTRALINK PRO
MX882for tapemonitoring purposes,you can turnthe 2-trackinput intoeightline inputsfor acceptingstereo or
mono effects or synths etc. during mixdown.
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EURORACKMX2004A
Fig. 6.1: Project studio setup example
6.4 Patchbay
Apatchbay allows to patchtheaudio signals of mostcomponents in your studio froma central point andsend
them to other units, which makes your entire cabling better structured and is indispensable for professional
work. Ifyou want to useyour studio as effectively aspossible then it ispreferableto use a completepatchbay
wiringscheme,but even less sophisticated patchbay solutions will benefit smaller studio configurations.
6.4.1 Patchbay configuration
Themajority of commerciallyavailable patchbays include tworows with 24 phonejacks each ina19" 1 Urack
panel.On therear,either acorrespondingnumber ofphonejacks orcontactsfor solderingsignalleads canbe
found.Eachgroup offour ofthese phonejacks formsonemodule.Theconfiguration ofsome Patchbayscan be
changedby inserting jumpersor turning individual modules.
Withthe help of ourULTRAPATCH PRO PX2000, aneasy-to-use24-patchbay offering phone jacksthrough-
out,you caneasily understandthefour differentmodes. WiththeULTRAPATCH PROyou canselectbetween
thefourdifferent operating modes simply by setting a switch on the upper panel (example: module 17):
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EURORACKMX2004A
6.4.2 Parallel
Fig.6.2: Patchbay mode “parallel”
Inthismode,allterminalsofone moduleareinterconnected.Thisconfigurationdoesn’tmakesenseatfirstglance
but is used to split up and send one audio signal (e.g. aux send) to several destinations (e.g. effects devices).
6.4.3 Half-normalled
Fig.6.3: Patchbay mode “half-normalled”
Inthisconfiguration, thecontactsofthetwo jacksonthe rearare interconnected.Whenyou insertaplugintothe
upperfrontjack, thesignal routedthrough therear pathis notinterrupted.Onlywhenthe lowerfront jackis used
will the rear panel route be split up, so that the two upper and the two lower phone jacks are connected to one
another.Thisconfigurationis called“inputbreak”andisused mainlyforinsertpaths.So youcaneasily patchthe
signal from a mixing console channel at the Patchbay without interrupting the signal flow in the channel.
6.4.4 Normalled
Fig.6.4: Patchbay mode “normalled”
Here,and in contrastto the “half-normalled”setup,the signal routeof the rearphone jacks is interruptedwhen
you insert a plug both into the upper and lower front jacks.
6.4.5 Open
Fig.6.5: Patchbay mode “open”
Thismode isused toconnect devicessuch assound modulesor CDplayers havingno inputsof theirown. This
saves space, as you can route the left and right outputs to one module (left - top; right - bottom) or patch two
devicesto onemodule (topand bottom).Effectsdevices and2-tracks canbe configuredthisway, sothe inputs
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EURORACKMX2004A
andoutputsarepositioned on top of each other.
Basically, the inputs are routed to the bottom and the outputs to the top rear-wall connectors. Avoid routing
digital signals over a patchbay as the pulse signal used for the transmission of such signals causes heavy
interferencein analogsignals. Additionally,normalpatchbays changethe impedanceof the digitalcable route,
which causes interference in the digital path. Use the BEHRINGER ULTRAMATCH SRC2000 specifically
designedfor this and otherdigital signal-related functions.
Microphone inputs operate at a level several orders of magnitude lower than line levels (+4 dBu or -10 dBV).
Therefore,theyshouldneverberoutedviaapatchbay.Inanycase,patchinginafieldwith48VDC(phantompower)
flyingaboutistobeavoidedatallcosts.ItisbesttoplugmicsdirectlyintothemixingconsoleorviaspecialXLR-type
wallboxesconnectedtothemicinputsoftheconsolebygood-qualitybalancedmulticorecables(2-cond.+shield).
6.4.6 Patchbay organization
Let us give you an example configuration that shows how you can most effectively use your patchbays. We
assume you own a mixing console with 16 mic/line inputs plus inserts, 8 direct outputs, 8 subgroups with 4
inserts,4 auxpathswith 2stereoreturns andonestereo master outputincluding insert jacks.Added to thiswe
have an 8-track recorder (digital or analog), a few pieces of outboard equipment (FX, dynamics & EQ’s), a
CD player, tape deck, HiFi system and a headphones amp:
1
2
3
4
Fig. 6.6: Example of a studio organization with four patchbays
In the first eight modules of patchbay
1
the subgroup outputs are directly connected to the corresponding
multitrack inputs. In addition to that it is also possible to record the signals coming from a subgroup on a different
track of the multitrack. To save space and provide a clearly structured configuration, the direct outputs are con-
nectedbothtothetopandbottomjacks.Modules17&18arethestereomasteroutput,whichishalf-normalledand
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EURORACKMX2004A
thusallowsforrecordingbothtotheDATrecorderandthetapedeck,simplybypatchingitaccordingly.Modules19
&20(tapedeck)areopen,becauseitdoesnotmakesenseconnectingtheinputsandoutputsofthetapedeck.21
&22 are normalled and route the DAT recorder outputstothe 2-track inputs of the mixing console. So italwaysis
possibletocontroltherecordeddataonthe2-trackfromthemixingconsole.TheCDplayerandtheHiFisystemare
connected to modules 23 & 24, which are open, because they only serve as a source.
In patchbay
2
the first 16 modules are normalled (1 through 8 IN could also be used to connect the corre-
sponding monitor inputs—if the console has a separate monitor section). MIDI devices such as samplers,
expanders, keyboards, etc. are usually set up in every corner of the room. To make the cabling better struc-
turedwe routethese unitstomodules 9through 16.Thisallows furtherworkmanship ofthe MIDI devicesat the
mixingconsole.Modules 17through 20are normalledandhavetheFX inputsand theaux sendsconnected, 21
through 24 are also normalled and are patched to the two stereo aux returns with the FX outputs.
Inpatchbay
3
,modules1through16areforthechannelinsert.Thesemodulesare half-normalled,sothatyou
haveanadditionalroute for the channel signals. The same applies to the insert paths of the subgroups and the
masteroutput.The headphonesampisconnectedto 23&24, whichare normalledandconnected tothe control
roomoutputs of the mixing console. Of course, you can also use pre-fader aux paths for the headphones mix.
Patchbay
4
manages the dynamics and frequency-processing devices in an open configuration (modules 1
through16).Multigates andCompressorsshould beused here,inparticular. Modules17through24are usedto
provide a “parallel split”, i.e. two modules are patched to each other on the rear with one patch cord, so that you
cansplitupasignalappliedonthefrontpaneltoseveraldestinations.Thesemoduleshaveaparallelconfiguration.
It should be noted that patchbays should be placed one below the other in such a way that the patch cords
won’thangall overthe patchbays.In ourexample youdon’t haveto spangreat distances,for instance,to patch
the dynamics and EQ’s to the insert paths.
6.4.7 Looming problems
Loomwiring isan artunto itself,and itis worthtaking timeout toget itright.First off,it isimportant toavoid earth
loops(aloopedwireactsanaerial,pickinguphumandelectromagneticradiation).Thinkofatree.Everypartof
thattree isconnected toevery otherpart,but onlyby oneroute. That’show thetotal earthpicture for yourentire
studioshouldlook.Don’ttaketheearth offyourpowercable plugtoreduceaudible 50Hzmainshum. Ratheryou
shouldbelookingatdisconnectingthesignal screensomewhere (oneor severalaudio cables).
It is good practice to ensure that all screens are commoned at the patchbay, in which case all unearthed
equipmentwould pick up earth fromthis point via a singlescreen (more than one route= an earth loop), while
mains-earthedequipment would have allscreenscut at the equipmentend.
Some quality equipment has an independent signal and mains earth. In this case at least one screen should
carry earth to the equipment. Sometimes the only way to find out is “suck and see”.
Takecare to ensurethatusing the patchbaydoesnot disturb thestudio’searth architecture. Alwaysuse short
as possible patch leads with the screen connected at both ends.
Havingdesigned mains hum out of thesystem,make up your cable looms fromthepatchbays outwards, and
use cable ties, flexible sheaths, multicores, etc. to keep the back of your racks tidy.
7. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
7.1 Mixing
7.1.1 Equalization
Fewpeople buying a mixer willneed to be told howan equalizer works. But howtoget the best out ofit? Well,
that’s another story.
In the beginning EQ was an instrument for removing unwanted frequencies, or compensating for imperfect
microphoneresponsecurves,orbumpsinastudio’sacoustic. Itwas acorrective device.Tamla Motownturned
thatnotion upsidedownin thesixties with thenovel idea thatyou try tofind foreachinstrument acharacteristic
frequency not shared by the other instruments in the mix. Then you whack up its gain. This makes individual
7. TECHNICALBACKGROUND