dbx QUANTUM II User Guide

QUANTUM

DIGITAL

MULTI-BAND

PROCESSOR

User Manual

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING FORYOUR PROTECTION

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

ATTENTION: WARNING:

SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE

The symbols shown above are internationally accepted symbols that warn of potential hazards with electrical products. The lightning flash with arrowpoint in an equilateral triangle means that there are dangerous voltages present within the unit. The exclamation point in an equilateral triangle indicates that it is necessary for the user to refer to the owner’s manual.

These symbols warn that there are no user serviceable parts inside the unit. Do not open the unit. Do not attempt to service the unit yourself. Refer all servicing to qualified personnel. Opening the chassis for any reason will void the manufacturer’s warranty. Do not get the unit wet. If liquid is spilled on the unit, shut it off immediately and take it to a dealer for service. Disconnect the unit during storms to prevent damage.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

NOTICE FOR CUSTOMERS IF YOUR UNIT IS EQUIPPED WITH A POWER CORD. WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED.

CAUTION: EQUIPMENT IS NOT DISCONNECTED FROM MAINS WHEN SWITCH IS IN THE OFF

POSITION

The cores in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:

GREEN and YELLOW - Earth BLUE - Neutral BROWN - Live

As colours of the cores in the mains lead of this appliance may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:

• The core which is coloured green and yellow must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter E, or with the earth symbol, or coloured green, or green and yellow.

• The core which is coloured blue must be connected to the terminal marked N or coloured black.

• The core which is coloured brown must be connected to the terminal marked L or coloured red.

This equipment may require the use of a different line cord, attachment plug, or both, depending on the available power source at installation. If the attachment plug needs to be changed, refer servicing to qualified service personnel who should refer to the table below. The green/yellow wire shall be connected directly to the units chassis.

CONDUCTOR

L N E

WARNING: If the ground is defeated, certain fault conditions in the unit or in the system to which it is connected can result in full line voltage between chassis and earth ground. Severe injury or death can then result if the chassis and earth ground are touched simultaneously.

RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE - NE PAS OUVRIR

TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC

WIRE COLOR

Normal Alt

LIVE

NEUTRAL

EARTH GND

BROWN

BLUE

GREEN/YEL

BLACK WHITE

GREEN

KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS HEED ALL WARNINGS FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CLEAN ONLY WITH A DAMP CLOTH. DO NOT BLOCK ANY OF THE VENTILATION OPENINGS. INSTALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE

MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS. DO NOT INSTALL NEAR ANY HEAT SOURCES SUCH AS RADIATORS, HEAT REGISTERS, STOVES;

OR OTHER APPARATUS (INCLUDING AMPLIFIERS) THAT PRODUCE HEAT. ONLY USE ATTACHMENTS/ACCESSORIES SPECIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER. UNPLUG THIS APPARATUS DURING LIGHTNING STORMS OR WHEN UNUSED FOR LONG PERI-

ODS OF TIME. WATER AND MOISTURE: 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). Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings.

POWERSOURCES:The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance.

GROUNDINGORPOLARIZATION:Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated.

POWERCORDPROTECTION: 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 at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the appliance.

SERVICING:To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, the user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.

FOR UNITS EQUIPPED WITH EXTERNALLY ACCESSIBLE FUSE RECEPTACLE: Replace fuse with same type and rating only.

MULTIPLE-INPUT VOLTAGE: This equipment may require the use of a different line cord, attachment plug, or both, depending on the available power source at installation. Connect this equipment only to the power source indicated on the equipment rear panel. To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, refer servicing to qualified service personnel or equivalent.

POWER ON / OFF SWITCH: The Power Switch used in this piece of equipment DOES NOTbreak the connection from the Mains.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING:

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

LITHIUM BATTERY

WARNING

CAUTION!

This product may contain a lithium battery.There is danger of explosion if the battery is incorrectly replaced.Replace only with an Eveready CR 2032 or equivalent.Make sure the battery is installed with the correct polarity. Discard used batteries according to manufacturer’s instructions.

ADVARSEL!

Lithiumbatteri - Eksplosjonsfare.Ved utskifting benyttes kun batteri som anbefalt av apparatfabrikanten. Brukt batteri returneres apparatleverandøren.

ADVARSEL!

Lithiumbatteri - Eksplosionsfare ved fejlagtig håndtering. Udskiftning må kun ske med batteri av samme fabrikat og type. Levér det brugte batteri tilbage til leverandøren.

VAROITUS!

Paristo voi räjähtää,jos se on virheellisesti asennettu. Vaihda paristo ainoastaan laitevalmistajan suosittelemaan tyyppin. Hävitä käytetty paristo valmistajan ohjeiden mukaisesti.

VARNING!

Explosionsfara vid felaktigt batteribyte.Använd samma batterityp eller en ekvivalent typ som rekommenderas av apparattillverkaren.Kassera använt batteri enligt fabrikantens instruktion.

U.K. MAINS PLUG WARNING

A molded mains plug that has been cut off from the cord is unsafe. Discard the mains plug at a suitable disposal facility. NEVER UNDER ANY

CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU INSERT A DAMAGED OR CUT MAINS PLUG INTO A 13 AMP POWER SOCKET. Do not use the mains plug with-

out the fuse cover in place. Replacement fuse covers can be obtained from your local retailer. Replacement fuses are 13 amps and MUST be ASTA approved to BS1362.

DECLARATION OF

CONFORMITY

Manufacturer’s Name: dbx Professional Products Manufacturer’s Address: 8760 S. Sandy Parkway

Sandy, Utah 84070, USA

declares that the product:

Product name: dbx quantum II Product option: N/A

conforms to the following Product Specifications:

Safety: EN 60065 (1993)

IEC65 (1985) with Amendments 1,2, 3

ELECTROMAGNETIC

COMPATIBILITY

This unit conforms to the Product Specifications noted on the Declaration of Conformity. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:

• this device may not cause harmful interference, and

• this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

Operation of this unit within significant electromagnetic fields should be avoided.

• use only shielded interconnecting cables.

EMC: EN 55013 (1990)

EN 55020 (1991)

Supplementary Information:

The product herewith complies with the requirements of the Low Voltage Directive 73/23/EEC and the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC as amended by Directive 93/68/EEC.

dbx Professional Products Vice-President of Engineering 8760 S. Sandy Parkway Sandy, Utah 84070, USA May 15, 2001

European Contact: Your Local dbx Sales and Service Office or

Harman Music Group 8760 South Sandy Parkway Sandy, Utah 84070 USA Phone:(801) 568-7660 fax:(801) 568-7662

QUANTUM II

Table of Contents

Introduction

1.1 What is QUANTUM II?.....................................ii

1.2 Service Contact Info ........................................iii

1.3 Warranty...........................................................iii

Section 1 - Getting Started

1.1 Rear Panel Connections...................................2

1.2 Front Panel .......................................................2

1.3 Quantum II Wizard..........................................4

1.4 Signal Path........................................................4

1.5 Mastering and the Quantum II ......................5

Section 2 - Navigation

2.1 Multiband Compressor .....................................8

2.2 Broadband Compressor ...................................9

2.3 Multiband Gate...............................................10

2.4 Broadband Gate .............................................11

2.5 Multiband Limiter ...........................................12

2.6 Broadband Limiter..........................................13

2.7 EQ/XOVER......................................................14

2.8 EQ/SEQ ...........................................................15

2.9 Norm/Output..................................................16

2.10 Other .............................................................17

2.11 Utility .............................................................18

Section 3 - Software Operations

3.1 FX Chains........................................................20

3.2 Programs/Setups .............................................24

3.3 Saving a Setup................................................25

3.4 Saving a Program ...........................................26

3.5 The Bypass Function......................................27

3.6 Meters..............................................................27

3.7 Monitor Outputs.............................................29

4.13 TCM™............................................................43

4.14 De-Esser........................................................43

4.15 Normalization ...............................................44

4.16 Output...........................................................44

4.17 MS (middle-side) Encoding/Decoding........45

Section 5 - Utilities

5.1 Input................................................................48

5.2 Output .............................................................48

5.3 Digital Input Controls ....................................49

5.4 MIDI CC Map..................................................49

5.5 MIDI Channels................................................50

5.6 MIDI Program Changes..................................50

5.7 SYSEX Dump..................................................50

5.8 Setup SYSEX Data..........................................50

5.9 A/D Calibrate ..................................................51

5.10 Misc. ..............................................................51

Section 6 - Application Guide

6.1 Analog Mastering............................................54

6.2 Digital Mastering.............................................55

6.3 DAW to DAT...................................................56

6.4 Analog Tracking .............................................57

6.5 Digital Tracking..............................................58

6.6 Analog Mixing ................................................59

6.7 Digital Mixing .................................................60

6.8 Analog to Digital Converter...........................61

6.9 Sample Rate Converter...................................62

Section 7 - GUI

7.1 System Requirements .....................................64

7.2 Install...............................................................64

7.3 Basic operation...............................................65

Section 4 - Detailed Parameters

4.1 Multiband Compression.................................32

4.2 Broadband Compression ...............................34

4.3 Multiband Gate...............................................35

4.4 Broadband Gate .............................................36

4.5 Multiband Limiting .........................................37

4.6 Broadband Limiting........................................38

4.7 EQ ...................................................................40

4.8 XOver..............................................................40

4.9 SEQ..................................................................41

4.10 Type IV™......................................................42

4.11 Stereo Adjust .................................................42

4.12 Ambience......................................................43

Table of Contents

QUANTUM II User Manual

Appendix

A.1 Hard & Soft Resets.........................................68

A.2 Change Default Startup Program ..................68

A.3 Front Panel Lockout ......................................68

A.4 Flash Downloads ...........................................68

B.1 Type IV™ White Paper .................................69

C.1 Clock Modes...................................................74

C.2 QUANTUM II Sync Input .............................75

C.3 Relay Mute/Bypass Jumpers ........................77

D.1 SYSEX Definitions .........................................78

E.1 MIDI CC - MultiBand Chains.........................81

E.2 MIDI CC - Stereo Non-MultiBand.................82

E.3 MIDI CC - Dual Mono Chains.......................83

E.4 MIDI CC - Linked Multiband w/De-esser.....84

QUANTUM II

F.1 Factory Programs............................................86

F.2 Factory Setups.................................................87

G.1 Specifications.................................................88

H.1 AP Plots..........................................................89

Table of Contents

QUANTUM II User Manual

Table of Contents

QUANTUM II

INTRODUCTION

INTR

CUSTOMER SERVICE INFO

What is QUANTUM II?

WARRANTY INFO

Introduction

QUANTUM II

INTRODUCTION

Congratulations on your purchase of the dbx QUANTUM II Digital Mastering Processor! For over 25 years, dbx has been the industry leader in dynamics processing. With the introduction of the QUANTUM II, we apply our superior dynamics processing technology to the digital mastering process.

This manual will be your guide to understanding the full functionality of the powerful QUANTUM II, read it carefully. After you have become familiar with the unit, we encourage you to experiment and find creative ways that the QUANTUM II can help you make a better sounding mix.

1.1 What is QUANTUM II?

The dbx QUANTUM II is the first mastering processor that offers a sampling rate of up to 96kHz, a true 48-bit digital signal path with up to 24-bit digital output. Below are some of QUANTUM II’s features:

4 Band Stereo Gating, Compression and Limiting

•

5 Band Parametric EQ with either an adaptive Q or a constant Q response

•

Hi and Low shelves w/switchable slopes 3, 4.5, 6, 9, and 12 dB/octave

•

EQ can be positioned pre dynamics, or post dynamics

•

5 Band Parametric Side Chain EQ with either an adaptive Q or a constant Q response

•

and MS (middle-side) EQ Dual Mono or True Stereo Operation with True RMS Power Summing™

•

Patented TYPE IV™ Conversion System with TSE™ Tape Saturation Emulation

•

Normalizer – flexible gain optimization

•

Stereo adjust – increased control of stereo imaging

•

Dither outputs to 8,16, 20, or 24 bits, and noise shaping

•

Sample rate conversion (full up/down)

•

PC GUI control via the RS232 port

•

MS (Middle-Side) EQ (within all stereo linked setups)

•

Ambience Effect

•

Multi-Band chain with De-Esser

•

MS (Middle-Side) Compressor

•

Meter Ballistics

•

Sync input/output using dbx proprietary clock chips for extremely low jitter sync

•

With the patented dbx TYPE IV™ Conversion System, your signal retains its analog warmth and character, with the clarity demanded by today’s digital standards. Our patented TSE™ Tape Saturation Emulation processing makes it easy.

The discussion of the binary system, sample rate frequencies, and bit rates, would easily take up an entire semester of college. For the sake of brevity, more is better. Theoretically 96kHz/48bit resolution is beyond the limits our ears can perceive. The QUANTUM II’s 96kHz A/D-D/A’s result in improved frequency response. The QUANTUM II’s 48-bit path gives you the “hard” and “fast” room required for a true 24-bit output. This allows the use of only 1 stage of dither at the output, where it belongs.

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

The engineers at dbx designed the QUANTUM II to be the Rosetta Stone of digital formats, clocks, and bit rates. Whatever permutation of AES/EBU or S/PDIF is brought to you, the QUANTUM II will be able to understand it and output whatever format you need.

Introduction

1.1 What is QUANTUM II? (cont.)

Imagine this scenario as an example. A client brings in a stereo mix on a sampling workstation. The mix is recorded at 96kHz/24-bit. In order to create a CD compatible mix you need to convert to 44.1kHz/16-bit. With the QUANTUM II this is not a problem. Simply follow the instructions in the Application Guide in section 5. Whether you are going from the workstation to a DAW , DAT , or a stand-alone CD-R, the QUANTUM II covers all the digital sample rates 96, 88.2, 48, or 44.1kHz. The QUANTUM II will dither down to 24, 20, 16, or 8 bits. See the Appendix for all the possible conversions.

In addition to having all of the aforementioned features at your disposal, the Quantum II now provides you with the convenience of optimizing all operational control through the use of the included dbx proprietary GUI software.

1.2 Service Contact Info

If you require technical support, contact dbx Customer Service. Be prepared to accurately describe the problem. Know the serial number of your unit - this is printed on a sticker attached to the rear panel. If you have not already taken the time to fill out your warranty registration card and send it in, please do so now.

Before you return a product to the factory for service, we recommend you refer to the manual. Make sure you have correctly followed installation steps and operation procedures. If you are still unable to solve a problem, contact our Customer Service Department at (801) 568-7660 for consultation. If you need to return a product to the factory for service, you MUST contact Customer Service to obtain a Return Authorization Number.

No returned products will be accepted at the factory without a Return Authorization Number. Please refer to the Warranty below, which extends to the first end-user. After expiration of the

warranty, a reasonable charge will be made for parts, labor, and packing if you choose to use the factory service facility. In all cases, you are responsible for transportation charges to the factory. dbx will pay return shipping if the unit is still under warranty.

Use the original packing material if it is available. Mark the package with the name of the shipper and with these words in red: DELICATE INSTRUMENT, FRAGILE! Insure the package properly. Ship prepaid, not collect. Do not ship parcel post.

1.3 W arranty

This warranty is valid only for the original purchaser and only in the United States.

1. The warranty registration card that accompanies this product must be mailed within 30 days after purchase date to validate this warranty. Proof-of-purchase is considered to be the burden of the consumer.

2. dbx warrants this product, when bought and used solely within the U.S., to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service.

QUANTUM II User Manual

iii

Introduction

1.3 W arranty (cont.)

3. dbx liability under this warranty is limited to repairing or, at our discretion, replacing defective materials that show evidence of defect, provided the product is returned to dbx WITH RETURN AUTHORIZATION from the factory, where all parts and labor will be covered up to a period of two years. A Return Authorization number must be obtained from dbx by telephone. The company shall not be liable for any consequential damage as a result of the product's use in any circuit or assembly.

4. dbx reserves the right to make changes in design or make additions to or improvements upon this product without incurring any obligation to install the same additions or improvements on products previously manufactured.

5. The foregoing is in lieu of all other warranties, expressed or implied, and dbx neither assumes nor authorizes any person to assume on its behalf any obligation or liability in connection with the sale of this product. In no event shall dbx or its dealers be liable for special or consequential damages or from any delay in the performance of this warranty due to causes beyond their control.

QUANTUM II

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Section 1

Getting Started

Section 1

Digital Multiband

Processor

QUANTUM

PUSH PUSH

RS232

PUSH

OUT/THRU IN

Getting Started

1.1 Rear Panel Connections

Analog Input/Output Connectors

Each analog channel features both XLR and 1/4" TRS electronically balanced connections. They may be used in a balanced or unbalanced configuration.

MIDI In and Out/Thru Connectors

These connectors provide full MIDI functionality to the QUANTUM II. The Out/Thru jack allows you to use the QUANTUM II at any point in the MIDI chain. For a complete guide to all the MIDI and SYSEX functionality of the QUANTUM II, see Section 3: Software Operations.

RS 232 Port

This port is used to make connections between the Quantum II and a PC for utilization of the included GUI software.

Sync In and Out Connectors

BNC connectors are provided for both clock in and out functions. The QUANTUM II’s clock chips are dbx custom VCXO chips, designed for low-jitter performance. You may use the QUANTUM II as a master clock source, having other equipment slave to the QUANTUM II, or you may slave the QUANTUM II’s clock to any other source device. For more information on the QUANTUM II’s sync functions see Sync in the Utilities section.

QUANTUM II

1.2 Front Panel

QUANTUM II User Manual

S/PDIF Digital Connectors (see Utility Section)

The QUANTUM II provides S/PDIF digital input and output through the RCA connectors on the rear panel. The analog outputs still operate regardless of the selection of the digital output format.

AES/EBU Digital Connectors

XLR connectors provide AES/EBU input and output.

IEC Power Cord Receptacle

The QUANTUM II comes with an International power supply that will accept voltages ranging from 100V-240V at frequencies from 50Hz-60Hz. An IEC cord is included.

Analog Input and Output Level Controls

These controls adjust the analog audio levels of the QUANTUM II at the input and output stages. Note that the analog output level controls do not affect any digital processing or digital output levels.

QUANTUM II

The QUANTUM II is designed to interface as easily as possible to your system. The QUANTUM II uses wide ranging analog input and output gain controls. These controls allow the connection of nominal levels of either -10dBV or +4dBu.

Getting Started

1.2 Front Panel (cont.)

Analog Level Meters

These meters monitor analog input and output. For more on meters refer to Section 3.

TSE™ Audio Level Meters

These meters monitor the level of Tape Saturation Emulation. Refer to Type IV™ in Section 3.

LCD Display

The large LCD display shows the program, curve, digital meters, parameters, and modules selected by the function buttons and the DATA WHEEL.

Section 1

Digital input /

output meters

(peak and average)

Fig. 1.1

Program

number

3 parameters

per "page"

Channel numbers

within program

stereo link indicator

Parameter

page number

measurement

units

Chain element

identifier

Gain Reduction meter

Type IV™

conversion

indicator

Threshold

Meters

Dynamics

curve graph

Data Wheel / Selector

The DATA WHEEL changes selected parameters, programs, etc. Pushing the DATA WHEEL moves the cursor from parameter to parameter.

Function Buttons

The function buttons allow access to the programs, modules, utilities, and parameters of the QUANTUM II.

Power Switch

Turns the QUANTUM II on and off.

The Curve Window

After you have chosen a program, you may want to change some of the parameters to meet your specific needs. One of the most useful tools available on the QUANTUM II for setting up a proper compression curve is the curve window. In the curve window you can see the combined effects of dynamics-related parameters expressed in a graphical format. The figure below shows the different parts of the curve window you will see as you edit the gate, compressor, and limiter functions of the QUANTUM II.

QUANTUM II User Manual

Section 1

Getting Started

1.2 Front Panel (cont.)

When working with the sidechain EQ, or the in-line EQ, the curve window changes to show a graphical representation of the 5 parametric bands in a frequency grid. Your adjustments to the 5 bands are shown in real time.

Additionally, the De-Esser has its own graphical way of displaying its parameters. The frequency is shown on the bottom, or X axis, and the low frequency rolloff is shown on the side, or Y axis.

1.3 QUANTUM II Wizard

The easiest way to program the QUANTUM II is using the Wizard. To access the Wizard, press and hold the PROGRAM button.

Once in the Wizard mode, you will select the task that you are performing. The QUANTUM II will automatically choose the correct chain type for your task. If you select Mastering or Mixing, the Wizard will then have you choose your music type. After you have selected the music type, you will then select the type of EQ, gating, compression, and limiting. These are all influenced by the music type. For example, a "Light" compression setting with the music type set to "Hard Rock" will be heavier than "Heavy" compression with the music type set to "Classical".

If you select "Tracking", then you will be asked to set up either channel one, channel two, or stereo. If you are tracking two separate instruments in dual mono, then you can go through the Wizard twice, the first time setting up channel one and the second time setting up channel two. If at any time you decide you want to quit without the Wizard setting up a program for you, you may press the PROGRAM button to exit the Wizard.

Once all of the questions have been answered, the QUANTUM II will display "WORKING..." and then a custom setup will appear tailored to your application. If you are working in a stereo setup, the QUANTUM II will allow you to optimize your output gain. To optimize the output gain, push the EDIT ALL/BAND button while the loudest part of the program material is passing through the quantum ii. Press the button again when the peak has passed. The Wizard will optimize the output level so that the highest peak is set to 0 dBFS. The Wizard will then return you to the Program mode. If the PROGRAM button is pressed while gain optimizing, the Wizard will exit without changing the output level. This setup can be further adapted to your taste and saved for later use.

QUANTUM II

1.4 Signal Path

QUANTUM II User Manual

The following illustration shows how audio signals flow through the QUANTUM II.

QUANTUM II

digital

input

digital

input

analog

input

analog

input

meter

TSE

meter

TYPE IV™ Conversion

control

digital

input

meter

gain

reduction

meter

Dynamics Processor

Getting Started

DSP (Software - Based)

Operations

Dither

Sample Rate

Converter

digital output meter

D / A

Convertor

Section 1

digital output

analog output

meter

analog output

Bypass

Clone Bypass

(push and hold Bypass for 2 seconds)

Fig 1.2

analog

input

control

A /D

Convertor

1.5 Mastering and the Quantum II

The Quantum II is a Mastering Processor that has many features:

• Multiband compression

• Multiband gating

• Multiband limiting

• Parametric equalizer

• Normalize function with gain optimization

• 8-24-bit dither with noise shaping

These tools used together can give your recording studio the power to create the big sound associated with a mastered recording.

Traditionally, mastering was accomplished by a combination of compression and equalization. Specifically, multiband compression was used to allow the mastering engineer to control the dynamics of the mix without making the recording seem lifeless. The QUANTUM II has four bands of multiband compression.

Multiband compression is a three-step process. First, a crossover is used to separate the audio into different frequency bands. Next, separate compressors process the individual bands. Finally, the bands are summed back together. Because these bands contain different amounts of energy, they can be compressed using widely varying settings. The end result is that parts of the mix, the low frequency bands for example, can be compressed more heavily than if a single compressor was used on the entire mix; thereby, allowing a greater overall level and a "hotter" mix. The easiest way of setting up the multiband compressor in QUANTUM II, is to use the monitor in conjunction with the crossover and the compressor. For example, assume that you had a rock mix that you wanted to master. Specifically, you want to compress the kick and bass parts to create a more “punchy” mix. You also want to control the vocals to keep them from being too prominent in the mix. The first thing you would do is to set up the crossover so that most of the low frequency energy of the kick and bass is in the sub and low bands. The vocal band should also be separated from the other bands.

analog output control

The Monitor page allows the engineer to toggle the monitor position between the main L/R and individual bands both pre and post processing. By r otating the DATA WHEEL, the monitor position is changed. As you listen to the bands you realize that Band two has too

much of the vocal in it, so crossover band two should be adjusted to a lower frequency.

QUANTUM II User Manual

Section 1

Getting Started

The crossover page shows the crossover points as well as their slopes. The crossover points can be adjusted by rotating the DATA WHEEL and using the NEXT PAGE and PREV PAGE buttons to move between different crossover points. The slope can be changed by, pushing the DATA WHEEL to move to the slope parameter line. Turning the DATA WHEEL changes the slope of the crossover. Changing the crossover slope changes the way the frequency bands interact. For example, a broader slope, e.g. 6 dB/Octave, allows the adjacent bands to have much more interaction than a slope of 18 dB/Octave. Broader slopes pr ovide a mor e seamless transition between bands, while steeper slopes allow tighter control over a particular band.

1.5 Mastering and the Quantum II (cont.)

Now that your bands are set up for your application, you monitor them and you hear how the sub-band (band one), is the ultra-low frequencies of the kick and bass as well as some of the guitar. The low band (band two), includes the electric and acoustic guitars, the bass, and some of the low vocal frequencies. The Mid band, (band three), contains the majority of the vocals as well as the mid range frequencies of the Mid band guitar. The high band (band four), contains the cymbals, the click of the guitar pick on the acoustic guitar, and the higher vocal frequencies. You are now ready to go to the compressor and start compressing your mix.

Setting up your compressor is similar to setting up your crossover, in that you can go and listen to how the compression is affecting the individual bands by monitoring them both pre and post processing.

The Compressor page gives the engineer control over all the parameters that ar e needed to adjust the multiband compressor. The Multiband compressor can be adjusted either as a unit or the individual bands can be adjusted separately. By pushing the DAT A WHEEL, the different parameters on a page can be adjusted, and by pushing the NEXT PAGE and PREV PAGE buttons all the compressor parameters can be accessed. (for a complete list of compressor parameters see Section 3, Software Operations). The dif ferent bands of the multiband compressor can be accessed by either using the EDIT ALL/BAND button or by pushing the compressor button. Each additional push of the compressor button allows access to the next band.

QUANTUM II

Setting up your compressor you decide to compress bands one and two with a ratio of 3:1. Y ou set the threshold for band one at –22 dBFS and the threshold for band two you set to –20 dBFS. (Remember that in multiband compression, the individual bands have less energy than the overall mix, so the compression threshold must be lower.) These settings seems to work well for bands one and two if the gain is set to 4.5 dB for band one and 3.5 dB for band two. Band three requires less compression to control it so you set the ratio to 1.5:1 with the threshold set to –26 dBFS and the gain to 2.0 dB. The high frequencies require a little compression to keep them in line with the rest of the mix so you set band four’s ratio to 2:1 with the threshold set to –30 dBFS and the gain set to 1.0 dB. As you listen to your mix, you realize that the vocals could use a little more compression so you change the ratio of band three to 1.8:1. It is important to listen to both the individual bands and the mix as a whole to hear how the compression is affecting the entire mix. This type of procedure should be duplicated on the multiband gate and the multiband limiter to achieve the best results.As you have seen, setting up the multiband compressor is an iterative process that takes time to perfect. By using the multiband compressor along with the other tools available in QUANTUM II you will be able to create much larger sounding mixes and masters.

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Section 2

NAVIGATION

Section 2

Navigate through

the bands by

depressing the

"Compressor"

button

successively until

arriving at the

desired band

All

Bands

Band

Navigating the"Multiband Compressor"

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

Compr On/Loc/Off OverEasy® Auto

Loc/On/Off

Threshold Ratio Gain

Attack Hold Release

Band 1 On/Off OverEasy® Auto

Threshold Ratio Gain

Attack Hold Release

Band 2 On/Off OverEasy® Auto

Threshold Ratio Gain

Attack Hold Release

Band 3 On/Off OverEasy® Auto

Threshold Ratio Gain

Attack Hold Release

Band 4 On/Off OverEasy® Auto

Threshold Ratio Gain

Attack Hold Release

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Navigation

QUANTUM II

NAVIGATION

Control of each of the bands within the QUANTUM II’s multiband dynamic modules is made possible in two different ways. You may either use the “All page” or individual band adjustments. The “All page” is signified by a large “All” seen where the program number would normally be. Adjusting settings in this page will adjust the settings in all four bands as a group. To control individual bands within the “All page” press the EDIT ALL/BAND button to cycle through each band. Pressing the dynamic module’s button again will cycle you through the separate bands and the dynamic controls of those bands e.g., compressor or limiter.

Refer to the Navigation illustrations for a complete view of the parameters available in each Multiband Dynamic Module.

2.1 Multiband Compressor

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Navigation

2.2 Broadband Compressor

Navigating the "Broadband Compressor"

Section 2

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Compr On/Loc/Off OverEasy¤

Loc/On/Off

Auto

Threshold Ratio Gain

Attack Hold Release

Page 4

MS On/Off

QUANTUM II User Manual

Section 2

2.3 Multiband Gate

Navigating the "Multiband Gate"

Navigation

QUANTUM II

Navigate through

the bands by

depressing the

"Gate" button

successively until

arriving at the

desired band

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

All

Bands

Band

Gate On/Loc/Off Threshold Ratio

Band 1 On/Off Threshold Ratio

Band 2 On/Off Threshold Ratio

Band 3 On/Off Threshold Ratio

Band 4 On/Off Threshold Ratio

Attack Hold Release

Max Att

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Navigating the "Broadband Gate"

Navigation

2.4 Broadband Gate

Section 2

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

All

Bands

Gate On/Loc/Off Threshold Ratio

Attack Hold Release

Max Att

QUANTUM II User Manual

Section 2

2.5 Multiband Limiter

Navigating the "Multiband Limiter"

Navigation

QUANTUM II

Navigate through

the bands by

depressing the

"Limiter" button

successively until

arriving at the

desired band

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

All

Bands

Band

Limiter On/Loc/Off Threshold

Band 1 On/Off Threshold

Band 2 On/Off Threshold

Band 3 On/Off Threshold

Band 4 On/Off Threshold

Attack Hold Release

OverEasy® Auto On/Off

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Navigation

2.6 Broadband Limiter

Navigating the"Broadband Limiter"

Section 2

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

Limiter On/Loc/Off Threshold Typ e

Attack Hold Release

OverEasy® Auto On/Off

QUANTUM II User Manual

Section 2

Navigation

QUANTUM II

2.7 EQ/XOver

Navigating the "Multiband EQ/XOver"

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

The "EQ/XOver"

button toggles

between

EQ and XOver.

Depress once to

access EQ and a

second

time for XOver

XOver

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

EQ On/Off Pos Pre/Post Type

Edge 1 FC Slope

Band 1 FC Slope Level

Edge 2 FC Slope

Band 2 FC Q Level

Edge 3 FC Slope

Band 3 FC Q Level

Band 4 FC Q Level

Band 5 FC Slope Level

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Navigation

Section 2

2.8 EQ/SEQ

Navigating the "Broadband EQ/SEQ"

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

The "EQ/SEQ"

button toggles

between

EQ and SEQ.

Depress once to

access EQ and a

second

time for SEQ

SEQ

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6

EQ On/Off Pos Pre/Post Type

SChain On/Off Type

Band 1 FC Slope Level

Band 2 FC Q Level

Band 3 FC Q Level

Band 4 FC Q Level

Band 5 FC Slope Level

QUANTUM II User Manual

Section 2

2.9 Norm/Output

Navigating "Norm/Output"

Navigation

QUANTUM II

Navigate through

the bands by

depressing the

"Norm/Output"

button

successively until

arriving at the

desired band

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

successively until arriving at the desired Page

Page 1 Page 2

Normalize

Output

Normalize On/Off Level Typ e

Bits Dither Shaping

Dither Out

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Navigating "Other"

Navigate through

the bands by

depressing the

"Other" button

successively until

arriving at the

desired band

2.10 Other

Type IV On/Off Color Level

Stereo Adj On/Off Balance M-S

De-Esser On/Off Freq Amount

Navigation

Typ e Width

Section 2

TCM On/Off TCM Time

Ambience On/Off Amount Width

Thresh1

QUANTUM II User Manual

Section 2

Navigation

2.11 Utility

Navigating "Utility"

QUANTUM II

Navigate through the Pages by depressing "Next Page" or "Prev Page"

Page 1

Limiter

Input Clock SRC

successively until arriving at the desired Page

Page 2

Limiter

Output BNC Freq

Page 3 Page 5

Limiter

DigIn Ch 1 DigIn Ch 2 HighPass on/off

Page 4 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9

Limiter

Chain Type MIDI CC # MIDI CC Effect

Limiter Limiter Limiter Limiter Limiter

MIDI CH Sysex Ch Merge On/Off

Receive MIDI Prg as Prg

Type

Page 10

Limiter

Bulk DumpDump Setup

A/D Cal

Contrast AutoLoad MtrSpeed

QUANTUM II User Manual

QUANTUM II

Section 3

SOFTWARE

OPERATIONS

Section 3

SOFTWARE OPERATIONS

3.1 FX Chains

Software Operations

QUANTUM II

This section explains how signals are routed, monitored, and controlled in the QUANTUM II. Changes that are made to the QUANTUM II’s dynamic processing can be monitored visually and aurally at several different points in the chain. Storing, and organizing user and factory setups in task specific libraries is also covered in this section. The Quantum II now offers MS or middle-side encoding, which comes from a mic’ing technique. The encoding process takes left and right signals and uses their signal content to produce "Middle" and "Side" signals. Additional processing can then be applied to these signals. The middle signal is created by simply adding Left and Right signals together (M=L+R). This accentuates the common elements in the left and right channels, or the "mono" part of the signal. The Side signal is created by subtracting the Right signal from the Left (S=L-R). Any common elements will cancel, leaving a "stereo" signal. The Middle and Side signal can then be re-combined to reproduce Left and Right signals. By following the outlined steps you will quickly understand the usage and benefits of the QUANTUM II’s storage system.

The following charts show the signal flow through the QUANTUM II’s FX chains. Note that the location of the parametric EQ (PEQ) changes according to Pre/Post settings.

Chain Type: Stereo Multi Band with De-Esser and Pre-EQ

PEQ may be Pre or Post Dynamics

What the QUANTUM II screen shows for Pre:

Gate Comp

Gate Comp Limiter

Limiter Gate

Comp Limiter

Gate Comp

Crossover

Limiter Gate

Comp Limiter

Dynamics

Post PEQ

Norm

Dither Noise Shape

Stereo Input

Stereo

CH1

Adjust

CH2

Chain Type: Stereo Multi Band with De-Esser and Post-EQ

What the QUANTUM II screen shows for Post:

Stereo Input

Stereo

CH1

Adjust

CH2

Pre PEQ

De-Esser

Crossover

Dynamics

Chain Type: Stereo Multi Band with De-Esser and MS-EQ

What the QUANTUM II screen shows for Pre:

Stereo Input

CH1 CH2

Stereo Adjust

MS EQ

QUANTUM II User Manual

N OD

De-Esser

Gate Comp Limiter

Gate Comp

Crossover

Limiter Gate

Comp Limiter

Norm

Dither Noise Shape

Dynamics

+ 72 hidden pages