Soundmask SM-DX-4800 User manual

DIGITAL DISTRIBUTOR
SM-DX-4800
OPERATING MANUAL

page 2 | © Copyright 2012 Soundmask Australia Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Important Safety Instructions
1. READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS. All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the product is oper-
ated.
2. KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS. The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. HEED ALL WARNINGS. All warnings on the product and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
4. FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS. All operating and use of instructions should be followed.
5. DO NOT USE THIS APPARATUS NEAR WATER. Do not use the product near water. For example, near a bathtub,
washbowl, kitchen sink, or laundry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool, and the like.
6. CLEAN ONLY WITH DRY CLOTH. Unplug the unit from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or
aerosol cleaners. Use a dry cloth for cleaning.
7. DO NOT BLOCK ANY VENTILATION OPENINGS. Slots and openings in the cabinet back or bottom are provided for
ventilation, to ensure reliable operation of the unit and to protect it from overheating. These openings must not be
blocked or covered. The openings should never be blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar
surface. This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heat source. This product should not be
placed in a built-in installation such as a bookcase or rack unless proper ventilation is provided or the manufac-
turer’s instructions have been adhered to.
8. DO NOT INSTALL NEAR ANY HEAT SOURCES. This product should be situated away from heat sources such as radia-
tors, stoves, or other products (including amplifiers) 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 grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The
wide blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult
an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. PROTECT THE POWER CORD FROM BEING WALKED ON OR PINCHED PARTICULARLY AT PLUGS, CONVENIENCE RE-
CEPTACLES, AND THE POINT WHERE THEY EXIT FROM THE APPARATUS.
11. ONLY USE ATTACHMENTS/ACCESSORIES SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
12. USE ONLY WITH CART, STAND, TRIPOD, BRACKET, OR TABLE SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER, OR SOLD WITH THE
APPARATUS. WHEN A CART IS USED, USE CAUTION WHEN MOVING THE CART/APPARATUS TO AVOID INJURY FROM
TIP-OVER. Do not place this unit on an unstable cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table. The unit may fall, causing seri-
ous injury to someone, and serious damage to the appliance. A unit and cart combination should be moved with
care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the product and cart combination to overturn.
13. UNPLUG THIS APPARATUS DURING LIGHTNING STORMS OR WHEN UNUSED FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. For add-
ed protection for this unit during a lightning storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long periods of
time, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna or cable system. This will prevent damage to the
unit due to lightning and power line surges.
14. REFER ALL SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. SERVICING IS REQUIRED WHEN THE APPARATUS HAS
BEEN DAMAGED IN ANYWAY, SUCH AS WHEN THE 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 MOIS-
TURE, DOES NOT OPERATE NORMALLY, OR HAS BEEN DROPPED.
15. WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPARATUS TO RAIN OR MOIS-
TURE.
16. APPARATUS SHALL NOT BE EXPOSED TO DRIPPING OR SPLASHING AND NO OBJECTS FILLED WITH LIQUIDS, SUCH
AS VASES, SHALL BE PLACED ON THE APPARATUS.

www.soundmask.com.au | page 3
Introduction
The SM-DX-4800 series is a digital distributions system designed for fixed sound installations. The absolute latest in
available technology is utilized with 32-bit (40-bit floating point) processors and high performance 24-bit Analog
Converters. The high-bit DSP prevents noise and distortion induced by truncation errors of the commonly used 24-bit
fixed-point devices.
Features a complete set of parameters include I/O levels, delay, polarity, 6 bands of parametric EQ per channel, multi-
ple crossover selections and full function limiters. Precise frequency control is achieved with its 1 Hz resolution. Inputs
and outputs can be routed in multiple configurations to meet any requirement.
The SM-DX-4800 can be controlled or configured in real time on the front panel or with the intuitive PC GUI accessed
via the USB or RS485. Software upgrade for CPU and DSP via PC keeps the device current with newly developed algo-
rithms and functions once available. Multiple setup storage and system security complete this professional package.
Shipped contents:
• SM-DX-4800 unit
• DxDrive CD (incl. User Manual & PC Software)
Features
• 32-bit (40-bit floating point) DSP (Highly accurate digital processing)
• High Performance 24-bit A/D and D/A Converters
• Accurate 1 Hz Frequency Resolution.
• 6-Band Parametric Equalizers for each Input and Output
• Full-Function Limiters on Output Channels
• “One Touch” easy access setup button
• Backlit 4-Line x 32 Character LCD Display
• Full 5-segment LEDs on every Input and Output
• Storage up to 30 Program Setups
• USB and RS-485 interfaces for PC Control and Configuration
• Pink noise and single frequency generator
• Original Neutrik XLR connectors
• Security Lock

page 4 | © Copyright 2012 Soundmask Australia Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Front Panel Functions
1. USB – a standard Type B USB connector. Proper device driver must be installed prior to usage. The red LED will
come on for indication when USB cable connected.
2. Mute keys – Mute/Unmute input and output channels. When an input channel is muted, a red LED will come on
for indication. When Menu Control key is pressed, it selects the corresponding channel for the LCD menu display
and is acknowledged by a green LED above the buttons. The last modified menu will be displayed on the LCD.
While the Menu Control key is held down, multiple channels can be linked or unlinked by pushing the desired
channels. This eases programming for the same parameters across multiple channels. Multiple Inputs can be
linked together and multiple outputs can be linked together. Inputs and Outputs are linked separately.
3. Peak Level LED – Indicates the current peak level of the Signal: Signal, -12dB, -6dB, -3dB, Over/Limit. The Input
Over LED references to the device’s maximum headroom. The Output Limit LED references to the threshold of the
limiter.
4. Menu keys – There are 8 menu keys for Signal-Gain/Phase/Delay, EQ, X’over (Crossover), Limiter, Channel (Input
Mix), Name (Channel name) for each input/output channel and System and Exit control for the main system.
5. Rotary Thumb Wheel – Changes parameter data values and confirm. The wheel has travel velocity sensing which
eases large incremental data modifications. For modifying delay and frequency (1 Hz resolution), pressing the
Speed key simultaneously will increment/decrement the data value by 100X. To confirm the setting push the
wheel one time.
6. LCD – 4 line x 32 characters displays all the necessary information to control the unit.
7. Cursor control – 4 key for Cursor control.
76
5
4
3
2 1

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Rear Panel Functions
1. Main Power – Connects via external power supply. A
compatible power cord is supplied with the unit. The
voltage input is 100-240VAC, 50-60Hz, 0.8A.
2. RS485 – Allows remote control of the device up to
1000M.
3. XLR input and outputs – Separate 3-pin XLR connec-
tors are provided for each audio input and output.
The device’s output stage employs the balanced impedance topology. All I/O connectors have pin 1 as ground
(shield), pin 2 as + and pin 3 as - .
4. Power supply – external power supply with standard IEC socket and compatible plug for your country.
Powering Up the Device
• After powering up the unit, the initialization screen is displayed on the LCD.
• The initialization process takes about 8 seconds and during that period the unit boots and displays the device
model and firmware version.
• After the initialization process is finished the DX displays its main screen.
• The screen shows the current program number and program name assigned to the unit. If the 2 fields are empty,
it means that no program is assigned, the last data before the previous power down is recalled instead.
• Now the SM-DX-4800 is ready to operate.
21 3
4

page 6 | © Copyright 2012 Soundmask Australia Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Operating the device
Tips: Channel Linking – While holding down the Mute for 2 Seconds, more than 1 channel from the same group (Input
or Output group) can be selected to link the channels together. The green LEDs above the Mute buttons are lit for the
linked channels. Any modification of the data for the selected channel will be applied to the linked channels as well.
To cancel the linking, simply deselect the desired channel if the Mute key is still pressed.
Input menus
Each of the SM-DX-4800’s input channels has a separate Mute key. Hold down the Mute key for 2 seconds then the
Channel menu can be used and the green LEDs above the Mute button are lit.
One Touch easy access setup button
SM-DX-4800 has 8 one touch setup buttons allowing the user direct control for Signal, EQ, X’over, Limiter, Channel,
Name for each input/output, and System and Exit button.
Signal-Gain/Phase/Delay - Signal parameters
• LEVEL – Gain, -40.00dB to +12.00dB in 0.1dB steps.
• POL – Polarity, can be normal (+) or inverted (-).
• DELAY – Delay in 21us steps. Can be displayed in ms, ft or m. The time unit of the delay can be changed in the
System menu. The maximum delay permitted is 1000ms.
OUI_1:XXXXXX MENU:Signal
LEVEL:0.00dB
POL :+
DELAY :0.105ms
EQ –EQ parameters
• EQ# – Selects one of the 6 available Equalizers.
• LEVEL – EQ level gain. Ranges from -30.00dB to +15.00dB in 0.1dB steps.
• FREQ – EQ center frequency. Ranges from 20 to 20,000Hz in either 1Hz steps or 1/36 octave steps
• BW – EQ Bandwidth. Ranges from 0.05 to 3.00 octaves in steps of 0.01 octave steps for PEQ. The Q value is auto-
matically shown beneath the octave value. For Lo-Sht or Hi-Shf, it is either 6 or 12dB/Oct.
• TYPE – Type of EQ. The types can be parametric (PEQ), Lo-shelf (Lo-shf ) and Hi-shelf (Hi-shf ).
OUT_1:xxxxxx MENU: EQ
EQ#:EQ1 BW:0.50OCT
LEVEL:0.00dB Q=28.85
FREQ : 1000HZ TYPE:PEQ

www.soundmask.com.au | page 7
X Over –Crossover Parameters
• FTRH – Filter Type of low frequency crossover point (high pass). Types can be Butterworth, Linkritz Riley or Bessel.
• FRQH – Filter cut-off Frequency of low frequency crossover point (high pass). Ranges from 20 to 20,000Hz in either
1Hz steps or 1/36 octave Asteps. The frequency steps can be selected in the SLPH (below).
• FTRL – Filter Type of high frequency crossover point (low pass).
• FRQL – Filter cut-off Frequency of high frequency crossover point (low pass).
• SLPL – Filter Slope of low frequency crossover point (high pass). Ranges from 12 to 48dB/octave. If the selected
Filter Type is Linkritz Riley, the available slopes are 12 / 18 / 24 / 48 dB/octave.
OUT_1:XXXXXX MENU:X-Over
FTRH: Butwrth FTRL: Butwrth
FRQH: 1000Hz FRQL:1000Hz
SLPH: 24dB SLPL:24dB
Limiter –Output Limiter
• THRESH – Limit Threshold. Ranges from -20 to +20dBu in 0.5dB steps.
• ATTACK – Attack time. Ranges from 0.3 to 100ms in 0.1ms steps, then ranges from 1 to 100ms in 1ms steps.
• RELEASE – Release time. Can be set at 2X, 4X, 8X, 16X or 32X the attack time.
OUT_1:XXXXXX MENU:Limiter
THRESH:+20.0dB
ATTACK:10ms
RELEASE:2X (20ms)
Channel –Input Mixer
• 1,2,3,4 – Input channel source for the current output channel. Can be used to mix the input source or to disable it
(Off ). If more than one input sources are enabled, they will be added together as the source for the current output
channel.
OUT 1 : MENU:Source
InA:ON
InB:ON
InC:OFF
InD:OFF
Name –Channel Name
• Name – Channel name. It is 6 characters in length.
OUT 1:XXXXXX MENU:Name
NAME:XXXXXX

page 8 | © Copyright 2012 Soundmask Australia Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
System menus
The System Menus allow the user to control and change parameters that are related to the system behavior and
general operation. It can be accessed by pressing the System one touch key.
SYSTEM MENU
Load a Xover
Store a Xover
Erase a Xover
System Set
Signal Generate
Load a Xover –Program Recall
The SM-DX-4800 has a built in non-volatile memory that can store up to 30 different program setups. A program can
be recalled using this menu.
Load a Xover
*User Mode
Factory Mode

Load a Xover: User Mode
*1
2
3…
• PROG - Program Number to be recalled.
Store a Xover –Program store
The SM-DX-4800 has a built in non-volatile memory that can store up to 30 different program setups. A program can
be stored using this menu. The old program with the same program number will be replaced. Once the program is
stored in the flash memory, it can be recalled at a later time, even after power down.
Store a Xover
*1
2
3…
• PROG - Program Number for the current data to be stored.
Erase a Xover
*1
2
3…
System set
SYSTEM MENU
*Password
BackLight Set
Delay Unit
Device ID
System info

www.soundmask.com.au | page 9
Password
The password of the DX is 6 characters in length.
SYSTEM SETUP MENU: Password
*------*
*0 *
*------*
BackLight Set
SYSTEM SETUP MENU: Time
Light on / 20 s
The LCD display can set always on or switch off after 20 seconds.
Delay ID
SYSTEM SETUP MENU: Delay
DELAY UNIT: ms /cm / ft
Set the Delay unit in ms or cm or ft.
Device ID
SYSTEM SETUP MENU: Device
DEVICE ID: 1
Set the Device ID from 1 to 250
System Info
Version: V1.0.1
Copyright :
Created by:
Created Date:
Signal Generate
*Normal
Pink Noise
Tones ( XXXX Hz)
Normal – Normal mode
Pink Noise – Pink Noise Generate mode
Tones – Tones mode, can select any frequency from 20Hz to 20kHz.
• NAME – Program Name, allows a maximum length of 15 characters.
SYSTEM Recall
P:1 XXXXXXXXXXXX
SYSTEM Store
P:1
SYSTEM Store
NAM:XXXXXXXXXXXX

page 10 | © Copyright 2012 Soundmask Australia Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Security - Security Lock
The SM-DX-4800 enables the user to secure the unit and prevent undesired changes in the setup. In order to lock/
unlock the unit the user must enter the correct password.
• PASSWORD – Under the System Manu
The password of the DX is 6 characters in length. The user can change it via the PC application software. The factory
default of a new unit does not require a password.
*Password

SYSTEM SETUP MENU: Password
*------*
*0 *
*------*
Quick Reference
Parameters Menu
<<Menu>>
Field
<<Cursor>> Min Max Steps Units
Level Signal LEVEL -40 +15 0.1 dB
Polarity Signal POL + / -
Delay Signal DELAY 0-1000ms 21us steps
EQ Number EQ EQ# 1- 6
EQ Level EQ LEVEL -30 +15 0.1 dB
EQ Frequency EQ FREQ 20 20,000 1 Hz
EQ Bandwidth EQ BW 0.05 to 3 0.01 Octave
Crossover Low XOver FTRH / Butterworth / Linkwitz-Riley / Bessel
Crossover Low XOver FRQH 20 20,000 1 Hz
Crossover Low XOver SLPH 12/18/24/48 octave
Crossover High XOver FTRL Off / Butterworth / Linkwitz-Riley / Bessel
Crossover High XOver FRQL 20 20,000 1 Hz
Crossover High XOver SLPL 12/18/24/48 octave
Out Limiter Thresh Limit THRESH -20 +20 0.1 dBu
Out Attack Time Limit ATTACK 0.3-100ms 1 ms
Out Release Time Limit RELEASE 2 / 4 / 8 / 16 / 32X Attack time
Source Source 1, 2, 3 , 4 Off / On
Channel Name Ch-Name NAME 6 characters

www.soundmask.com.au | page 11
PC Control Software
The SM-DX-4800 series is shipped with special PC Control Software which gives the user an option to control the
unit from a remote PC via the USB or RS485 serial communication link. The software makes it much easier to control
and monitor the device allowing the user to get the whole picture on one screen. Programs can be recalled and
stored from/to the PC’s hard drive.
The LCD will display below when PC software is connected.
PC Connection.......
Note: Software compatible with Windows 7 and earlier.
Specications
Inputs and Outputs
Input Impedance: >10k Ohms
Output Impedance: 50 Ohms
Maximum Level: +20dBu
Type: Electronically balanced
Audio Performance
Frequency Response: +/- 0.1dB (20 to 20 kHz)
Dynamic Range: 115dB type (unweighted)
CMMR: > 60dB (50 to 10 kHz)
Crosstalk: < -100dB
Distortion: 0.002% (1 kHz @+4dBu)
Digital Audio Performance
Processor: 32-bit (40-bit floating point)
Sampling Rate: 48 kHz
Analog Converters: High Performance 24-bit
Propagation Delay: 1.5ms
Front Panel Controls
Display: 4 x 32 Character Backlit LCD
Level Meters: 5 segment LED
Buttons: Mute/Edit Controls
Menu Controls
Dial Encoder: Embedded Thumb Wheel
Connectors
Audio: 3-pin XLR
RS-485 X 2
USB: Type B
General
Power: 90-120 or 200-240 VAC (50-60Hz)
Dimensions: 19”x1.75”x9” (483x44x229 mm)
Weight: 7lbs / 3.2kg

page 12 | © Copyright 2012 Soundmask Australia Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved
Audio Control Parameters
Gain: -40 to +15dB in 0.1dB steps
Polarity: +/-
Delay: Up to 1000ms per I/O
Parametric Equalizers (6 per I/O)
Type: Parametric, Hi-shelf, Lo-shelf
Gain: -40 to +12dB in 0.1dB steps
Bandwidth: 0.05 to 3 octaves (Q=0.404 to 28.852)
Crossover Filters (2 per Input / Output)
Filter Types: Butterworth, Bessel, Linkwitz Riley
Slopes: 12 to 48dB/Oct
Limiters
Threshold: -20 to +20dBu
Attack: 0.3 to 100ms
Release: 2 to 32X the attack time
System Parameters
No. of Programs: 30 (10 factory programs and 20 user defined)
Program Names: 12 character length
Delay Units: ms, ft, m
Frequency Modes: 36 steps/Oct, 1Hz resolution
Security Lock: Lock/Unlock
Copy channels: All parameters (with PC software)
Channel Names: 6 character length
Standards
(E144572-A29-UL-1)
**Note: Specications subject to change without notice**
Contact
Soundmask Australia Pty Ltd
PO Box 4068
Balwyn VIC 3103
Australia
Phone: [phone]
Fax: + 61 3 9879 2266
www.soundmask.com.au
To the best of our knowledge, the material contained within this document was accurate at the
time of printing. No liability or otherwise is assumed for the accuracy of this document. No war-
ranty is given or implied as to the accuracy of any part of the document.