User manual ALESIS MODFX SMASHUP

[. . . ] Reference Manual This page intentionally left blank 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% © 2002 Alesis. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. All trademarks are property of their respective holders. [. . . ] 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 What about the input and output 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. 22 3 Using the Smashup This section defines compression, and explains the functions of the Smashup's controls in greater detail. What is a compressor? Most types of signal processors, such as reverbs, phaser/flangers, and equalizers, make an obvious change in the sound. But a compressor's action is much more subtle; when used properly, many listeners won't be aware that signal processing is being used. Yet, compressors are essential in modern audio work to make instruments hold their place in the mix, and add sustain and body. Almost every lead vocal on a pop record is compressed during tracking or mixdown. Often the entire stereo mix is compressed or limited during the mastering process. A compressor/limiter like the Smashup is essentially an automatic volume control. Imagine an engineer with his hand on a fader and his eyes on an input level meter. As long as the meter stays below a certain point (the threshold), he leaves the fader up and the gain is unchanged. But the instant the sound gets louder, the engineer pulls down the fader by a certain amount. After the sound gets soft again, the engineer will push the fader back up. That's what the Smashup is doing, except much faster and more accurately than humanly possible. Paradoxically, by cutting the peak levels, the Smashup allows you to raise the average level of a sound using the [OUTPUT] control and make the overall sound louder. By coordinating the [THRESHOLD] and [OUTPUT] controls, you can set a stable sound that will hold its position in the mix regardless of the dynamics of the instrument or vocal. Compression is the tool to use when you want a lead vocal to go from a scream to a whisper and not get buried behind the instruments. 23 3 Using the Smashup What the controls do Let's go back to the "engineer with his hand on a fader and eyes on the meter" analogy. The top panel controls simply tell the "engineer" what rules he should follow. [THRESHOLD] tells him how high the input level can rise before he has to start pulling down the fader: if it's turned full clockwise, he won't pull down his fader at all; if it's turned full counter-clockwise, he'll have his hand on the fader even for very faint sounds. That depends on the [TYPE] setting, as will be explained later. For example, in Classic mode, Smashup acts as a compressor/limiter with a ratio of 4:1. That means that if the input rises above the threshold by 8 decibels, the output will only be allowed to rise 2 decibels. In Transparent mode, the compression ratio is a gentler 2:1, so an input 8 dB above the threshold will be allowed to rise 4 dB. [. . . ] 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. In all cases disputes concerning this warranty shall be resolved as prescribed by law. [. . . ]