Specifications

S3L System Guide176
Plug-Ins and VENUE Standalone Software
You can use VENUE Standalone software to pre-configure
plug-in routing and in/out state, with the following limitations:
• Plug-Ins cannot be installed in the Standalone Software.
• A Show file must be transferred from a system on which
plug-ins were previously installed.
Once a Show file containing plug-ins has been transferred to the
standalone software, the following rules apply:
• Plug-Ins can be placed in racks and routed in Standalone
mode.
• Snapshots can be created, loaded, and stored.
• Plug-In settings cannot be adjusted.
• Plug-In Presets cannot be saved or loaded.
Plug-In DSP Usage
Plug-Ins utilize DSP resources when they are assigned to a rack
slot, and that rack slot is powered on. The S3L system provides
four DSPs for plug-ins (DSPs 9–12).
Plug-In availability is limited to available DSP resources. Certain
plug-ins use more DSP resources than others. You may not be
able to instantiate a plug-in if there are not enough DSP resources
available. You can turn off unused plug-ins to reclaim their DSP
by making them inactive, or by removing them from the system.
You can view plug-in DSP usage on the Options > Devices page.
To view plug-in DSP usage:
1 Go to Options > Devices.
2 In the Engine section, locate the DSP usage window.
3 Scroll to the bottom of the window, so that DSPs 9–12 are vis-
ible. The currently active plug-ins and the DSPs they are allo-
cated to are shown.
Initializing the Plug-In Racks
The racks are initialized (or re-initialized) whenever the system is
first powered on, whenever the system is restarted, after installing
a plug-in, and after disabling or re-enabling a plug-in.
While the racks are initializing, they are offline and do not pro-
cess audio. Avoid performing any Filing or Transfer functions
until the racks are finished initializing. Rack status is displayed
on-screen in the banner display.
Plug-In Levels
Meter levels on the S3L system are displayed in dBVU, with
0 dBVU =+4dBu analog out = –20dBFS.
Internally, the S3L system provides up to 32-bit processing for
built-in EQ, dynamics, and plug-ins, and up to 44-bit processing
for built-in GEQ, with level matching circuitry and logic ensuring
maximum fidelity and sonic performance throughout the entire
signal path. Due to variances in how plug-in metering is imple-
mented by different manufacturers, performance may vary with
regard to plug-in gain reduction meters and their relative levels.
When using side-chain routing, be aware of potential level differ-
ences between Input Channel pickoff points. For more informa-
tion, see “Using the Sidechain” on page 148.
Plug-In Latency and Processing Delay
Plug-In latency includes processing delay of the plug-in itself
plus routing delay, as follows:
• Instance delay: 2 samples per plug-in
• DSP routing delay: 3 samples
Viewing Plug-In Latency
Cumulative channel processing delay can be viewed by
right-clicking the Inserts area of the selected channel. The cumu-
lative delay includes latency reported by all inserted plug-ins, sig-
nal routing and the known hardware insert delay, if applicable.
Individual plug-In processing delay can be seen by right-clicking
the plug-in icon in the rack. Use the number reported when cal-
culating latency for manual delay compensation.
Examples
If there is only one plug-in on a channel, the total delay will be the
amount of plug-in latency + 2 + 3. (2 samples for the one plug-in
instance, plus 3 samples for the DSP routing to the racks and
back.)
If you have two plug-ins on a channel or bus, the delay will be
plug-in #1 latency + 2 + plug-in #2 latency + 2 + 3. If plug-in #1
has 12 samples of latency, and plug-in #2 has 15, total latency
will be 34 samples (12 + 2 + 15 + 2 + 3).
Viewing cumulative delay by right-clicking the Inserts section