Monitoring The Output Signal - Klark Teknik DN9848E Operator's Manual

Output Channels

6.3. Monitoring the Output Signal

Each of the eight outputs has an 11-segment signal meter for monitoring internal signal clipping and
output levels that may cause damage to the loudspeaker equipment.
The top CLIP segment monitors the internal signal clipping. It operates
independently of the rest of the meter, illuminating if signal clipping is detected at
any stage in the processing circuits regardless of whether the level of the final
processed signal is above or below the compressor and/or limiter thresholds. Hence,
the audio engineer has full visibility of any internal signal clipping that may result in
audio distortion.
The 0dB to – 40dB signal meter is primarily designed to monitor the output level with
respect to excessive levels that may cause damage to the onward loudspeaker
equipment. To do this it uses a dual-purpose scale that refers the signal level to both
limiter threshold and compressor threshold, as illustrated and described overleaf.
1 The meter uses a downward relative scale where the "0" segment represents the
limiter threshold. For example, if the limiter threshold is set to +5dB in the output
menu page, then the signal meter "0" segment represents 5dBu true value, the –3
segment becomes 2dBu down, -6 becomes -1dBu down and so on.
The compressor threshold is also marked, relative to the limiter threshold, by a single
steadily lit segment. For example, when the limiter threshold is set to 8dBu, the "0"
segment is 8dBu; if the compressor threshold is –1dBu, segment "9" will be
illuminated.
Note If the limiter is set to OFF, the meter is scaled relative to 21dBu.
2 While the signal level lies below the compressor threshold, the meter illuimates
upwards from –40, such that the current headroom to both the compressor and limiter
thresholds can be monitored.
3 When the signal level reaches the compressor threshold level, the meter 'flips' and
reads downwards to show the amount of gain reduction applied to the signal.
4 With further increase, the meter reads in both directions, that is, it increments
upwards to track the signal level as it approaches the limiter threshold and increments
downwards to show the applied gain reduction.
5 When the limiter kicks in, the meter flips to read downwards from the "0" segment
instead of just from the compressor threshold. It now shows the summed gain
reduction from both compressor and limiter.
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