User manual RANE SSE 22

[. . . ] Be sure the POWER light fits snugly into the hole in the security cover. Never connect anything except an approved Rane power supply to the thing that looks like a red telephone jack on the rear of the unit. This is an AC input and requires special attention if you do not have a power supply exactly like the one originally packed with your unit. See the full explanation of the power supply requirements on page Manual-3. THX is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd. [. . . ] The SSE 22 locates between the preamplifier/ processor and the amplifier. INPUTS AND OUTPUTS Connections are actively unbalanced and fitted with RCA phono pin jacks. Use good quality cables and keep lengths as short as possible. Longer length require balanced lines, using an adaptor such as a Rane BB 44X Balance Buddy. SIGNAL LEVELS The SSE 22 is designed for audio reference levels of 0 dBr (150 mV rms), and provides a minimum headroom of 34. 5 dB above reference, making it virtually unclippable. With all LEVEL controls located in their 0 dB detented positions, the SSE 22 operates with unity gain from Input to Output. No additional gain settings are necessary. Use the SSE 22 only for specific equalization, not level control. SSE 22 BLOCK DIAGRAM Manual-4 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS STEREO EQUALIZATION Depending on your philosophy, equalizers can perform the role of fancy tone controls or correct speaker power response in a room. The room is an extention of the speaker cabinet, for the same speaker can sound different in different rooms. Even more critical are in-wall speakers, which depend on the wall as an extension of the cabinet, but not all walls have the same construction or size. These differences are more noticeable and specific in the lower frequencies where 1/3-octave EQ is required. The high frequencies need less control, as they are less susceptible to room acoustics. The SSE 22 can be adjusted by ear, but we highly recommend the use of a 1/3-octave realtime analyzer or other similar test equipment. The results will be more accurate with less response variance from channel to channel. SURROUND CHANNEL ALIGNMENT Whether the home cinema system is Dolby Pro-Logic, Home THX, or Dolby Digital, the same principle applies: to flatten the power response of the surrounds in the room. Even though the controller may have a preset filter for a given listening mode, set the surrounds for a flat power response, just like the front channels. Since surrounds may be of a different design than the front channels, equalization can help the front and rear speakers sound more similar, important when the sound pans from front to back (as the spaceship flies overhead). Test equipment is required to properly align a multichannel system, such as a 1/3-octave realtime analyzer, preferable a model with a memory averaging function. Follow the instructions with the analyzer. Though more time consuming, a test CD and a sound pressure level meter can work. For this method, see the RaneNote on Home Theater Systems, available from the factory or downloadable from the Rane web site. Align the system for a flat average response from each Channel. [. . . ] With the SSE 22 set flat (0 dB), adjust volume to a comfortable level on the processor and leave it set. Now move the cable coming from the processor to the Right SSE 22 Input, and align. Once alignment is complete, remove the analyzer and connect the cables to their normal routing. Once equalization for all channels is set, perform a final channel level check with the Dolby Test on the processor. [. . . ]