Ashly VCM-88E User Manual

VCM-88-E Eight Channel VCA Matrixing Level Controller

Architects Specifi cations

VCM-88E

The VCA unit shall contain 8 independent voltage controlled
amplifier channels capable of 20dB of amplification as well as
75dB of attenuation. Each channel shall also have a limiter with
a wide-range of threshold level adjustment and a limiter active
indicator. Each channel shall have a balanced input and output
euroblock connector. Each channel shall have the ability to com­bine unbalanced input and output connections.

The VCA unit shall provide a master level control and a master
sum output euroblock connector for the unit to function as a
stand-alone, remotely controllable line mixer.

The VCA unit shall be remotely controllable digitally over a stan­dard RS-232 serial cable. The VCA unit shall provide phantom
power the remote controller and receive data over at least 1500
feet of 24 gauge shielded twisted pair. The unit shall also have
a data reception indicator and a remote disable switch. The VCA
channels and master level shall also be remotely controllable by
DC voltages through a euroblock connector using standard linear
taper potentiometers. The VCA channels and master level shall
also be remotely controllable by a PC connected by a standard
serial port and cable using Ashly Protea System Software, AMX
or Crestron control software. The VCA channels and master level
shall also be remotely controllable via MIDI. The unit shall have
internal patching capabilities to route individual channel’s input
and output to any channel.

The output noise at unity gain on each channel shall be less than

-94dBu unweighted over 20Hz-20kHz. The total harmonic distor-

Technical Notes & Specifications

tion shall be less than 0.05% at 0dBu. Crosstalk between adja­cent channels shall be less than 80dB over 20Hz-20kHz.

The frequency response shall be flat +/-0.2dB over 20Hz­20kHz. The VCA unit shall weigh no more than 9 lbs. net and
mount into 1 rack space (1.75”) of a standard 19” rack. The
power requirement shall be 100-125VAC, 50-60Hz at less than
18W. The unit shall be the Ashly Audio VCM-88E.

The remote controller shall control 8 channels plus the master
level using slide faders. Each channel and the master shall have
an on/off switch with an indicator light. There shall also be a
remote disable indicator that illuminates when the remote con­troller has been disabled at the VCA unit. The remote controller
shall be phantom powered by the VCA unit so that no batteries
or AC line cords are needed while controlling the VCA unit over
1500 feet of cable. The remote controller shall have a low pro­file for desk-top operation and must have provisions to be rack
mounted where two remote controllers will occupy no more than
two 19” rack spaces (3.5” high).

The data signal shall not have characteristics which would cause
digital crosstalk noise into adjacent microphone-level chan­nels in a multichannel snake cable. This data crosstalk noise
shall be less than -110dB along 1000 feet of adjacent 150 ohm
microphone lines. The remote controller shall be available in a
desk-top/rack-mount version as well as a wall-mount version for
permanently installing into a standard 4-gang electrical box. The
desk-top/rack-mount remote controller shall be the model RD-8
and the wall-mount remote controller shall be the model RW-8.

Features:

• Eight Channels of Remote Level
Control

• RS-232 Interface Connector

• PC Control Using Protea System
Software, AMX or Crestron Control
Software

• Digital Control Over a Single XLR Mic

or Snake Line or Shielded Twisted
Pair Cable

• DC Remote Control Using

Potentiometers

• Internal Channel Patching for

Flexible Signal Routing and
Matrixing

• Internal Channel Pass-Through for

Cascading Multiple Units in Parallel

• Signal Present LED’s On Each
Channel

• RD-8, RW-8 Compatible

• Works With Any Mixer With Channel

Insert Points

• Master Sum Output Jack

• +20dB to -75dB Level Control

• Individual Limiter Threshold

Adjustment for Each Channel

General Specifications VCM-88

INPUT TYPE: Euroblock
INPUT IMPEDANCE: 20k ohm balanced, 10k ohm unbalanced
MAX INPUT LEVEL: +23dBu
OUTPUT TYPE: Euroblock
OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: 200 ohm pseudo balanced, 100 ohm unbalanced
MAX OUTPUT LEVEL: +22dBu
NOMINAL GAIN: 0dB ± 0.5dB
GAIN RANGE: +20dB to -75dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: ± 0.2dB, 20Hz-20kHz
THD: < 0.05% @ 0dBu, 20Hz-20kHz
OUTPUT HUM AND NOISE: < -94dBu, 20Hz-20kHz unweighted
CROSSTALK: < -80dB @ 20Hz-20kHz
LIMITER THRESHOLD RANGE: -23dBu to +22dBu
LIMITER COMPRESSION RATIO: 10:1
DATA INPUT TYPE: 9-pin female D-Sub connector and 6 pin euroblock
DATA FORMAT: RS-232 using Protea System Software, AMX or Crestron Control, or MIDI
DC CONTROL INPUT TYPE: 12 position euroblock
DC CONTROL VOLTAGE: -4V to +15V provided for external 10k ohm potentiometers
SIZE: 19”L x 1.75”H x 6”D
POWER REQUIREMENTS: 100-125VAC, 50-60Hz, 18W (240V available)
SHIPPING WEIGHT: 9 lbs

RD-8/RW-8 SPECS:
FADER RANGE: +10dB to -75dB (master fader @ 0dB)
DATA/POWER CONNECTOR: Male XLR jack
MAX DATA CABLE LENGTH: 1500ft (24ga twisted pair)
DATA FORMAT: 9600 baud, 2Vp raised cosine
DATA CROSSTALK TO AUDIO: < -110dB along 1000ft of 150 ohm shielded cable
SIZE: 7.5”L x 3.5” H x 1.75”D
POWER REQUIREMENTS: Phantom powered by VCM-88E
SHIPPING WEIGHT: 3 lbs

Input connector may be internally selected as a single in/out patch point.

Rear Panel VCM-88E

Applications:

Remote control of stage monitors, remote control of microphones in a church or large meeting room,
remote control of sound in a theme park or banquet facility. Dedicated 8-channel limiter for speaker pro­tection. For detailed applications, request the VCM-88/88E Product Applications Note. Or, download it
directly from the Ashly Audio Web Site.

Ashly manufactures a complete and comprehensive line of Graphic and Parametric Equalizers,

Electronic Crossovers, Power Amplifiers, Compressor-Limiters, Mixers, and

Amplifier Input Options. Please call, write or visit our web site for information on any of these Ashly Products.

Ashly Audio Inc., 847 Holt Road, Webster, NY 14580-9103, Toll Free [phone], Telephone [phone], FAX [phone]

Internet: http://www.ashly.com, email: [e-mail]