bx_digital V2 mono manual
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bx_digital V2 mono manual
Index
1. What is bx_digital V2 mono? 3
2. Features of the bx_digital V2 mono: 3
3. Overview and Details 3
3.1. EQ-Section 4
3.2. Input Gain and Output Gain 4
3.3. The Brainworx logos in the GUI 4
3.4. Auto Listen, EQ on/off, Phase Reverse 4
3.5. Window switch 6
3.6. Level LEDs 6
3.7. Bass Shift 6
3.8. Presence Shift 6
3.9. De-Esser 7
3.10. EQ-Panel 7
Mouse Wheel - Control: 7
3.11. Bypass 7
3.12. Settings (A/B/C/D) 8
3.13. Manual & Help 8
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bx_digital V2 mono manual
1. What is bx_digital V2 mono?
bx_digital V2 mono is an 11-band EQ and De-Esser.
It is based upon the “modern classic” bx_digital V2 and the analog bx1 EQ.
bx_digital V2 now offers additional features that neither the original bx1 analog
EQ nor the v1 plug-in offered.
t Details: see chapter 2.
2. Features of the bx_digital V2 mono:
bx1:
• 7-band mastering quality EQ with Shelving, Bell and Pass-Filters.
• Auto Listen” Mode
• Input and Output Gain to adjust levels
• Filter section includes Lo-Shelving, Hi-Shelving, full-parametric
Bell type, new „anti cruh“ Lo-Pass & Hi-Pass filters. All 7 bands
have been adjusted in frequency-range and type-selection by
international mix- and mastering engineers to help you get
professional results for your mixes instantly.
• New mouse wheel control (place the cursor above any knob and use the
mouse wheel…)
bx2:
• 4 more EQ bands (in the Shifter EQs)
• Image Shifters for your bass frequencies and high frequencies. Tune your
lo-end and hi-end of your mix for a „bigger“ overall sound with „more air“
at the same time and control potential harsh frequencies in your mixes.
• De-Esser/dynamic EQs. Solo buttons let you listen to what you cut away
separated from the mix.
EQ-Panel:
• shows up to 11 bands of EQ
3. Overview and Details
bx_digital V2 mono - Screenshot
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bx_digital V2 mono manual
3.1. EQ-Section
7 Bands, 5 of them with
G (Gain),
f (Frequency) and
Q (Quality) pots,
plus Hi-Pass and Lo-Pass filters
• LF: switchable from shelving (1st order) to peak via Q-pot
• LMF: peak
• MF: peak
• HMF: peak
• HF: switchable from shelving (1st order) to peak via Q-pot
• Lo-Pass: 1st order („anti crush“ anaog style filters)
• Hi-Pass: 1st order („anti crush“ anaog style filters)
Please notice that each EQ band can be activated and bypassed (on/off) individually by clicking the labeled buttons.
A bright name indicates ON.
= off = on
3.2. Input Gain and Output Gain
• Gain In: Input Gain adjustment
• Gain Out: Output Gain adjustment
3.3. The Brainworx logos in the GUI
Click them to get credit info, release
versions, etc.
3.4. Auto Listen, EQ on/off, Phase Reverse
• EQ on/off:
Here you can switch ALL EQ bands on or off, this will not bypass the
De-Esser, though.
t If you need to bypass the whole bx_digital please use the dedicated Bypass
switch in the top left corner or use your audio sequencer´s plug-in bypass.
• Phase Reverse
t If you need to change the channel´s phase please use the phase reverse
button. This can be very helpful when mixing drums, etc.
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bx_digital V2 mono manual
• AUTO LISTEN MODE(s):
One of the new features of bx_digital V2 mono and a powerful tool to select
proper center frequencies in audio material that is hard to judge (Tom
Toms, Vocals, Bass sounds, etc.).
• The AUTO LISTEN POP-UP MENU:
When you click on the letters next to the blue Auto Listen LED a
pop-up menu will appear. In this menu you may choose which Auto
Solo Listening features you want to use. 3 different functions of
each EQ band can be switched to Auto Listen Mode:
t “Q f G” (initial setting):
Will make bx_digital V2 mono auto solo all EQ features each time you click
on either a G (Gain), f (Frequency) or Q (Quality) knob.
t “- f -”:
For example will only enable the Auto Listen features for the f (Frequency)
knobs, but not automate G & Q, and so on…
AUTO LISTEN MODE “Q”
This auto listen mode will boost or cut the respective EQ band´s gain to either
(+12dB with positive Gain settings and “zero”) or (-12dB with negative Gain
settings) whenever the Q knob is being clicked or touched (via a touch sensitive
controller). As soon as you release the EQ band´s Q knob the gain setting will
jump back to the actual G (Gain) setting. Clipping is avoided automatically.
Notice that the temporarily EQ setting of the AUTO LISTEN MODE is always
being displayed in ORANGE color while the actual EQ band´s gain setting is still
being displayed in RED color.
t You HEAR the ORANGE setting when you see it.
t Mouse wheel control:
Notice that changing knobs using the mouse wheel (just place the cursor
above any knob of bx_digital V2 mono and turn the wheel!) will not engage
the Auto Listen Mode. This is a nice way to avoid bypassing the Auto Listen
Mode for small changes that you prefer to do without this mode.
Whenever bx_digital boosts AUTO bands to +12 dB
temporarily the overall output volume is always
being controlled and adjusted intelligently to avoid
clipping automatically!
Auto listen “Q” with Auto listen “Q”
with
positive gain NEGATIVE gain
AUTO LISTEN MODE “f”
This auto listen mode will play a very steep (narrow) and inversed
notch filter sound of the actual audio signal as long as you click a knob
or grab a (touch sensitive) controller pot or fader.
This lets you hear the center frequency you are searching for exactly
– and all this without the multiple mouse clicks or controller moves
that needed to be done without the Auto Listen feature.
t Gain up to the max, Q to a very narrow setting, sweep through the
frequencies, re-adjust the Q, re-adjust the gain, etc… you know what we´re
talking about… :-)
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bx_digital V2 mono manual
AUTO LISTEN MODE “G”
This AUTO LISTEN MODE finally is pretty easy to explain… as long as you click a
Gain knob (or grab a touch sensitive controller pot or fader) all other bands of
that EQ will be bypassed. This way all you hear is the touched EQ band solo-ed,
without other EQ bands eventually effecting / overlaying your EQ setting.
This may or may not be wanted, so remember: you have the choice to activate
or deactivate each and every AUTO feature (Q, f or G) or any combination of
these 3 features using the Auto Listen pop up menu. (see -12- above)
The Auto Listen Mode can be switched off using the blue LED.
3.5. Window switch
You may hide the graphic EQ curves if you want to save some screen
space (we know bx_digital is not a small plug-in…), or if you simply prefer
EQ-ing without seeing the EQ curves. Just click the “arrow” symbol.
3.6. Level LEDs
We have included a digital level control in bx_digital V2 mono that the
hardware does not have. Red LEDs indicate potentially distorted signals in
the respective signal-path and should be avoided…
3.7. Bass Shift
The Bass Shift is an „intelligent“ EQ band for the bass
frequencies of your mix. We call it Bass Shift because 2
different frequencies will be „shifted“ against each other with
the turn of just one knob. The frequencies have been pre-set
and cannot be changed. If you are looking for a sweepable
Bass- (and Presence-) Shifter please check out bx_hybrid
(available individually).
The Bass Shift EQ can be used to easily adjust the overall bass sound of your
recordings in a professional yet easy & fast way… turning the Bass Shift to the
right will „push“ your bass down one octave by boosting one part of your bass
frequencies while at the same time cutting other (higher) bass frequencies.
Turning the BASS SHIFT to the left will cause the opposite…
t Please check the EQ panels to actually see what you are doing when
working with the Bass Shift!
Turning your BASS SHIFT to the right will result in a more „indirect“ and „deep
soft“ bass sound, while turning to the left will result in a „dryer“ bass sound.
t A lot of contemporary pop & rock productions can be enhanced with
„phatter“ guitar / keys sounds by turning the Bass Shift to the right up to
2 or 3, and the same setting will make your bass drums sound huge!
3.8. Presence Shift
A similar function to what the Bass Shift EQ does to your
bass signals for the high end of your recordings.
Turning the Presence Shift EQ to the right will put more „air“
into your signals without making them harsh!
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bx_digital V2 mono manual
t The Presence Shift boosts frequencies above the ones that usually cause
sibilance problems with voices.
3.9. De-Esser
The bx_digital De-Esser works with dynamic
EQs that you can adjust to the needs of your
mix. With the Solo button of the De-Esser
section it is possible to listen to only the
frequencies that you want to filter out of your
mix.
• Solo the De-Esser on the bx2 panel. Turn up the De-Esser knob until you
start hearing some high frequencies. Adjust the frequency to be filtered
with the „f DSR“ knob and set the De-Esser knob to a value where the
De-Esser will deduct as many high frequencies as you need to be filtered
out.
• Use the De-Esser´s LEDs to control the De-Esser´s gain deduction.
3.10. EQ-Panel
The EQ panel show you all
the EQ curves of bx_digital
V2 mono. Unlike a lot of
other EQ plug-ins we have
not included any possibility
to change your EQ settings
via the graphic panel, and we
did that on purpose.
There are simply too many
EQ-bands (if you keep in mind that the BASS SHIFT and PRESENCE SHIFT are
displayed additionally to the 7 „regular“ EQ bands.
Otherwise we feel that mixing, mastering and recording music (the main applications for bx_digital) is all about making cautious changes to your mix (unless
the mix you work on was completely screwed up…), and when we tested
bx_digital EQ-ing in the panels often led us to making pretty big changes very
quickly.
In the end we also wanted to give you the “feel“ of the hardware as authentically
as possible, so we decided to make the EQ panel only a visual control tool for
what you do with the knobs of the bx_digital – or your mouse:
Mouse Wheel - Control:
It is possible to use the mouse wheel to control all knobs of the EQ! Just place
the cursor above any knob and turn the mouse wheel up or down… no clicking
needed ever…
This is also a very cool alternative when working with Auto Listen Modes. In
case you want to make some changes using the Auto Listen Mode and some
without just use the mouse wheel for the latter – and the Auto Listen Mode
will not be engaged.
t Type in exact values:
Please notice that it is also very easy to type in exact values to any
parameter of the bx_digital by simply clicking on the text fields below each
knob. This makes it particularly comfortable to tune your EQ-bands to
certain frequencies.
3.11. Bypass
With the BYPASS button you can bypass the whole bx_digital
plug-in to compare your original mix and your corrections /
improvements with the bx_digital.
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bx_digital V2 mono manual
3.12. Settings (A/B/C/D)
You can store up to 4 Settings of bx_digital V2 without using the audio
sequencer´s “Preset window” (most of them are not really fast and intuitive to
use…).
Start with one Setting (A by default), copy it to B (press “copy”, click B, click
“Paste”, done!), then compare A and B. The same goes for C and D, of course.
Also, you can Reset single Settings.
Using Automation in mixing can be helpful to get the maximum out of your
mixes. Maybe your mix needs different EQ-settings for various parts of the
song?
Settings are the way to go…
t Presets: (in your audio sequencer host program)
It´s still a good and professional idea to store one preset for every song
that you mix, even if you use settings, maybe even make folders for certain
projects, albums, etc.
All 4 Settings of bx_digital V2 mono will be stored with each preset!
This way you can easily recall any preset you made to change settings after
you checked your mixes on other stereo systems (outside the studio).
Keep in mind: if YOU don´t do it…. your customers WILL! :-)
3.13. Manual & Help
Press Manual to open the PDF version of the manual
which will be saved on your computer during installation.
Help will open a small splash screen in the plug-in window with links to help
resources.
ENJOY WORKING WITH bx_digital V2 mono!
Hitdorfer Straße 10
40764 Langenfeld
Germany
info@brainworx-music.de
www.brainworx-music.de
www.brainworx-usa.com
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