OceanAudio The Ark 500 Series Owner's Manual

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Owner's Manual
The Ark
Ark
Ark
508 Expander
504
Ark
516 Expander
Ark
516
www.oceanaudio.co.uk

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Summary of Contents for OceanAudio The Ark 500 Series

  • Page 1 Owner’s Manual The Ark 508 Expander 516 Expander www.oceanaudio.co.uk...
  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Contents Introduction ......................3 Features ........................4 Quick start ....................... 5 3.1! Power Connections ..................6 3.2! Audio Connections ..................7 3.3! Connecting without patchbay and without modules installed...... 7 3.4! Connecting without patchbay but with modules installed ......8 3.5! Using the console with a patchbay .............
  • Page 3: Introduction

    Introduction Thank you for your purchase of the Ark. This manual is for all models of the Ark 500 range (Ark 504, Ark 516, Ark 508 Expander and Ark 516 Expander) We hope you’ll have as much pleasure using it as we had designing and building it. The Ark is designed by Malcolm Toft, who was the founder of console manufacturer Trident Audio Developments in 1972.
  • Page 4: Features

    Features The Ark is designed to be as flexible as possible. While it can be used as a traditional analogue console (just insert a Mic Pre and an EQ per channel), we would like to encourage you to explore all possibilities and use this console to really suit your workflow.
  • Page 5 Because of the channel monitor and direct output facilities, recording instruments to a DAW or tape is simple and of very high quality. When mixing down, there is a large number of inputs to the stereo buss available. Here’s an overview which shows you the number of inputs for any combination of Ark models : Ark 504 Ark 516 Ark 508 Ex...
  • Page 6: Quick Start

    Quick Start 3.1 Power Connections The Ark 504, Ark 516 and Ark 516 Expander are supplied with a high quality power supply. The power supply of the Ark 504 has enough power for one additional Ark 508 expander. The Ark 508 Expander needs it’s own power supply when used with the Ark 516. Make sure to use an earthed cable when connecting the AC power source to the 3-pin euro socket at the back of the power supply.
  • Page 7: Audio Connections

    3.2 Audio Connections So as to provide complete flexibility and provide greater access to the many inputs and outputs available, the Ark uses the Tascam standard 25 way D-Sub connector system. Because of this, when used without a patchbay certain functions in the console will not work unless they are ‘normalled, through.
  • Page 8: Connecting Without Patchbay But With Modules Installed

    3.4 Connections without patchbay but with modules installed For this example we’ll install 16x Mic Pres in the Top Rack slots of the Ark 516, 16x EQs in the Lower Rack slots and 8x compressors in the Monitor Rack slots. We need to make sure that we once again enable continuity of signal through the console.
  • Page 9: Using The Console With A Patchbay

    3.5 Using the console with a patchbay The previous examples showed basic ways to use the Ark. But the Ark offers much more. And as with so many things in audio, there are not much rules. We would like to invite you to customise the connections so the Ark really suits your workflow. But when using the Ark with a patchbay, you need to make sure that similar connections as described above are made.
  • Page 10: Audio Connections - Wiring D-Sub Connectors

    Audio connections The console uses 25 way ‘D-Sub’ connectors which follow the Tascam standard for audio wiring. This universal standard makes it compatible with any other piece of professional analogue audio equipment (such as patchbays etc.) that follow this standard. It is also possible to construct cables using the IDC (insulation displacement connector) technique using .05”...
  • Page 11: Standard D-Sub Pin Connection

    4.1 Standard D-Sub pin connections (Ark 504, 516, 508 Ex and 516 Ex) Description Number Channel 8 + Channel 8 Earth Channel 7 - Channel 6 + Channel 6 Earth Channel 5 - Channel 4 + Channel 4 Earth Channel 3 - Channel 2 + Channel 2 Earth Channel 1 -...
  • Page 12: Master Insert Sends, Returns & Master Outputs D-Sub Pin Connections

    4.2 Master Insert Sends, Returns & Master Outputs D-Sub connections (Ark 504 and 516) Description Number No Connection No Connection No Connection Stereo Master Output Left + Stereo Master Output Left Ground Stereo Master Output Right - Stereo Master Insert Return Left + Stereo Master Insert Return Ground Stereo Master Insert Return Right - Stereo Master Insert Send Left +...
  • Page 13: Control Room, Alt Mon & Studio Playback D-Sub Pin Connections

    4.3 Control Room, Alt Mon & Studio Playback D-Sub pin connections (Ark 504 and 516) Description Number Studio Play Left + Studio Play left Ground Studio Play Right - Alt Speaker 2 Left + Alt Speaker 2 Left Ground Alt Speaker 2 Right - Alt Speaker 1 Left + Alt Speaker 1 Left Ground Alt Speaker 1 Right -...
  • Page 14: 2-Track Returns D-Sub Pin Connections

    4.4 2-Track Returns D-Sub pin connections (Ark 504 and 516) Description Number No Connection No Connection No Connection No Connection No Connection No Connection 2 Track 2 Return Right + 2 Track 2 Return Ground 2 Track 2 Return Left - 2 Track 1 Return Right + 2 Track 1 Return Right Ground 2 Track 1 Return Left -...
  • Page 15: Auxiliary Sends D-Sub Pin Connections

    4.5 Auxiliary Sends D-Sub pin connections (Ark 504 and 516) Description Number No Connection No Connection Aux Send 7 - Aux Send 6 + Aux Send 6 Earth Aux Send 5 - Aux Send 4 + Aux Send 4 Earth Aux Send 3 - Aux Send 2 + Aux Send 2 Earth...
  • Page 16: The Ark Input Module

    5. Input Module (Ark 504, 516, 508 Ex and 516 Ex) Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 16...
  • Page 17 Input module operational description (Ark 504, 516, 508 Ex, 516 Ex) The Ark input module is an extremely versatile channel strip that provides all the facilities necessary for multi- track recording and mixing. All of the switches / pushbuttons are illuminated when activated. Exception to this are the pre/post switches for the Aux sends.
  • Page 18 As previously mentioned, auxiliaries 1 and 5-6 can be “moved” to the channel monitor section so that they are no longer a part of the input section. So you can actually split the AUX sends. 3 on the channel input, and 3 on the monitor section. This allows you to provide a headphone or effect send mix from the channel monitor section.
  • Page 19 Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 19...
  • Page 20: The Ark Submaster Module (Ark 504 And 516 Only)

    6. Submaster Module (Ark 504 and 516) Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 20...
  • Page 21 Submaster module operational description (Ark 504 and 516 only) The submaster modules provide all of the facilities necessary when using the 8 sub group outputs. They provide monitoring of not only the 8 subgroups but an additional 8 line level returns, so that 16 track recordings can be monitored.
  • Page 22 Lower subgroup section At the top of the lower section are an identical set of auxiliary send controls to those found on the upper section and they perform the same function. A ‘Replay’ switch selects monitoring through the lower section to be the output of the respective subgroup below, or a balanced line level signal connected to the Monitor Line Inputs 1-8 on the rear panel of The Ark.
  • Page 23 Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 23...
  • Page 24: The Ark Master Module (Ark 504 And 516 Only)

    7. Master Module (Ark 504 and 516) Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 24...
  • Page 25 Master module operational description (Ark 504 and 516 only) The master module of the Ark 504 and 516 contains all of the controls that affect the overall functionality of the console. Associated with the master module are an accurately matched 100mm stereo fader which controls the level of the master stereo balanced outputs together with a pair of very accurate 16 segment bargraph and two moving coil VU meters which indicate the signal being sent from the master left/right stereo outputs.
  • Page 26 Next in the master module are the controls for alternate control room monitor speakers 1 and 2. In conjunction with the standard control room monitor system these controls make it possible to have up to three different control room monitor speaker systems selectable from the console.
  • Page 27 Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 27...
  • Page 28: More On Metering

    More on Metering The metering on the Ark is very versatile. But since there are 3 different locations on the console, which determine what gets shown on the VU meters (LED meters on the Ark 504), it's important that this is well understood. Most important is the Master Meter Switch on top of the Master Module.
  • Page 29: More On Levels When Using Digital Audio Interfaces

    More on levels when using Digital Audio Interfaces The Ark has been designed to operate at standard professional operating levels ‘0’ on the VU meters corresponds to +4dBm (1.225V), ‘0’ on the master bargraph meters corresponds to 0dBm (0.775V). When connecting a Digital Audio Interface it is important to set the levels of your interface, so it matches correctly with the console.
  • Page 30: More On Speakers

    More on speakers Make sure to take care when interfacing the console to control room monitor speakers. Many control room monitors nowadays are self powered systems and contain their own amplifiers. These systems often have as much as 20db gain internally and therefore if connected directly to the console without any attenuation will mean that the console control room monitor level control (or the alternate monitor control room level controls) will operate at the low end of their travel (below mid-way).
  • Page 31: More On Grounding

    More on grounding By connecting equipment together using the 'star grounding' principle it is possible to virtually eliminate hum loops from studio wiring. Since the system is quite easy to implement, it only requires following a certain procedure that will soon become second nature.
  • Page 32 Dimensions All versions of the Ark have the same Depth and Height : 94 x 37 cm / 37,01 x 14,57 inch Width in centimeters Width in inches Ark 504 21,65 Ark 516 39,76 Ark 508 expander 35,5 13,98 Ark 516 expander 66,5 26,18 Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 32...
  • Page 33: Technical Specifications

    Technical Specifications Input Impedance : 20K ohms (balanced) Output Impedance : <150 ohms (balanced) Frequency Response Input to Group Output : ± 1db 20Hz to 30kHz Maximum Output level (Headroom) : +27dbm (balanced) Distortion : <0.05% at +26dbm Line Input Gain Control : +10db, –15db Direct Output Gain : +6db (balanced)

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