Echo LAYLA 3G User manual

LAYLA
®
3G
GINA
®
3G
Owner’s Manual Version 1.0.1 for Macintosh

Introduction
6
Introduction
Thank you for choosing Echo Digital Audio. We think you’ll find your Echo
product to be an extremely flexible, high-performance tool for your computer-
based hard disk recording system.
What You Should Have Received in the Box
When you opened the box, you should have found the following:
• A PCI card wrapped in an anti-static cover
• An audio interface box
• Four mounting screws with collars (Layla3G only)
• Two removable rack-mount brackets (Layla3G only)
• An interface cable
Please note: The cable included with your Echo3G system is a shielded
data cable that has been custom manufactured to exacting standards. Use
of any other cable will substantially reduce the system’s overall audio
quality and could damage the system.
• A CD-ROM containing:
• Mac OS X Drivers
• Windows Me/2000/XP Drivers
• PDF Owner’s Manual
• Tracktion multitrack recording, MIDI, editing, and sampling
software for Mac OS X (10.2 or later) & Windows ME/2000/XP
• Quick Start Guide
Introduction

Introduction
7
System Requirements
In order to use Layla3G or Gina3G you’ll need the following:
An Apple brand Power Mac with:
• An empty PCI expansion slot
• A G4 or better processor (Power Mac G5 recommended)
• A minimum 256MB RAM (512MB highly recommended)
• Mac OS X (10.2 or later)
• A fast, high-capacity IDE, SCSI or firewire hard disk drive.
• Peripheral audio equipment, such as a mixer, microphones, studio monitors,
musical instruments, etc.
Note: Your Echo product may not work properly if you have a processor
upgrade card installed. Echo will not be able to supply technical support if
you have a processor upgrade card installed.
Introduction

Installation
8
Installation
To properly install your Echo product you will need to: log in as an administrator,
run software update, install the PCI card, install the software, and install Tracktion.
The following steps will guide you through installing your Echo product.
Log In as Administrator
In order to properly install your Echo product you need to make sure that you log
in to your Mac with an account that has administrative privileges. To verify that
your account has administrative privileges, open “System Preferences” from the
Dock or from the Apple menu, select “Show All”, and then select “Accounts” in
the “System” section. Now, select your account from the list on the left and click
on the “Security” tab. Make sure that the checkbox at the bottom labeled “Allow
user to administer this computer” is checked. If your account does not have
administrative access, then you will need to log out and log in with an account that
does.
Run Software Update
Before you install anything, you should make sure that you have the most recent
updates for Mac OS X installed. This is especially important. If Mac OS X is out
of date, you may not be able to use your Echo product at all. To do this, open
“Software Update” from the Apple menu. Download and install all of the updates,
including updates for software like iTunes, iDVD, iMovie, QuickTime,
GarageBand, etc.
Installation

Installation
9
Installing the PCI Card
Once you have logged in as an administrator, and installed the latest software
updates, it is time to install the Echo hardware into your computer. Please refer to
the section in your Power Mac manual for installing a PCI card.
IMPORTANT - Unplug your computer and detach all peripherals before
proceeding with the following steps.
1. Open up your Power Mac. Make sure that you have shut down and turned off
the power to your computer before opening the case. Refer to your computer’s
manual for a further explanation of this step if necessary.
2. Select the PCI slot into which you will install the card. You may use any of the
available PCI slots in your computer for the card. Remove the bracket covering
the expansion slot where you would like to install your Echo product. If there
was a screw for the bracket, put it in a safe place, as you will need it later to
complete the installation.
3. Insure that you have fully discharged all static electricity from your body
before handling the card. This can be done through the use of a grounding strap
or, more simply, by touching your bare hand to the metal casing of the
computer’s power supply. (For this latter method to work, the computer must be
plugged in, though not turned on.) After you’ve discharged your static, unplug
the computer before proceeding to the next step.
4. Remove the card from its protective anti-static bag. Handle the card carefully
by its edges, and insert it into the selected expansion slot. Insure that the
card’s edge connector (the protruding edge with the gold leads) is seated firmly
into the slot. Centering the card over the slot and using a gentle rocking motion
while pushing downward into the slot generally works well. Be careful not to
force the card into the slot, or bend or twist it while it is being inserted, as this
could result in the card being damaged.
5. Now use the screw that you removed earlier, from the protective back plate, to
attach the metal bracket on the card to the computer’s rear panel.
Installation

Installation
10
6. Close up your Power Mac’s case, and secure it. Reattach its power supply cord
and reconnect any peripherals that you may have removed prior to beginning the
installation.
7. Locate the audio interface box and the interface cable. Securely mount the
interface into your equipment rack (Layla3G only). If you will not be mounting
the box in a rack, then be sure to place the interface box in a secure location.
Plug one end of the cable into the connector on the Echo PCI card that now
protrudes through the back panel of your computer, and secure the cable using
the built-in screws located on both sides of the connector. Attach the other end
of the cable to the connector on the rear of the interface labeled “computer” and
fasten the cable securely with the screws.
Caution: Never connect the audio interface box to (or disconnect from) the
computer while the computer is turned on. This could damage the interface box
or PCI card.
8. You can now attach external audio devices to the connectors on the audio
interface box. Information on attaching external devices to the audio interface
box may be found in the following section: “Connecting to the Audio Interface”.
9. Turn on your Power Mac. As a general rule, you should make sure that the
volume to your speakers or headphones is turned all the way down when you
power up the computer.
Installation

Connecting to the Audio Interface
11
Connecting to the Audio Interface
The Layla3G and Gina3G audio interfaces contain a wide variety of connections
that allow great flexibility in operation. For optimal performance, it is critical to
use the appropriate cabling and connectors.
Analog Inputs and Outputs – Layla3G
Layla3G’s front panel has two universal inputs (#s 1 – 2) with meters and trim
knobs, a phantom power switch and light (+48v), and an amber power indicator
light. There is also a ¼” headphone output jack, with a corresponding volume
knob, which monitors analog outputs 1 and 2.
Layla3G has six analog line inputs (#s 3 – 8) and eight analog line outputs on the
rear panel. These analog inputs (#s 3 – 8) operate with an input impedance of
10Kohms. The input and output connections can be used with balanced or
unbalanced cables via the ¼” connectors. By default, the inputs and outputs are set
to receive or send a +4dBu signal. You can switch between +4dBu and –10dBV
for each individual input and output via the console software (see section below).
There are also two channel inserts on the rear panel where you can connect a serial
effects device (compressor, EQ, etc.) for the universal inputs (#s 1 – 2).
Connecting to the Audio Interface

Connecting to the Audio Interface
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Analog Inputs and Outputs – Gina3G
Gina3G’s front panel has two universal inputs (#s 1 – 2) with meters and trim
knobs, a green phantom power light (+48v), and an amber power indicator light.
There is also a ¼” headphone output jack, with a corresponding volume knob,
which monitors analog outputs 1 and 2.
Gina3G has six analog line outputs on the rear panel. The input and output
connections can be used with balanced or unbalanced cables via the ¼” connectors.
By default, the outputs are set to send a +4dBu signal. You can switch between
+4dBu and –10dBV for each individual output via the console software (see
section below).
Universal Inputs
The universal input connections can accept balanced or unbalanced signals via ¼”
or XLR connectors. Since Layla3G and Gina3G have built-in preamps, you can
just plug your microphone or guitar cable right into the universal input. No
external preamp, direct box, or mixer is needed!!
Connecting to the Audio Interface

Connecting to the Audio Interface
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To use a microphone, plug the microphone’s XLR cable into any of the universal
inputs. Whenever an XLR cable is connected to a universal input, the microphone
preamp is enabled and the gain range of the trim knob is set to range from +10 to
+58dB. The input impedance of each microphone preamp is 1.5Kohms. Full-scale
input is 9dBu with the trim set to minimum gain.
Layla3G and Gina3G provide 48 volts of phantom power for microphones that
require it. To enable phantom power for Layla3G, press the button labeled +48v
(the LED next to it will light up) and phantom power will be provided to all
microphone inputs. Gina3G has a switch in the console software for this purpose.
Note: Phantom power will not be applied to any line level equipment or
guitars plugged in using cables with ¼” connectors.
To record a guitar or line level signal, just plug a cable with a ¼” connector into
one of the universal inputs. Whenever a ¼” cable is connected to a universal input,
the guitar/line preamp is enabled and the gain range of the trim knob is set to range
from 0 to +45dB. The guitar/line preamp can support both guitar & line level
signals. The input impedance of each guitar/line preamp is 102Kohms. Full-scale
input is 18dBu with the trim set to minimum gain.
If you want to adjust the input level of a universal input, just turn the trim knob and
watch the corresponding level meter. The red light at the top will light anytime the
input signal is greater than –6.5dBFS (or within 6.5dB of clipping). The yellow
light represents a signal greater than –12.5dBFS and the green light represents a
signal greater than –24.5dBFS.
For optimal audio quality, you should adjust the input trim knob so that your
loudest recorded signal lights up the yellow light, but not the red. When the red
meter light shines extra bright – you’ve clipped! If the signal level ever exceeds
0dBFS the signal will be “clipped” and you will hear a “pop” or “tick” in the
recording. This is a very bad thing, and clipping should be avoided at all costs!
There is enough headroom so that you can be conservative in this area, and there is
no need to push the input levels right up to the edge of clipping.
Connecting to the Audio Interface

Connecting to the Audio Interface
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The Computer Connector
On the rear panel of the interface box is a connector labeled COMPUTER. It is
the point at which the audio interface connects to the Echo3G PCI card inside your
computer.
An Echo3G connector cable was supplied to you for this purpose. This custom
made cable is manufactured to certain specifications; if you need to replace it, you
should only use a replacement cable from Echo.
ADAT / S/PDIF Optical I/O
Next to the COMPUTER connector is a pair of connectors labeled OPTICAL, IN
and OUT. These connectors are used to transmit digital audio data via an optical
signal using special digital optical cables with Toslink connectors.
You can use this port for ADAT (8 channels) or for optical S/PDIF (stereo) I/O.
Note: Your Echo3G product is only capable of transmitting or receiving one
type of digital signal at a time. You must choose either ADAT optical or
S/PDIF (optical or RCA); you cannot use both simultaneously. This is set
using the Digital Mode Switch, which can be found in the Echo Console.
For more information, refer to the section of this manual that discusses the
console software.
Connecting to the Audio Interface

Connecting to the Audio Interface
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S/PDIF
Next to the Optical connectors is a pair of connectors labeled S/PDIF,IN and
OUT. These S/PDIF connectors are used to transmit digital audio data between
digital audio devices via an electrical signal.
When connecting devices to the S/PDIF jacks, the use of standard analog RCA
audio cables is not recommended. For reliable S/PDIF operation, 75-ohm coaxial
(RG59) video cables are recommended.
MIDI
Both Layla3G and Gina3G are equipped with MIDI I/O connectors. The MIDI
ports can be used for receiving MIDI time code (MTC), or sending and receiving
MIDI signals between your digital audio/MIDI sequencing software and external
sound modules, keyboards, MIDI controllers, etc.
MIDI cabling is highly standardized and widely available.
Connecting to the Audio Interface

Connecting to the Audio Interface
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Word Clock (Layla3G only)
Next to the S/PDIF ports on Layla3G’s back panel are the Word Clock
connectors. These connectors allow you to synchronize one Layla3G to another
Layla3G, or to other digital audio devices equipped with a Word Clock connector.
The Word Clock I/O uses a BNC connector. As with the S/PDIF I/O, a shielded
75-ohm (RG-59) coaxial video cable should be used. BNC connectors have been
widely used in the electronics industry for both video and computer networking.
However, computer networks use 50-ohm (RG-58) coaxial cables and not the 75-
ohm (RG-59) cable used by video. For reliable word clock operation, use only
video grade cables with Layla3G.
Connecting to the Audio Interface

Software installation
17
Software installation
Software Installation
Now that your hardware is installed, you need to install the software. Note that the
following instructions and examples are for Panther (Mac OS X 10.3). The
installation for Jaguar (Mac OS X 10.2) will be similar.
1. Power up. Turn on your Power Mac.
2. Insert the Echo3G Install CDROM into your CD-ROM drive. A CDROM
icon will appear on your desktop called “Echo3G”. Open it, and then open
the “Echo Installer” folder.
3. Install the console. Just drag the icon labeled “Echo3G Console” to your
Applications folder; the easiest way to do this is to drag it to the
“Applications” icon in the Finder window.
4. Start the installer. Double-click the installer icon labeled “Install
Echo3G”, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Software installation
18
Software installation
5. Enter your password. Once the installer has started, you’ll need to reassure
the Mac that you are allowed to install hardware drivers. You will be
prompted to enter your password. If your account doesn’t have
administrative privileges, you’ll have to close the installer and start over. For
information on administrative privileges, return to the earlier section in this
manual called “Log In as Administrator”.
Once you’ve entered your name and password, follow the on-screen
prompts. The installer will load the CoreAudio and CoreMIDI drivers.

Software installation
19
Software installation
6. Click Restart. You should see this window when the installer is done. You
will have to restart your computer to finish the installation.

Software Configuration
20
Software Configuration
Software Configuration
Now that you have installed the driver software, you can verify that everything is
working properly.
Open “System Preferences” from the Dock or Apple menu, select “Show All”, and
select the “Sound” panel. Under the “Output” tab, you should see your Echo
product listed as a sound output device. If you want to use your Echo product with
iTunes, iDVD, iMovie, QuickTime, etc. you will need to select it as the sound
output device.

Software Configuration
21
Software Configuration
You can also check out your hardware with the “Audio MIDI Setup” application.
Go to your Applications folder on your hard disk and from there to the Utilities
folder. Open “Audio MIDI Setup.”
In addition to listing all the audio devices in the system, Audio MIDI Setup lets
you examine the various audio formats supported by the hardware in your Mac.

Software Configuration
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Software Configuration
By clicking on the “MIDI Devices” tab, you will display the available CoreMIDI
devices. You should see your Layla3G or Gina3G hardware shown as an icon
here.
Next, you’ll want to install Tracktion and learn about the Echo console software.
Both are covered in the following sections of this manual.

Installing Tracktion
23
Installing Tracktion
Installing Tracktion
Both Layla3G and Gina3G come bundled with the full version of Tracktion, audio
multitrack recording, MIDI, editing, and sampling software.
Install Tracktion from the Echo3G CDROM
To install the software:
1. Insert the Echo3G Install CDROM into your CD-ROM drive. A CDROM icon
will appear on your desktop called “Echo3G”. Open it, and then open the
“Tracktion” folder.
2. Drag the Tracktion icon to the “Applications” folder.
Tracktion comes with an HTML “Quick-start Guide” and help files that you can
open from the “Help” button inside Tracktion. So, you’ll be able to get up and
running with a minimum of hassles (hopefully none at all!). You can also access
the Tracktion “Quick-start Guide” and help files with the F12 key on your
keyboard.
Authorize your copy of Tracktion
Your copy of Tracktion will run in demo mode until you authorize it. Your
Echo3G install CDROM came with a sticker that has an authorization code and a
website address printed on it. Go to that website and follow the instructions to
authorize your copy of Tracktion.
NOTE: DO NOT LOSE YOUR CODE!! Echo Digital Audio Corporation will
not be responsible for lost Tracktion authorization codes.

Launching Tracktion and Assigning Inputs & Outputs
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Launching Tracktion and Assigning Inputs & Outputs
Launching Tracktion and Assigning Inputs & Outputs
Now it’s time to launch the actual program and set a few options:
• Locate and double-click the Tracktion icon in the “Applications” folder or
wherever you copied it to earlier. You may also want to put it in the Dock
for easy access.
When Tracktion first runs, it takes you to the Projects page. Move the mouse
pointer over various objects on the screen and you will notice that Tracktion uses
pop-up help to tell you about the interface.
Note that whenever you click on something you will see any available details,
controls or settings for it in the information windows at the bottom middle of the
screen. You can learn a lot just by clicking on things and reading the pop-up help.
You can also access a quick start guide and a more detailed help document by
clicking on the “help!” button in the bottom left corner and selecting “show the
Tracktion help pages…” or by pressing the F12 key on your keyboard. The first
thing you’ll want to do is set up Tracktion to play and record with your Echo
product.