Related Manuals for ACI-AppliCAD VGM-1041
Summary of Contents for ACI-AppliCAD VGM-1041
- Page 1 VGM-1041 DSP Gated Mixer / EQ Installation and Use ACI-AppliCAD, Inc. Version 1.1 Applies to Serial Number Series 114580100xxx (732) 751-2555 www.aci-applicad.com...
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents Introduction ------------------------------------------- Features & Benefits Quick Start Guide -------------------------------------- 2 Basic Connections Basic Operation Operator’s Guide --------------------------------------- 6 Front Panel Controls & Indicators Managing Microphones How Sound Gating Works Installer’s Guide ---------------------------------------- 14 Mounting, Rear Panel Wiring & Switches Line Outputs Adjusting Power Amplifier Gain USB Settings... -
Page 7: Introduction
Introduction The VGM-1041 DSP Gated Mixer / EQ targets sound reinforcement applications, so your audience will enjoy higher quality sound than with generic mixers or consoles. Operators see a uniquely compact, refreshingly simple exterior. This is because the adjustments which you or your installer set up at installation make operation easier later on. -
Page 8: Quick Start Guide
Place your VGM-1041 on a table or other flat surface. Audio Source – Using a stereo RCA cable (the sort that often comes with audio components), connect a CD player or a similar “line level”... - Page 9 ON immediately. There’s no power switch, since mixers of this sort are usually installed as part of a sound system – and with no switch to leave OFF by mistake, there’s one less thing to go wrong! A powered VGM-1041 always shows at least one illuminated LED on its front panel.
- Page 10 Quick Start Guide Hi, Mike! – Connecting a microphone is a bit more challenging – since this mixer is designed for installation, its mic connectors are tool-less terminal blocks. Thus, on-stage cables terminated with XLR (A3M) connectors won’t fit directly. If you have an old cable handy, you could cut it and wire its cut end as shown.
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Page 11: Basic Operation
• Of course the level meter indicates the sound level. • Speak loudly enough, and you’ll see the COMPRESS LED illuminate. The VGM-1041’s built-in compression is limiting this mic’s level, preventing excessively loud sound. This feature is selectable for each mic via the mixer’s USB port (covered in the Installer’s Guide section). -
Page 12: Operator's Guide
Operator’s Guide With the VGM-1041 mounted as part of your sound system and set up according to the Installer’s Guide later in this manual, operation is as simple as it could be! Front Panel Controls & Indicators Power – When you power up your sound system, the VGM-1041 goes through a self-check routine which among other things, lights up all front panel LEDs in sequence. - Page 13 Level Bargraph Display – Shows the program level. Its first yellow LED indicates a level of 0 VU -- which is equal to +4dBm at the VGM-1041’s balanced output. Each LED above or below this point represents a change of approximately 4 dB in output level.
- Page 14 Operator’s Guide LED – This LED displays the status of the mixer’s compression system. COMPRESS It lights whenever compression is limiting the sound level. For each microphone channel with compression enabled, limiting begins to occur at green at 3dB gain reduction, approximately 0 VU.
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Page 15: Managing Microphones
Operator’s Guide Managing Microphones – Your goal as sound operator is to provide sufficient, quality sound from all program participants, to all in your audience. We’ve prepared this section to help you do this. Your sound system allows participants to speak naturally or even softly as their material requires, confident that the audience hears every word clearly. - Page 16 Proper miking lets everyone be heard with lower gain, resulting in sufficient sound without feedback problems. • The VGM-1041's sound gating automatically increases your available gain before feedback, by muting unused microphones. Unneeded mics receive no useful sound -- only feedback and noise. You win about 30% more gain before feedback for each mic gated off.
- Page 17 Operator’s Guide Thanks to the sound gating feature, there’s far less need for you to turn mics up and down during the program. We still recommend, however, turning down mics that are obviously finding only noise: • Mics being moved by stage handlers •...
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Page 18: How Sound Gating Works
– thus they operate concurrently along with mics. If the VGM-1041 has not been set up properly at installation, you may find that the sound gating performs less than optimally. If for example the gating is not sensitive enough you may notice: •... - Page 19 Operator’s Guide This Page Intentionally Left Blank Don’t you love it when they say that?
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Page 20: Installer's Guide
Auxiliary Inputs 1 – 2 Down = ON RCA jacks to play line-level sources: 1 – + Output • CD player 2 – Ground (Shield) • Telephone interface (receive) 3 – - Output VGM-1041 Rear Panel 1 2 3... - Page 21 Installer’s Guide Microphones, Cables, and Mounting Arranging Microphone Inputs – We recommend arranging your stage microphone channels as shown. Here we show MIC 3 as your “main” or “chairperson’s” mic. Your mixer’s factory default settings assume this: however you can easily change to another input (see page 20). Microphone Cables –...
- Page 22 Installer’s Guide Condenser microphones – Condenser microphones feature excellent sound quality, but require a power source to operate. A few use internal batteries. Most expect to receive power from the mixer’s microphone input (this is called, phantom power). Your mixer can provide phantom power at any or all microphone inputs.
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Page 23: Line Outputs
Installer’s Guide Line Outputs This mixer features balanced line outputs for your sound reinforcement equipment. There’s also an unbalanced, compressed RCA output for FM transmitters, recording devices, etc. The balanced outputs can provide a level in excess of +20dBm. Following equipment should be capable of a similar maximum level. -
Page 24: Adjusting Power Amplifier Gain
Installer’s Guide Adjusting your Power Amplifier Gain Because the VGM-1041 can be set to compress excessively loud sounds to a consistent level, you need to adjust the rest of your system (power amplifier, etc.) to spot the corresponding auditorium volume as required. This is easy to do if you follow the procedure below. In fact, we recommend following the procedure given below to get your levels “in the ballpark”... - Page 25 Factory Preset Besides the switch settings for phantom power and input gain, your VGM-1041 has many options you can choose via its USB port. These include adjustments for its built-in parametric equalizer, a de-esser, and a pink noise source for system tuning. You can also switch unused inputs to the mixer’s Music path for use with additional music sources.
- Page 26 C O M P R E S S To revert to factory presets, hold both the AUX1 and AUX2 Prefade buttons in while switching ON your system’s power (including the VGM-1041). You’ll see their LEDs blink in confirmation. This resets the following functions: •...
- Page 27 The necessary files are included on the flash drive in your package: • Install the FTDI USB Driver • Run PuTTYtel (an open source terminal program) • Connect your VGM-1041 with the supplied USB cable • Adjust PuTTYtel’s port settings •...
- Page 28 • Run the Puttytel.exe file (it needs no installation). Click through the usual warning: The PuTTYtel application opens, displaying its Configuration screen. Before doing anything there, proceed to the next page to connect your VGM-1041. Connecting your Mixer • Attach the supplied USB cable to the mixer’s rear panel jack •...
- Page 29 Installer’s Guide • Open Device Manager Device Manager to find out what COM port you computer has assigned to the to find out what COM port you computer has assigned to the mixer. This is easier on some Windows versions than others .
- Page 30 In the resulting list, look for the number of the COM port that your computer has In the resulting list, look for the number of the COM port that your computer has assigned to the VGM-1041 1041’s USB Serial Port (in the case shown it’s COM it’s COM 5).
- Page 31 Installer’s Guide Adjusting PuTTYtel’s Settings ’s Settings • Returning to PuTTYtel, PuTTYtel, first click the Serial choice. Then set the Serial Line Serial Line box to the COM port found above, and the Speed box to 115200. Finally, click the .
- Page 32 Installer’s Guide Moving Around the Screen Moving Around the Screen Edit the screen’s settings with your keyboard with your keyboard, as described atop each screen , as described atop each screen. Your mouse, track pad, and touch screen cannot cannot be used to make these settings: •...
- Page 33 (which we recommend). The intelligibility (which we recommend). The VGM-1041 features an advanced DSP features an advanced DSP de-essing algorithm ssing algorithm which regulates the ratio of sibilance to voiced speec of sibilance to voiced speech.
- Page 34 Installer’s Guide Optimizing the Sound Gating Optimizing the Sound Gating Follow these instructions if you need to adjust your mixer’s sound gating: Follow these instructions if you need to adjust your mixer’s sound gating: Follow these instructions if you need to adjust your mixer’s sound gating: First, be sure that your sound system’s audio levels are set up properly.
- Page 35 Once you have your source satisfactorily connected to an extra MIC you have your source satisfactorily connected to an extra MIC input, the input, the VGM-1041 Set the chosen MIC channel’s Base Threshold at zero (0) zero (0) to route it takes care of the rest.
- Page 36 Installer’s Guide Filter Settings – Press F to enter the Filter screen. Each parametric equalizer filter allows you to set its: • Center Frequency – from 20 Hz to 20 KHz in 1/6 Octave steps (many more than shown below) •...
- Page 37 Installer’s Guide Gain / Attenuation – from -20 dB to +10 dB in 1 dB 20 dB to +10 dB in 1 dB steps (-9dB to +9dB is shown below below): What a Parametric Equalizer Equalizer Does All the mixer’s EQ filters are parametric parametric.
- Page 38 Installer’s Guide Notice how the response curve mimics the position of the sliders Notice how the response curve mimics the position of the sliders – it’s a graphic graphic EQ! With the graphic EQ you adjust With the graphic EQ you adjust only the gain or attenuation of each filter. Its Its other parameters -- center frequency center frequency and bandwidth –...
- Page 39 Installer’s Guide Setting the Music EQ With many “average” sound systems, a modest boost at around 70 Hz, a broad rise centered at perhaps 9 KHz, and some broad attenuation near 300 Hz may improve music reproduction. Experiment with various program material to find good settings. Setting the Individual MIC EQs Making use of each channel’s MIC EQ is entirely optional -- however, if you choose to use them, it’s best to set them up first -- before tuning the system with the Voice EQ.
- Page 40 Installer’s Guide Set Up the Main Voice EQ The VGM-1041’s seven-band parametric Main Voice EQ is where you tune your entire sound system – residual mic responses, speakers, and room acoustics – to provide the best sound. Often, “best sound” translates to, gain before feedback. The higher your operators can turn up a mic without problems, the easier it will be for them to give the audience the sound they deserve.
- Page 41 Installer’s Guide Pink Noise Method Pink noise sounds rather like a waterfall. It contains equal energy per octave, resulting in a flat response curve as measured with a Real-Time Analyzer (RTA). Since the pink noise enters your sound system with its characteristic flat amplitude vs. frequency curve, any irregularities in your system and room show up in the actual sound you hear.
- Page 42 Start the Auto-EQ Function: EQ Function: • Switch your sound system (including the Switch your sound system (including the VGM-1041) OFF. • Hold both Prefade buttons for Hold both Prefade buttons for MIC 9 MIC 10 •...
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Page 43: In Case Of Difficulty
1041 has no power switch!). To minimize power problems, we recommend installing a “master switch” for the entire sound system. A functioning VGM-1041 completes its self-test (the “light show”) when first powered up, after which at least one front panel LED remains lit at all times. If the “light show”... - Page 44 You may call ACI-AppliCAD at (732) 751-2555 during normal business hours (Eastern Time) to get help with installing, using, or troubleshooting your mixer. If it appears that your mixer is defective, we’ll issue a RMA (Return Material Authorization) number for factory service.
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Page 45: Specifications
Specifications Inputs & Outputs: • 10 MIC inputs. Balanced, Low-Z, solderless, tool-less connectors Individually selectable compression and 24V phantom power Each configurable as an extra AUX (Music) input 2 AUX inputs. Unbalanced RCA • 4 Balanced outputs: Main, Voice, Music, and Stage Monitor •... -
Page 46: Index
Index Microphones 4, 15 uto-EQ condenser 4, 16 uxiliary Inputs 33 -- 35 management alanced Outputs wireless Bench test 2 – 5 wiring 4, 15 Mounting ompression 5, 10--11 Music EQ COMPRESS LED 8, 10--11 Music output Condenser mics 4, 16 Contact us odes, feedback Cue bus (Prefade)
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