Carvin XD88 Owner's Manual

XD88 Operation Manual

The XD88 Extreme Drive is designed to provide incredible flexibility, sonic excellence
and intuitive controls for loudspeaker and EQ management. The XD™ software with its
USB PC connectivity offers total control of your system with all the processing flexibility
necessary for both installation and live use. The XD88 is the next generation tool for
sound processing that is needed between the mixer and power amp.

Eight analog inputs and outputs make the XD88 one of the most powerful management
tools on the market today. The flexible matrix routing allows any of the 8 inputs to be
assigned to any of the 8 outputs, plus any multi-channel combination. As a primary
loudspeaker management system, the XD88 can control systems from 8 mono full-range
channels to stereo 4-way and everything in between. Other useful features include: 30
Band Graphic equalizers on each input with 60 instant access buttons for up/down of
each fader band. Each output has 4 parametric EQ’s, high and low crossover filters
(Bessel, Butterworth, Linkwitz-Riley, 6-48dB/oct.), limiters with Threshold and Release,
speaker delays up to 456ms (500 feet) on each output, and a RTA real time analyzer with
a pink noise generator.

The XD88 provides a large 64x240 graphic display for easy programming. For remote
setting, use the easy to use USB PC interface – go to carvin.com/XD88 for the online
demonstration. Large memory capacity has enough storage to contain up to sixteen
complete 8x8 configurations or unlimited configurations on your PC allowing you to
keep settings for multiple loudspeakers, multi-room installs and line-arrays. Processing
offers extremely low latency, low noise with full 20-20Khz bandwidth from premium 24
BIT AD and DA converters.

The XD88 offers all the serious tools needed for a comprehensive loudspeaker
management system. Combined with 8 inputs/8 outputs, first-rate components, high order
AD DA converters, easy to use interface and a price that everyone can afford, the XD is a
product that everyone would dream of having in their rack.

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Table of Contents:

Introduction……………………………………………………1

Table of Contents……………………………………………...2

Safety Warning………………………………………………...3

Front Panel Controls………………………………………...3-4

Rear Panel Connections……………………………………….4

Input Channels……………..………………………………….5

Graphic EQs…………………………………………...5

Output Channels……………………………………………….5
Gain……………………………………………………6
Phase…………………………………………………..6
Parametric EQs……………………………………...6-7
Low/High Cut Filters (Crossover)…………………….7

Limiter……………………………………………........8

Delay…………………………………………………..8

System Menu………………………………………………….9
Router (Matrix Mixer)………………………………...9
Saving/Copying/Re-Naming Channels…………...10-12

Saving/Loading/Re-Naming Systems……....………..13

Utility Menu………………………………………………….13
Pink Noise Generator………………………………...13

Delay Units (ft,m)…………………………………....14

Serial Control………………………………………...14

Real Time Analyzer (RTA)…………………………………..15

Sample Setups…………………………………………….15-16

Specifications…………………………………………………17

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SAFETY

Before using, read these instructions.

WARNING – TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE
TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

DO NOT REMOVE COVER – NO USER SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE

Do not defeat the safety ground on the AC plug
Protect the power cord from being walked upon or pinched at the plug
Unplug when not in use for a long time

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with international safety
standards

Front Panel Controls:

There are 60 frequency fader UP/DOWN buttons that represent each of the sliders for a
30 band graphic EQ, or to quickly set a frequency for another function.

Each INPUT and each OUTPUT has its own select button as well as a MUTE button for
each OUTPUT.

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System controls: SYSTEM, UTILITY, FLAT, RTA (These also act as software buttons
when in SYSTEM and UTILITY menus.)
CURSOR controls: UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT
ADJUST controls: UP, DOWN

Rear Panel Connections:

The XD88 X-Drive has 8 XLR inputs and 8 XLR outputs. There are also 8 ¼”
Unbalanced inputs, that with the press of a switch, can be used to connect straight to the
Inserts (Input/Output un-balanced) in one jack. This is not an insert into the DSP, but a
single jack connection to plug into the “insert” of a mixer. The Tip connection is the
INPUT and the Ring connection is the OUTPUT.
There is a XLR Microphone Input for the Real Time Analyzer (RTA). This has Phantom
power for using condenser microphones.
There is a USB type B jack for connection to a PC for remote control using Carvins
XD88 control software.
The power receptical is a standard IEC that will take from 90 – 250 VAC as a power
source. The ground connection on a power cord should never be removed. There is a
Ground Lift switch next to the power jack to help in solving ground loop problems.

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INPUTS:

When the unit is first turned on, the Input A EQ screen will display. To adjust the Gain
(volume) of the selected input use the Adjust UP/DOWN buttons. The range is 0db at
maximum to -32db at minimum. To adjust the ‘faders’ press any of the 60 fader up/down
buttons to adjust that frequency from +12.0dB to -12.0dB. To get back to adjusting the
Gain of this channel press the Input select button again. To edit any of the other Inputs
press that channels Input Select button. Pressing any INPUT select button from any
screen, except when in the SYSTEM or UTILITY menus, will bring up that channels
screen. When you change from one INTPUT to another all the changes are saved in
memory.

The FLAT button will reset all the parameters on a channel to the ‘Flat’ (0 or OFF)
settings except for the GAIN.

OUTPUTS:

The Outputs will all be muted on power up and each must be un-muted individually using
the Output Mute buttons. A muted channel is indicated by the PEAK (Red LED) staying
on constantly and no signal light on that Output channel.

To edit the output parameters, press the output select button for the desired channel. Use
the CURSOR UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT buttons to move the cursor to the parameter you

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wish to change. The values can then be changed with the Adjust UP/DOWN buttons.
Pressing an OUTPUT select button from any screen, except when in SYSTEM or
UTILITY menus, will bring up that channels screen. When you change from one
OUTPUT to another, all the changes are saved in memory.

GAIN and PHASE:

The Gain has the same range as the Input. This is used to turn down levels to individual
components in a system (i.e.: tweeters, mid-range drivers, sub-woofers).

The Phase is either IN or OUT 180 degrees. This can be used to adjust the phase of
individual components in a multi-component system (2-way, 3-way, 4-way systems) or to
correct a miss-wired speaker.

Parametric EQ:

The 4 Parametric EQs on the Outputs are full range. The frequency can be adjusted 2
ways. One is to move the cursor to the frequency position and use the Adjust UP/DOWN
buttons, or the other is when any of the PEQ parameters are selected, press one of the
frequency fader buttons to select that frequency into the PEQ frequency parameter. The
PEQ gain has the same range as the EQ faders of +12.0dB to -12.0dB. The bandwidth of
the PEQ can be adjusted from very narrow 0.04 octaves to extremely wide 3.0 octaves.

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