FBT QUBE SP27 User Manual

QUBESP27-AudioManagementSystem

www.fbt.it

www.qubeaudio.com

FBTELETTRONICAS.p.A

SP27 QuickReference

Editingchannels:GAIN

pressaccessesthatchannel'sgain.Toscrollthrough
channel'sparameters,usetheandkeys.
Secondpressaccesseslastviewedparameter.Third
presswilldropbacktothedefaultscreen.

Accessingmenus:MENU
BACKNEXT

andenterthesub-menuusingthekey.This
appliestoalllevelsofmenu.alwaysconfirms
selections.

TheMenusandtheirContents

GLOBALMEMORY

crossoversettings,orcombinationsof.

INPUTSECTION

GEQ'Q'setting.

CROSSOVER

design,includingroutingandautolimitersetting.Alsoset
upoutputganging.

INTERFACE

(RS232),G.P.I.interfaceconfiguration,andwireless
interface.

SYSTEM

selectvariousglobaloptionssuchasPEQ'Q'or
bandwidthunits,delayunits,andoutputmeteringpoint
(pre/postmute).

SECURITY

operationsoftheunit,usinga4digitcode.

AES/EBU

inputsareswitchedviarearpanel.)

andkeystoselectthesub-menurequired,

Sub-menu:Setuporadjustcrossover

Sub-menu:Commsinterfacesetup

Sub-menu:Usedtoviewunit'sstatus,and

Sub-menu:Usedforlockingvarious

Sub-menu:monitorAESinputstatusinfo.(AES

presschannel'skey.First

BACKNEXT

pressthekey.Usethe

ENTER

ENTER

Sub-menu:Recall/Store/Eraseinput,

Sub-menu:Setupinputganging,and

Notes

Thecrossover(output)settingsmaybestored
independentlyoftheinputsettings,usingthe

Memory

Theoutputmetersshow level,indBfromthelimiter
threshold,andtheinputmetersshowlevelfrom
clippingtheA-Dconverters,
pre-gainandallEQ.

Thehighandlowpasscrossoverfiltersaredefined
independentlyoneachoutputchannel.

Toaccessthelimiterattackandreleaseparameters,
select“AutoLimiterTimeCst:No”whendesigninga
crossover.

Toswapparametricfilterunitsbetweenbandwidth
('BandW')and'Q',enterSub-menu,select
'FilterQ/Bandwidth',andselectrequiredreadout
units.

Toswapdelaytimeunits,enterSub-menu,
select'DelayTime/Distance',andselectrequired
readoutunits.

sub-menu.

System

System

Global

Pressingankeyflashescorrespondingchannels
routedto/fromthatchannel.

EDIT

1

Contents

ImportantSafetyInformation

2

4
Unpackingtheunit
Introduction

Features

FrontPanelFamiliarisation
RearPanelConnections
OperatingtheSP27

NoteaboutoperationwithAudioCoresoftware
Start-upprocedure
PreliminarySet-up
InputChannelMakeup
OutputChannelMakeup
PresetRoutingConfigurations
FreeAssignRouting
InputGain
BaseDelay
InputParametricEQ
OutputGain
OutputPolarity
OutputDelay
OutputHighPassFilter
OutputLowPassFilter
OutputParametricEQ
OutputLimiter
Output“D-Max”(Clip)Limiter

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6

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12
13
13
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15
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InputGangingandOutputGanging
MenuSystemOverview
MenusinDetail
MemoryStructure
RemoteControlInterfaceOperation

RS232Interface

RS232Connection(singleunit)
LoadingNewSoftwareviaaPC

AESInputsandOutputs

AESInput

AESDiagnosticsandStatusInformation

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18
19
21
23

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23
23

24

24

25

SecurityandLocking

EnteringthePasswordtoCompletetheLockingOperation

26

3

UnlockingtheUnit
ForgottenthePassword?

26
27
27

AdvancedAudioFeatures

ProgramLimiterand“D-Max”Limiter
ProgramLimiter
“D-Max”ClipLimiter
SettingAccurateLimiterThresholds
CrossoverFilterSlopes
TimeAlignment

ParametricFilterTypesandTheirUses

StandardParametricEQ
ShelvingEQ(HighShelfshown)
CreatingaFlat-toppedEQResponse
Low/HighPassVariable“Q”Filter(LowPassshown)

Specifications
Index
AppendixI-DefaultCrossoverConfigurations

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29
31
32
32

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34
34
35

36
37
39

AnexampleofthisequipmenthasbeentestedandfoundtocomplywiththefollowingEuropeanand

4

internationalStandardsforElectromagneticCompatibilityandElectricalSafety:

RadiatedEmissions(EU):EN55013-1(1996)
RFImmunity(EU):EN55103-2(1996)RFImmunity,ESD,BurstTransient,Surge,Dips&Dwells
ElectricalSafety(EU):EN60065(1993)

ImportantSafetyInformation

DonotremoveCovers.
Nouserserviceablepartsinside,referservicingtoqualifiedservicepersonnel.
Thisequipmentmustbeearthed.

CAUTION

RISKOFELECTRICSHOCK

DONOTOPEN

DONOTEXPOSETORAIN,MOISTURE,

DRIPPINGORSPLASHING

ATTENTION

RISQUEDECHOCELECTRIQUE

NEPASENLEVER

NEPASEXPOSERALAPLUIENIAL'HUMITE

Objectscontainingliquids,suchasvases,mustnotbeplacedonthisequipment.
Itshouldnotbenecessarytoremoveanyprotectiveearthorsignalcableshieldconnections.
Donotdefeatthepurposeofthepolarizedorgrounding-typeplug.Apolarizedplughastwobladeswithonewider

thantheother.Agroundingtypeplughastwobladesandathirdgroundingprong.Thewiderbladeandthethird
prongareprovidedforyoursafety.Whentheprovidedplugdoesnotfitintoyouroutlet,consultanelectricianfor
replacementoftheobsoleteoutlet.

Onlyusethisequipmentwithanappropriatemainscord.
IntheUSAthecordshouldcomplywiththerequirementscontainedintheStandardforCordSetsandPower

SupplyCords,UL817,bemarkedVW-1,andhaveanampacityratingnotlessthanthemarkedratingofthe
apparatus.

Unpackingtheunit

Afterunpackingtheunit,pleasecheckitcarefullyforanydamage.Ifanyisfound,immediatelynotifythe

5

carrier
concerned-you,theconsignee,mustinstigateanyclaim.Pleaseretainallpackagingincaseoffuturere­shipment.

Introduction

TheSP27arepowerfulDSPbasedaudioprocessors,ideallysuitedforinstallapplications,wherethey

6

combinethefunctionsofamultitudeofconventionalproductsinacompact1Uunitwithextensiveremote
controlcapabilities.Toachievethis,theunitshaveuptofourinputsandeightoutputswhichcanbeconfigured
inaselectionofbasiccrossovermodes-4x2way;2x3way+2Aux;2x4way;and1x8way(asapplicable
toi/oconfigurations).Theyalsooffera"freeassign"mode,whichallowscompletelyflexibleroutingofany
outputfromanycombinationofinputs.

Eachinputhasagaincontrol,variabledelayandafurthereightbandsoffullyparametricequalisation.The
parametricfilterbandshavealargeselectionofdifferentfiltertypesavailable,includingshelving.

Eachoutputhasagaincontrol,variabledelay,highandlowpasscrossoverfilters,ninebandsoffully
parametricequalisation,polarityswitchingand,additionally,afullyfeaturedlimiter,andafinalcliplimiter.The
crossoverfiltersofferslopesofupto48dB/Octave.,withavarietyofresponsesavailable.

AGPIinterfacemayalsobefittedtoallowremotememoryrecallsusingsimpleswitch closureapparatus.
Securitylock-outisavailableforallcontrols.
TheSP27arealsoequippedwithAES/EBUdigitalinputsandincludeasamplerateconverter,capableof

acceptinganythingfrom32kHzuptp192kHz.

Features

Superbaudioquality-carefullyoptimiseddoubleprecisionsignalprocessingcoupledwith24bitconversion
ensureadynamicrangeinexcessof117dB.Thehighsamplingrateof96kHzmeansminimalfiltering
providingexceptionalsonicpuritywithabandwidthinexcessof32kHz.

Aflexibleinput/outputmulti-modeformatcatersforanyconfiguration,regardlessofscale.
Bothroutingofinputstooutputs,andganging(forediting)arecompletelyflexible.
AcompletelynewSHARCTMbasedDSPplatformsuppliesphenomenalcomputationalpower,allowingthe

unittoprovidenotonlymultiplebandsofstandardparametricequalisationoneveryinputandoutput,butan
additionalfullspectrumgraphicequaliseroneachofthefourinputs.Thisadditionalpoweralsopermitsboth
programlimitersandnoovershootcliplimitersoneachoutput.

Delayofupto650mSmaybeindependentlysetforeachoutput,withanexceptionallyfineminimumincrement
of300nS,whichcorrespondstoadistancechangeof0.1mm!

Thecomprehensivestandardspecificationalsoincludesupto255memories.
XTA'snewproprietaryComplexUnifiedNyquistTruncationalgorithmensuresthatnomatterhowmuch

equalisationisappliedtoachannel,therewillalwaysbesufficientheadroomavailabletocaterforit.

FrontPanelFamiliarisation

7

ControlKeys:
NEXT
BACK
MENU

selectsthelastmenuitem.Inthisway,threepressesonfromthedefaultscreenwill
jumpbacktothelastparameteradjusted.Selectionofdifferentmenusisaccomplishedusing

theandkeys,orwiththeencoder.

BACKNEXTFREQ

ENTER

sections.

BYPASS

tobypassthehighandlowpassfiltersections.

QUIT

keyentersthechosenmenu,confirmsselections,andchangesfiltertypeswheneditingparametric

willflattenthecurrentlyselectedparametricsections.Notethat,forsafetyreasons,itisnotpossible

exitsmenusbacktothedefaultscreen.

keymovesforwardthroughlistofparameters.

keymovesbackwardsthroughlistofparameters.

keyactivatesthemainmenu-asecondpressselectsthelastmenuedited-athirdpress

Selectionandadjustmentofparameters.

LCDScreen:

recalledmemoryonthebottomlineofthescreen,and
thecurrentroutingonthetopline.Alsousedtoshowall
parametersastheyareedited,andallmenuselections.

Shows,bydefault,thenameofthelast

MENU

RotaryEncoders:

displayedonthescreen.

StatusLEDs:

(flashingifnotlocked);

InputSections:

Redbuttonsilluminatewhenpressedandmuteaudioforthatchannel.

MUTE

buttonsilluminateyellowwhenpressed,andaccessgainonfirstpress,thenlast

EDIT

viewedparameteronsecondpress,thenexitonthirdpress.
InputmetersshowdBfromclippingpointoftheanaloguetodigitalconverters.Red

LEDmayilluminateindependentlyfromtherestofthemetertoshowdigital

CLIP

overflow.AlltwoLEDsilluminatingindicatesinternalclippingaftertheADC.

TheredLEDilluminatesattheonsetoflimiting.

Threevelocitysensitiveencodersadjusttherelevantparametersas

ThetwostatusLEDsshow,fromlefttoright,AESinputsselected

Controlandmonitorinputsignalpaths.

CLIP

Error................................

OutputSections:

paths.
Redbuttonsilluminatewhenpressedand

MUTE

muteaudioforthatchannel.

buttonsilluminateyellowwhenpressed,and

EDIT

accessgainonfirstpress,thenlastviewed
parameteronsecondpress,thenexitonthirdpress.
OutputmetersshowdBfromlimiting.

Controlandmonitoroutputsignal

RearPanelConnections

PowerSwitch:

8

MainsFuse:

fuseisalsolocatedinthisholder.

MainsInlet:

Alwaysreplacethefusewiththecorrecttypeandratingasshownontherearpanellegend.

turnstheunit'smainssupplyoffandon.

locatedinafinger-proofholderadjacenttothemainsinlet.Aspare

connectedviaastandardIECsocket.

RS232:

RS485standardandrelayedtoslaveunitsviatheRS485sockets.

RS232standardviaa9pinD-typeconnector,forconnectiontoaPC.Dataisconvertedto

AudioOutputs:

providedforeachchannel.Allarefully
balanced,pin2hot,3cold,1screen.

AESInputSwitch:

inputs.RedLEDwillilluminateintheholewhenAESinputs
areselected,alongwiththecorrespondingfrontpanel
indicator.

AudioInputs:

channel.Allarefullybalanced,pin2hot,3cold,1screen.

RecessedswitchtoselectAESdigital

3pinXLRsocketsareprovidedforeach

3pinXLRsocketsare

OperatingtheSP27

NoteaboutoperationwithAudioCoresoftware.

9

ThefollowingoperatinginformationcoverssetupandcontroloftheSP27viathefrontpanelcontrolsonly.
Pleaseconsultthemanualsuppliedwiththissoftwareforinformationregardingfullcomputercontrol.

Start-upprocedure

Switchingontheunitwilldisplayabriefmessagedetailingtheunittypeandsoftwareversionrunning

==AudioCoreDP4XX==

==SoftwareV1.00==

andallLEDswillbrieflyilluminate.Theunitwillthenbeginitscountdowntothewake-upprocedure,during

2

whichtimetheaudiowillfadeuptothelevellastset.Meteringwillbegintooperatewhenthefade-upstarts.

PreliminarySet-up

TheprocedurebelowshouldbefollowedwhenfirstinstallingaSP27unit.

-Designyourcrossover!Todothis,press,andusetheorkeytoselect'

menu'ENTERBACKNEXT'Designacrossover'
ENTERBACKNEXT

andthenpress.Usetheorkeytoselectandthenpress

.Finally,usetheorkeytoselectthedesiredroutingandfollowtheset-upwizardto

MENUBACKNEXTCrossoversub-

3

finaliseyourdesign.

-Notethatwheninamenu,isalwaysusedtoconfirmselections.Thecurrentselectionismarkedwith

ENTER

anasterisk'*'.

-Usethekeysoneachoutputchannelwiththeandkeystoselectthehighpassfilters,low

EDITBACKNEXT

passfilters,parametricsetc.Notethatwhendesigninganewcrossover,thehighandlowpassfilterswillbe
settodefaultvalues.

-Usethekeysoneachinputchannelwiththeandkeystoselectthegain,delayand

EDITBACKNEXT

parametricsavailableoneachinput.

NOTE

2

Thewake-uptimecountdownmaybeadjustedintheSYSTEMmenu-seepage23fordetails.

3

Fordetailsaboutadjustingtheroutingifoneofthestandardconfigurationsdoesnotsuit,seepage15.

Notethatifnoactionistakeninmenumode,theunitwillreturntonormal'default'modeafter
abouttwenty(20)seconds.Repeattheabovedirectionstoreturntomenumode.

RoutingOptionsandProcessingBlocks

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DuetothecompletelynewDSPplatform,theroutingpossibilitieswithinthehavebeenmadecompletely
flexible,withamatrixavailableallowinganycombinationofinputstoberoutedtoanyoutput.Theadditional
DSPpowerhaspermittedtheinclusionofmoreprocessingblocks,evenconsideringtheextrainputsand
outputs,andthedoublingofsamplerate.

Toreduceset-uptimeandaidusability,severalstandardconfigurationsareavailableasdescribedinalater
section.

Thissectionwilloutlinetheprocessingblocksavailableinrelationtothesignalpath,andexplainthevarious
optionsforrouting,includingthe"FreeAssign"mode,whichopensupcompletelyflexiblechannelrouting.

InputChannelMakeup

Thediagrambelowshowstheprocessingavailableoneachofthefourinputchannels,beforeroutingtothe
matrix.

SP27

OutputChannelMakeup
Thediagrambelowshowstheprocessingavailableoneachoftheeightoutputchannels,afterroutingfromthe

matrix.

PresetRoutingConfigurations

Inadditiontotheabilitytoassignanycombinationofinputstoanyoutput,anumberofpresetconfigurations
areprovided,forusewhendesigningacrossoverfromscratch.Thesehavetheadvantageofsuggested
settingsforthehighandlowpassfilterstousefulbasicstartingpoints,tofilterthedifferentoutputsas
appropriateforthechosenconfiguration.Thesemay,ofcourse,befreelymodifiedafterwardsshouldtheynot
suittherequirementsexactly.

Thediagramsonthefollowingpagesshowtheconnectionsmadebetweeninputsandoutputs.

2x3waycrossover 1x6waycrossover

11

2x2way+mono

FreeAssignRouting

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Ifnoneofthepresetconfigurationsareappropriatetotherequiredsystemsetup,itispossibletomanually
selecttheroutingofthecrossover.Thisisachievedthroughthe.

CrossoverMenu->DesignACrossover

Pressingwillstartthecrossoverdesignwizard,withthefirstoptionbeingtochoosetherouting.

Thedisplaywillshow

orwhateverthecurrentconfigurationissetto.Pressuntilthedisplayshows

Andthenpress.Thekeywillilluminate
foroutput1,aswillanyrelevantinputkeys,
showingwhichinputsarefeedingoutput1.Thedisplay
willalsodetailthecurrentcombinationofinputsfeeding
thisoutput.Tochangetheroutingforanyoutput,press
itskey,andthenchoosetherequiredinput

EDIT

channelcombinationbyjustpressingtheinput
keysasappropriate.Theinputcombinationscanalso
besteppedthroughinturnbypressing,or

BACK

Tocompletetheprocedure,press.Thewizard
willcontinue,andiftheroutinghasbeenchanged,all
outputswillbemutedonexit.

.

ENTER

DesignACrossover->

Routing=2X4WAY*

BACK

DesignACrossover->
Routing=FreeAssign

ENTEREDIT

EDIT

EDIT

NEXT

ENTER

2

PressEDITinputkeysto
select/deselectinputs

1

PressEDITtoshowinput

routingselection....