Focusrite Liquid 4PRE User Manual
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Focusrite Liquid 4PRE User Manual

Focusrite Liquid 4PRE User Manual

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Liquid 4PRE
User Guide
Mode d'emploi
Bedienungsanleitung
FA0186-01

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Summary of Contents for Focusrite Liquid 4PRE

  • Page 1 Liquid 4PRE User Guide Mode d’emploi Bedienungsanleitung FA0186-01...

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Introduction Thank you for purchasing The Liquid 4PRE™ brought to you by the Focusrite team. The chaps at Focusrite are a jolly hard working bunch and take a great deal of pride in designing, building and delivering products which are considered the best audio units around;...

  • Page 4: Important Safety Instructions

    To avoid the risk of fire, replace the mains fuse only with the correct value fuse, as marked on the rear panel. The internal power supply unit contains no user serviceable parts. Refer all servicing to a qualified service engineer, through the appropriate Focusrite dealer. WARNING: THIS UNIT MUST BE EARTHED BY THE POWER CORD.

  • Page 5: Liquid 4Pre™ Architecture

    Liquid 4PRE™ ships with 40 pre-amp emulations as standard, but there are many more available online at www.focusrite.com. Visit the Liquid Assets pages for access to all pre-amp emulations, with detailed information about each one. Once downloaded, emulations can be sent to Liquid 4PRE™ using the free Liquid4Control™ software application, after connecting to the computer using the supplied Ethernet cable.
  • Page 6 Signal Path The Liquid 4PRE™ features both analogue (mic and line) and digital (AES-EBU and ADAT) inputs, plus analogue (line) and digital (AES-EBU and ADAT) outputs. Analogue signals connected to the mic input are routed through an analogue mic pre stage, before passing through an A/D and entering the digital pre-amp convolution section. The unique sonic characteristics of the selected pre-amp emulation are then applied to the signal.

  • Page 7: Front Panel Quick Reference Guide

    Front Panel Quick Reference Guide Master Controls On the left of the front panel you will find the unit’s master controls: Power Press to power the unit on or off. Turn on the Liquid 4PRE™ before you power up devices to which the outputs are connected.
  • Page 8 As all controls are digital, settings can be saved and recalled with ease, and edited from the Liquid4Control™ software application (available from www.focusrite.com). Please refer to the Liquid4Control™ User Guide for details. Note that when the unit is turned off, the hardware’s onboard memory stores the last front panel settings to have been...

  • Page 9: Rear Panel Connections

    Rear Panel Connections Analogue Inputs 1-4 Each channel (1 to 4) provides separate female XLR connectors for Mic and Line inputs, and a male XLR for the Line output. All 3-pin XLR audio connectors are balanced analogue connections, and are wired as follows: Pin 1: Screen/Chassis Pin 2: Audio 0°...

  • Page 10: Basic Channel Operation

    Basic Channel Operation This section covers channel operations in more detail. Each of the 4 channels is identical. Input Select Press the Input select button to step through the 3 input options for the channel: Mic – the MIC input XLR on the rear panel. Line –...
  • Page 11 Input Metering and Levels (Continued) The second is a horizontal meter which is visible within the main channel display. This meter can be set to one of two modes from the System Setup pages: Meter Type = Peak Meter Type = VU Meter Type = Peak - a digital peak level input meter with a scale from -40dBFS to 0dBFS.
  • Page 12 40 emulations may be loaded to each channel individually. Many more emulations may be downloaded from www.focusrite.com, and using the Liquid4Control™ software application you can update your unit’s 40 emulations remotely from your computer. If you wish, you can also use the software to archive different sets of mic pre emulations.
  • Page 13 The result is that a higher gain at the mic pre stage will produce a greater, and hence more noticeable, effect as the harmonics setting is increased. Special ‘hot’ pre-amp emulations, which can be downloaded from www.focusrite.com, provide greater levels of harmonics application, for those wanting to achieve a seriously overdriven sound.
  • Page 14 The Channel LCD Each channel features its own dedicated display which can operate in one of two views: Normal View – provides parameter feedback and input metering and is displayed when the channel Setup button is turned off. Channel Setup View – provides access to the Channel Setup pages by pressing the channel Setup button. Note that on channel 1, a third view (System Setup) is also used to access the system-wide setup options.
  • Page 15 The Channel LCD (Continued) Status – OK This area is used to display a variety of status messages – in our example, OK indicates that there is nothing to report and our input signal is fine. In the event of an error, then the status area reports the most severe problem in the following order: no clk lock –...

  • Page 16: The Setup Pages: Basic Operation

    The Setup Pages: Basic Operation The Liquid 4PRE™ includes a number of functions that are accessed via Setup pages. Some functions are channel- specific, such as the options for each digital input, and others are system-wide, such as the sample rate of the unit. Press the channel Setup button on any of the four channels to open page 1 of the Channel Setup options.
  • Page 17 Summary Press the channel Setup button, or the System Setup button, to access page 1 of the setup options. Turn the DATA encoder to scroll up and down through the first page of the options. Select More .. and press down to access the next page. Select the square symbol on the bottom right of the screen and press down to access the previous page.

  • Page 18: Program And Channel Memories

    Program and Channel Memories Liquid 4PRE™ has 99 program memories plus 99 channel memories to allow storage of preferred pre-amp combinations and settings. A program memory stores the complete settings within the Liquid 4PRE™ unit (all 4 channels and any system settings), providing a convenient way of resetting the unit for a particular application or location.
  • Page 19 Load To load a channel memory: 1. Press the Setup button on the channel you wish to load to. 2. Select the Load option and press down on the DATA encoder. You will be prompted to choose a memory location. 3.
  • Page 20 Saving and Loading Program Memories A program memory stores the complete setup of the Liquid 4PRE™. All settings are saved and loaded, including all four individual channel settings and master settings such as the sample rate, unit name, etc. Note that when you load a program memory you may exclude the sample rate and clock source settings from the recall if you wish.

  • Page 21: Channel Setup Options

    4. Now select the Load option and press down on the DATA encoder. 5. Turn the DATA encoder to select a program memory. Used memory locations are displayed with the program memory name, and the names of the four individual channel settings which are stored within the program memory.
  • Page 22 For details on changing the sample rate of the Liquid 4PRE™ see page 21. The pre-selected digital source is shown in the INPUT area of the channel LCD – in our example, AES Left: Link Bus (Page 2) You may link channel controls within each Liquid 4PRE™ using the Link Bus option. Any number of channels, within each unit, may be added to link bus 1, 2, 3 or 4, where link bus 1 and 2 are used for absolute gain, and 3 and 4 for relative gain tracking.

  • Page 23: System Setup Options

    System Setup Options This section covers each of the System Setup options in more detail. We will assume that you are familiar with the basic operations of setup page navigation, option editing and naming. If not, please refer back to the examples on page 14. Press the System Setup button on the master section of the unit to change the LCD on channel 1 to System Setup view.
  • Page 24 When the unit is correctly locked, the Lock LED illuminates. Note that if the clock source is not connected, or invalid, the Liquid 4PRE™ will not achieve lock. Permissible clock sources must be within the following ranges: 44.1kHz or 48kHz +/-8% 88.2kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz or 192kHz +4%, -8% Load All and Save All (Page 1) These options allow you to load and save up to 99 program memories.
  • Page 25 To cluster units in this manner, set the cluster option to Master on the master and Slave on the slave! Set the cluster option to None when you are not working with clustered units. Unit Name (Page 2) Use this option to give the Liquid 4PRE™ unit a name. You may want to do this if you are going to link multiple units and control them remotely from the Liquid4Control™...

  • Page 26: Frequently Asked Questions (Faqs)

    This lengthy 'sampling' process has been carried out at Focusrite HQ with a great number of classic pre-amps (and compressors and EQs - see the other Liquid range products) to build up a huge database of samples for all the processors being emulated.
  • Page 27 pre-amp board. The main difference is the absence of a transformer, as research concluded that the effect of a transformer could be cleverly emulated using much more affordable components. After all, it is the action of the transformer (the way it interacts with the microphone) and not the sound that is important;...
  • Page 28 Q: Is there any software available for remote control? A: Yes, Liquid4Control™ is available free to download from www.focusrite.com/product/Liquid 4PRE/ The software will allow full control of the entire front panel of up to 32 units on an Ethernet network; that's 128 channels of remote...

  • Page 29: Technical Specification

    Technical Specification Converter Performance Sample Rates 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz Bit Depth 24-bit Signal to Noise Ratio 120dB measured with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter Frequency Response ±0.05 dB between 20 Hz - 20 kHz Maximum input level +22 dBu THD+N...
  • Page 30 Analogue and digital paths Mic Pre Gain Range +14 dB to +80 dB, switched in 1 dB steps Frequency Response Frequency response and harmonic distortion variable, set by pre-amp emulation and harmonics setting chosen (figures shown for FLAT setting with zero harmonics) THD+N at analogue out 0.001% measured with a +1 dBu 1 kHz input signal with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass filter, gain +14dB THD+N at AES out...
  • Page 31 Noise AES Digital Out -120 dBFS measured at 0 dB gain with 20 Hz/22 kHz bandpass A-weighted filter Maximum Input Level +22 dBu High Pass Filter Roll-off frequency 75 Hz, frequency measured at -6 dB down point. 12 dB per octave roll-off Harmonics Distortion Range: 0 to 15 where maximum (15) = 10% of 2nd-, 20% of 3rd- and 10% of 5th-order at 0dBFS (level-dependant distortion)
  • Page 32 Weight 5.3 kg Dimensions 484 mm (W) x 85 mm(H) x 270 mm (D) 2U rackmount Warnings & Cautions The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus Ventilation shall not be impeded by covering the ventilation openings with items, such as newspapers, cloths, curtains etc.
  • Page 33 Warnhinweise & Vorsichtsmaßregeln Das Gerät soll nicht spritzenden oder tropfenden Flu_ssigkeiten ausgesetzt sein, und keine flu_ssigkeitsgefu_llten Gefäße, wie z.B: Vasen, du_rfen auf dem Gerät plaziert werden. Die Lu_ftung darf nicht behindert werden, die Lu_ftungsoÅNffnungen du_rfen nicht durch Gegenstände abgedeckt werden, wie z.B. Zeitungen, Tu_cher oder Vorhänge etc. Keine Objekte mit offener Flamme, wie z.B.
  • Page 34 DYNAMIC CONVOLUTION is a trademark of Sintefex. All other product names, trademarks, and trade names are the properties of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with Focusrite or its LIQUID CHANNEL product and which have not endorsed Focusrite's LIQUID CHANNEL product. These other product names, trademarks, and trade names owned by other companies are used solely to identify the third party products whose sonic behaviour was studied for the LIQUID CHANNEL product.
  • Page 35 All Focusrite products are covered by a warranty against manufacturing defects in material or craftsmanship for a period of one year from the date of purchase. Focusrite in the UK, or its authorized distributor worldwide will do its best to ensure that any fault is remedied as quickly as possible. This warranty is in addition to your statutory rights.

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