Alto CYCLONE User Manual page 34

However (and this is a big however), there are still sources of potential problems. The Cyclone is able to operate
at levels up to +21dBu on both the insert send and return. If the maximum input level of the compressor is less
than +21dBu then it is possible to overload the input of the compressor. The only way to solve this situation is to
drop the channel input gain so that the input level of the compressor will not overload. However, bear in mind that
the level returned from the compressor would also be lower than +21dBu and excessive use of the compressor
'makeup' gain would overload the output of the compressor!
Very often other dynamic processors are used like expanders or noise-gates, to reduce the inherent noise of some
sound sources, e.g. electric guitars, but in this case the signal overall level will not change. And the level could
slightly change with processors like Aural Exciters, Enhancer and De-Essers, but it those cases too the difference
is not dramatic!
Sometimes it happens that a special effect is used just for one channel, generally it's the lead singer voice, so the
sound engineer uses a "Channel strip" or some effects unit that have been programmed for the lead singer voice.
In both cases the sound engineer has to be very careful setting of these ancillary equipments since the first one
could drive the channel to overload, while the second one could reduce the level of the signal returning to the insert
point.
Equalization
Channel equalization should be used with care. Boosting or cutting equalizer bands can make monitoring your
actual input level very difficult.
Excessive boosting of EQ (+15dB is available on each band) will have the same effect as applying more gain to
the input, taking up valuable headroom. Consider backing off the channel GAIN when using large amounts of boost
(if you have to use large amounts of boost) to retain a sensible level at the output. In this case the preamp CLIP
LED will be turned off while the fader CLIP LED will be turned on!
Excessive EQ cut can have a similarly undesirable effect. If a large amount of signal is cut in the equaliser section,
GAIN may be used to 'make up' the level lost in the equaliser. However, the input pre-amplifier still has the same
amount of available headroom. If gain, added to 'make up' the loss in the equaliser, exceeds the maximum level
into the microphone pre-amp then the channel won't appear to be overloaded but the microphone pre-amp will.
Turning off the equaliser will reveal the true story, showing if the microphone pre-amp is overloaded. It is worth
considering whether such a large amounts of EQ boost or cut is really required.
TIP
To help sound engineers to detect a wrong EQ operation, we provided our Alto Cyclone with two level indicator
sections. In the preamp GAIN section there's a CLIP LEDs, and we provided a fader indicator section with two
LEDs: -20 and CLIP. In this way the sound engineer will immediately detect if the problem incurs in pre-amp section
or in signal path, generated by a wrong setting of EQ, insert ancillary equipment or fader.
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