Behringer PROMIC2200 User Manual
Users Manual
Version 1.2 March 2001
ENGLISH
PRO MIC2200
®
ULTRAGAIN
www.behringer.com
ULTRAGAIN PRO MIC2200
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not remove
the cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside;
refer servicing to qualified personnel.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electrical shock, do not
expose this appliance to rain or moisture.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts
you to the presence of uninsulated
dangerous voltage inside the enclosure
- voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock.
DETAILED SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
All the safety and operation instructions should be read before the appliance is operated.
Retain Instructions:
The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
Heed Warnings:
All warnings on the appliance and in the operating instructions should be adhered to.
Follow instructions:
All operation and user instructions should be followed.
Water and Moisture:
The appliance should not be used near water (e.g. near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in a wet
basement, or near a swimming pool etc.).
Ventilation:
The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilaton. For
example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa rug, or similar surface that may block the
ventilation openings: or placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the
flow of air through the ventilation openings.
Heat:
The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other
appliance (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
Power Source:
The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions
or as marked on the appliance.
Grounding or Polarization:
Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated.
Power-Cord Protection:
Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed
upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, convenience receptacles and the point
where they exit from the appliance.
Cleaning:
The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.
Non-use Periods:
The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.
Object and Liquid Entry:
Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.
Damage Requiring Service:
The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
- The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged; or
- Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into the appliance; or
- The appliance has been exposed to rain; or
- The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or
- The appliance has been dropped, or the enclosure damaged.
Servicing:
The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that is described in the Operating Instructions. All
other servicing should be referred to qualifield service personnel.
This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts
you to important operating and maintenance instructions in the accompanying
literature. Read the manual.
2
ULTRAGAIN PRO MIC2200
FOREWORD
Dear Customer,
Welcome to the team of ULTRAGAIN PRO users and thank you very much for expressing your confidence in
BEHRINGER products by purchasing this unit.
It is one of my most pleasant tasks to write this letter to you, because it is the culmination of many months of
hard work delivered by our engineering team to reach a very ambitious goal: making an outstanding device
better still. The ULTRAGAIN has for quite a long time been a standard tool used by numerous studios and P.A.
rental companies. The task to improve one of our best-selling products certainly meant a great deal of responsibility, which we assumed by focusing on you, the discerning user and musician. It also meant a lot of work
and night shifts to accomplish this goal. But it was fun, too. Developing a product usually brings a lot of people
together, and what a great feeling it is when everybody who participated in such a project can be proud of what
weve achieved.
It is our philosophy to share our joy with you, because you are the most important member of the BEHRINGER
family. With your highly competent suggestions for new products youve greatly contributed to shaping our
company and making it successful. In return, we guarantee you uncompromising quality (manufactured under
ISO9000 certified management system) as well as excellent technical and audio properties at an extremely
favorable price. All of this will enable you to fully unfold your creativity without being hampered by budget
constraints.
We are often asked how we can make it to produce such high-grade devices at such unbelievably low prices.
The answer is quite simple: its you, our customers! Many satisfied customers means large sales volumes
enabling us to get better conditions of purchase for components, etc. Isnt it only fair to pass this benefit back
to you? Because we know that your success is our success, too!
I would like to thank all people whose help on Project ULTRAGAIN PRO has made it all possible. Everybody
has made very personal contributions, starting from the designers of the unit via the many staff members in our
company to you, the user of BEHRINGER products.
My friends, its been worth the trouble!
Thank you very much,
Uli Behringer
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ULTRAGAIN PRO MIC2200
ULTRAGAIN PRO
Ultra low-noise discrete Microphone/Line Preamplifier
s
Mic input stages are based on super-high quality, discrete conjugate transistor pair circuitry
s
Ultra-wide bandwidth from 2 Hz to 200 kHz for open sound
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Built-in high-quality vacuum tube for outstanding, ultra-musical tube sound
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Our special vacuum tube circuitry warms up your music without unwanted noise
MIC2200
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Two high-end Parametric EQs with centre frequency, bandwidth and level being fully user adjustable
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Independent line driver to convert -10 dBV into +4 dBu pro level
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Completely versatile DI-Box due to servo-balanced inputs and outputs
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Soft Mute +48 V Phantom Power to avoid switch-on thumps
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Fully tunable and switchable 12 dB high-pass filter
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Switchable Phase Reverse to correct phase problems
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Ultra-low noise 4580 audio operational amplifiers for outstanding sound performance
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Accurate 12-segment LED metering for output level
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Servo-balanced gold-plated XLR and 1/4" TRS inputs and outputs
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Relay-controlled input switch for maximum signal integrity
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High-quality detented potentiometers and illuminated switches
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Manufactured under ISO9000 certified management system
4
ULTRAGAIN PRO MIC2200
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................6
1.1 Technical background...................................................................................................................... 7
1.1.1 Noise as a physical phenomenon ......................................................................................... 7
1.1.2 What are audio dynamics? ...................................................................................................7
1.2 The tube used in the ULTRAGAIN PRO ...........................................................................................8
1.2.1 Tube history .......................................................................................................................... 8
1.2.2 Design and functional principle of tubes ................................................................................ 9
1.2.3 Properties of tubes.............................................................................................................. 10
1.2.4 The best of both worlds ........................................................................................................11
1.2.5 Studio applications ............................................................................................................... 11
2. THE DESIGN CONCEPT ..................................................................................................... 11
2.1 High quality components and design .............................................................................................. 11
2.2 Inputs and outputs ......................................................................................................................... 11
2.2.1 Balanced inputs and outputs ................................................................................................11
3. INSTALLATION ..................................................................................................................... 11
3.1 Rack mounting .............................................................................................................................. 12
3.2 Mains voltage ................................................................................................................................12
3.3 Audio connections ........................................................................................................................ 12
4. CONTROL ELEMENTS .......................................................................................................13
4.1 Front panel control elements ......................................................................................................... 13
4.2 Rear panel control elements .......................................................................................................... 14
5. APPLICATIONS .....................................................................................................................15
5.1 The ULTRAGAIN PRO as a microphone preamplifier ..................................................................... 15
5.1.1 Basic setting....................................................................................................................... 15
5.1.2 MIC GAIN control ................................................................................................................ 15
5.1.3 PHASE REV. switch ........................................................................................................... 16
5.1.4 LO CUT function ................................................................................................................. 16
5.1.5 Phantom power ................................................................................................................... 16
5.2 The ULTRAGAIN PRO as a level translator .................................................................................... 17
5.3 The ULTRAGAIN PRO as a direct-injection box ............................................................................. 17
5.4 The ULTRAGAIN PROs parametric equalizer ................................................................................ 17
5.5 The ULTRAGAIN PRO as a tube interface ..................................................................................... 18
6. SPECIFICATIONS .................................................................................................................. 19
7. WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................... 20
5
ULTRAGAIN PRO MIC2200
1. INTRODUCTION
With the ULTRAGAIN PRO you have purchased an extremely musical and flexible microphone preamplifier.
Our ULTRAGAIN range of devices has been a hit ever since we introduced our first model some 5 years ago.
This high-end microphone preamp is based on many years of experience and findings in amplifier technology
and is used throughout the world in renowned studios, sound reinforcement systems as well as in broadcast
and television studios. Improving the legendary ULTRAGAIN even further was a real challenge, and we are
proud of our success. The BEHRINGER ULTRAGAIN PRO meets highest and no-compromise requirements in
terms of operation, sound, specifications and workmanship.
Future-oriented BEHRINGER technology
Compared to its predecessor models, the ULTRAGAIN PRO not only has additional features, but also boasts
dramatically enhanced audio qualities. For example, it uses a special tube stage to provide the program
material with typical tube warmth, and has a fully parametric equalizer per channel, which gives you even
more sound-processing flexibility.
The heart of the ULTRAGAIN PRO is an extremely low-noise microphone preamp circuit that uses discrete
components to produce a highly transparent sound. In combination with our BEHRINGER tube technology, the
operational amplifiers 4580 and a sophisticated circuit topology, the ULTRAGAIN PRO yields excellent noise
and distortion properties! The switchable +48 V phantom power supply allows for connecting almost any kind
of microphone and suppresses power-up thumps with its soft mute function.
BEHRINGER tube circuitry
Our engineering team has made it possible to enhance the traditional tube circuitry (particularly for our
ULTRAGAIN PRO) and adapt it to meet the high sound quality and dynamics requirements of modern, pro-level
audio technology. The fact that we are still fascinated by antique tube radios and amps as well as the fine and
warm tonal character that we usually associate with them, are the reasons why vacuum tubes have kept their
ground even in state-of-the-art circuit topologies used especially in professional audio technology or so-called
high-end devices. We are particularly proud that we have found a highly effective symbiosis between solid-state
and tube technologies making them affordable to almost anybody in audio technology.
The parametric equalizer
Parametric equalizers represent the most advanced form of equalization systems. Basically, the user has
control over the three parameters that define the so-called Gaussian equalization curve: bandwidth, frequency
and amplitude.
The ULTRAGAIN PROs on-board parametric equalizer combines the technical properties of a parametric
equalizer with those of a narrow-band notch filter. Capable of eliminating feedback frequencies, a parametric
equalizer is a perfect match for a microphone preamp. Moreover, as its design is based on our well-known
ULTRA-Q, the ULTRAGAIN PROs audio qualities and specifications are well within the so-called high-end
class. Its on-board equalizer can be used not only to tweak the frequency response but also to creatively
process audio material, thus giving you undreamed of equalization flexibility. Both in creative audio-processing
applications in recording and broadcast/TV studios, in video post-production, and on stage, equalizers are
highly efficient and all-purpose audio tools ideally complementing microphone preamps.
The universal level translator
In addition to a high-grade microphone preamp, the ULTRAGAIN PRO features a separate level translator
which can both raise and lower line level signals. You can use it to translate home recording to studio levels so
as to easily connect tape/video recorders and other hi-fi devices to professional equipment (and vice versa, i.e.
reducing studio levels to match those of semi-professional equipment).
+ The following operational manual will introduce you to the BEHRINGER ULTRAGAIN PRO and
its various functions. After reading the manual carefully, make sure it is always on hand for
future reference.
6
1. INTRODUCTION
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