SoundCraft M-SERIES User Manual
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SoundCraft M-SERIES User Manual

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Summary of Contents for SoundCraft M-SERIES

  • Page 1: User Guide

    M-SERIES USER GUIDE ®...

  • Page 3: Application

    SAFETY GUIDE Page Safety Symbol Guide Approvals and Notice Warranty Important Safety Instructions Cautions Warnings USER GUIDE...

  • Page 4: Application

    SAFETY SYMBOL GUIDE For your own safety and to avoid invalidation of the warranty all text marked with these Symbols should be read carefully. CAUTIONS Must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury. WARNINGS Must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment. NOTES Contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your equipment.

  • Page 5: Application

    Part No. ZM0252 Issue: 3 0811 Soundcraft is a trading division of Harman International Industries Ltd. Information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of the vendor. Soundcraft shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from the use of information or any error contained in this manual.

  • Page 6: Application

    WARRANTY Soundcraft is a trading division of Harman International Industries Ltd . End User means the person who first puts the equipment into regular operation. Dealer means the person other than Soundcraft (if any) from whom the End User purchased the Equipment, provided such a person is authorised for this purpose by Soundcraft or its accredited Distributor.

  • Page 7: Application

    IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CAUTIONS • To avoid the risk of fire, replace the mains fuse only with the correct type and value fuse, as marked on the rear panel. ATTENTION: - Afin de réduire le risque de feu remplacer seulement avec fusible de même type. MAINS VOLTAGE SELECTION This setting is NOT User Adjustable.

  • Page 8: Warnings

    • Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat resistors, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat. • Do not use this apparatus near water. • Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding type plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other.

  • Page 9: Table Of Contents

    CONTENTS Page Overview The 10 Second Tutor Introduction Advice for Those Who Push the Boundaries Installation & Safety Precautions Wiring Up Mono Input Channels Stereo Input Channels Master Section Using Your Soundcraft M Series Console Advanced Features Application 1 Live Sound Reinforcement Application 2 Multispeaker Applications Application 3...

  • Page 10: Overview

    OVERVIEW To get you working as fast as possible, this manual begins with a 10 second tutorial. Here you can find quick information on any feature of the console, and a page reference where you can find a more detailed explanation. THE 10 SECOND TUTOR MIC INPUT (XLR) Connect Microphones here.
  • Page 11 EQ STAGE Adjust these controls to change the signal tone AUX SENDS Adjust these controls to change the level of the signal to an FX unit or an artist’s monitors (head phones/in-ear/stage monitors). Aux 1&2 are pre-fade, while Aux 3&4 are post-fade PAN CONTROL Use this control to position the signal within the stereo field MUTE SWITCH...

  • Page 12: Introduction

    INTRODUCTION Thank you for purchasing a Soundcraft mixer. We take great pride in our latest addition to the Soundcraft range of mixing consoles - you have taken a step in the right direction and should never look back. The Packaging in which your Soundcraft M Series arrived forms part of the product and must be retained for future use.

  • Page 13: Installation & Safety Precautions

    INSTALLATION AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ABOUT THIS MANUAL This manual describes the safety precautions, warnings, specifications, installation and operating proce- dures specific to the following Soundcraft products only: RW5631 UK / EU / US RW5632 UK / EU / US RW5633 UK / EU / US The information in this manual should be read by end users of one of the above products only.

  • Page 14: Wiring Up

    WIRING UP Please refer to pages 35/36 for additional wiring details. MIC INPUT The mic input accepts XLR-type connectors and is designed to suit a wide range of BALANCED or UNBALANCED low-level signals, whether from delicate vocals requiring the best low-noise performance or close-miked drum kits needing maximum headroom.
  • Page 15 STEREO RETURNS RET-1/2/3/4 These accept RCA phono jacks to allow easy connection to hi-fi equipment or DAT players. The input is unbalanced, and ideal for pre-show music sources or signals that do not require any EQ or effects. These can also be used as effect returns using cables described later in this document. STEREO INPUTS STE-1/2/3/4 These accept 3-pole `A’...
  • Page 16 CHANNEL DIRECT OUTPUTS The Direct outputs are on 3-pole ‘A’ gauge jack sockets, wired as shown on the left, and are impedance balanced. HEADPHONES The PHONES output is a 3-pole ‘A’ gauge jack, wired as a stereo output as shown, suitable for headphones of 200W or greater.
  • Page 17 OUT-OF-WARRANTY PRODUCTS For out-of-warranty consoles purchased in the United Kingdom, please contact the Customer Services Department (e-mail: soundcraft.csd@harman.com) at the factory in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire: Telephone +44 (0)1707 665000. For all other out-of-warranty consoles, please contact the appropriate territorial distributor.

  • Page 18: Mono Input Channels

    (e-mail: soundcraft.csd@harman.com) MONO INPUT CHANNEL DIRECT OUTPUT The first eight channels have a dedicated Direct Output which allows direct connection to external devices, for example to feed Tape Machines or effects units. MIC INPUT The mic input accepts XLR-type connectors and is designed to suit a wide range of BALANCED or UNBALANCED signals.
  • Page 19 tip and ring shorted together so that the signal path is not interrupted (see below). GAIN This knob sets how much of the source signal is sent to the rest of the mixer. Too high, and the signal will distort as it overloads the channel. Too low, and the level of any background hiss will be more noticeable and you may not be able to get enough signal level to the output of the mixer.

  • Page 20: Channel Fader

    MUTE All outputs from the channel except inserts are on when the MUTE switch is released and muted when the switch is down, allowing levels to be pre-set before the before the signal is required. The only exception to the muting is any DIRECT OUTPUT configured as PRE-fade, which will be sent regardless of the status of the mute switch.

  • Page 21: Stereo Input Channels

    STEREO INPUT CHANNELS Each stereo input channel comprises two pairs of inputs per channel strip: INPUTS STE-1/2/3/4 These inputs accept 3-pole `A’ gauge (TRS) jacks. Use these inputs for sources such as keyboards, drum machines, synths, tape machines or processing units. The inputs are BALANCED for low noise and top quality from professional equipment, but you can use UNBALANCED sources by wiring up the jacks as shown in the “Wiring it Up”...
  • Page 22 FADER The 100mm FADER gives you smooth control of the overall signal level in the channel strip, allowing precise balancing of the various source signals being mixed to the Master Section. It is important that the input level is set correctly to give maximum travel on the fader which should normally be used at around the `0’ mark.

  • Page 23: Master Section

    MASTER SECTION PHANTOM POWER Many professional condenser mics need PHANTOM POWER, which is a method of sending a powering voltage down the same wires as the mic signal. Press the switch to enable the +48V power to all of the MIC inputs.

  • Page 24: Master Faders

    MONO SUM The Mix Left and Right signals are summed to a MONO output on a 3 pole ‘A’ gauge jack . Output level is set by the dedicated rotary control. Monitoring of the Mono output, if required, must be done at the external equipment it feeds, or the signal brought back to a spare console input.

  • Page 25: Using Your Soundcraft M Series Console

    USING YOUR SOUNDCRAFT M SERIES CONSOLE The final sound from your PA system can only ever be as good as the weakest link in the chain, and especially important is the quality of the source signal because this is the starting point of the chain. Just as you need to become familiar with the control functions of your mixer, so you must recognise the importance of correct choice of inputs, microphone placement and input channel settings.
  • Page 26 You are now ready to start building the mix and this should be done progressively, listening carefully for each component in the mix and watching the meters for any hint of overload. If this occurs, back off the appropriate Channel Fader slightly until the level is out of the red segments, or adjust the Master Faders. Remember that the mixer is a mixer, not an amplifier.

  • Page 27: Advanced Features

    The S/PDIF output conforms to the consumer standard IEC958 1989-03, and also the Japanese standard EIAJ CP-340 1987-9 For maximum configurability the Soundcraft M-Series S/PDIF can be sourced from two places. There is a switch located next to the S/PDIF Output socket on the rear of the console: Switch Out When the switch is in the out position, the S/PDIF signal is sourced from the Mix bus.
  • Page 28 RACKMOUNTING PROCEDURES FOR M8 AND M12 To turn the sleek looking Soundcraft M Series console into the rugged rackmount version follow the 3 point procedure below: Remove screws at points and remove the arm rest. Remove screws at points and remove the side extrusions. Remove the two screws at points and remove both end-caps.

  • Page 29: Live Sound Reinforcement

    APPLICATION 1 - LIVE SOUND REINFORCEMENT USING DELAY IN REINFORCEMENT SYSTEMS The drawing below illustrates how to calculate delay settings for fill speakers in multiple speaker installations. USER GUIDE...

  • Page 30: Multispeaker Applications

    APPLICATION 2 - MULTISPEAKER APPLICATIONS This configuration demonstrates how multiple speaker configurations can be driven by the Soundcraft M Range. APPLICATION 3 - PLACES OF WORSHIP This mono configuration uses the Mono output to drive the main speaker system and an induction loop for the hard of hearing.

  • Page 31: Recording

    APPLICATION 4 - RECORDING The direct outputs on channels 1-8 may be used to feed a multitrack recorder as shown. The direct outputs should be set to PRE, so that they are unaffected by fader position. The Mix outputs are used for a prelimi- nary stereo mix on a DAT recorder.

  • Page 32: Care Of Your Mixer

    CARE OF YOUR MIXER GENERAL PRECAUTIONS • Do Not obstruct any of the ventilation openings. • Avoid storing or using the mixer in conditions of excessive heat or cold, or in positions where it is likely to be subject to vibration, dust or moisture. •...
  • Page 33 peak LED a visual indication of the signal peaking just before the onset of clipping. a function that allows the operator to monitor the pre-fade signal (pre-fade listen) in a channel independently of the main mix. phase a term used to describe the relationship of two audio signals. In-phase signals reinforce each other, out-of-phase signals result in cancellation.

  • Page 34: Typical Specifications

    TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR DIGITAL S/PDIF SPECIFICATIONS SEE P.25 NOISE ............. . . Measured 22Hz to 22kHz, unweighted AUX &...

  • Page 35: Dimensions

    M8 & M12 DIMENSIONS All dimensions are in millimetres (Inches shown in brackets). USER GUIDE...
  • Page 36 M4 DIMENSIONS All dimensions are in millimetres (Inches shown in brackets). USER GUIDE...

  • Page 37: Typical Connecting Leads

    APPENDIX 1 - TYPICAL CONNECTING LEADS USER GUIDE...
  • Page 38 USER GUIDE...

  • Page 39: System Block Diagram

    SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM USER GUIDE...
  • Page 40 USER GUIDE...

  • Page 41: Control Position Markup Sheets

    CONTROL POSITION MARKUP SHEETS To assist you in restoring the console to a previous setting, e.g. for different bands on a gig, you may photocopy these pages as many times as you like and use them for making a note of your control positions. USER GUIDE...
  • Page 42 USER GUIDE...
  • Page 43 CONTROL POSITION MARKUP SHEETS To assist you in restoring the console to a previous setting, e.g. for different bands on a gig, you may photocopy these pages as many times as you like and use them for making a note of your control positions. USER GUIDE...
  • Page 44 USER GUIDE...
  • Page 45 CONTROL POSITION MARKUP SHEETS To assist you in restoring the console to a previous setting, e.g. for different bands on a gig, you may photocopy these pages as many times as you like and use them for making a note of your control positions. USER GUIDE...
  • Page 46 USER GUIDE...
  • Page 47 USER GUIDE...
  • Page 48 Soundcraft Harman International Industries Limited Cranborne House Cranborne Road Potters Bar Hertfordshire EN6 3JN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1707 665000 Fax: +44 (0) 1707 660742 Email: soundcraft@harman.com Soundcraft USA 8500 Balboa Boulevard. Northridge CA 91329 Tel: 1 818-920.3212 Fax: 1 818-920.3209 Email: soundcraft-usa@harman.com...

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