Vertigo Sound VSM-2 User manual

Thank you for purchasing a VERTIGO SOUND PRODUCT.
The VSM-2 is VERTIGO SOUND's second unique design. The VSM-2 is a creative fully analog Mix and Mastering tool.
The VSM offers MS, Blending and two sophisticated Coloration Generators.
The Vertigo Sound VSM-2
a.k.a. The Mix Satellite
Operation Manual
The basic idea and concept of the VSM-2
The Vertigo Sound Mix Satellite offers LR and MS use of EQs or Compressors on two independent fully balanced Inserts,
AFL Solo of M and S and two frequency and stereo/ MS selective distortion, coloration or saturation circuits.
The VSM-2 provides a bunch of tricks for Recording, Mixing and Mastering:
>Level matching up to +30 dbu at the Ins and Outs
>Fast input and output metering plus various Clip Leds
>All controls can be easily recalled via stepped pots or switches
>MS De and Encoding
>AFL Solo for M and S-Signal
>Two fully balanced inserts on XLR
>Stereo Width control for M and S
>Dry-Wet Insert 1 Mix control provides “Parallel Compression” for LR and MS
>Two independent stereo coloration circuits
>Stereo and M or S Generation of pure 2nd and 3rd harmonics
>Coloration is independantly switchable to M, S or LR
You can “Crush or Blend” your master, “Search and Rescue” lost instruments or just enhance individual tracks
like vocals, drums or whatever your creativity comes up with.

Installation & Hook Up
The VSM generates a fair amount of heat. Please en-
sure that the ventilation holes on top of the housing
are not closed.
The unit can be used with either balanced or unbalanced
sources and the outputs can be loaded either balanced
or unbalanced:
Input: The audio input is as well electronically balanced
fully floating and can handle levels up to + 30 dBu. The
output load should not be less then 600 Ohms. If only
one of the output pin 2 or 3 is grounded, the signal level
on the other pin raises by + 6 dB.
Insert 1 and Insert 2: The audio input is as well electroni-
cally balanced fully floating and can handle levels up to
+ 30 dBu. The output load should not be less then 600
Ohms. If only one of the output pin 2 or 3 is grounded,
the signal level on the other pin raises by + 6 dB.
Output: The audio input is aswell electronically balanced
fully floating and can handle levels up to + 30 dBu. The
output load should not be less then 600 Ohms. If only
one of the output pin 2 or 3 is grounded, the signal level
on the other pin raises by + 6 dB.
Balanced IN/OUT
Pin 1 = Ground/Shield
Pin 2 = Audio + (hot)
Pin 3 = Audio – (cold)
Unbalanced IN/OUT
Pin 1 = Ground/Shield
Pin 2 = Audio + (hot)
Pin 3 = Audio common/Ground/Shield
02

The Input
Start with the Input Knob in 12 o’clock position. You can
use the Input Stereo to trim the level for all following
stages (Inserts and Distortion ciruits)
The “Global System” Switch is a hardwire bypass for all
stages of the VSM-2
Insert 1
In the first insert you can plug in EQs, Deesers or Com-
pressors. Mainly Insert 1 was designed to work in con-
junction with a compressor.
Please select the mode you want to process your music.
Insert 1 in LR mode:
You can use your compressor or EQ for conventional
stereo processing
Insert 1 in MS mode:
If MS is enabled be sure to put your compressor in un-
linked (dual mono) mode. Now channel A (L) of your
compressor is processing M and channel B (R) is pro-
cessing the S Signal. The Level of “S” is compensated
so there’s no need for a very low threshold setting when
compressing. The ISR and its MS Decoding cancels this
level compensation.
Insert 1 in Off mode:
Now Insert 1 is switched Off and hardwire bypassed.
You can use “Off” if nothing is plugged into the Insert 1
or just to compare if your processing provides a sonic
benefit or not.
> HINT
Please use the SOLO to listen to the M and S
parts of the mix. MS processing can be very
powerful but the benefit is always depending
on the mix.
Try e.G. to optimize the time constants of a
compressor to the instruments of M.
Engage “Solo M” and set the Attack and
Release to work optimal with the Kick, Snare
and Vocals. Afterwards engage “Solo S” and
find the right time constants for the strings and
guitars on the Side. Always be aware that the
compression and its Make Up can change the
stereo image drastically. Please make sure
that the compressor Make Up provides the
same Level in “Active” and “Bypass”.
MS processing can be very powerful but the
benefit is always depending on the mix. After
some time working with MS Processing you
will have an immediate vision what benfits can
be reached with MS or if conventional stereo
processing might be the better technique to get
an fast improvement of your mix!
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Parallel Compression:
If the Parallel Compression Knob on Insert 1 is not en-
gaged you will listen to the 100% wet processed signal
= 100% Return of Insert 1.
Parallel compression engaged
Now the Dry/Wet Knob is active! Please start fully clock-
wise on Wet! Moving the knob to dry (anticlockwise).
Now the processed signal of the returns of Insert 1 are
blended with the unprocessed signal of the Input. Now
you can mix in your compression on any track without
affecting the original signal. It’s like the best of 2 worlds,
a combination of the compressed and uncompressed
signal.
> HINT
Making an Expander out of any compressor!
Using only two phase reversed XLR leads
(Pin 2 and Pin 3 swapped) at any connector
of Insert 1 makes your compressor work
in opposite ! Your compressor becomes an
Expander the more you blend the signal
(move the parallel compression knob counter-
clockwise.
> HINT
Over-compression usually kills the dynamics
of a performance.
What is parallel compression ?
Parallel compression refers to mixing a dry
signal with a heavily compressed copy of itself.
The dynamics in the dry signal are preserved
while the compressed signal adds body and
character to the overall sound. It works for any
instrument, but on drums and vocals in par-
ticular, the added character can really bring a
track to life.
Setting for a quick start with “Parallel Com-
pression”
Ratio 4 to Brick
Attack 1 ms or faster
Release set to 0,3 – 0,6 s
The transients give your sound bite and helps
instruments stick out better in your mix. The
compression gives your sounds more body and
more punch and brings out hidden frequencies
for a fuller sound.
Please feel free to experiment. E.g. try Parallel
Compression in MS Mode!
04

05
Insert 2
Just like Insert 1 this Insert can be switched to LR, By-
pass (Off) or MS mode.
Putting Insert 2 into MS mode automatically engages the
the MS stereo width control.
If you use Insert 2 in conventional LR (Stereo) mode this
knob is a stereo balance control. The Sterowidth control
has a “Zoom In” around the center position making it
easy to find the sweet spot !
The “stereo width control should be in “middle”
= 12 o’clock position when starting to work.
> HINT
Some scales have a bigger point at the scale.
This bigger point indicates the start point when
beginning to process music.
With the M / S knob of insert 2 in the center
position (bigger dot), the stereo balance of the
mix remains intact. This is a good starting
point to begin with when planning to alter the
stereo width of the mix. Turning the knob
towards the S side will increase the difference
information and thus provide the perception
of a wider mix. Turning the knob toward the
M side will increase the mono content, making
the stereo field of the mix sound more “narrow.”

06
EQ on a Mix in MS:
This usage example might illustrate how powerful MS-EQ
can be.
You want to fix a mix that has enough presence and top
end but not enough lower mids on the lead vocals. At
the same time, the guitars on the sides need less low
end and the cymbals could be much brighter. What can
be done ?
This task is solved with an EQ in Insert 2 switched to
MS mode without a problem by adding 160 Hz on the
M channel, and cutting some dBs at 160 Hz plus adding
some 12 k shelving at the same time on the S channel.
AFL Solo for M& S:
This Solo function allows you to listen to the the output of
the VSM-2 encoded in M or S. Putting the toggle switch
to S you listen to LR-M. This “Quasi S” Solo makes it
easier to judge the room information of the S signal.
The Toggle switch is located inside the Insert 2 field on
the frontplate but grabs and encodes the signal after
the two output controls of the VSM-2.
This enables you to check the effect of your processing
on the M or S part of your programm material at all
stages of the VSM-2. (Insert 1, Insert 2, Fet Crusher and
Zener Blender)
> HINT
Please use the Stereo Width Control to correct
the Stereo image of your mix. After MS pro-
cessing with the compressor inserted in ISR 1
and Equalisation in Insert 2 your mix could
be e.G. missing some solid “Center”. Please
move the Knob towards M.

07
2nd Harmoncic Fet Crusher
The tube sound is often subjectively described as having
a “warmth” and “richness”. It may be due to the non-
linear clipping that occurs with tube amps, or due to the
higher levels of second-order harmonic distortion.
The VSM-2 “Fet Crusher” circuitry produces pure 2nd
harmonics emulating a Class A and Triode tube Stage.
This versatile coloration, saturation or distortion circuitry
is easy adaptable.
Here are the controls:
System In:
With this switch the harmonic generator can be engaged
or hardwire bypassed.
Drive:
Sets the Input level or threshold to “What” and “How
much” is going into the distortion stage. The Green /Red
Led shows how much gain is used at the moment. If the
Led is lighting red the distortion will produce a quite
drastic effect to the music.
Input Filter:
With the Input Filter you can define what frequency goes
into the harmonic generator.
The “Track“ mode is designed to process individual in-
struments or to Limit the full f-response. In this Mode the
Mix control is switched off. The Shape control is filtering
the output of the distortion only. No frequencies of the
original unprocessed signal are filled in.
LR and M or S Selector:
This toggle switch defines if either LR, M or S is sent to
the harmonic generator.
(You can e.G generate harmonics only onto the High
frequencies of the S part of your program material)
Shape
Shape is a Hi Cut filter to get rid of multiple distortion
products to prevent a harsh and gritty too “brilliant” re-
sult. The Filter “hi-cuts” the “distortion band” while filling
in the original frequency content. In “Track” Filter Mode
no original frequencies are filled in.
> HINT
The “Drive” acts similar to the threshold
parameter of a compressor. A high drive (low
threshold) wich means that the entire mix is
going into the harmonic generator will mostly
call for a low amount of THD = “low MIX”
A lower “Drive” setting means that only the
peaks of your program material are fed into the
harmonic generator. This technique may allow
a “high mix”setting. Please experiment in both
settings with the shape control for the most
musical approach.
The filter modes:
Low 10 Hz – 120 Hz
Mid 120 Hz – 1,5 k
Hi Mid 800Hz–4k
High 4K–20k
Full 120–20k
Track 10 Hz–20k

08
THD Mix:
This is a dry-wet control where you can mix between the
unprocessed signal and the output of the harmonic gen-
erator. (This potentiometer works in the same fashion
like the parallel compression function at Insert 1)
Level:
The “Level” pot is very important if you don’t work in Full
or Track mode. With this level you can adjust a new level
for the processed band similar to a multiband compres-
sor. The left yellow LED shows the original level and the
right LED the new level added.
Style:
Here you can define the attitude and style of the harmonic
generator. You can select a softer or harder characteris-
tic. This is very similar to a hard or soft knee switch on a
compressor. If you use a very high “Drive” (Led Red) the
both characteristics will sound more and more the same
because processing occurs outside the knee.
> HINT
Left Led is brighter:
You add distortion and add this band
with reduced level.
Both LEDs have the same brightness:
The Level of the processed frequency-band
stays the same.
Right LED is brighter:
You add level like using a colouring EQ.

09
> HINT
Full Mode – How to make your mix sound
fuller and thicker:
If the “Zener Limiter” setting above is too
brutal please switch the “Input Filter” from
“Track” to “Full” mode.
In this setting the Low Frequencies of your mix
won’t be processed that much / because the
Low End is partially bypassed.
In this mode both yellow Leds should have the
same brighness to keep the spectral balance
of the mix.
This technique works similar to the “SC Filter”
in a compressor.
The “Mix” control works like the “Parallel
Compression” knob in Insert 1.
3rd Harmonic Zener Blender
The “Zener Blender” creates third harmonics but will con-
tain some higher order odd harmonics depending on the
Drive. It is like driving a pentode into overload. The Zener
circuitry makes things sound brighter, and brings out
detail. This can also be described as a compression or
limiting effect.
> HINT
All controls are identical to the 2nd harmonic
generator. Please read the above description
first (2nd Harmoncic Fet Crusher).
> HINT
How to use the 3rd harmonic generator as a
Zener Limiter:
Please set the Zener Blender like on the Pic 1.
Now use the “Drive” Control like the threshold
of a limiter.

Technical Specifications
>All Ins and Outs electronically balanced
>Dynamic Range: 128 db
>Frequency response: 10 Hz … 70 kHz (± 1 db)
>Max. Output Level: + 30 dBu
>THD at + 28 dbu ≤0,003 %
>Signal to Noise Ratio at + 6 dBu
= 104 db (20 … 20 kHz, unweighted, RMS)
>Noise: — 98 dBu (20 Hz – 22 khz – unweighted, RMS)
@ 0 db Unity Gain
>Power consumption: max. 30 Watts
Saftey, Grounding, Groundloops and more !
This Appartus must be earthed!
>To avoid groundloops all Audio-Grounds (XLR-Pin1)
are separated from the outer metallcase (housing of
the VSM-2).
>To keep them separated, please avoid connecting any
XLR-Pin1 with of any XLR-housing or the housing of
the VSM-2. Unnecessary groundloops might occur.
>XLR-Pin 1 of the inputs are “soft-grounded” internally
over 10 Ohms Resistors. Internal climbing diodes
mounted in the power PCB avoid voltages more then
48 volts between audio-ground and chassis ground.
>The powersupply is secured against overload and is
fire-protected: Several melting fuses, overheat sen-
sors, security resistors etc. The powersupply is of
noiseless linear construction: There is no “digitally
switching” type psu with unaudible but AD-Conversion
disturbing HF-Noise.
>There are no signal relevant magnetic or static fields
coming out of the unit. The toroidal power transformer
works with reduced primary voltage, therewith the
already neglectable stray field is reduced once again
dramatically. The steelcase of the VSM-2 shields all
the rest, electrostatic and magnetic and for that rea-
son your studio stays 100 % clean after installing the
VSM-2.
>> Vertigo Sound — One name steps out of the herd.
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