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MARIAN UCON CX User Manual

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UCON CX
User's Guide

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Summary of Contents for MARIAN UCON CX

  • Page 1 UCON CX User’s Guide...
  • Page 2 MARIAN. All trademarks are the property of the respective owners. MARIAN is not liable for any damage to the software, hardware and data and costs resulting from it, which are caused by improper handling or installation of the hardware.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome Features Installation Scope of Supply System-Requirements Connectors Spot on the UCON CX The First Contact The Mixer What is it all about? The channels The master channel Adaptable – changing the view of the UCON Mixer...
  • Page 4 Hands on the UCON Setting up the Latency of the UCON Background Setting up the “USB Audio Latency” Setting up the audio driver latency Sounding Good Background How to do it? The UCON in a Project Studio Situation Hardware routing Software routing Volume settings Finalizing...
  • Page 5 Glossary Technical Facts Service and Support Warranty Care and maintenance Contact...

  • Page 7: Welcome

    While developing the UCON CX we have especially taken care on a robust and solid construction of the unit, so you get the full delight of the mobility of your new recording partner.
  • Page 8 Now, we do wish you lots of success in your work with the UCON CX. We hope it will bring you just as much fun, as we had during the development.

  • Page 9: Features

    Features Your UCON CX comes with a lot of great functions. Here you can find a small list of properties and capabilities. 4 high-quality microphone connectors with pre-amplification; usable as Hi-Z instrument inputs (guitar; bass); Connection of up to 8 analog line signals (e.g. keyboards, sound...

  • Page 10: Installation

    In the appendix you can find different ways of how to contact the support service. Scope of Supply After opening the package of the UCON CX, please check if the following components are to be found completely and undamaged. 1 x UCON CX...
  • Page 11 Furthermore, we would like to point out to you these important issues when using the USB interface for audio purposes: For the operation of the UCON CX, the installation of the Microsoft USB patch „WinXP-KB822603-X86-ENU.exe“ is ™ urgently requested, if Microsoft Windows XP including service pack 1a is installed on the computer.

  • Page 12: Connectors

    Connectors Here is one example of how the UCON can be set up in a music-studio- environment.
  • Page 13 If you intend to connect a condenser-microphone to the UCON CX, you may turn on the needed phantom-power with the “PHATOM”-button, on the front of the UCON. Though turned on, dynamic microphones can be connected parallel to condenser microphones. Next to each microphone plug there is a ”-20dB”-switch.

  • Page 14: Spot On The Ucon Cx

    Control of the UCON CX. Furthermore, you can save and load the setups for Mixer and Output Control. “Info” shows the current driver version of the UCON CX. This is needed when consulting our support service with certain questions. The menu is opened...

  • Page 15: The Mixer

    The Mixer What is it all about? In this window all input channels and the master section of the UCON manager are shown. 2 input channel types can be distinguished. In the upper part of the window you can read the labels “INPUT” and “PLAY” for the different channel types.

  • Page 16: The Channels

    Instructions on how to monitor these aux sums located. If it is activated with a mouse click, the on the UCON CX, you fader at the end of the channel looses its will find in section “The influence on the corresponding aux knob. Thus, Output Control”.
  • Page 17 or aux 3 and 4 are connected functionally. That Examples on how to use pre switches and aux means: when opening up “AUX 1” “AUX 2” is sums correctly please equally pulled up. Just like that, “PRE”-button of refer to the “hands on”- “AUX 2”...
  • Page 18 With the help of the fader at the end of the channel strip, the portion of volume of the channel on the master sum is regulated, which ends up at the mix out of the UCON. Next to it, the level meter with clipping LED (up) and “PRE”-button (down) are located.

  • Page 19: The Master Channel

    As long as “LINK” is pushed, they are moved synchronously. Adaptable – changing the view of the UCON Mixer The UCON CX can be operated in two different „ The UCON Settings „ you get to modes: ADAT Mode and Non ADAT Mode. If...
  • Page 20 But we claimed that the UCON would be more, than just a mixer within the computer. So let’s hop on to the next chapter to see what else the UCON CX is capable of.

  • Page 21: The Outputcontrol

    So far, we have taken a look at signals, which either entered the UCON via a physical input or as a playback signal of a software. The Output Control controls all signals, leaving the UCON CX. It is opened with single click on “Output Control” via the UCON symbol on the Windows™...

  • Page 22: What Is It All About

    In this window, all available physical outputs of „The UCON Settings“ you get to know the UCON CX are shown as stereo channel how to switch between strips with the name “OUTPUT”. In ADAT these modes, and what Mode you can see “ADAT 1-2” to “ADAT 7-8”...

  • Page 23: Adaptable - Changing The View Of The Outputcontrol

    Adaptable – changing the view of the Output Control As you know from the Mixer, there is a Important on this one: Those channels are not “SHOW” section in the bottom left corner of the deactivated simply Output Control. With click on “Analog”, visually faded out! “Digital”...

  • Page 24: Saving And Loading Setups

    Saving and Loading Setups Within the UCON CX manager the options “Save Setup…” and “Load Setup…” can be found. With those you can save all current settings of the UCON Mixer and the Output Control into one single file and recall it when needed.

  • Page 25: The Settings

    The Settings The following chapter is all about the system settings of the UCON CX. You open the corresponding window via the UCON symbol on the taskbar. Don’t worry about all those plenty of options, which it offers. We’ll take it easy with’em, one after the other.

  • Page 26: Operation Modes

    Operation Modes The UCON CX can be operated in two modes. Depending on the desired mode, set the dot to “ADAT Mode” or “Non ADAT Mode”. What’s the difference? The ADAT Mode switches the optical digital ports of the UCON to ADAT usage.

  • Page 27: Clock Settings

    External devices can receive settings” this clock signal via the ADAT- or S/PIDF output of the UCON. This lifts the UCON CX to clock master status. If external devices are configured as clock slaves, they will work...
  • Page 28 The UCON CX as clock slave If one of the next 4 options is chosen, the UCON See example 1 of “The UCON in the Orchestra will work synchronously to connected digital of Digital Devices” devices and therefore turn into a clock slave.
  • Page 29 Which clock source is used, can still be read in the clock settings within the UCON CX manager. By standard the option “Clock of the digital audio inputs is synchronized with this clock”...
  • Page 30 In the section “Use this sample rate”, you can type in, which sample rate the UCON CX shall work with, if he is not busy with playing back or recording tasks of an audio application. For example, if you use the UCON purely as a digital mixer.
  • Page 31 Clock/Samplerate/Device Conflicts As you can see in ”Important notes on specialties of the UCON and the clock” in chapter “The clock settings”, situations can occur, where certain requirements to the UCON can not be met. For example: 1. You already use “Internal Clock” for a recording or a playback.
  • Page 32 messages. You’d be busy for quite a while confirming these by clicking “OK”. By standard, error- and warning messages are therefore deactivated. For diagnostically purposes it is recommended to deactivate this option, since it can provide a good hint on searching causes for problems in this field.

  • Page 34: Usb

    Via the upper slider you can set up the minimal Note: The latency set here, defines possible latency achievable with the UCON CX. minimal latency that can Depending on the position, the value of the be at all achieved with latency is displayed in the middle beneath it.
  • Page 35 This button serves for transmitting a new operating program into the UCON. Use this button only, when told to do so by our support service! Generally, a driver update checks the current operating program of the UCON CX, and performs, if needed, an automatic update.

  • Page 36: Audio Options

    On Windows™ XP, the MME drivers function via WDM. This may result in certain disadvantages. By activating this option, all in- and outputs of the UCON CX can be used via the “classical” MME interface. They appear with the suffix “(MME)” on recording and playback devices within an audio application.

  • Page 37: Midi Filter

    MIDI filter This section gives you many options to optimize and adjust the MIDI in- and outputs of the UCON CX. Those features are usually found in pretty complex audio applications only. Device Choose the MIDI in- or output which you would...
  • Page 38 On “View by Command”, “Command Filters” shows the MIDI commands, which can now be filtered for each single channel. By clicking “On” or “Off”, the chosen MIDI command is filtered or passed through on all channels. On “View by Channel”, “Command Filters” shows all MIDI channels, on which the MIDI commands can now be filtered.
  • Page 39 On “View by Matrix” all MIDI channels and the MIDI command filters are shown in form of a matrix. System Data Filter The command filters offered here are MIDI channel independent, but concern the chosen MIDI port.

  • Page 40: Asio Device Setup

    – a click on it opens the ASIO Device Setup. In this window you can see all in- and outputs the UCON CX offers. If one entry is checked, then the corresponding in- or output is activated and usable for the audio application.
  • Page 41 With a click on an entry of an in- or output in the Hint: Note: some column “name (alias)”, you can change its name. audio applications require additional steps of This name will also appear this way in the ASIO activation, so the in- or application.

  • Page 42: Hands On The Ucon

    Thus, an audio signal is split up in little portions (data amounts) and is send away piece by piece. Looking at the UCON CX, these buffers have to be send from audio application to the driver of the UCON.

  • Page 43: Setting Up The "Usb Audio Latency

    “USB Audio Latency” Connect your stereo to the analog output 1-2 at Please note: smaller the latency, the the UCON CX. higher the system load to 1. Activate “Test tone on Analog 1-2” in the your settings window computer. many purposes, e.g.

  • Page 44: Setting Up The Audio Driver Latency

    Setting up the audio driver latency 1. Open the audio application Sometimes it is needed to subsequently adjust the 2. Start playing back a simple signal (e.g. a Audio Latency stereo track) and control it via the UCON. and/or the audio driver latency.

  • Page 45: Sounding Good

    For every analog signal you’d like to record with the UCON CX, you have to start with adjusting the level! This happens within the UCON Mixer, with the help of the gain knob.

  • Page 46: The Ucon In A Project Studio

    “Sounding good”. the analog input 1. Within the UCON CX Mixer, bring the signal up to perfect level using the “GAIN”-knob. Into analog output 1-2 of the UCON, plug the headphone pre-amp for your musician.

  • Page 47: Volume Settings

    Volume settings In order for your musician to hear him/herself on the headphones, you need to pull up “AUX 1” and “Aux 2” in his/her channel (analog input 1) in the UCON Mixer. For a portion of the signal going to the effect unit, “AUX 3” and “AUX 4”...

  • Page 48: The Ucon In A Live Session

    See section “Sounding good”. signals reach the UCON Mixer with perfect level. The mix out of the UCON CX is connected to the amp which feeds the PA of the concert hall – you can check this signal in detail using the headphone plug at the front of the UCON.

  • Page 49: Setting Up The Monitors

    In order for the singer to hear himself on the speaker or on his headphones – simply pull up “AUX 1” on his channel in the UCON CX Mixer (analog input 1). In order for the singer to hear the bass guitarist, also “AUX 1” has to be pulled up in that channel (analog input 2).

  • Page 50: The Ucon As Hard-Disk-Recording-System

    UCON, he is capable of upgrading your computer to a great multitrack recorder. With the following example, we would like to show you, how to setup and optimize the UCON CX for such purposes. Situation Let’s recall your friend, who asked you to mix Section: “The UCON...
  • Page 51 Check the corresponding settings! Choose bigger values (e.g. 10-20ms) to keep the system load small. Start your preferred audio application and choose the “ASIO UCON CX”-driver or the Multimedia driver, in “Audio Settings” or “Audio Options” from within the software. The...
  • Page 52 urgently n- and outputs of the UCON appear in the recommend activating the format “Analog 1-2 (MME)” Using the ASIO options “Classical MME- driver, all wanted in- and outputs have to be driver” and “Start/Stop activated via the ASIO device setup. Using the Synchronization”...

  • Page 54: The Ucon In The "Orchestra" Of Digital Devices

    The UCON in the “Orchestra” of Digital Devices Background As you probably already know, there is one big difference between analog and digital audio signals: analog audio signals are continuous. That means at any given time you can measure this signal and receive a defined measuring value.

  • Page 55: The Rules In The Digital Audio World

    But within a compound of digital audio devices, the clock has to be the same – everywhere. Let’s take a look at 4 simple examples on how to connect the UCON CX digitally. Example 1 – Connection via optical S/PDIF port In this example the digital output of the UCON CX is connected with the digital input of the CD-RW device.
  • Page 56 ADAT converter has to be configured as clock master. Example 3 – cross connection for S/PDIF or ADAT In this, the digital output of the UCON CX is connected to a FX unit or a digital mixer. The digital output of the device is again connected with the digital input of the UCON CX.
  • Page 57 Depending on the wordclock signal the option „Wordclock Input“, „Superclock Input (128 x Fs) or „Superclock Input (256 x Fs) must be active. If the wordclock cable of the UCON CX is not lead further to another device, the termination switch must be turned on.

  • Page 58: The Ucon In Stand Alone Operation

    The UCON in Stand Alone Operation What in the world is “stand alone”? That means the UCON CX is operated without being connected to a computer! Situation You own a digital mixer and wish to use all available channels. Mostly digital mixers do not support as many analog inputs as they could digitally work with.
  • Page 59 with microphone pre-amps, can reach your Attention: The gain knob Mixer computer – via one single USB cord! „remembers“ last setting. When operated in stand alone mode the UCON this last setting is still active. Example: you turn down one gain knob of the Mixer when the UCON CX is connected to the computer.

  • Page 60: Glossary

    Glossary ASIO ASIO stands for “Audio Streaming Input The UCON CX supports current Output” and is a driver interface for so undcards version 2.0 of the ASIO developed by the company Steinberg. With standard ASIO very small latency times can be achieved.
  • Page 61 CPU load and enables faster latency times than a standard MME driver. Driver The UCON CX driver A driver is a package of software, consisting of a ensures the operation of couple of single programs or a part of a...
  • Page 62 Latency is, in the field of digital audio signal processing, another word for “delay time”. Example: if you connect a microphone signal to the UCON CX, it takes some time until it comes from the UCON input all the way to an audio application (e.g. your recording software).
  • Page 63 Metering Within the manager of Or level metering. Means the visualization of the UCON CX, there is a volume relations of an audio signal. precise metering taking place. MIDI The UCON CX can MIDI stands for “Musical instrument digital send MIDI signals on 2 Interface”...
  • Page 64 S/PDIF S/PDIF stands for “Sony Philips Digital The UCON CX features switchable Interface” and was developed by the companies S/PIDF in- and output in Sony and Philips. With it a digital audio signal is TOSLINK format. transported either with a light conductor cable (TOSLINK) or a cinch coaxial cable.

  • Page 65: Technical Facts

    Technical Facts Inputs 1-4 front Impedance ¼“ jack 1 MOhm; 10 kOhm with -20 dB switch Impedance XLR jack 2 kOhm Level adjustment -48 dB - +47 dB Max. input level bal. +12 dBu Phantom power +48 V / 10 mA Inputs 5-8 back Impedance 10 kOhm...

  • Page 66: Service And Support

    For this, please get in contact with our support service. Care and maintenance For the UCON CX to serve you a long time errorless, please take care of the following: Keep the UCON CX far off from any heat source and direct sun rays.

  • Page 67: Contact

    3. If still any questions remain, you can contact us via the internet using our support form at: www.marian.de/english/support.htm. 4. Or talk to us personally. Dial: +49 (0)341-589 32 22 Interesting news, information, and driver-updates as well as information about our products and authorized dealers can be found on www.marian.de.

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