Focusrite vocaster hub User manual

Focusrite.com
User
Guide
Version 1
Tell your stories

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Contents
Introduction .................................................... 3
System Requirements................................................. 3
Installing Vocaster Hub................................................ 3
Vocaster Hub Layout ............................................. 4
Vocaster One ....................................................... 4
Vocaster Two........................................................ 4
Key Features ........................................................ 5
Microphone Input Controls ........................................ 6
Mic Level Slider and Meter............................................. 6
Mute .............................................................. 7
Enhance ........................................................... 7
Auto Gain .......................................................... 8
48V ............................................................... 8
Other Buttons................................................... 8
Speaker Mute ....................................................... 8
The Mix Section ................................................. 9
Sliders and Mutes .................................................... 9
Mixer Channels...................................................... 9
Settings Page .................................................. 10
Updating ..................................................... 10
Updating the Vocaster Hub Software.................................... 10
Updating your Vocaster’s Firmware ..................................... 10
Enhance Presets’ Parameters...................................... 11
CONTENTS

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INTRODUCTION
Introduction
This is the User Guide for Vocaster Hub, the
software application you use to control your
Vocaster interface.
This user guide describes the Vocaster Hub
software but for more information about your
Vocaster interface you’ll need to read both
this user guide and the user guide for your
Vocaster hardware.
You can download the Vocaster One and
Vocaster Two User Guides from:
focusrite.com/downloads
System Requirements
IMPORTANT
Please visit the following link for up-to-date
information on computer and operating
system compatibility for Vocaster Hub:
support.focusrite.com
Installing Vocaster Hub
You can install Vocaster Hub on Windows and
Mac. To download and install Vocaster Hub:
1. Go to the Focusrite downloads wesbite:
focusrite.com/downloads
2. Find your Vocaster on the Downloads
website.
3. Download Vocaster Hub for your
operating system (Windows or Mac).
4. Open the Downloads folder on your
computer and double-click the Vocaster
Hub installer.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to install
Vocaster Hub. If installing Vocaster Hub
for Windows, your computer will restart.
6. If it’s not already, connect your Vocaster
interface to your computer with the USB
cable.
7. Open Vocaster Hub and it will detect
your Vocaster One or Vocaster Two
automatically.
I can’t see my Vocaster in the software?
If your Vocaster is not recognised in Vocaster
Hub, use the links in the software to visit our
Help Centre, or contact our Support Team.
Click Help
Centre to nd
steps to x this
problem
Contact our
Technical Support
Team

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VOCASTER HUB LAYOUT
Vocaster Hub Layout
Vocaster Hub’s layout varies depending on which Vocaster interface
you connect to your computer.
While the layout is different, how each section of Vocaster Hub works
is the same. The following diagrams show the layouts for Vocaster
One and Vocaster Two.
For the rest of this user guide we’ll use screenshots with a Vocaster
Two connected and tell you when the features are Vocaster Two only.
Vocaster One Vocaster Two

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VOCASTER HUB LAYOUT
Key Features
The Mix section
See “The Mix Section”
on page 9
A Mixer Channel
See “Mixer Channels” on page 9
Host Input Guest Input
See “Speaker Mute” on page 8.
See “Settings Page” on page 10
See Mute, Enhance and Auto
Gain “Mute” on page 7
Slider, Meter and Clip Indicator.
See ”Microphone Input
Controls” on page 6

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MICROPHONE INPUT CONTROLS
Microphone Input Controls
Mic Level Slider and Meter
The Mic Level section of Vocaster Hub mirrors
the preamp controls you have on the front of
the Vocaster hardware. At a glance you can
see where the Mic Level slider (or gain) is set
and how loud the signal is in the meter.
Slider
The Slider in the Mic Level control is a
software representation of the knob on the
Vocaster top panel.
You can click and drag the slider in the
software to increase the gain (right) or reduce
the gain (left). When you move the knob the
slider will move to reect this.
Meter
The meter is the section of the Mic Level
control that lights up when you speak into
your microphone.
We recommend using Auto Gain to set your
Mic Level but if your microphone is distorting
or too loud, you can use the meter to set a
better level
The meter lights green and turns yellow as
the signal gets louder. To set the gain, speak
into the microphone as if you were recording
and move the slider or knob so the meter
starts to turn yellow when you speak at your
loudest.
Clip Indicator
The Clip Indicator is the red part at the far
right of the meter than appears when you
signal has clipped. Avoid clipping as your
microphone may distort when it reaches this
level.
If you see the clip meter appear, turn down
the knob or move the Slider to the left to
reduce the gain.
To ‘clear’ the Clip Indicator, click the red Clip
Indicator itself. This removes the light for all
inputs and Mix channels.

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MICROPHONE INPUT CONTROLS
Mute
The Mute button in Vocaster Hub does the
same job as the Mute button on the Vocaster:
press it to turn your microphone ‘off’:
Mute
Off
Mute
On
When Mute is on, the hardware buttons: Auto
Gain and Mute light red and the Gain halo on
your Vocaster pulses red.
Enhance
The Enhance button applies three effects to
optimise your signal for voice recording. The
three effects are applied in this order:
• High-Pass Filter (HPF)
• Compressor
• Three-Band EQ (Equaliser)
Enhance
Off
Enhance
On
Descriptions of exactly what each effect
does is beyond the scope of this user guide.
If you’re interested in learning more, we
reccommend searching the name of each
effect online.
Enhance Presets
Enhance has presets that apply different
parameters to your voice depending on how
you want your voice to sound.
The parameters for each Preset effect are
at the end of this user guide, see “Enhance
Presets’ Parameters” on page 11.
The presets available are:
• Clean
• Warm
• Bright
• Radio

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MICROPHONE INPUT CONTROLS
Auto Gain
Auto Gain is a software version of the button
on Vocaster. Click this button to start the
Auto Gain process.
Speak normally for ten seconds while the
timer counts down.
Auto Gain will measure the level of your voice
and set the gain so the loudest parts of your
voice are around -6 to -16dB in your recording
software.
48V
Condenser microphones need 48V, or
phantom power, to work.
48V
Off
48V
On
Most podcasting microphones don’t need this
but if your microphone does, you can turn on
48V using the button in Vocaster Hub.
This is the same as pressing the 48V button
on the Vocaster’s rear panel.
Other Buttons
Speaker Mute
This button allows you to mute the speaker
outputs of your Vocaster. Click the speaker
icon to toggle between mute on (red) or off
(black)
Off On
NOTE: You can create an audio feedback loop
if your speakers are active at the same time
as a microphone! Turn off your speakers while
recording podcasts, and use headphones for
monitoring.

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THE MIX SECTION
The Mix Section
The Mix Section at the bottom of Vocaster
Hub has all the input channels to your ‘Show
Mix’ listed with a Slider, Meter, and Mute
button.
Sliders and Mutes
The Sliders and Mute buttons adjust the level
going to your Show Mix (headphone/speaker
mix) and Video Call L & R channels.
These sliders do not affect your recording
levels if you’re recording each channel
individually in your recording software.
Mixer Channels
Host
Adjusts the level sent from the Host
microphone input to the Show Mix.
Guest (Vocaster Two only)
Adjusts the level sent from the Guest
microphone input to the Show Mix.
Aux
Adjusts the level sent from the Phone/Device
input to the Show Mix.
Bluetooth (Vocaster Two only)
Adjusts the level sent from a Bluetooth
Device connected to your Vocaster Two to
the Show Mix. Your Blutooth device’s volume
buttons will also control the Slider’s level.
Loopback 1
Adjusts the level sent from Loopback 1 to the
Show Mix. Loopback 1 signal will come from
applications sending their audio to Software
Playback 1 and 2.
Loopback 2
Adjusts the level sent from Loopback 2 to the
Show Mix. Loopback 2 signal will come from
applications sending their audio to Software
Playback 3 and 4.
Show Mix
This is the main mix of all the Vocaster’s
inputs. You can record the Vocaster Hub
mix by selecting the ‘Show Mix’ inputs your
recording software. The slider adjusts the
overall level to your recording software.
Slider
Meter
Mute
Button
IMPORTANT
If clip indicators light in the Mix section,
reduce the source level, not the slider.
For Show Mix that will be the other sliders.

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SETTINGS & UPDATING
Settings Page
Click this icon to open Vocaster Hub’s
Settings page,
In the settings page you will see the following
information:
Version
This shows the version of Vocaster Hub you
are using.
Vocaster Status
This shows what device Vocaster Hub
recognises, the Sample Rate (always 48kHz)
and the Firmware version of your Vocaster.
Analytics
Use this tick box to opt in to usage analytics
to help us make Vocaster Hub better. Please
see our Privacy Policy for more information.
Updating
Updating the Vocaster Hub Software
Vocaster Hub updates automatically. If a new
version is available a dialogue box appears
when you open Vocaster Hub.
You can choose to install the update, skip the
update or ‘Remind Me Later’.
Updating your Vocaster’s Firmware
Vocaster Hub tells you when a rmware
update is available for your device. This
message appears:
Update message: Your Vocaster will need to
update before you can use it with Vocaster hub.
Your Vocaster may need an update out of the
box and occasionally after as we improve the
device.
Click ‘Start Update’ and Vocaster Hub will
display this updating screen:
Updating your Vocaster.
After the update Vocaster Hub returns to the
main Vocaster window and you can continue
to use your Vocaster.