User manual SPL CHARISMA

[. . . ] Manual Model 9733 Dual Channel Tube Processor SOUND PERFORMANCE LAB CHARISMA Model 9733 Manual by Hermann Gier and Paul White Version 1. 2 ­ 1/1999 The information in this document has been carefully verified and is assumed to be correct. However Sound Performance Laboratory (SPL) reserves the right to modify the product described in this manual at any time. This document is the property of SPL and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner, in part or full without the authorization of SPL. Limitations of Liability: In no event will SPL be liable for any damages, including loss of data, lost profits, cost of cover or other special, incidental, consequential or indirect damages arising from the use of the unit, however caused and on any theory of liability. [. . . ] When you increase the value, you will get a more intense tube processing and the output volume rises. To compensate this use the OUTPUT control (4). Max/Process LEDs PROCESS = processing starts MAX = max. saturation 2 The PROCESS LED illuminates when CHARISMA starts its tube processing. The tubes are starting to generate their typical sound and harmonical structure. The MAX LED indicates that the processing has reached its maximum position. Now the tube is fully saturated and the typical limiting effect occurs. Increasing the DRIVE results in more tube distortion. IMPORTANT: When you start to process a sound with heavy transients and attack, like a snare or a kick drum, you can drive the tubes into heavy saturation before you start to hear the tube´s distortion. When the PROCESS LED starts to illuminate you hardly hear a change. Drive the tubes into heavier distortion so that the MAX LED illuminates frequently and the tube processing becomes audible. On the other hand, when you process layer sounds or almost sinewave-like sounds you will sometimes hear the tube´s distortion even before the PROCESS LED illuminates. The CHARISMA effect is sometimes unpleasant on layer sounds!So, set the DRIVE level depending on the character of the sound you want to process. Our hearing detects overtones on sinewave-like signal immediately as unpleasant distortion, whereas squarewave-like sounds can be heavily distrorted and still remain pleasing to the ear. Note: Do not set the DRIVE controls to identical scale settings and expect the tubes to act identical when different source characteristics are present at the inputs. Trust your hearing. Examples: ­ with snare or kick drum you can use heavy distortion (MAX LED illuminates) ­ with layer sounds you should be very careful!Only use very little distortion if any (PROCESS LED rarely) 6 This unique control varies the tube sound and allows you to create varying sound characteristics from SOFT to HARD. Creating different tube sounds results in varying harmonical structures and adjustments in the SOFT control range bring in the harmonical distortion and the tube limiting very slowly (you can compare this with the soft-knee characteristic of a limiter). In comparison to the HARD control range the SOFT effect starts off at relatively low levels. The sound becomes smooth and warm, is a little softer, and contains more harmonic distortion than the HARD sound. In the HARD control range CHARISMA operates comparable to the hard-knee characteristic of a limiter. The processing starts with full effect at one point whereupon the signal is sharply limited, and at this point, the sound becomes punchy and crispy. [. . . ] You can run your favorite samples and synth sounds through CHARISMA and give them the final edge. Give yor TB 303 clone the bite of the original 303. By widening the harmonical spectrum you have unlimited possibilities to boost and refreshen synth sounds or create new ones. Power Supply Special care has gone into the design of the power supply of the CHARISMA. The power supply is the heart of an electronic system: The better it is, the better the whole system works and ­ in an audio system ­ the better it sounds. [. . . ]