Neve Genesys 527-385 User manual

Neve
GENESYS
Quick Reference Guide
527-385
Issue 1

GENESYS - Quick Reference DRAFT COPY Issue 1
Health & Safety Notice
FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF OTHERS PLEASE
OBSERVE THE FOLLOWING HEALTH AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
•READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND KEEP THEM HANDY
•HEED ALL SA ETY WARNINGS
•DO NOT USE NEAR WATER
•CLEAN ONLY WITH A DRY CLOTH
•DO NOT INSTALL NEAR HEAT SOURCES
•DO NOT BLOCK VENTILATION OPENINGS
•PROTECT THE POWER CORD
•USE ONLY ACCESSORIES SPECI IED BY THE MANU ACTURER
•UNPLUG WHEN UNUSED OR LONG PERIODS O TIME
•MODULES OR CARDS SHOULD NOT BE INSERTED OR REMOVED WITH THE POWER ON
•RE ER ALL SERVICING TO QUALI IED PERSONNEL ONLY
•NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE
•PLEASE OBSERVE THE RECOMMENDED 'POWER UP' & 'POWER DOWN' PROCEDURES
FAILURE TO OBSERVE THESE PROCEDURES
AND RECOMMENDATIONS WILL INVALIDATE
THE MANUFACTURER’S WARRANTY
- 2 -

Issue 1 DRAFT COPY GENESYS - Quick Reference
Tab e of Contents
Hea th & Safety Notice.........................................................................................................2
Introduction.........................................................................................................................4
About this document............................................................................................................4
Computer Cassettes..............................................................................................................4
Safety Notice........................................................................................................................5
Channel SEL Mode................................................................................................................6
Wiring connections for Quick Recording...................................................................................6
Power-up procedure..............................................................................................................7
Wiring connections for HUI control..........................................................................................8
GENESYS App ication Scenarios.........................................................................................10
Recording...........................................................................................................................10
Mixing...............................................................................................................................11
Live Recording....................................................................................................................12
HUI Control of DAW (inc sub-mixing)....................................................................................13
Power-up State...................................................................................................................14
Recording in Stereo..........................................................................................................14
Recording in Surround......................................................................................................16
To set up Surround Routing...............................................................................................17
To set up Surround Monitoring...........................................................................................18
Monitoring.......................................................................................................................20
Saving this setup................................................................................................................20
HUI Connections................................................................................................................21
Power-down Procedure.....................................................................................................21
Quick Reference Section....................................................................................................22
Head Office:
AMS Neve
Billington Road
Burnley
Lancashire
England
BB11 5UB
Phone: [phone]
ax: [phone]
London Office:
[phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Web: www.AMS-Neve.com
© ® 2008 AMS Neve Ltd own the cop right of all information and figures contained in this manual which are
not to be copied or reproduced b an means or disclosed in part or whole to an third part without written
permission. As part of our polic of continual product improvement, we reserve the right to alter specifications
without notice but with due regard to all current legislation.
Disclaimer: The information in this manual has been carefull checked and is believed to be accurate at the time
of publication. However, no responsibilit is taken b AMS-Neve for inaccuracies, errors or omissions nor an
liabilit assumed for an loss or damage resulting either directl or indirectl from use of the information
contained within.
Trademarks: All trademarks are the propert of their respective owners and are hereb acknowledged.
- 3 -

GENESYS - Quick Reference DRAFT COPY Issue 1
Introduction
or more than 40 years, the designers and engineers at Neve have worked uncompromisingly to
produce the world's premier audio recording and mixing equipment. As a result, Neve products
have long exceeded the most stringent requirements for sound quality and musicality – from
countless classic albums to the vast majority of each year's blockbuster films. Traditionally, such
perfection has come at a price, meaning that only the largest and most prestigious studios could
own a Neve recording console.
Until now.
Introducing GENESYS.
A hand-built expandable analogue recording console with digital workstation control. A console
that builds upon Neve's forty years of technical heritage, including legendary mic pre-amplifiers
and highly revered analogue circuit design.
GENESYS also accommodates for the seismic changes in methods of music recording, with
extensive digital control and connectivity.
In any configuration, GENESYS offers an excellent studio control surface with comprehensive
monitoring and signal routing compatibilities. This eliminates the typical collection of awkwardly
interfaced devices, and puts a proper console back in the heart of the studio.
As with all Neve products, GENESYS offers sound and build quality beyond reproach. Even the
console stand was developed in conjunction with internationally renowned studio designer Roger
D'Arcy of Recording Architecture in London.
With GENESYS, the widest possible range of studios can legitimately claim to be a Neve facility.
The future begins here.
About this document
This Quick Reference Guide outlines all the basic procedures you need to get a signal through the
console and to start working.
> An arrowhead at the head of a sentence indicates you should do this action.
Computer Cassettes
Genesys consoles have an internal computer fitted and this will either be the OLD style or the
NEW style, depending on the particular model.
The OLD style has space for the automation option as a hardware upgrade, the NEW style is a
single complete unit.
Both versions are shown below for reference.
- 4 -

Issue 1 DRAFT COPY GENESYS - Quick Reference
OLD style (including Automation option):
NEW Style:
Safety Notice
Before plugging Genesys into the mains supply, please observe the following
safety precautions:
> The amplifier feeding the speakers is turned off and it's volume controls
are turned fully down (or if using active speakers, ensure they are turned
down and turned off).
> All faders (including the Main Output faders) are at the bottom of their run at
the CUT (∞) position.
As a safety feature, the console will always power-up with the monitoring CUT.
- 5 -

GENESYS - Quick Reference DRAFT COPY Issue 1
Channel SEL Mode
SEL mode is a special mode where signal routing, loudspeaker setups, Pre-/Post- states and
other utilities can be defined.
The console is not designed to run in SEL mode - it is purely a configurational mode.
Channel SEL mode can be turned on by pressing any of the SEL buttons on the channels or 8T
Auxes section. All of these SEL buttons are interlocked with each other.
In the Setup screen, if the SEL Route option is ticked, whenever a SEL button is pressed
anywhere on the fader sections, the ROUTE SEL section on the Monitor panel will also go into SEL
mode, allowing you to route either the Channel or Monitor path on the chosen channel to the Mix
Outputs and 8T.
You can then press any other fader SEL button to select another channel to configure
accordingly.
To come out of SEL mode, press whichever SEL button is flashing.
In all documentation relating to SEL mode:
•All text is shown with a blue background.
•All illustrations have unavailable buttons/leds/functions greyed out (as shown
right)
(In the tutorial below, SEL mode is briefly touched upon when mapping the 8T
paths to the loudspeakers)
or more information on SEL mode, please refer to the Genesys User Manual.
For more detailed instructions on console operation,
please refer the GENESYS User Manual.
Wiring connections for uick Recording
> Plug Genesys into the mains supply using the single IEC connector on the right-hand rear of
the console.
> If using active speakers, plug the speakers into the IEC mains outlets on the rear of the
meterbridge, then plug the male A/C POWER DIST socket into the mains supply. This acts as
mains distribution for the speakers.
> Plug 2 XLRs into the Left and Right M1 LS O/P connectors on the rear of Monitor Board 2
(labelled M1 LS O/P L and M1 LS O/P R) and connect these to the speakers.
> Plug your mics into the channels you wish to use.
- 6 -

Issue 1 DRAFT COPY GENESYS - Quick Reference
Power-up procedure
> or Old style computer cassettes only, check that the Ethernet link cable is plugged
between ETHER STD and ETHER AUTO if you are not using a hub system to control a DAW
via HUI (see Hui Setup for more information about Old-style & New-style computer Ethernet
connections).
> Check that the mouse pad is plugged into the mouse socket and also that the console T T
screen is plugged into VGA AUTO (on Old style computer cassettes) or VGA 1 (New style
cassettes).
> Turn on the power to Genesys.
> The T T screen should boot with Windows XP after about 20-30 secs. If not, then:
•Reset the computer by pressing the RESET button near ETHER 1 AUTO [on OLD style
computer cassettes)
•Reset the computer by pressing the RESET button just above the RCA connector [on
NEW style computer cassettes)
This will restart the computer and Windows.
> Once the Windows desktop is up & running, double-click the Genesys
application on the Desktop (left).
This will then launch the console software in about 20 secs.
You are now ready to use the console features.
> Switch the amplifier on (or the speakers if you are using active speakers).
> Turn the amp (or speakers) to the desired level.
> Turn the Control Room level down and un-cut the monitoring (as a safety feature, the
monitoring system will always be CUT when first switching the system on).
> Move the Channel faders to the desired levels, and put the Main mix fader up to 0dB.
> Turn the Control Room Monitoring level up.
You should now be able to start working.
Fai ure to fo ow this procedure correct y
cou d inva idate the manufacturers warranty
- 7 -

GENESYS - Quick Reference DRAFT COPY Issue 1
Wiring connections for HUI control
The type of connections depend on the type of computer cassette installed in the console.
O d type computer cassette:
To T T screen
Mouse Standard supplied Crossover
Ethernet cable
To DAW machine
Ethernet Hub
The dotted lines show the two Ethernet ports connected when the unit is not connected to Pro
Tools or an external DAW. This means the console cannot control HUI paths.
This cable should always be fitted if not controlling a DAW.
If you wish to control HUI paths, remove this cable and connect both console Ethernet ports to
an Ethernet hub, which in turn should then be connected to your DAW.
In either of the above scenarios, the VGA output should be connected to a display screen.
NB:
If you do not wish to run HUI over LAN (Local Area Network) then retain the blue Ethernet cable
supplied and connect as shown in the upper half of the diagram.
- 8 -

Issue 1 DRAFT COPY GENESYS - Quick Reference
New type computer cassette:
Mouse
To T T
Ethernet hub * screen
To DAW
* The Ethernet hub is optional if the computers do not need to be networked.
If you wish to run HUI over LAN, connect the Genesys computer as shown, discarding the
Ethernet link cable on old style computer cassettes.
--- + ---
In order to run the HUI control over LAN, you will need to download and install IPMIDI from
www.nerds.de (this is a 3rd-party driver that allows HUI communication across a network) and
choose the one applicable to your DAW system.
Please see your DAW documentation on how to configure the DAW for HUI control.
Power On Procedure
•Switch on the Ethernet hub
•Switch on the console. The computer should boot Windows XP.
(If not, press the Reset switch on the computer cassette, marked in the above
diagrams with a red X)
•Once into the Windows Desktop, double click the Genesys application. This will
then boot the console.
After about 20 – 30 seconds you will see the Genesys screen open, at which
point the console will be ready to be used for DAW control.
- 9 -

GENESYS - Quick Reference DRAFT COPY Issue 1
GENESYS Application Scenarios
In all the schematics shown below, onl the M and M2 stereo speaker sets are shown
due to limitations of space. The four speaker sets - M , M2, A and B - are available in
all of the following examples.
Please note that onl speaker set M appears as XLRs on the rear of the console.
All other speaker output signals are available on the 25-wa D-t pe connectors.
Recording
Line Inputs
Pro Tools Mac / PC Mic Inputs
Auxiliary Send & Return
Pro Tools I/O M1 speakers
DAW Returns Headphones
Main Mix
Output
M2 speakers
Genesys can be used to monitor from the workstation while recording directly from Mic or Line
inputs.
(The Direct Outs can be used from Genesys to the DAW enabling it to be used like a conventional
in line desk with both recording and monitoring signals passing through the unit, connections not
shown here).
A collection of signals are input to the desk at once, either using Mic inputs, Line Inputs for
keyboards or other sound modules, and the DAW Returns inputs for signals from the DAW.
Effects units can be connected to the Auxiliary Send & Returns so that a rough working mix can
be achieved.
The Main Mix Output of Genesys is sent to the DAW so that a rough mix can be recorded onto
your workstation.
This can be analogue or digital depending on if you have the optional digital card fitted.
The mix can be monitored on headphones by sending the Main Mix to a Cue and then sending the
Cue to the headphones.
- 10 -