Using The Aux Sends - Alesis 4 Reference Manual

Chapter 2 – Connections
Interfacing to a Mixing Console
The MidiVerb 4 handles mono or stereo sends at all system levels. The input circuitry
of the MidiVerb 4 can easily handle +4 dBu levels (+20 dBu peaks), while having
enough input and output gain to interface with the low -10 dBV signal levels of
budget recording systems.
The MidiVerb 4 may be connected to a mixing console in several different ways. It
can be used to effect several instruments at once by using the auxiliary send and
return controls of the mixer. Another method of interfacing is to connect the unit
directly to the insert send and return patch points of the channel that is to be effected.
Still another way of interfacing the MidiVerb 4 to a mixer or recording console would
be in-line across the output of your mixing console. This last setup would be used
only if you needed to effect the entire mix.

Using the Aux Sends

Generally, mixing consoles provide two types of auxiliary sends: pre-fader sends for
creating a cue (headphone) mix, and individual, post-fader effect sends. Typically, if
a mixer has more than two sends per channel (4, 6 or 8, perhaps), the first two sends
are reserved for the cue sends, while the remaining sends are used to feed effects,
such as the MidiVerb 4. If you are using a mixer with more than two sends, connect
the MidiVerb 4 using post-fader sends.
Using a mixer's aux sends poses a distinct advantage: each channel has its own level
control feeding the aux output (and eventually the MidiVerb 4 input). This allows
you to make a mix of any channels you want to go to the effects by using the
individual channels' aux send levels on the mixer. Most consoles also have aux
master controls, which set the overall level of each aux output.
Coming back from the MidiVerb 4's outputs into the mixer, you have two options:
• connecting to dedicated return inputs, or
• connecting to channel inputs.
The former is good if your mixer provides dedicated inputs (called returns) for effect
devices like the MidiVerb 4. If your mixer does not have these, or you have already
used them all, consider connecting the MidiVerb 4 to channel inputs (if there are any
remaining).
No matter where you connect the output of the MidiVerb 4 into the mixer, you are in
control of the balance between the mixer's channel inputs (the uneffected signal
being routed to the aux sends and the Mix), and the effect returns coming from the
MidiVerb 4. The effect returns generally should only contain affected signal, and not
have any uneffected signal mixed with it (since these two signals are blended
together at the mixer). Therefore, it may be necessary to modify the mix of each
channel in the Program you are using so that only effected signal is present at the
MidiVerb 4's outputs. This can be done in two ways:
• Set each effect's Mix parameters to 100% (wet signal only)
• Turn on the Dry Defeat function.
For more information about Dry Defeat, see Chapter 1 or Chapter 5.
20 MidiVerb 4 Reference Manual