Rane RPM 26z User manual

RPM 26z
PROGRAMMABLE MULTIPROCESSOR
INPUT AES3 OUTPUT
12 AB 14326
5
LOCK
VIP POWER
ETHERNET STATUS
RPM 26z
PROGRAMMABLE
MULTIPROCESSOR
PRESET
24

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not open the unit. No user
serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualied service personnel.
e symbols shown below are internationally accepted symbols that warn
of potential hazards with electrical products.
is symbol indicates that a dangerous voltage
constituting a risk of electric shock is present within
this unit.
is symbol indicates that there are important
operating and maintenance instructions in the
literature accompanying this unit.
WARNING
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with a dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including ampliers) that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. A ground-
ing-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. e wide blade or third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not
t into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord and plug from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where it exits from
the apparatus.
11. Only use attachments and accessories specied by Rane.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specied by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution
when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power supply
cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does
not operate normally, or has been dropped.
15. e plug on the power cord is the AC mains disconnect device and must remain readily operable. To completely disconnect this apparatus from
the AC mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from the AC receptacle.
16. is apparatus shall be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing connection.
17. When permanently connected, an all-pole mains switch with a contact separation of at least 3 mm in each pole shall be incorporated in the electri-
cal installation of the building.
18. If rackmounting, provide adequate ventilation. Equipment may be located above or below this apparatus, but some equipment (like large power
ampliers) may cause an unacceptable amount of hum or may generate too much heat and degrade the performance of this apparatus.
19. is apparatus may be installed in an industry standard equipment rack. Use screws through all mounting holes to provide the best support.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of re or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture. Apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping
or splashing and no objects lled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
NOTE: is equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules.
ese limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. is equipment generates, uses and
can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio commu-
nications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference
to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment o and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interfer-
ence by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit dierent from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
CAUTION: Changes or modications not expressly approved by Rane Corporation could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
is Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada.
Shielded CAT5e or better cables are required in order to comply with the FCC Rules part 15 limits for a Class B digital device.

Manual-1
RPM 26z
PROGRAMMABLE MULTIPROCESSOR
HARDWARE MANUAL
WEAR PARTS: is product contains no wear parts.
QUICK START
is section is intended to help you make the physical connec-
tions and software manipulations necessary to get up and run-
ning with your sleek new RPM 26z. If you don’t read the entire
Hardware Manual, at least read this section. It is also recom-
mended that you read the Quick Start section of the Drag Net
Software Manual. If the Drag Net software is not yet installed
on your computer, please install it now.
To be safe, leave the audio connections until last. Begin by
connecting the IEC power cord. Observe that the POWER LED
on the front panel illuminates. After a few seconds, the STATUS
LED should turn from red to yellow to green, and the PRESET
display should have a number in it (00, if it’s the rst time you’ve
powered the device). If the POWER comes on, but the STATUS
LED does not turn green, contact the factory.
Connect one end of the Ethernet crossover cable (supplied
with the unit) to the 10Base-T jack on the rear panel. Connect
the other end of the cable to an Ethernet port on your computer.
e LINK LED on the rear panel should be lit. If it is not,
verify that you are indeed using a crossover cable, not a standard
Ethernet cable. A standard Ethernet cable should only be used
if you are connecting the RPM 26z and a computer indirectly
using an Ethernet switch. Launch the Drag Net application
and follow the steps to create a new project and new RPM
26z device conguration. Click the Congure Hardware IP
shortcut and follow the instructions to set the unit’s IP address
to be compatible with your computer’s Network settings. Tip: If
you aren't sure what IP to use, try the address 192.168.69.69 and
subnet 255.255.255.0. is nds the default factory address without
manually setting it.
INPUT AES3 OUTPUT
12 AB143
26
5
LOCK
VIP POWER
ETHERNET STATUS
RPM 26z
PROGRAMMABLE
MULTIPROCESSOR
PRESET
24
Now click on the Poll button in the toolbar. A device name
and IP address should appear under the Live folder in the
Project window. If a device does not appear, consult Drag Net’s
online Help for instructions on conguring and verifying your
computer’s Network settings.
e audio path within the RPM 26z is displayed in Drag
Net’s Device Conguration window as a collection of blocks
wired together to form a Processing Map. ese maps are cre-
ated oine as Storage congurations, which are then trans-
ferred to a Live unit. Drag blocks from the Palette onto the
Processing Map and wire them together to create the audio
path. Save this le frequently using the File > Save command.
Transfer the selected Storage conguration to a Live unit using
the Transfer Cong button in the Project window. A new,
minty green Device Conguration window opens once the
transfer is complete, indicating you are now online with a Live
device. Double-click a processing block to display and adjust its
Properties (parameters) in real time on a Live device — there
is no need to go oine to make parameter changes.
Once you have a useful conguration in the unit, connect
balanced audio INPUTS and OUTPUTS to the Euroblocks on
the rear panel, then turn on the amplier. As a precautionary
measure, all outputs are muted during and after a conguration
transfer. Unmute each output individually, or use the handy
Mute Outputs button in the toolbar. Once all outputs are
unmuted, audio passes through the unit along the connections
you dened.

Manual-2
Rear Panel Description
Front Panel Description
1Signal/Overload LED meters indicate the presence of signicant audio signal or overload for Inputs and Outputs. ese 3-color
meters indicate the available headroom once the analog signal has been converted to digital: -4 dBFS (red, near clipping), -12
dBFS (yellow, high normal level), and -48 dBFS (green, low level). e analog signal level depends on the input and output set-
tings and is displayed in Drag Net’s Meter window.
2AES3 LOCK LED lights solidly when a valid AES3 digital signal is detected on the AES3 input jack. ere does not need to be
an audio signal present at the input, only the “carrier” signal.
3PRESET LED displays the number of the most recently recalled Preset, numbered 0 through 24.
4VIP LED ashes when a change is detected on the Versatile Input Port (VIP). is port is used for direct electrical connections to
potentiometers, switches or other logic ports. See Control Connections on page Manual-4 for details.
5ETHERNET LED ashes when an Ethernet data packet for this device is received.
6STATUS LED reects the overall status of the unit:
Red - initializing (briey) or possible internal error.
Yellow - working, but not currently processing audio.
Green - processing audio.
7POWER LED lights solidly when the unit is powered on.
1POWER IEC jack connects to AC line voltage, 100-240 VAC ±10%. Use the 3-prong IEC power cable (included).
2 Balanced analog audio INPUTS 1 and 2 on Euroblock connectors.
3Balanced analog audio OUTPUTS 1 through 6 on Euroblock connectors. Same wiring notes as the Inputs.
4AES3 digital audio INPUT is an XLR female connector. See Digital AES3 Input on page Manual-3.
5VERSATILE INPUT PORT provides 8 logic or voltage inputs for remote level control and Preset recall on a Euroblock
connector. See Control Connections on page Manual-4.
6LAN and LINK reect the state of the Ethernet connection. LINK lights solidly when a valid connection to another Ethernet
device (e.g., a PC) is detected. LAN ashes when communicating with another Ethernet device.
710Base-T jack accepts a standard Ethernet cable with a RJ-45 connector. See Control Connections on page Manual-4.
8DEFAULT button recalls Preset 1 when pressed. Holding this button while applying power puts the unit into a codeload mode
for updating rmware.
INPUT AES3 OUTPUT
12 A B 143
26
5
LOCK
VIP POWER
ETHERNET STATUS
RPM 26z
PROGRAMMABLE
MULTIPROCESSOR
PRESET
24
1 2 1 43 5 6 7
DEFAULT
100-240V
20 WATTS
50/60 Hz
MADE IN U.S.A.
RANE CORP.
10Base-T
LINK
AES3 INPUT OUTPUTS
3456
+5V
100 mA
0-5V
VERSATILE INPUT PORT
REF
1
2
3
4
5
7
6
8
GND
REF
1
2
3
4
5
7
6
8
GND
–
+
+
–
–
+
+
–
–
+
+
–
–
+
+
–
–
+
+
–
–
+
+
–
–
+
+
–
–
+
+
–
INPUTS
2 12 1
LAN
COMMERCIAL AUDIO
EQUIPMENT 24TJ
R
ACN 001 345 482
RPM 26z
1 28 4 3567

Manual-3
Audio Connections
For each Input or Output Euroblock connector:
• Connect the (positive) audio line to the ‘+’ terminal.
• Connect the (negative) audio line to the ‘–’ terminal.
• Connect the cable shield to the ground terminal.
For those installations where the RPM 26z’s internal shield-
to-chassis connection causes interference, connect each shield
directly to the chassis PEM nut located above each Euroblock
connector, keeping the shield wrapped around the audio conduc-
tors as much as possible.
For optimum Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) immunity,
connect the shields at both ends of the cable. See the RaneNote
“Sound System Interconnection” for more information on system
connections and proper grounding practices.
Analog Input Stage
Each analog input uses a two-stage gain approach. e rst stage
contains a variable gain preamp. e second stage contains a
Digital Trim control located immediately after the A/D con-
verter.
Input Clipping
If you’ve set the Analog Gain so the input stage is not clip-
ping, it is not possible to clip the A/D converter, since there is no
additional gain between the initial input stage and the A/D con-
verter. e Digital Trim control, located after the A/D converter,
can be set to clip the signal to your heart’s content, so adjusting
this trim to provide the hottest signal to the DSPs without clip-
ping is the most important step when setting up gain structure.
For this reason, a dedicated meter displaying the signal level be-
ing passed to the DSPs is provided in each Analog Input block.
If the DSPs are working with a clipped signal, the audio is (as
expected) distorted and none too pretty, but it is not a drastic,
damaging sound. And while it’s technically possible to write a
DSP algorithm to emulate the glorious clipping distortion of
vacuum tubes, it’s not particularly useful for an installed sound
system, where the DSP power could be put to better use remov-
ing that annoying 500 Hz feedback from the podium mic. Plus,
they don’t yet make DSP chips with gold-plated substrates for
those celestial highs and that moist, supple midrange.
Analog Output Stage
Each analog output also uses a two-stage gain approach, which
diers slightly from that of the analog input stage. e rst stage
is a Digital Trim control located immediately before the D/A
converter. e second stage is an analog trim control located im-
mediately after the D/A converter. Attenuation is handled in the
analog domain, while boosting (when the incoming digital signal
is low) is handled in the digital domain. Boosting and attenuat-
ing using this two-stage approach helps maintain the RPM 26z’s
excellent noise performance.
Digital (AES3) Input
AES3 is a popular 2-channel (stereo) digital audio interface com-
monly found on professional digital audio equipment (digital
mixers, DAT machines, etc.). Each channel of the AES3 digital
stream is treated independently within the RPM 26z.
See the RaneNote “Interfacing AES3 and S/PDIF”, available
from Rane’s web site (www.rane.com/library.html), for more
information about interfacing consumer S/PDIF gear to the
professional AES3 standard.
Use the AES3 Input to:
• Connect from the AES3 Ouput of an RPM 88/44/22.
• Connect directly from the AES3 output of a digital mixer.
• Connect to an external A/D converter, eectively adding two
more analog inputs.
Incoming Sample Rate and Word Length
e AES3 input has a built-in sample rate converter capable of
accepting incoming sample rates up to 96 kHz. Sample rates ex-
ceeding the RPM 26z’s internal 48 kHz sample rate are automat-
ically downsampled. Word lengths up to 24-bits are accepted.
Control Connections
Versatile Input Port (VIP)
Eight logic input pins are provided, each capable of accepting
DC voltage between 0-5 VDC. VIP pins are used with contact
closure switches for Preset recall, or with potentiometers for
remote Level control. e functionality (Preset recall versus
control) of each pin is assignable as part of the Device Congu-
ration.
• e maximum allowable voltage on any VIP pin is 5.3 VDC.
• Use of twisted pair cable is recommended for better noise im-
munity.
• If an external device is used to generate a 0 to 5 volt signal,
connect the ground of the external device to the GND pin of
t he V I P.
Preset Recall Using Contact Closure Switches
e minimum “low” voltage required to detect a contact closure
and change Presets is 2.5 V. Since the internal pull up is 100 kΩ
to +5 V, it is possible to calculate the maximum allowable cable
length, provided the wire resistance per foot (or meter) is known.
Example:
To be safe, let’s allow a maximum of 80 kΩ worth of cable
resistance. is value keeps the voltage divider formed by the
100 kΩ internal resistance and 80 kΩ cable resistance from
dropping below 2.5 V.
(5 V * 100 kΩ) / (100 kΩ + 80 kΩ) = 2.777 V
If the cable resistance is 30 Ω per 1,000 feet (305 meters)
(1,000 ft / 30 Ω) * 80,000 Ω = 2,666,666 ft (813 km)
us, you can only use 2,666,666 feet (505 miles) of twisted
pair cable before the Preset recall functionality becomes inter-
mittent (assuming the cable is properly twisted and not run
through excessive magnetic or electric elds).