Soniclear AM16XR Operation Manual

Audio mixer kit with the behringer xr18 audio mixer

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AM16XR

Audio Mixer Kit

with the Behringer XR18 Audio Mixer

OPERATION GUIDE

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Page 1 AM16XR Audio Mixer Kit with the Behringer XR18 Audio Mixer OPERATION GUIDE...
Page 2: About This Manual
About This Manual This manual covers the installation and usage of the SoniClear AM16XR Mixer Kit, based on the Behringer XR18 mixer. This kit is designed for use with all SoniClear digital recording software products. Revision Date: 3/24/25 Printed in the United States.
Page 3: Table Of Contents
Listening using Speakers ........................9 Using a Backup Recorder ........................10 Playback from Windows Software ..................... 10 Preparation Before Each Meeting ....................... 10 SoniClear Recording Channel Layout ....................11 Resetting All Controls ..........................12 AM16XR Kit Installation ........................... 14 Hardware Installation ..........................14 Overview .............................
Page 4 Main Mix Settings........................... 49 Bus 1 – 6 Mix Settings ..........................50 Windows Sound Settings ........................51 Default Playback Device ........................51 Default Recording Device ........................52 SoniClear Software Preferences......................54 Overview ............................. 54 Recording Options Tab - Sound Quality ..................... 54...
Page 5 Hardware Tab – Audio Device Selection.................... 56 Transcriber Live Software Preferences ....................60 Hardware Tab – Audio Device Selection.................... 60...
Page 7: Am16Xr Operation
AM16XR Operation Overview The SoniClear AM16XR Audio Mixer Kit uses the Behringer XR18 USB audio interface to make it easy to record medium to large in-person meetings with high audio quality. The AM16XR kit is configured for use as a 16-channel microphone mixer to record SoniClear software.
Page 8: Configuring The Xr18
Microphone levels and mixers are adjusted using the Behringer XR18 control panel software. A preset created by SoniClear is provided as a starting point for using the system. The default configuration is set up to record microphones 1-6 as independent channels and to record those same microphones in a stereo mix, panned left to right.
Page 9: Operation
Operation Using Microphones Plug in up to sixteen microphones using the XLR jacks on the front of the unit. Position the microphones in the meeting room to pick up all the participants. Listening using Headphones There is a headphone jack on the front of the XR18 interface. Plug the monitor headphone into the Headphone jack.
Page 10: Using A Backup Recorder
AUX 3 provides a mono mix of all the channels for backup, and AUX4 provides the same mono mix for feeding into video systems. All of these auxiliary outputs receive the same audio feed from the microphone automatic mixer as the signal being sent to SoniClear for recording and to the speakers. Playback from Windows Software You can play audio from SoniClear software or any Windows program for remote participants to hear.
Page 11: Soniclear Recording Channel Layout
SoniClear Recording Channel Layout The SoniClear recordings created with this kit will have the following channels: SoniClear Channel Audio Recorded on Channel Stereo Mix Microphones 1 - 16 SoniClear Readback Audio (Left/Right) Windows Program Playback (Left/Right) Left Microphones 1-3, 7-16 SoniClear Readback Audio –...
Page 12: Resetting All Controls
Resetting All Controls If any of the required Behringer XR18 settings are accidentally changed, the default settings can be restored with the following steps: Start the Behringer X-Air-Edit PC application from the icon on the desktop (or from the Windows Start button): This will display the list of options for controlling the Behringer interface:...
Page 13 Click on the Load button in the upper right corner of this control panel to open the preset selection dialog: Select the presets file. The default preset file is usually located in the SoniClear program directory and is specific to the instructions in this manual as of the time of publication: C:\Program Files (x86)\SoniClear10\Presets\AM16XRKit_BehringerXR18_RevA.scn...
Page 14: Am16Xr Kit Installation
Any professional microphone with an XLR connector can be used with the XR18. Up to sixteen microphones can be connected. When using the AM16XR kit with an attached powered speaker for audio lift, highly directional microphones are required for each participant to reduce the potential for feedback.
Page 15: Speaker Connection
A user-supplied backup recorder can be connected to the XR18 XLR AUX output jacks. The AUX 1 and AUX 2 jacks supply a stereo signal that matches the audio being recorded in SoniClear. The AUX 3 jack supplied a mono mix of all the microphones. The backup recorder connection must accommodate the type of input on the recorder.
Page 16: Behringer Xr18 Software Installation
The Behringer XR18 requires configuration through the X-AIR-EDIT PC control panel for compatibility with SoniClear. To simplify setting up the mixer, a default preset file for use with SoniClear is provided. The instructions in this manual are specific to the following preset file provided at the time of publication: C:\Program Files (x86)\SoniClear10\Presets\AM16Kit_BehringerXR18_RevA.scn...
Page 17: Saving Presets
Click on the Save button in the upper right corner of the X-AIR-Edit control panel: It is recommended to save the presets file to the desktop and then move it into the SoniClear Program directory (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\SoniClear10\Presets\) to make it easier to find.
Page 18: Behringer Xr18 Manual Configuration
Behringer XR18 X-AIR-Edit PC control panel and then follow the instructions provided in this section of the Operation Guide. Overview The AM16XR kit is suitable for recording from up to 16 microphones in a medium to large room setting. The X-AIR-Edit control panel must be configured for the following features: •...
Page 20: Setup Dialog
Setup Dialog Click on the Setup button in the upper right corner of the mixer window: This displays the Setup dialog: Initial Connection to XR18 Before any settings can be adjusted in the XR18, the X-AIR-Edit PC software running on the computer must first make a connection to the mixer.
Page 21 Point for the computer to connect to. When attempting to make a connection it is possible to reset the XR18 connection address by pressing the recessed reset button just above the WiFi icon on the unit. One important issue to be aware of when connecting to the XR18 the first time is that the X-AIR-Edit PC software scans the Ethernet connection to locate the XR18 on any address on the system.
Page 22: Configure Auto Connect To Xr18
5. Enter a unique IP address for connecting to this device through an isolated network connection. This could be using the supplied Ethernet to USB adapter, or a direct connection to an available Ethernet jack on the computer. The default address in the AM16XR kit preset file specifies the fixed address as 192.168.5.60.
Page 23 7. Click on the Advanced settings button and change the Interface metric from Automatic metric to a metric value of 1: 8. Return to the Connection tab and make sure that the XR18 shows up in the list of mixers and connects automatically.
Page 24: Audio/Midi Tab
Audio/Midi Tab Click on the Audio/Midi tab and select the Clock Rate of 44.1kHz. The rest of the default settings do not need to be changed:...
Page 25: Monitor Tab
Monitor Tab Click on the Monitor tab: Set the Monitor Source to BUS 5/6 The rest of the settings can be left at default.
Page 26: Gui Prefs Tab
GUI Prefs Tab Click on the GUI Prefs tab: Enable Sends Taps - Apply changes to all channels, and Bus Buttons - Show bus names.
Page 27: In/Out Dialog
In/Out Dialog Click on the In/Out button in the upper right corner of the mixer and configure the inputs and outputs. Input Tab Click on the Input tab and configure the Analog input channels as follows:...
Page 28: Usb Returns Tab
USB Returns Tab Click on the USB Returns tab and configure as follows:...
Page 29: Usb Sends Tab
USB Sends Tab Click on the USB Sends tab and configure as follows: Note that all the USB send signals are tapped at the Analog source, except the USB 7-8 signals (stereo mix). These are tapped at the Post Fader. Setting the type of tap is accomplished by right clicking on the circle icon and selecting from the tap menu.
Page 30: Aux Out Tab
Aux Out Tab Click on the Aux Out tab and adjust the connection as indicated here:...
Page 31: Main Out Tab
Main Out Tab Click on the Main Out tab and set the Main output to Mail L/R. Set the Phones output to Montor.
Page 32: Adjust Microphone Channel Strips
Adjust Microphone Channel Strips Each microphone needs to be adjusted for levels, routing, gating, compression, and equalization. Click on the Mail LR button in the mid right section of the control panel: Next select the microphone channel “strip” number 1 by clicking on the channel number in the middle of the strip.
Page 33: Channel Input
The Channel section provides an overview of the main settings for each aspect of the channel. Most the settings used by the AM16XR kit are accessible from this screen: Channel Input In the Channel Input column, make the following adjustments: •...
Page 34: Noise Gate
Noise Gate Set the Noise Gate Threshhold to -50 and enable the Noise gate button: The noise gate Threshold value may need to be set to a higher or lower value, depending on the background noise level of the sound entering each microphone. The level must be high values will remove louder background noise.
Page 35: Compressor
Compressor Adjust the Compressor Threshold to -30. This will ensure that people speaking on microphones will have a more even loudness level. Aux Bus Sends The levels of how this channel are sent to the Aux Bus outputs can be adjusted in this section, but are easier to adjust from the sliders for each Aux mix, which will be described below.
Page 36: Main Out
Main Out The Main output can be adjusted in this section. Turn on the LR Main Stereo button to sent the microphone signal to the Main Output. Adjust the Panorama to the “pan” location for that microphone in the stereo mix. Generally this will be starting with Channel 1 panned to the left and working through to the last microphone being panned to the right.
Page 37: Channel Input Adjustments
Channel Input Adjustments Click on the Input button to display the detailed channel input settings: This will display additional options for the channel inputs: No additional adjustments in this screen are need for the default configuration.
Page 38: Gate Section
Gate Section Click on the Gate button to display the detailed Gate settings: The provided presets do not modify the default settings for this screen, other than the Threshhold set to - 48dB.
Page 39: Eq Section
EQ Section Click on the EQ button to display the detailed EQ settings: The EQ settings can be adjusted to improve sound quality and reduce feedback. The supplied presets do not modify the EQ other than the Low Cut filter.
Page 40: Compression Section
Compression Section Click on the Comp button to display the detailed compression settings: The Compression settings can be adjusted to improve sound evenness of the voices being recorded. The supplied presets do not modify the Compression other than the Threshold level of -30dB.
Page 41: Sends Section
Sends Section Click on the Sends button to display the detailed Sends settings: The tab locations for all output busses are set to Pre Fader, and the levels are at unity (0dB). All FX busses are set to Post Fader with levels completely off. When adjusting these settings, if the Global icon on the right side is lit up (ON), the changes made will be applied to all channels in the mixer.
Page 42: Main Settings
Main Settings Click on the Main button to display the detailed main output settings: Set the Main Stereo button to ON to send this channel to the Main output. Adjust the Panorama control the pan position the microphone signal in the stereo mix. Generally microphones are mixed with the first microphone on the left and the last microphone on the right.
Page 43 FX Settings Click on the FX button to display the detailed effects settings for this channel: The DSP effects are not used for this system and should all be set to OFF (“Insert” button OFF and the combo boxes OFF).
Page 44: Meter Display
Meter Display Click on the Meter button to see a display of all levels in the system in one screen:...
Page 45 Bus Labels and Colors Each mix bus can be identified more easily by adjusting the name and the color of the controls in that section. For the preset provided with this kit, the following changes were made: Name Color Main Mix Main LR Blue Bus 1...
Page 46 Bus 4 Video Mono Blue Bus 5 Monitor L Yellow Bus 6 Monitor R Yellow...
Page 47: Main Mix Settings
Main Mix Settings The detailed settings for the Main Mix can be adjusted by clicking on the Main LR button, then clicking on the Channel button. This will display these settings in the upper left corner of the window: Set the Channel Input FX button to OFF and combo box selection to Off, The Equalizer can be turned on or off depending on if it is used.
Page 48: Bus Mix 1 - 6 Settings
Bus Mix 1 – 6 Settings The detailed settings for each Bus Mix can be adjusted by clicking on bus button, then clicking on the Channel button for each of the busses: This displays the settings for the bus: For Bus 1 – 2 and 5 – 6, the StereoLink button should be lit. This will create a stereo bus for Left and Right channel that track their volume in sync.
Page 49: Main Mix Settings
Main Mix Settings The Main LR Mix slider settings control the level of each channel that is added to the Main mix, which is sent to the speakers and the monitor headphones. To display the Main Mix sliders, click on the Main LR button on the right middle area of the window: This shows the input sliders to display the levels for each microphone that will be added to the Main Mix: Set all of the sliders for channels 1 –...
Page 50: Bus 1 - 6 Mix Settings
Bus 1 – 6 Mix Settings The Bus Mix slider settings control the level of each channel that is added to each of the six bus mixes. To display each Bus Mix set of sliders, click on the Bus button on the right middle area of the window: This shows the input sliders to display the levels for each microphone that will be added to the Bus Mix: Set all sliders and mute buttons to the same settings as the Main Mix.
Page 51: Windows Sound Settings
Playback tab select the default playback device to use in Windows programs. If you want to play audio from Windows programs through the PA speakers (and/or to be captured in the SoniClear recording), select the OUT 1-2 BEHRINGER X-AIR audio device as the default Windows output sound device.
Page 52: Default Recording Device
Default Recording Device Set the Windows Sound Recording defaults by clicking on the Recording tab of the Sound panel:...
Page 53 Set the IN 7-8 BEHRINGE X-AIR device as the default recording device for Windows programs by clicking on that driver and then clicking the Set Default button.
Page 54: Soniclear Software Preferences
SoniClear Software Preferences Overview The SoniClear software preferences must be configured to work with the Behringer XR18 interface. To do this, start SoniClear and select Edit/Preferences from the pulldown menu. The recordings created with this configuration will have the following channels:...
Page 56 Hardware Tab – Audio Device Selection Select the Hardware tab and modify the settings according to the following instructions.
Page 57 Recording Device Setup The Recording Device Selection side of the Hardware tab controls the usage of the sound cards in the computer during recording. Default Recording Device This is the sound card input for recording the stereo mix of all the participants. It should be set to “IN 7-8 BEHRINGER X-AIR”.
Page 58 Click on the Edit button next to the “First Recording Array Device” field to display the setup dialog for the individual microphone channels. This set of options controls how the individual inputs are recorded separately in SoniClear. Set each of the recording array devices to the corresponding stereo pair device in the XR18: 1.
Page 59 Advanced Playback Options These options control how playback is processed. These fields should only be changed in the event of problems with playback using the default settings. Consult SoniClear support for assistance. Monitor Delay Monitor Delay should be set to the default of 3 seconds.
Page 60 Transcriber Live Software Preferences When Transcriber Live is used with SoniClear Court Recorder 9, the Behringer XR18 headphone can be used to monitor audio, and readbacks can be played so that the readback audio is heard by the teleconference participants.
Page 61 Advanced Playback Options These options control how playback is processed. These fields should only be changed in the event of problems with playback using the default settings. Consult SoniClear support for assistance if this happens. Monitor Delay Monitor Delay should be set to the default of 3 seconds.