dbx IEM User manual

®
IEM
In-EarMonitor
PROCESSOR
User Manual

WARNINGFORYOURPROTECTION
PLEASEREADTHEFOLLOWING:
KEEPTHESEINSTRUCTIONS
HEEDALLWARNINGS
FOLLOWALLINSTRUCTIONS
CLEANONLYWITHADAMPCLOTH.
DO NOT BLOCK ANY OF THE VENTILATION OPENINGS. INSTALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
MANUFACTURERSINSTRUCTIONS.
DONOTINSTALLNEARANYHEATSOURCESSUCHASRADIATORS,HEAT REGISTERS, STOVES;
OROTHERAPPARATUS(INCLUDINGAMPLIFIERS)THATPRODUCEHEAT.
ONLYUSEATTACHMENTS/ACCESSORIESSPECIFIEDBYTHEMANUFACTURER.
UNPLUG THIS APPARATUS DURING LIGHTNING STORMS OR WHEN UNUSED FOR LONG PERI-
ODSOFTIME.
WATER AND MOISTURE: Appliance should not be used near water (e.g. near a bathtub,
washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, etc).
Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclo-
surethroughopenings.
POWERSOURCES: The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type
describedintheoperatinginstructionsorasmarkedontheappliance.
GROUNDINGORPOLARIZATION:Precautionsshouldbetakensothatthegroundingorpolar-
izationmeansofanapplianceisnotdefeated.
POWERCORDPROTECTION:Powersupplycordsshouldberoutedsothattheyarenotlike-
ly to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular
attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from
theappliance.
SERVICING:Toreducetheriskoffireorelectricshock,theusershouldnotattempttoser-
vice the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other servic-
ingshouldbe referred to qualified service personnel.
FORUNITSEQUIPPEDWITHEXTERNALLYACCESSIBLEFUSERECEPTACLE: Replacefusewith
sametypeandratingonly.
MULTIPLE-INPUT VOLTAGE: This equipment may require the use of a different line cord,
attachmentplug,orboth,dependingontheavailablepowersourceatinstallation.Connect
thisequipmentonlytothepowersourceindicatedontheequipmentrearpanel.Toreduce
theriskoffireorelectricshock,referservicingtoqualifiedservicepersonnelorequiv-
alent.
POWER ON / OFF SWITCH: The Power Switch used in this piece of equipment DOES
NOTbreaktheconnectionfromtheMains.
SAFETYINSTRUCTIONS
NOTICEFOR CUSTOMERS IF YOURUNITIS EQUIPPED WITH APOWERCORD.
WARNING:THISAPPLIANCEMUST BEEARTHED.
Thecores in the mainsleadare coloured in accordancewiththe following code:
GREENand YELLOW - Earth BLUE-Neutral BROWN - Live
Ascoloursofthecoresinthemainsleadofthis appliancemaynotcorrespondwith thecolouredmarkings
identifyingthe terminals in yourplug,proceed as follows:
•The core which is coloured green and yellow must be connected to the terminal in the plug
markedwith the letter E,orwith the earth symbol,orcoloured green, or greenandyellow.
•The corewhich iscoloured bluemust beconnected tothe terminalmarked Nor colouredblack.
•Thecorewhichis colouredbrownmustbeconnected totheterminal markedLorcolouredred.
This equipment may require the use of a different line cord, attachment plug, or both, depending on the
availablepowersourceatinstallation. Iftheattachmentplugneedstobechanged,referservicingtoqual-
ified service personnel who should refer to the table below. The green/yellow wire shall be connected
directlyto the units chassis.
WARNING:If the groundis defeated, certainfault conditions inthe unit orin the systemto which itiscon-
nected can result in full line voltage between chassis and earth ground. Severe injury or death can then
resultif the chassis andearthground are touched simultaneously.
LIVE
ENEUTRAL EARTH GND
CONDUCTOR
L
NBROWN BLUE
GREEN/YEL
BLACK
Normal Alt
WIRE COLOR
WHITE
GREEN
Thesymbolsshownaboveareinternationallyacceptedsymbolsthatwarnofpotentialhazardswith
electricalproducts. The lightning flash with arrowpoint in an equilateral triangle means that there
aredangerousvoltagespresentwithintheunit. Theexclamationpointinanequilateraltriangleindi-
catesthatit is necessary for theuser to refer to theowner’s manual.
Thesesymbolswarn that there are nouser serviceable parts inside theunit. Do not open the unit.
Do not attempt to service the unit yourself. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel. Opening the
chassis for any reason will void the manufacturer’s warranty. Do not get the unit wet. If liquid is
spilledontheunit,shutitoffimmediatelyandtakeittoadealerforservice. Disconnecttheunitdur-
ingstormsto prevent damage.
CAUTION
ATTENTION: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE - NE PAS OUVRIR
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC
SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

U.K. MAINS PLUG WARNING
Amolded mains plug that has been cut off from the cord is
unsafe. Discard the mains plug at a suitable disposal facility.
NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU INSERT A
DAMAGED OR CUT MAINS PLUG INTO A 13 AMP POWER SOCK-
ET. Do not use the mains plug without the fuse cover in place.
Replacement fuse covers can be obtained from your local retail-
er. Replacement fuses are 13 amps and MUST be ASTA approved
to BS1362.
LITHIUM BATTERY
WARNING
CAUTION!
This product may contain a lithium battery.There is danger of
explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced.Replace only
with an Eveready CR 2032 or equivalent. Make sure the bat-
tery is installed with the correct polarity.Discard used batter-
ies according to manufacturer’s instructions.
ADVARSEL!
Lithiumbatteri - Eksplosjonsfare.Ved utskifting benyttes kun
batteri som anbefalt av apparatfabrikanten. Brukt batteri
returneres apparatleverandøren.
ADVARSEL!
Lithiumbatteri - Eksplosionsfare ved fejlagtig håndtering.
Udskiftning må kun ske med batteri av samme fabrikat og
type. Levér det brugte batteri tilbage til leverandøren.
VAROITUS!
Paristo voi räjähtää,jos se on virheellisesti asennettu.Vaihda
paristo ainoastaan laitevalmistajan suosittelemaan tyyppin.
Hävitä käytetty paristo valmistajan ohjeiden mukaisesti.
VARNING!
Explosionsfara vid felaktigt batteribyte.Använd samma batteri-
typ eller en ekvivalent typ som rekommenderas av apparattil-
lverkaren. Kassera använt batteri enligt fabrikantens instruk-
tion.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC
COMPATIBILITY
This unit conforms to the Product
Specifications noted on the Declaration of
Conformity. Operation is subject to the fol-
lowing two conditions:
• this device may not cause harmful inter-
ference, and
• this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
Operation of this unit within significant electro-
magnetic fields should be avoided.
• use only shielded interconnecting cables.
DECLARATION OF
CONFORMITY
Manufacturer’s Name: dbx Professional Products
Manufacturer’s Address: 8760 S. Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah 84070, USA
declares that the product:
Product name: dbx IEM
Product option: N/A
conforms to the following Product Specifications:
Safety: EN 60065 (1993)
IEC65 (1985) with Amendments 1,2, 3
EMC: EN 55013 (1990)
EN 55020 (1991)
Supplementary Information:
The product herewith complies with the require-
ments of the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC
and the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC as amended
by Directive 93/68/EEC.
dbx Professional Products
Vice-President of Engineering
8760 S. Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah 84070, USA
February 15, 2001
European Contact: Your Local dbx Sales and Service
Office or
Harman Music Group
8760 South Sandy Parkway
Sandy, Utah
84070 USA
PH: [phone] FX: [phone]

Table of Contents
IEM
Introduction
1.1 Defining the IEM..............................................ii
1.2 Service Contact Info.........................................ii
1.3 Warranty...........................................................iii
Section 1 - Getting Started
1.1 Rear Panel Connections...................................2
1.2 Front Panel .......................................................2
1.3 Signal Path........................................................4
1.4 IEM Processing.................................................4
Section 2 - Navigation
2.1 Multiband Compressor.....................................8
2.2 Multiband Limiter .............................................9
2.3 EQ ...................................................................10
2.4 X-Over.............................................................10
2.5 Stereo Adjust...................................................11
2.6 Reverb.............................................................11
2.7 Peak Limiter....................................................12
2.8 Utility...............................................................12
Section 3 - Software Operations
3.1 FX Chain .........................................................14
3.2 Saving a Program ...........................................14
3.3 The Bypass Function......................................15
3.4 Meters..............................................................15
3.5 Monitor Outputs.............................................17
Section 4 - Detailed Parameters
4.1 Multiband Compression.................................20
4.2 Multiband Limiting .........................................22
4.3 Peak Limiting..................................................23
4.4 EQ ...................................................................23
4.5 XOver..............................................................25
4.6 Stereo Adjust...................................................25
4.7 Reverb.............................................................25
Section 5 - Utilities
5.1 Misc. ................................................................28
5.2 MIDI Channels................................................28
5.3 MIDI CC Map..................................................28
5.4 MIDI Program Changes..................................29
5.5 SYSEX Program Dump...................................29
5.6 SYSEX Bulk Dump.........................................29
5.7 A/D Calibrate..................................................30
Section 6 - Application Guide
6.1 Mixer to IEM to In-Ear Transmitter ...............32
6.2 Mixer to Xover to IEM...................................33
Appendix
A.1 Hard & Soft Resets.........................................36
A.2 Change Default Startup Program ..................36
A.3 Front Panel Lockout ......................................36
A.4 Flash Downloads ...........................................36
B Type IV™ White Paper ....................................37
C Relay Mute/Bypass Jumpers.............................42
D MIDI SYSEX......................................................43
E MIDI CC Tables.................................................46
F Factory Presets...................................................48
G Specifications....................................................49
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IEM User Manual
Table of Contents

INTRO
CUSTOMERSERVICEINFO
WhatisIEM?
WARRANTYINFO
®
INTRODUCTION
IEM

Introduction
®
IEM User Manual
ii
IEM
Congratulations on your purchase of the dbx IEM Processor! Finally! There is now a digital sig-
nal processor that has been designed specifically for in-ear monitor applications. Not only does
the IEM provide legendary dbx effects in the digital domain, such as 4-band stereo compres-
sion and limiting, PeakStopPlus™ limiting and 5-band parametric EQ, but the IEM also includes
stereo adjust, patented dbx Type IV™ conversion system, and for good measure, we have even
raised the playing field by including custom reverb algorithms using Lexicon™ technology. The
IEM from dbx Professional Products is a unit that is certain to take In-Ear Monitor processing to
the next level.
This manual will be your guide to understanding the full functionality of the powerful IEM, read
it carefully. After you have become familiar with the unit, we encourage you to experiment and
find creative ways that the IEM can help you make a better sounding mix.
The dbx IEM is the first In-Ear monitor Processor to be designed exclusively for performer and
engineers in live audio environments. The following list shows some of the features offered in
the IEM.
• Lexicon™ Reverb Algorithms
• 48 bit internal dynamics signal path for increased headroom and
low level resolution
• Patented TYPE IV™ A/D Conversion system with TSE™
• 4-band crossover with variable slopes
• 4-band stereo Compressor and limiter with classic dbx Compression
• 5-band EQ – Hi and Lo shelves, 3 band fully parametric
• PeakStopPlus™ limiting
• Stereo adjust – to control your stereo image
• Software updateable via Internet and RS 232 port
If you require technical support, contact dbx Customer Service. Be prepared to accurately
describe the problem. Know the serial number of your unit - this is printed on a sticker attached
to the rear panel. If you have not already taken the time to fill out your warranty registration
card and send it in, please do so now.
Before you return a product to the factory for service, we recommend you refer to the manu-
al. Make sure you have correctly followed installation steps and operation procedures. If you
are still unable to solve a problem, contact our Customer Service Department at [phone]
for consultation. If you need to return a product to the factory for service, you MUST contact
Customer Service to obtain a Return Authorization Number.
No returned products will be accepted at the factory without a Return Authorization Number.
1.2 Service Contact Info
1.1 Defining the IEM
INTRODUCTION

®
Introduction
IEM
IEM User Manual
Please refer to the Warranty below, which extends to the first end-user. After expiration of the
warranty, a reasonable charge will be made for parts, labor, and packing if you choose to use
the factory service facility. In all cases, you are responsible for transportation charges to the fac-
tory. dbx will pay return shipping if the unit is still under warranty.
Use the original packing material if it is available. Mark the package with the name of the ship-
per and with these words in red: DELICATE INSTRUMENT, FRAGILE! Insure the package prop-
erly. Ship prepaid, not collect. Do not ship parcel post.
This warranty is valid only for the original purchaser and only in the United States.
1. The warranty registration card that accompanies this product must be mailed within 30 days
after purchase date to validate this warranty. Proof-of-purchase is considered to be the burden
of the consumer.
2. dbx warrants this product, when bought and used solely within the U.S., to be free from
defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service.
3. dbx liability under this warranty is limited to repairing or, at our discretion, replacing defec-
tive materials that show evidence of defect, provided the product is returned to dbx WITH
RETURN AUTHORIZATION from the factory, where all parts and labor will be covered up to a
period of two years. A Return Authorization number must be obtained from dbx by telephone.
The company shall not be liable for any consequential damage as a result of the product's use
in any circuit or assembly.
4. dbx reserves the right to make changes in design or make additions to or improvements upon
this product without incurring any obligation to install the same additions or improvements on
products previously manufactured.
5. The foregoing is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, and dbx neither
assumes nor authorizes any person to assume on its behalf any obligation or liability in con-
nection with the sale of this product. In no event shall dbx or its dealers be liable for special
or consequential damages or from any delay in the performance of this warranty due to caus-
es beyond their control.
1.3Warranty
iii

Introduction
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IEM User Manual
iv
IEM

®
Getting Started
Section 1
IEM

Getting Started
®
IEM User Manual
2
Section 1 IEM
.
IEC Power Cord Receptacle
The IEM comes with an international power supply that will accept voltages ranging from 100V-
240V at frequencies from 50Hz-60Hz. An IEC cord is included.
RS-232 Port
This port is used as a direct interface between IEM and PC for utilization of the GUI software.
This port is also used for firmware flash updates.
MIDI In and Out/Thru Connectors
These connectors provide full MIDI functionality to the IEM. The Out/Thru jack allows you to
use the IEM at any point in the MIDI chain. For a complete guide to all the MIDI and SYSEX
functionality of the IEM, see Section 3: Software Operations.
Analog Input/Output Connectors
Each analog channel features both XLR and 1/4" TRS electronically balanced connections. They
may be used in a balanced or unbalanced configuration.
Analog Input and Output Level Controls
These controls adjust the analog audio levels of the IEM at the input and output stages. Note
that the analog output level controls do not affect any digital processing.
The IEM is designed to interface as easily as possible to your system. The IEM uses wide
ranging analog input and output gain controls. These controls allow the connection of nomi-
nal levels of either -10dBV or +4dBu.
Analog Level Meters
These meters monitor analog input and output. For more on meters refer to Section 3.
TSE™ Audio Level Meters
These meters monitor the level of Tape Saturation Emulation. Refer to Type IV™ in Section 3.
1.2 Front Panel
1.1 Rear Panel Connections