™ USER’S GUIDE ADX 100 TM Frequency Conscious Gating, Compression, Limiting, and Expansion Plug-in for Mackie Digital Mixers ® ™
Iconography This icon identifies a description of how to perform an action with the mouse. This icon identifies a description of how to perform an action from the console. This icon will lead you to some further explanations of features and practical tips. This icon marks information which is very important, so please make sure you have a read. “Mackie” and the “Running Man” figure are trademarks or registered trademarks of Mackie Designs Inc.
Contents Iconography ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Introduction---------------------------------------------------------4 About Drawmer Advanced Dynamics ---------------------------------- 4 About the D8B UFX Card ------------------------------------------------- 4 About the Drawmer ADX-100 Plug-in -----------------------------------5 Let’s Get Started ---------------------------------------------------6 Requirements ---------------------------------------------------
Introduction Thank you for purchasing the Drawmer ADX-100 plug-in. It is one of the exciting new family of 24-bit plug-ins for the D8B, specifically designed for the new Mackie Universal Effects (UFX) card. The ADX-100 plug-in utilizes 24-bit digital processing power to create a multitude of classic Drawmer dynamic effects for the D8B, the first mixing console in the world to incorporate Drawmer dynamics.
About the Drawmer ADX-100 Plug-in The ADX-100 includes Drawmer’s industry-standard frequency conscious gating, expander, and compressor/limiter. Use the plug-in during tracking and it may very likely be the only effect you will use regularly between the microphone and the recording medium. This advanced dynamics processor will particularly appeal to engineers recording highly dynamic instruments such as a real drum kit. The ADX-100 is a stereo in/stereo out plugin.
Let’s Get Started Requirements • One or more Mackie UFX cards • Mackie Real Time OS 3.0 Software • Plug-in Software We will assume you have successfully installed a Mackie UFX card and Mackie Real Time OS 3.0 software upgrade. If you have encountered problems with the installation of hardware or software please see their associated user guides or contact Mackie support (www.mackie.com). Authorizing the Plug-in If you have D8B v 3.
Unlock Procedure 1. Locate your D8B’s Electronic Serial Number (ESN). This is displayed at the bottom of the Licensing window which is accessed from the Setup screen. The 12-digit ESN is made from numbers 0–9 and letters A–F. It is unique to the D8B processor, and is not the serial number label on the rear of the control surface or CPU chassis. 2. You will also need your plug-in’s serial number which is printed on the floppy disk label. 3.
Configuring the Plug-in After booting the D8B, you must assign the plug-in to a UFX card. See “FX Routing” on page 26 for more details. Assign the Plug-in to a UFX card 1. Click the Plugins menu and select Plugins, (or Ctrl+P on the keyboard). 2. In the Plugin Configuration window, locate the card slot that contains the UFX card you wish to assign to. 3. In the MODE column, click the Mono/Stereo toggle button and set it to STEREO. 4. In the PLUGIN column, select Drawmer Dynamics from the drop-down menu.
Assign an Input Source to the plug-in • Click the plug-in’s INPUT menu button to select an input source. In the example below, we have chosen the Aux 5 Bus as the input to the plug-in installed in slot 5. When a plug-in is fed from an aux bus, its output appears on the FX Return channels (faders in the EFFECTS bank). The return channel is determined by the slot number and whether the effect output is mono or stereo.
Using the ADX-100 plug-in Front Panel Overview The ADX-100 has four main sections: Global Controls (see page 11) Noise Gate (see page 13) Expander (see page 17) Compressor/Limiter (see page 19) Global Controls Toggle Display Compressor/ Limiter Noise Gate Expander 10 Drawmer ADX-100
Global Controls These controls at the top of the GUI include: • Input level sliders • Input/output meters • Left and right (stereo) input source drop-down menu • Memory A and B select buttons • Preset select/display • Menu button Input Level Slider Meter Displays (In/Out) Aux 6 Stereo Input Source Drop-down Menu Memory A/B Buttons Preset Selection & Display Menu Button Hide Plug-In Window Button Click in the display for drop-down preset list.
Input Level Sliders The input level sliders range from –13.75 dB to +18 dB. Input Select Assign the ADX-100’s stereo inputs and outputs from any of the DB8’s pre or post inserts, or auxiliary send buses. Menu Button The pull-down menu button enables familiar D8B functions such as undo, redo, load, save, reset, cut, copy, and paste. Aux 6 Input and Output Meters The Input Meters show the signal level after the input level controls, so the OL indicator always warns of an actual overload.
Noise Gate The ADX-100 Noise Gate with variable threshold level is extremely effective in reducing background hiss and noise during portions of a program with no signal. The ADX-100 also has unique High-Pass/Low-Pass key filters, comprehensive envelope control, and ultra-fast attack time. The gate works by muting the corresponding channel when no signal is present, or when the signal level falls below the gate threshold detection level.
Trigger Button This toggles the trigger source between left and right channels, right channel only, and left channel only. Use Right or Left Channel as external key source input. An external audio source may be used to control the gate action making it possible to gate one sound according to the dynamics of another independent signal. Key Listen (Noise Gate/Expander) When this switch is set to Key Listen, the effect of the key filters on the program material is heard at the output.
Gate/Duck Indicators These three LEDs indicate the action of the Gate and Duck processors. When Gate is selected, the green LED is lit when the Gate is open. When the signal falls 3 dB below the Threshold, the green LED turns off and the yellow LED turns on. When the signal level falls 40 dB below the Threshold, the yellow LED turns off and the red LED turns on, indicating the signal is fully gated. When Duck is selected, the red and green LEDs work in reverse.
Decay Determines the rate at which the gate closes, once the signal has fallen below the Threshold and the Hold time has expired. Variable from 5 ms to 5.032 seconds. Range This sets the amount of attenuation applied to the input signal when the gate is closed, variable from 0 dB to –144 dB. This enables the gate to be used to remove unwanted signals entirely, or simply to attenuate unwanted signals which are too loud.
Expander One of the problems in using compression is that maximum system gain occurs during extremely quiet passages or during pauses, resulting in an increase in background noise, the degree of which depends on the amount of compression being used. The accepted way of dealing with this problem is to include a separate expander section in the compressor. This expander section has its own threshold control so that a low-level gating action may be applied to keep pauses clean.
Ratio When expansion takes place, the Ratio determines the amount of expansion to be used. The ratio slider sets the expansion ratio from 1:1 to 1:123 Range Sets the amount of attenuation applied to the input signal when the expander is triggered, variable from 0 dB to –63 dB. This can be used to prevent excessive expander activity and improve transparency. Attack The Attack time sets the rate at which the expander will respond to input signals that exceed the threshold level.
Compressor/Limiter Compressor A compressor is traditionally used to fit a large signal into a small space, especially in a situation where the dynamic range of the original audio signal is larger than the electronic reproduction equipment will accept (broadcast engineers appreciate this very much). Compression might also be thought of as being one of the most important tools used in both recording and mixing. Automatic gain makeup is active at all times.
0 dB 1:1 -6 dB 2:1 -16 dB 4:1 8:1 20:1 -24 dB Attack Time Threshold Level -36 dB :1 8 Threshold This control sets the level above which compression starts to take place and may be set in the range –63.5 dB to 0.0 dB. Output Level -48 dB Input Level Ratio When compression takes place, the Ratio determines the amount of compression to be used. The ratio slider sets the compression ratio from 1:1 to 20.3:1.
Threshold Slider Ratio Slider Attack Slider Gain Slider Limiter Release Time Presets Active Button (font is white when enabled) Active Button (font is white when enabled) Gain Reduction Meter Knee Slider Release Slider Gain Reduction Meter Gain When compressing, the input signal is attenuated as a normal consequence of the gain reduction action of the compressor responding to the signal dynamics.
Saving, Loading and Resetting a Preset ADX-100 settings can be saved and recalled from the hard drive. You can save and load files from either Memory A or Memory B. To Save a Preset: 1. Click and hold on the MENU button. 2. Select Save User Preset to overwrite the file currently opened. 3. Select Save User Preset As to save to a new file name. The Save Preset File As dialog box appears. 4. A default name for the preset is automatically displayed, such as Preset#1.
To Load a Preset: 1. Click MEM A or MEM B to choose the memory location from which to load the file. 2. Click and hold the MENU button. 3. Select Load Drawmer Dynamics to open a file. The Load Preset File dialog box appears. 4. Click INTERNAL if the file is on the internal drive, or click FLOPPY if the file is on a floppy disk. 5. Select the preset you want to load. 6. Click Open load the selected preset. You can also load a patch from the Preset Display.
To Reset The Preset: Reset will reload the previous patch. 1. Click and hold on the MENU button. 2. Select Reset Drawmer Dynamics. To Cut Preset Settings: 1. Click and hold on the MENU button. 2. Select Cut DrawmerDyn. The current settings are temporarily stored in the clipboard memory in case you want to paste them to a new preset. The plug-in also reverts to its default state (it is reset). To Copy Preset Settings: 1. Click and hold on the MENU button. 2. Select Copy.
Automation and Snapshot Control Dynamic Real Time To write automation on a loaded plug-in: On The Console 1. Engage AUTO TOUCH. 2. Engage ALL, disengage BYPASS, and send timecode to the console – the POSITION readout will change to show TC is being received. 3. Move a parameter or recall a patch (user or factory preset). Subsequent edits to any recorded automation moves may be performed in the Mix Editor.
FX Routing The Plug-in Configuration Window Input Source AsCard Slot Column signment Column Plug-in display toggle Input Channel Assignment Dropdown Menu Button Card A Card B Card C Card D (no card installed) 26 Drawmer ADX-100 Plug-in Assignment Column Close Window Stereo/Mono Mode Column Stereo/Mono Toggle Button
Stereo Plug-in Routing If the plug-in has a stereo input as well as stereo output, typically it will be fed from two Aux buses and returned to a pair of FX return channels. In the diagram below, Aux 1 and Aux 2 feed the plug-in in stereo, and its output is returned to FX 1 and FX 2. If the plug-in has a stereo input, it is permissible to send the same aux bus to both inputs.
Inserting a Plug-in into a Channel A pre- or post-DSP channel insert can also be used as the input source for a plug-in. When a channel insert point is selected, the plug-in output returns to the channel. The FX return path is disconnected, although the plug-in output is still displayed on the FX return channel meter. A plug-in channel insert assignment can be made from the Plugin Configuration window, or from a drop-down menu from the mixer screen.
Using an Aux Send with a Plug-in ♦ Click on the associated INPUT menu button and select an aux input source. In the example below, we have chosen the Aux 5 Bus. Send the Input Signal to the Aux Bus 1. Send a signal to a D8B mixer input channel (MIC/LINE or TAPE IN). 2. Assign the input channel V-Pot/GUI Control Pot to an aux Send. We have chosen AUX 5 according to the example above. 3. Use the AUX 5 control to adjust the input level to the plug-in.
You will see the plug-in’s input meter become active as you raise the mixer input channel’s Aux send. Set the plug-in input/output signal levels as you would with any effect, so the meter reaches its upper-most range every so often (always trust your ears first). This can be accomplished from the console or GUI. Pre-Fader and Post-Fader Auxiliary Sends Normally, effect sends are post-fader, so the signal sent to the effect follows the program level in the mix.
The FX Return Channel ♦ Switch the D8B Bank Select to EFFECTS (49–72) and bring up faders one and two (channels 49 and 50). You will also see meter activity associated with these channels. FX Channels 1&2 (channels 49&50) Stereo plug-in The Plug button toggles between Windows menu buttons and FX buttons (lower left on the D8B mixer screen). Plug-ins button opens the Patch Configuration window (or CtrlP on the keyboard) Here the Delay Factor plug-in is selected for display.
® ™ ©2001 Mackie Designs Inc. and Drawmer Advanced Dynamics. All Rights Reserved. Part No. 820-253-00 Rev.
