Fairlight UP-4 User manual

FairlightUP-4MicPreamp
ServiceManual
23October2009
Issue001
RevA

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Important Notice
COPYRIGHT
The material inthisdocumentiscopyrighttoFairlight.AUPtyLtd,andmaynotbe quotedor
reproducedinanyformwithout writtenpermissionfromthecompany.
FairlightisatrademarkofFairlightAUPtyLtd.All othertrademarksare thepropertyoftheir
respectiveowners.
LIMITEDWARRANTYPOLICY
Allthesoftware andhardware providedwith,orpurchasedespeciallyfor,Fairlightproducts
hasbeentestedforfunctionality.FairlightAUPtyLtdwillmakeitsbesteffortstocorrect re-
porteddefectsforfuture releasessubject totechnical practicalities.FairlightAUwillalso
replaceanydefectivemedia onwhichsoftwarehasbeendeliveredprovidedthat theitemto
bereplacedisreturnedtothedealerwhosupportedtheproductwithin90 daysofpurchase.
FairlightAUPtyLtdmakesnowarrantyorrepresentationeitherexpressedorimpliedwithre-
specttothesystem's performanceorfitness fora particularpurpose.
Innoevent will FairlightAUPtyLtdbe liable fordirect orindirect damagesarisingfromany
defect intheproduct oritsdocumentation.Further,FairlightAUPtyLtdwillnotacceptany
liabilityforanyprograms,sounds,audiorecordingorsequencesstoredinorusedwithFair-
light products,includingthecost ofrecoveryofsuchdata.
Product featuresandspecificationsaresubject tochange without notice.Fairlight.AUre-
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Copyright©2006
FairlightAUPtyLtd,
Unit3,15 RodboroughRd,
FrenchsForest,NSW2086,
AUSTRALIA.
Telephone[phone]
Fax[phone]
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Youhaveacquireda device (“DEVICE”)whichincludessoftwarelicensedbyFairlightAUfrom
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YOURAGREEMENT TOTHISEULA(OR RATIFICATION OFANYPREVIOUSCONSENT).
GRANT OFSOFTWARELICENSE.ThisEULAgrantsyouthe followinglicense:

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•Youmayuse the SOFTWAREonlyonthe DEVICE.
•NOT FAULTTOLERANT.THESOFTWAREISNOTFAULTTOLERANT.Fairlight.AUHAS
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Foradditionalinformationonexportingthe SOFTWARE,see
http://www.microsoft.com/exporting/.

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Obtaining TechnicalSupport
Users requiringtechnical support shouldcontact theirlocal distributor.
Informationcanalsobe foundonthe worldwide webat:
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ManualErrorsandOmission
Tohelpensure that Fairlight providesthe most accurateandcomprehensivedocumentation,
pleasereportanyerrorsoromissionsto:
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UP4MicPreamplifier
The UP4isafourchannel,one rackunit remote controlleduniversalpreamplifierdesignedby
Smart Research.
IfusedinconjunctionwiththeDREAMfamilybothgainandphantompowerfunctionsare
accessible directlyfromthe surfacecontrolsorviathe SoftmixGUI.Theremote connectionto
theDREAM familyisaccomplishedvia a simpleEthernetconnection. Thedesignwhilst
allowingforremote control maintainsthebestachievable performance foranyformof
available audiocircuitry.Input andoutputlevelsofup-to+28dBuare acceptedandwithan
EINfigureof-133dButhe systemdefinesthe"stateofthe art"forauniversal inputstage.
Providingtheabilitytolocate thepreamplifieratthe nearestavailable pointtothe signal
source,theUP4 canreducemanyformsofsignal degradationthat mayappearwhendriving
cablesdireclywithun-bufferedlowlevelsignalsThese maymanifestthemselvesas,radiated
noisepickup,microphonecable noise,capacitiveringingeffects,slewrate degradation,loss
ofhighfrequenciesandincreaseddistortion.
UP4keySpecifications
•EIN50Ohmsource,+64dBgain, referencedto+4dBu133dBu
•FrequencyResponse-Between10 and100khz+/- 0.1dB
•THD100-20Khz,1Khz/0dBusignal@12dB gainsetting0.0003%
•THD100-20Khz,1Khz/-64dBusignal@64dB gainsetting0.02%
•CMRR At 0dB gainsetting,1kHz-70dBu
•CMRR At +64dB gainsetting,1kHz-80dBu
•InputHeadroomAllgainsettings +28dBu
•Output HeadroomAllgainsettings+28dBu
•CrosstalkMeasuredat+64 Gain, clipsecondchannel>-100dBu
•InputImpedance Optimisedat low/highgains.Ohms.6K8/1K6
•PowerconsumptionSelectable100-230volts40Watts
RemoteControl:
Twooptionshave beenprovided.Ethernet allowsforcontrol fromdevicessuchasFairlight's
Dream;orApple andIBMcomputers (softwareisprovided).Also,variousPUP unitscan
interfaceusinganaudioXLRdatacable.Thislongrange signal canbepatchedthrough
normalaudiotielines,suchasamulticorebetweena stage andmixingposition.
Technical discussion
PUPrepresentsmanyyears ofdevelopmentbyAlanSmart.Noise,CMRR,Distortion,
Headroom,Crosstalk,DynamicRangeareexemplary,andoutperformallothertestedunits
evaluatedsofar(FocusriteBlue,Massenburg); andalsobeatingall publishedspecssofar
examined(Amek9098,DACS, APHEX-thoughoneDACSunithoweverhasabetterpublished
CMRR spec at 1KHz).
The circuit isaunique variant ofinstrumentationamplifiertopology,startingwiththe good
CMRR performancetypicalofthisformat.Allinternal audiocircuitryisfullybalanced,
maintainingsymmetryfrominput tooutput,whichhelpsfurtherreject noise,crosstalk,and
distortionproducts.

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Gainadjustmentisachievedwithonly5 relays,whileoffsetsarenulledtotypically
25microvoltsbyDC-servocircuitsinallstages,resultingintheneedforonlyone
Polycarbonatecapacitorintheaudiopath.Noelectrolyticsareused.
Headroomatallpointsofthecircuitismaintainedtothepowerrails,at+28dBu,andatall
gainsettings.Manyotherdesignssufferfromdegradedinputheadroomasaresult ofusinga
'longtailedpair' configuration; while the output performance isvariouslycompromisedfrom
op-amp-only; pseudo-balanced;ortransformercircuitsfallingpreytoreal-worldsituations
notfullydefinedortestedinthelab.Forexample the'pseudo-balanced' opampcircuit
favoredby80%ofmanufacturersinducesaround9dBofnoiseasaresultofthe positive
feedbackemployed.Asthisisa dynamic problem,it measureswellwithoutsignal present,
andonlymanifestswhenexcitedbylowlevel signals,resultinginworsenoiseperformancein
use.Drivingoutputsfromop-amps directlybrings otherdrawbackssuchasfarhigher
distortionunderloadandlongcables,instability,anddegradedslewrateperformance.Again,
oftenproblemsthat manifestin'system'use,andsoslipthroughthedesignstage,anddon't
showuponaspecificationsheet.
Tooptimizetheseoutputdriveissueswehave developedadiscrete transistoroutputcircuit,
capable ofdrivingintolongcablesanddifficult loads,andswitch-select betweenbalancedor
unbalancedconfiguration.(Thiscircuitisalsoinuseinthe C2andotherproducts).
DiscreteFET's areusedforbreak-before-make switchingofphase reverseandmuting
functions;andwithbalanced,proprietarydrivecircuitry,outperformthechargeintroduction,
offisolation, andrdsonperformance ofthecommonlyusedSSM2402 familyofi.c.switches.
OP275 amplifiersare usedfortheaudiosignalpath.These were choseninlisteningtestsfor
theirsoundandhybridFET/Transistorinputs,togetherwiththeiroverallperformance.
Large-geometrytransistorsbypass thefirst stageinput transistors toprovideanEINfigure of
133dB (seespecifications).NPNorPNPinput transistors canbefitted,sothat shouldany
advantageousnewdevicesbecome available wehavethebestchancefortheirinclusion.
Asa result ofbothremote controlandthesurface mountingofcomponents,a compact
physicallayouthasbeenpossible.Cablestoandfromfrontpanelcontrolsbecome
unnecessary,andpcblayoutproblemsarereducedsuchascrosstalk,noisepickupand
stability.Thiswasanadvantageinproducingthe01/7SSLChannel card,reducingwiringand
installation.
UP4INSTALLATIONNOTES
POWERSUPPLY
The unit isratedat 50watts,andcanbeset toworkfrom90-250vsupplies,at 50 or60Hz.
Operation inUSAorCANADA, 110-120v supply:
AnorthAmerican'NEMA'type3-pinpowercable issupplied; theexternalvoltage selector
switchwill beset to115v(seebelow);andaT500mA; 250volt rated20mmlongslow-blow
fusefitted.
Operation intheUK,AUSTRALIAorEUROPE, 220-250v supply:
Apowercablewiththe properattachment plugforthecountrywill be required; theexternal
voltageselectorswitchwill besetto230v(seebelow);andaT250mA; 250voltrated20mm
longslow-blowfusefitted.

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Operation inJAPAN, 95-105v supply:
A100vtransformerisfitted,anda USA powercable issupplied.The externalvoltage selector
switchwill beset to100v(seebelow);andaT500mA; 250volt rated20mmlongslow-blow
fusefitted.
Checking orchanging thesupplyvoltagesetting:
Locatethe powerinput connectoronthe left oftheunit asyoufacethe rearpanel.The
bottomofthisconnectorisa voltageselectorswitchandfusedrawer.The supplyvoltage
settingismarkedatthe topofthisdrawer,nearestthe connectorpins.(115visshownonthe
diagrambelow).
Tochange thevoltagesetting,turnthe poweroffanddisconnect thepowercable fromthe
compressor.
Slide thefusedraweroutwithaflat screwdriver,androtate it through180 degrees,sothat
thenewvoltage markingisupmost,andpushit backin.
Checking orchanging thefuse:
Turnthe poweroff anddisconnect the powercable.Slidethefuse drawerout withaflat
screwdriver.Thefuse fitsnearesttheinside,andthere isspace foraspare fusenearest the
outside.For115vor100voperationuseT500mA, andfor230vuseT250mA.(Tindicatesa
slow-blowtype fuse,20mm long,andallfusesshouldbe 250vratedtypes).Ifthe fuse fails
inuse,andfailswhenreplaced,thereisa fault condition,andyoumust contact the factoryto
arrange servicing.Donot attemptrepairs orchangethefuse value.
WARNING : forcontinuedprotectionagainst fireyoumustensurethat thecorrectvalueof
fuseisfitted.
Voltage selectorswitchand fusedrawer
AUDIOCONNECTIONS
Allinputsandoutputsare balanced.Wehave developeda customoutputstagecapable of
highoutput currents.Thisisa non-floatingcircuit,thathasabetternoise performancethan
possiblewiththecommonlyusedelectronically'floated'circuit,andbettersquare wave
performance thanusinga transformer.Thismeansthat youmust settheoutputswitches
locatedneartheoutputconnectors tomatchtheequipmentyouare connectingto:pin2 hot
/unbalanced(rightposition);balanced(middle position),orpin3 hot/unbalanced(le ft
position).Theinput connectors canbewiredasnormal,andbecause themainsignalpathis
fullysymmetrical,youcanchose towireeitheraspin2 orpin3hot withnodifference.

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GROUNDING
Pin1 onallXLRconnectors isaudio'signal'ground,whichisconnectedtopowerandchassis
groundviaa10ohmresistor.Thismeansthat bothgroundscanbeconnectedinan
installationwithout humloops,andbothshouldalwaysbe connectedforsafeoperation.
Pleasecontact Smart Researchifyouhaveanyquestionsorproblems:
www.smartresearch.co.uk
UP4OperationSoftwarerevision05C
Front panelLED's andSwitch
TheUP4has fourbi-colour LED's forlevelindication; oneforeachaudiochannel.Greenindicates
anoutput levelof-16dBu,andred+24dBu.Clippingdoes not occuruntilltheoutputexceeds
+28dBu,at anygainsettings,andsoinpracticearedindicationshouldgiveadequatewarningof
overload.ThesefourLED's arealsousedtodisplaythenetwork(orIP)address oftheUP4.
TheswitchmarkedSETisusedtochange(anddisplay)theIPaddress,andalsotoresetthe
memory.Pleasesee pagetwofortheinstuctionsonhow tochangetheaddress.
Thelast two LED'sareusedtodisplaynetworkstatus.D1shows that thereis avalidconnectionto
thecontrolsoftwareandD2showsthat acontrolmessagehasbeenreceived.
Resetting theUP4tothefactorydefault
ThisisachievedbyturningtheunitonwhilepressingtheSETswitchwithasmall screwdriver,
etc.
The switchcanbereleasedaftertenseconds.TheIPaddress willbe reset to10.1.1.15,and
theRAM memorycleared.Thismaybeuseful alsointhecaseofclearingnetworkerrors,etc.
NetworkInstallation,and Controllers
Currently,Fairlight'sDreamStationorSmart Research'sSoftFrontPanel softwarerunningon
a PCorMaccanbe usedtocontrol theUP4.The UP4 detectsthefirstvalidcontroller'sIP
addressonpowerup,andsubsequentlytalkstothat address.Thereforeifa controllor's IP
addressischanged,theUP4 will needtobeturnedoff andontoadjust tothe newaddress.
Insomecircumstances,the preamplifiermight be co-residentona networkwithanother
device thatmay'poll'itsaddress,suchasinthe case ofFairlight's Media Server.Ifthisisthe
case,messagesfromanothersourceotherthana validcontrolleraddressedtotheUP4may
possiblyinterruptitscontrol functions.Wesuggestyouensure theUP4's IPaddressis
excludedfromtherange settobe'polled'byMediaServer,andtakecarewithothersimilar
devicesyoumaywishtoconnect.Alternatively,youcanmove theUP4's addressawayfrom
anyconflictingdevices.
To setupUP4operationon DreamII
Navigate to
C:\ProgramFiles\Fairlight\FMC

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Andopenthe file “FMC.ini”forediting
4 – EnsureFMC.ini hasthefollowinglineincluded
Syntax:
UP4,UP4IPaddress,Channel start #, #ofUP4unitsconnectedtothissystem
Actual Settingexample:
UP4,192.168.3.250,8,1
IE
-UP4 hasIPaddress192.168.3.1,
-Matchesupwiththefirst desiredInput channel,
-Andthesystemhasonly1(ONE)UP4 connected
#-- UP4,UP4IPAddress,NumberofthefirstanalogueinputthattheUP4 is
#-- connectedto(8 inthisexample[numberingstartsat 0],orMADIInput1),
#-- NumberofUP4Preampsinstalled
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
#UP4,192.168.3.222,8,1

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