Joemeek SixQ User manual

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JOEMEEK
DISTRIBUTED BY PMI AUDIO GROUP
1845 W. 169th Street
Gardena, CA 90247
USA
SIX
Q
Joemeek User Guide
visit us on the web at joemeek.com
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JOEMEEK reborn – the legend grows
The Next Generation of Joemeek studio processors represents a quantum
leap in the history of the Joemeek legend. Long regarded for its “Big Sound”,
the original Joemeek gear was both revered and reviled for its somewhat
“quirky” nature. Now we have taken the best of what made the Joemeek
products sound great, refined it, distilled it, added to it and repackaged it.
Properly and robustly engineered for predictable, controllable performance,
the new range retains the famous Joemeek sound, with its wide, flat frequency
response extending from subsonic to ultrasonic. It also uses genuinely low
noise circuitry, with lots of headroom (immunity to overload). Accurate cali-
bration and metering, together with clear panel labelling, give you complete
confidence in what’s going on. While some equipment pays lip-service to
quality and “professional rules” but fails to deliver, the Next Generation
Joemeek products are founded on good solid electronic and audio engineering,
and withstand direct comparison with the very best names in mixers and
outboard gear.
The Joemeek range provides everything you need to get your performance
onto tape/disc.
About the Designer
The Next Generation of Joemeek has been completely re-engineered by
renowned audio electronics consultant Allan Bradford. With his background
in physics and 30 years experience with the design of instruments, mixers,
processors and amplifiers, Allan’s unique range of expertise ensures that
Joemeek remains at the forefront of music technology.
Joemeek is manufactured and
marketed under the direction of:
PMI AUDIO GROUP
USA: 1845 W. 169th Street
Gardena, CA 90247
toll free: 877-563-6335
fax: [phone]
email: [email protected]
UK: P.O. Box 358
Torquay, Devon TQ2 5XS
tel: [phone]
email: [email protected]
Written by Allan Bradford, MSc
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Contents
sixQ Controls at a Glance...............................................4
Overview............................................................................6
Preamplifier........................................................................6
Insert Point..........................................................................7
Compressor.......................................................................8
Meequalizer.......................................................................10
Output Stage.....................................................................11
Digital Interface..................................................................12
Using the sixQ..................................................................13
Getting Connected.............................................................13
Using the Preamp...............................................................13
Using the Compressor.......................................................14
Using the Meequalizer.......................................................14
Using the Output Stage......................................................14
Troubleshooting..............................................................15
Technical Specification...................................................16
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4
48V PHANTOM POWER switch - feeds 48V power to the microphone
XLR connector. Most condenser microphones require phantom power
to operate.
IRON switch - selects transformer coupling of the Mic (XLR) input. The
LED lights when active.
PAD switch - selects 20dB attenuation of the Mic (XLR) input. The LED
lights when active.
LINE switch - selects the Line and INSTRument (1/4” jack) inputs
instead of the Mic (XLR) input. The LED lights when active.
Ø switch - reverses the phase of all inputs.
INSTRument input – high impedance input. Plugging in here overrides
anything plugged into the Line input.
PREAMP GAIN - sets the amount of audio amplification. Too little gain
and the sound will be too quiet; too much and the signal could become
distorted.
PEAK LED - lights 6dB below clipping.
HPF - “high-pass filter”. Mainly for use with microphones, this helps
remove stage rumble, handling noise and “pops”. The LED lights when
active.
COMPRESS - sets the level of signal (or “Threshold”) above which the
signal starts to be compressed.
SLOPE - sets the compression ratio applied to signals above threshold.
ATTACK - sets how quickly the compressor responds to peaks above
threshold.
RELEASE - sets the time taken for the signal to return to its normal size
after compression. In general, the longer the time, the less obvious the
compression.
MAKE UP GAIN - restores the level of the signal after compression.
COMPRESSION METER - 4-Led bargraph indicates the amount of
gain reduction in dB, which is taking place at any given moment.
Compressor ON switch - turns the compressor on. The LED lights
when active.
LF - controls the volume of Low Frequencies or “Bass” in the audio
spectrum. 15dB of boost or cut is available at the selected frequency.
LF FREQ - sets the frequency at which the LF control operates,
anywhere from 40Hz to 650Hz.
MID - controls the Middle frequencies in the audio spectrum. 15dB of
boost or cut is available at the selected frequency.
MID FREQ - sets the frequency at which the MID control operates,
anywhere from 300Hz to 5kHz.
HF - controls the volume of the High Frequencies or “Treble” in the
audio spectrum. 15dB of boost or cut is available at the selected
frequency.
6kHz switch - sets the frequency at which the HF control operates,
in for 6kHz, out for 12KHz. The LED lights when in.
EQ ON switch - turns the Meequalizer on. The LED lights when active.
OUTPUT GAIN - the volume control or “Fader” for the output of the sixQ.
VU METER - 8-Led bargraph shows the output signal level in dB at
any given moment.
+4dBu/-10dBv switch - selects the operating level of the 1/4” jack
output, either to the professional +4dBu level, or to the -10dBv
semi-pro level.
sixQ Controls at a Glance
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6Overview
The JOEMEEK sixQ is like having one channel of a professional recording
studio in one box. It takes microphones or instruments, amplifies them,
compresses and equalizes them ready to be recorded. Simple to use yet
extremely powerful, the sixQ will bring out the best in any microphone or instru-
ment and give the gloss of a professional studio production to all your perfor-
mances. As well as recording it will also be found useful for live work.
Think of each channel of the sixQ as four separate items of equipment:
• The Preamplifier
• The JOEMEEK Optical Compressor
• The Meequalizer
• The Fader
Preamplifier
This is the all-important front end to the sixQ. Its job is to accept any type
of microphone, instrument or other source of audio signal, and make it
loud enough. Microphones often need rather a lot of amplification, while
guitars, keyboards and CD players need less. Mics need to be connected
to low impedance inputs, while instruments prefer high impedance inputs.
To ensure correct impedance matching, the inputs are split into an XLR
connector for Mics, and 1/4” jack “Line” and “INSTRument” connectors for
everything else. A switch on the front panel decides which input connector is
active, the XLR or the 1/4” jacks. The LED next to the switch lights to show
that the Line inputs (jacks) are selected. In other words:-
Switch out (LED off) = “Mic”
Switch in (LED on) = “Line” or “Instr”
Both Mic and Line inputs are electronically balanced. Note: although
the Line input is not normally used for microphones, it can also be
suitable for some high output unbalanced microphones, such as battery
powered Electret types.
The rear panel Mic input (XLR) is balanced and wired as follows:
Pin 2: + (hot)
Pin 3: - (cold)
Pin 1: ground
The Line input (jack) is balanced and wired as follows:
Tip: + (hot)
Ring: - (cold)
Sleeve: ground
The front panel Instrument input (jack) is balanced and wired as follows:
Tip: + (hot)
Sleeve: ground (NB: use a mono jack plug).
Note that if something is plugged into the Instrument input, anything
plugged into the rear panel Line input will be cut off.
Phantom power
Most high-quality studio mics are “Phantom powered”, which is to say
they have electronics inside them, which get their power from the pre-
amp. Most mics require a supply of 48 Volts, so Phantom Power is often
labelled “48V”. The “48V” switch turns this power on or off and a red LED
lights when active. When switching the Phantom Power on, quite a loud
thump may be produced, so it is a good idea to turn down the Output
Gain (or to momentarily select the Line input), when pressing the switch.
When using dynamic or ribbon mics, do not turn Phantom Power on.
It probably won’t do any harm but it certainly won’t do any good, so
leave it off! Consult the microphone handbook if you are unsure what kind
of mic you have.
The main control, labelled “Input Gain”, covers a range of amplification
from 10dB to 60dB. In many other preamps the action of the Gain control
is rather uneven, with the 40dB to 60dB range being crammed into the last
1/6th of a turn. All Joemeek preamps use a specially designed control that
ensures smooth operation over the whole range of rotation. The (0) symbol
next to the 25dB mark, means unity gain, or 0dB, for a signal in the Line
input. Hence for Line inputs the range of gain adjustment either side of this
mark, is +35dB, -15dB.
The PEAK LED lights 6dB below clipping, so occasional brief flashes are
OK but if it’s on all the time you need to back the Input Gain off!
HPF means “high-pass filter”. Mainly for use with microphones, this helps
remove stage rumble, handling noise and “pops”. The LED lights when
active.
Technical stuff
Very low noise - does it matter? Yes and no, it all depends what you are
doing - what really matters is “signal-to-noise ratio”. All electronics produce
a certain amount of background noise - it’s in the nature of things. Providing
there is only a relatively small amount of noise, the signal will cover it up, or
“mask” it. So providing the signal is much bigger than the noise, you won’t
be aware of the noise. In other words the “signal-to-noise ratio” needs to be
a big number, ideally such as 80dB or 90dB.
So how do you achieve that in practice? The trick is to keep the microphone
as close to the sound source as possible without overloading it, so as to get
as much signal out of it as possible. Then you set the Gain control to give
only as much gain as is needed to get a decent level into the recorder.
Of course when there is no signal going on, you may hear the back-
ground noise of the electronics. In that case, given the amount of gain
in a typical studio monitoring system, this noise “floor” should ideally be
in the region of -80dBu or lower, in order for it not to be noticed.
The sixQ microphone preamplifier uses state-of-the-art electronics and
has an equivalent input noise of around -128dBu (with 150ohm input
load). Despite all the hyperbolae and obfuscation, the theoretical best
possible performance for silicon-based electronics is about -132dBu.
So the preamplifier design used in the sixQ and all other NextGen
Joemeek products approaches this limit. To improve significantly on
this would require highly specialised electronics and probably a vat of
liquid Nitrogen to cool it!
The maximum gain available from the preamp is 60dB, in which case
the noise floor will be -68dBu. This is actually quite noisy - if you record
that noise onto a digital recorder and play it back you can definitely
hear it. In practice of course, you do not record and play back “silence”
and the rest of the mix will probably be more than 70dB louder than
this noise and will mask it completely. Even so it is generally a good
idea not to use gains greater than 40dB or 50dB and indeed, it should
rarely be necessary to do so.
Insert Point
This is simply an unbalanced “Send and Return” jack on the rear panel.
It allows you to patch any other pieces of equipment into the signal
path, such as an effects processor or noise gate. To use it you will need
a “Y” lead wired as follows:
Tip: send
Ring: return
Sleeve: ground
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to give a certain “feel” to a production. AM and FM radio however, is still
very much compressed to fit its restricted dynamic range.
5. Modification
A compressor can change the dynamics, or “envelope” of the track and it is
here that the Joemeek Compressor excels!
Types of Compressor
Most compressors work in essentially the same way: a volume-controlling
element or “gain cell” is inserted into the audio signal path. The level of the
signal at any given moment is measured and that information is used to
control the gain cell. So if the signal gets bigger, the volume is turned down.
Various types of gain cell in common use include FETs, valves (tubes),
light-dependent-resistors (photoelectric), digital potentiometers and voltage-
controlled-amplifiers, better known as VCAs.
The sixQ Compressor is a unique recreation of the sort of photoelectric
compressor used by record producer Joe Meek in the 1960’s. Using
modern components for consistency and reliability, it nonetheless
reproduces faithfully the same punchy sound that was so characteristic of
the pop records of that time.
Compression Ratio
What?? OK, it’s simpler than it sounds. If the input gets 10dB louder but the
output only increases by 5dB then the compression ratio is “2 to 1”. If the
input goes up 10dB but the output only goes up 1dB, then the compression
ratio is “10 to 1”. In a theoretically ideal compressor, this ratio is the same
for any size of signal above the threshold but for that to be true, the gain
cell and its control circuitry must be perfectly linear over a very wide range.
In practice only compressors based on VCAs and digital potentiometers are
likely to behave in this way.
Some compressors have a control to set the ratio anywhere between 1:1
(ie: no compression), and 20:1 (which would be regarded as a “brick wall
limiter”). In the sixQ the “Slope” or “Compression Ratio” is variable
from 1:1 (ie: no compression) to 10:1. Slopes around 3:1 are gentle for
vocals while higher slopes are hard for drums and guitars. However
that’s not all there is to it.
Variable Ratio
In the Joemeek optical compressor the compression ‘threshold’ is not
clearly defined and the compression ratio varies with the amount of
compression applied. Suppose the ‘Slope’ control is set to 5:1. For
signals only just exceeding threshold, the ratio is little more than 1:1.
As the compressor is driven harder, the ratio rises to 5:1, at least up to
a point. It is a feature of the Joemeek compressor that the compression
ratio actually reduces again during large transients and, adjusted
correctly, this helps to retain brightness that is often lost with other
types of compressor. This is why vintage compressors often sound
more lively than their modern counterparts.
Controls
‘COMPRESS’ sets the level of signal (the “Threshold”) above which
the signal starts to be compressed. Turning the compression control
clockwise lowers the compression threshold, and drives the compressor
harder.
‘SLOPE’ sets the average compression ratio applied to signals
above threshold. Lower settings (anti-clockwise) have less effect.
Turning the control clockwise increases the ratio and makes the
effects of compression more dramatic. At maximum (10:1) the
Joemeek compressor effectively becomes a limiter.
8
When no jack is inserted, the socket is internally linked, or “normalled”, so
that the signal flows uninterrupted. Note that the Insert Point is after the
Preamp but before the Compressor and EQ.
METER
The meter displays one of two things, depending on the setting of the
“PRE” switch.
With this switch out, the Meter shows signal level at the outputs, after the
Output Gain fader. Note that this is relative to the selected operating level
of “+4dBu” or “-10dBv”. In other words if you have selected “+4dBu” and the
meter reads “0”, then you have +4dBu coming out of the 1/4” jack output
socket. If you have selected “-10dBv” and the meter reads “0”, then you
have -10dBv coming out of the output jack.
Pressing “PRE” allows the output of the preamp to be metered directly,
rather like the “PFL” button on a mixing console. This is useful for adjusting
the gain of the Preamp.
Compressor
The hardest device to understand, yet one of the most useful, the
PhotoOptical Compressor is what gives Joemeek products their unique
character. Its job is to make quiet sounds louder and loud sounds quieter,
or in other words to reduce the dynamic range of the programme material.
It’s a bit like manually riding the volume control, except the compressor
does it automatically, responding far quicker and more accurately than you
ever could by hand. The compressor is applied in several ways:
1. Make Sounds Stand Out
Because compressors make loud sounds quieter, you can boost the volume
of the quiet bits without the loud bits getting even louder. That means you
can raise the average level of an instrument or vocal in the mix, which
has the effect of lifting it and bringing it forwards. This can actually
improve vocals for example, bringing them out in front of a mix, making
them sound denser, more even, and more confident!
2. Crank Up The Volume
Raising the average volume of whole mixes means they can be heard
in noisy environments, such as vehicles and factories. Boosting the
average level is what makes radio stations sound LOUD and the same
technique is used on TV commercials too, which is why they always
seem annoyingly louder than the movie you were trying to watch!
3. Protection
Fast response times are generally used to control brief transients. In
other words if an occasional peak sticks its head above a maximum
permitted level, the compressor clobbers it; this is known as limiting
and a compressor designed solely for this purpose is known as a
Limiter. Limiters are primarily used to protect recorders and monitor
systems from overload, radio transmitters from overmodulation, etc.
The Joemeek compressor is not primarily intended for this purpose
as the Attack is not really fast enough to satisfy radio station
requirements, although it is generally good enough to protect recorders
and monitors, where the effect of transients is less critical. Normally
you should not hear a limiter operating but if it is driven hard constantly,
it can render a mix somewhat flat and lifeless.
4. Accommodation
The dynamic range of the human ear is phenomenal, extending from
the threshold of hearing (eg: a pin dropping onto soft carpet) to threshold
of pain (eg: standing next to a jet aircraft) - some 120dBA in all. By
contrast, vinyl, cassette tape and radio broadcasts all have a dynamic
range of about half that. Since the advent of the CD, the dynamic range
of the medium is far less of an issue and compressors are used more
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Technical stuff
Each section of the Meequalizer has a peaking or “bell” shaped fre-
quency response, which will be found to be musically more satisfying
than conventional “shelving” equalizers. The use of bell curves at LF
and HF also avoids boosting subsonics and ultrasonics which can have
adverse effects on other studio equipment, such as recorders, monitor
amplifiers and speakers. The “Q” value of the peaking filters is 0.9 (or
1.6 octaves). Zero phase distortion ensures the best possible audio
coherence.
Output Stage
‘OUTPUT GAIN’. This output volume control provides up to 10dB of
gain and also goes right down to nothing, so acting as a fader to fade
a sound out completely.
CONNECTORS
Two outputs are provided, jack and XLR, so you can simultaneously
feed (say) a recorder and a monitor amplifier. The switch adjacent to the
1/4” jack selects the output operating level to either +4dBu (suits most
professional studio equipment) or -10dBv (suits semi-pro or hi-fi equip-
ment). The XLR output is always +4dBu. Check with the handbook for
whatever you are feeding, to find out which level is required.
The XLR output is balanced and wired as follows:
Pin 2: + (hot)
Pin 3: - (cold)
Pin 1: ground
The jack output is balanced and wired as follows:
Tip: + (hot)
Ring: - (cold)
Sleeve: ground
10 ‘ATTACK’ sets how quickly the compressor reacts to peaks above threshold.
Turn this control anticlockwise for a quick response. Slower (clockwise)
allows the fast leading edge of percussive sounds to pass uncompressed
for a moment, before the compressor reacts to control the gain. This
example of “changing the envelope” of a sound exaggerates the percussive
nature of drums and other instruments. Settings around mid-position are
used where the compression needs to be less obvious. Vocals for example,
require Attack times around 10msec for natural sounding results. Faster
attack times (anti-clockwise) in conjunction with large amounts of compression,
result in extreme “pumping” effects.
‘RELEASE’ sets how long the compressor goes on squashing the sound
for, once the signal has dropped below threshold. If it stopped instantly
there would be very noticeable modulation or “pumping” of the sound. So
we may want it to stop compressing less abruptly and that is what the
Release control is for. Generally, the longer the Release time, the less
obvious is the compression. Of course some “pumping” might actually be
desirable as a special effect and that is another way in which the envelope
of a sound can be modified. The sixQ Release is variable from 100mS up
to 3 seconds giving a wide variety of effects.
How the compressor behaves actually changes with programme content
and volume. So experiment with the controls with different kinds of material to
discover the range and depth of effects that can be achieved. The ‘COMP’
in/out switch allows comparison between compressed and uncompressed
sound (blue LED lights when active). Remember that the ‘MAKE UP GAIN’
is there to restore the level of the signal after compression. Correctly
adjusted, there will be no change in volume as the Compressor ON switch
is operated.
The Compressor is after the Preamplifier and the Insert Point, and before
the Meequalizer.
Meequalizer
The sixQ “Meequalizer” is a highly effective, versatile and musically
rewarding three-band equalizer, or tone control system. Each stage
allows boost or cut of up to 15dB around the frequency in question.
The “EQ” switch turns the equalizer on, and the green LED lights when
active.
The LF band can be tuned or “swept” anywhere between 40Hz and
650Hz. This effectively covers the whole range of low frequencies. It
may help to think of it as like a graphic equalizer, only instead of lots
of frequency bands, you have just one, but it can be moved to cover
any given frequency band. Cutting can be used to reduce unwanted LF
noise, such as hum or rumble. Boosting can bring out the warmth and
body of bass lines and (especially around 80Hz) kick drums.
The Mid band can be tuned or “swept” anywhere between 300Hz
and 5kHz. This effectively covers the whole range of mid frequencies.
Cutting the Mid can reduce sibilance, boominess or other annoying
resonances. Boosting can bring out the body of a vocal, or the harmonics
of instruments. Increasing or reducing the “presence” of an instrument
or vocal in this way, can appear to move the sound forwards or
backwards in a mix.
The HF or treble section is centred at either 6kHz or 12kHz. Boosting
the 12kHz band gives a sense of “air” or “sparkle” to vocals, instruments
and mixes, without boosting harsh upper-mid frequencies. Alternatively
with bass instruments, cutting this band will reduce HF noise such as
hiss and crackle. The 6kHz setting is very effective at controlling
sibilance and reducing harshness, or indeed creating it, for example
by boosting the harmonics of electric guitars.
The Meequalizer is after the Preamplifier, the Insert Point and the
Compressor.
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Balanced or Unbalanced
To run the XLR output unbalanced, it will be necessary to ground pin 3 of the
cable connector.
To run the1/4” jack output unbalanced, just plug in a mono jack plug. Either
way, this increases the gain of the “+” signal by 6dB, so there is no drop in level
compared with balanced gear.
All outputs on all NextGen Joemeek products are properly balanced, which is to
say there is a signal on both pins! In this way the maximum possible common-
mode rejection of interference, can be achieved at the receiving end.
VU METER
The LED VU Meter shows signal level at the outputs, after the Output Gain
fader. It covers the range -24dB to +12dB in eight steps. Note that this
is relative to the selected operating level of “+4dBu” or “-10dBv”. In other
words if you have selected “4dBu” and the meter reads “0”, then you have
+4dBu coming out of the output sockets. If you have selected “-10dBv”
and the meter reads “0”, then you have -10dBv coming out of the output
sockets.
Digital Interface
The Joemeek Digital Audio Interface provides high quality digital audio
outputs compatible with most digital recorders, as well as Digital Audio
Workstations and mixers. S/PDIF format is available from the optical and
RCA phono connectors, while the transformer coupled XLR connector
provides an AES3 compatible output.
The Joemeek Digital Interface has highly stable onboard master clocks for
low-jitter, hi-fi results. Internal sample rates of 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz or
96kHz are selected by means of rear panel switches. 44.1kHz is the
standard used for audio CD’s, while 48kHz and 96kHz are widely used
in recording studios. In general, the higher the sample rate, the better
the audio fidelity, but the more disk space is required for the recording.
For example, recording at 96kHz requires twice as much storage as
48kHz. Consult the manual of your recorder or DAW as to what sample
rates it will accommodate.
To avoid distortion, care should be taken not to overdrive the input to
the Digital Interface. The red LED next to the Output Gain control is
labeled “PEAK FSD” which stands for “Full Scale Digital”. Occasional
flashes are OK but if it is on all the time, turn something down!
Note that the Digital Interface is a two-channel device, with channel one
fed by the sixQ’s internal circuitry. In order to utilize the second digital
channel, an external analog input is provided in the form of a balanced
1/4” jack on the rear panel wired as follows:
Tip: + (hot)
Ring: - (cold)
Sleeve: ground
In this way the output of the sixQ and another analog source can be fed
into one digital input of a recorder or digital workstation.
Using the sixQ
GETTING CONNECTED
The figure shows the sixQ being used instead of a mixing desk in a
recording setup:
• A microphone is connected to the Mic Input
• A guitar is connected to the Instrument Input
• The insert point is being used to divert the preamplified signal through
an external effects processor
• The recorder output is connected to the Line Input for playback.
Previously recorded tracks may also be replayed via the Line Input,
to permit compression and equalization
POWER SUPPLY
Connect the sixQ power cord to the AC connector on the rear panel
and switch on the mains supply. NB: ensure that the sixQ is set to the
correct mains voltage for your region – either 115V or 230V. Orientate
the fuse holder / mains voltage selector draw so that the required
voltage appears at the top. If in doubt consult a competent engineer.
Using the Preamp
Turn the ‘INPUT GAIN’ control to minimum and connect the input
source. If you are using a condenser microphone, remember to switch
on the 48V Phantom Power. Set the ‘OUTPUT GAIN’ to “0dB”. Turn
up the ‘INPUT GAIN’ until the microphone sound registers on the VU
Meter, adjusting it so that the meter reads between “0” and “+3” on
sound peaks. When the red LED (labeled “Peak”) lights, the sixQ is
within 6dB of clipping. Occasional flashes are OK but if it is on all the
time, turn the Input Gain down!
Remember you can check the preamp gain at any time by pressing the
“Meter Pre” button.
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Troubleshooting
1) No Power (no lights work)
• Is the power cord plugged in (both ends)?
• Is the mains power on?
• Is the mains voltage set correctly for your region?
• Has the mains fuse blown?
2) The microphone doesn’t work
• Is it connected to the correct (XLR) input on the rear panel?
• If it is a condenser microphone, is the phantom power switched on?
• Is the ‘Line’ switch out (LED off)?
• Is the ‘Input Gain’ control turned up?
• Is the ‘Output Gain’ control turned up?
3) The line input doesn’t work
• Is the source connected to the correct (jack) input on the back of the unit?
• Is the ‘Line’ switch in (LED on)?
• Is the ‘Input Gain’ control turned up?
• Is the ‘Output Gain’ control turned up?
4) The compressor doesn’t work
• Is the Compressor ‘ON’ switch in (LED on)?
• Is the ‘Compress’ control turned up enough?
• Is the ‘Slope’ control turned up enough?
• Is there enough signal, as set by the ‘Input Gain’ control, to drive the
compressor?
5) Too little or too much compression
• Turn the ‘Input Gain’ control up or down respectively, to adjust the
signal level to the compressor
6) The Meequalizer doesn’t work.
• Is the EQ ‘ON’ switch in (LED on)?
• Is ‘Input Gain’ control turned up?
• Is ‘Output Gain’ control turned up?
7) Too much noise
• Is the ‘Input Gain’ control too high? Try moving the mic closer
to the source
• Is the ‘Output Gain’ control too high (eg: when lots of compression is
being used)?
• Is there too much EQ boost?
• Is the noise already present in the input signal? (Try removing the input)
8) Sounds distorted
• Is the ‘Input Gain’ control too high?
• Is the ‘Output Gain’ control too high?
• Is there too much EQ boost?
• When using the compressor, is the Release control set too low?
14
Using the Compressor
Start with the Compressor and Meequalizer off and adjust the input and
output gain so that the VU Meter reads around 0dB.
Set ‘COMPRESSION’ and ‘ATTACK’ fully anti-clockwise, with ‘SLOPE’ and
‘RELEASE’ at mid-position. Press the ‘COMP’ push-button and turn up the
‘COMPRESSION’ control until the compressor GR meter starts to read 2dB
or 4dB on audio peaks. You should now be able to hear the compressor
working as the volume diminishes. Use the ‘MAKE UP GAIN’ control to
restore the signal to its previous (uncompressed) level. Alter the SLOPE and
listen to how the severity of the gain reduction changes. Try changing the
Attack and listen for percussive sounds getting louder. Reducing the Attack
and Release times should emphasise this even more and the compressor
should start to “pump” audibly.
The overall result of compression depends on the combined settings of the
Compress, Slope, Attack and Release controls. Experiment with different
combinations to discover what best suits the material you wish to compress.
Watch the GR meter and don’t overdo things - it’s possible to apply 20dB of
gain reduction before you realise it!
Use the Compressor ‘ON’ switch to make comparisons between com-
pressed and uncompressed signals.
Using the Meequalizer
Always start with the Meequalizer boost/cut controls (LF, MID and HF) set
to “0” (the control knobs set vertically, in their centre notches). This setting
is also known as “flat”.
You need to be careful about too much boost or “lift”, since boosting
takes the sixQ closer to overload. The sixQ has generous overload
margins but when a lot of boost is used, it may be necessary to com-
pensate by reducing the Output Gain or the Input Gain (the latter will
affect the Compressor setting though).
Keep an eye on the VU Meter when adjusting the EQ. When the red
LED (labeled “PEAK FSD”) lights, the sixQ is within 6dB of clipping.
Occasional flashes are OK but if it is on all the time, turn something
down!
The way to use the LF FREQ and MID FREQ controls, is to apply quite
a lot of boost, then sweep the frequency until you “tune in” to the sound
you are interested in. Once you find it, adjust the amount of boost or cut
to give the desired effect.
Experiment with combinations of settings of EQ and try to picture how
the audio signal is being affected. Use the EQ ‘ON’ switch to make
comparisons between EQ’d and non-EQ’d signals.
Using the Output Stage
Final adjustments to the output level can be made with the OUTPUT
Gain control, again keeping an eye on the VU meter and PEAK FSD
LED. Note how this control can also be used to fade out the signal
completely.
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16
Technical Specification
Input impedances Mic: 1.2kohm; Line: 20kohm
Pre-amp overall gain 0dB to 60dB
Common mode rejection 70dB
Equivalent input noise -128.5dBu (unweighted)
Distortion 0.001%
(below Compressor threshold)
Frequency response 15Hz to 70kHz (-3dB)
Maximum input before clipping Mic: +21dBu; Line: +45dBu
Headroom before clipping +21dBu
High Pass Filter 12dB per octave cut below 80Hz
Compression threshold -6dBu to +22dBu (variable)
Compression ratio 1:1 to 10:1 (variable)
Compressor attack time 1 msec to 100 msec (adaptive)
Compressor release time 0.1 sec to 3 sec (adaptive)
EQ Boost & Cut +/-15dB (each band)
EQ “Q” 0.9 (1.6 octaves)
LF Frequency 40Hz to 650Hz variable
MID Frequency 300Hz to 5kHz variable
HF Frequency 6kHz/12kHz switchable
Nominal output levels +4dBu/-10dBv
Output impedance 75ohm
Output Level switch 12dB attenuation
Noise Floor -85dBu (typical, with ~40dB mic gain)
VU Meter Analogue movement
Power supply 115V / 230V ac mains, 50/60Hz
Power consumption 30W
Mechanical 482W x 44H x 220D (overall)
Weight 2 kilos
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six q manual.indd 4/4/05, 11:09 AM18-19

Disclaimer of Warranty
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❏ MIX ❏ Electronic Musician ❏ EQ ❏ Sound on Sound ❏ Pro Audio Review ❏ Recording ❏ Pro Sound News ❏ Audio MIDI
six q manual.indd 4/4/05, 11:09 AM20-21