User manual ALESIS MODFX BITRMAN

[. . . ] Reference Manual This page intentionally left blank 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Copyright 2002, Alesis. All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Specifications subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of their respective holders. [. . . ] Watch out for high levels, however: some XLR sources put out levels close to the maximum the Bitrman can accept (about +12 dBu) even when its trim is at minimum. Lower the level of the source if the [SIGNAL] LED flashes red. Don't use line transformers: Many XLR-to-1/4" adapters sold at electronics stores are NOT adapters, but transformers (and very low quality transformers at that). Don't use these on the output of the Bitrman--they're unnecessary and generally sound awful because they don't have the headroom to handle the Bitrman's output. . Get a hard-wired adapter or cable from your professional audio dealer, or make one yourself from components. About audio cables The connections between the Bitrman and your studio are your music's lifeline, so use only high quality cables. These should be low-capacitance shielded cables with a stranded (not solid) internal conductor and a low-resistance shield. Although quality cables cost more, they do make a difference. Route cables to the Bitrman correctly by observing the following precautions: · · · Do not bundle audio cables with AC power cords. Avoid running audio cables near sources of electromagnetic interference such as transformers, monitors, computers, etc. Do not place cables where they can be stepped on. Stepping on a cable may not cause immediate damage, but it can compress the insulation between the center conductor and shield (degrading performance) or reduce the cable's reliability. Avoid twisting the cable or having it make sharp, right angle turns. Never unplug a cable by pulling on the wire itself. Always unplug by firmly grasping the body of the plug and pulling directly outward. · · 22 Connections Using the ModLink The Bitrman can be connected to other effect boxes in the ModFX family via the ModLink. The ModLink is a cable-free connection between two ModFX units that transfers digital audio and word clock. The 9-pin male connector on the left side of the unit is the ModLink IN port. The 9-pin female connector on the right side is the ModLink OUT port. By directly connecting two ModFX units via the ModLink, audio will pass from the left-most unit to the right-most unit. Inputs AC adapter Outputs 2 What about the 1/4" jacks on the slave units? When a unit is a slave to another unit, its audio input jacks are disabled; it will get its audio input digitally from its ModLink port. The output jacks, however, are always active; so an audio output can be tapped from any linked unit, without interrupting the flow to the rest of the chain. Master First Slave Audio Flow Second Slave The audio signal flows from left to right. The Master will send its digital audio output to the First Slave, and the First Slave will, in turn, send its output to the Second Slave. 23 2 Connections This page intentionally left blank. 24 3 Using the Bitrman This section will explain how the effects work, and explains the functions of the Bitrman's controls in greater detail. About multieffects Think of the Bitrman as being four different effect boxes in one. If you hooked up separate "stomp boxes" with cables, you'd find that the same four boxes will produce radically different sounds when they're connected in different orders. Take, for example, this chain of devices: Compressor Distort Phasor Bitrness The input is compressed first, then distorted, then phased, then modulated. The resulting sound of the above will be very different from this chain: Distort Bitrness Phasor Compressor The fact that the compressor is last in this chain, after all the other effects have taken place, can have a dramatic effect. . . especially if the input is a dynamic source like a guitar, with sudden transients on the attacks that are much louder. [. . . ] See DUAL PHASOR POWER, 15 adapter, 17 cable safety, 7 Rack mounting, 17 RING MOD, 29, 30 Safety, 7 SIGNAL LED, 15, 16, 18, 22 stereo, 18 in RING MOD mode, 29 transformers, 22 TRIM, 15, 16, 18 active in bypass mode, 33 vibrato, 28 XLR, 22 47 Warranty / Contact Alesis Alesis Limited Warranty ALESIS CORPORATION ("ALESIS") warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one (1) year for parts and for a period of one (1) year for labor from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty is enforceable only by the original retail purchaser and cannot be transferred or assigned. For the most effective service, the purchaser should register the purchase on the ALESIS website at http://www. alesis. com/support/warranty. htm. During the warranty period ALESIS shall, at its sole and absolute option, either repair or replace free of charge any product that proves to be defective on inspection by ALESIS or its authorized service representative. [. . . ]