Lexicon 300 V3.0 REV 0 User Manual

300

Digital Effects

System

V 3.0
Owner's
Manual

Unpacking and Inspection

After unpacking the 300, save all packing materials in case you ever need to ship the unit. Thoroughly inspect the
300 and packing materials for signs of damage. Report any shipment damage to the carrier at once; report
equipment malfunction to your dealer.

Precautions

The Lexicon 300 is a rugged device with extensive electronic protection. However, you should observe the same
reasonable precautions that apply to any piece of audio equipment.

• Always use the correct line voltage. Refer to Chapter 1 of this manual for power requirements.

• Don't install the 300 in an unventilated rack, or directly above heat-producing equipment such as power
amplifiers. Maximum ambient operating temperature is 35°C (95°F).

• Never attach audio power amplifier outputs directly to any of the 300's connectors.

• Before turning the 300 on or off, mute your monitor speakers to avoid possible damage from transients.

• To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the 300 to rain or moisture.

Notice

This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions, may cause interference to radio and television reception. It has been type tested and found to comply with the
limits for a Class A computing device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designated to provide
reasonable protection against such interference in a residential installation. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur
in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment OFF and ON, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

Reorient the receiving antenna
Relocate the computer with respect to the receiver
Move the computer away from the receiver
Plug the computer into a different outlet so that the computer and receiver are on different branch circuits.

If necessary, the user should consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for additional suggestions. The user may find
the following booklet prepared by the Federal Communications Commission helpful:

"How to identify and Resolve Radio/TV Interference Problems."

This booklet is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, Stock No. 004-000-00345-4.

Le présent appareil numérique n'émet pas de bruits radioélectriques dépassant les limites applicables aux appareils numériques de la class
A prescrites dans le Règlement sur le brouillage radioélectrique édicté par le ministère des Communications du Canada.

This triangle, which appears on
your component, alerts you to
the presence of uninsulated,
dangerous voltage inside the
enclosure... voltage that may be
sufficient to constitute a risk of
shock.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

This triangle, which appears on
your component, alerts you to
important operating and main­tenance instructions in this ac­companying literature.

Lexicon Inc.
Copyright 1993
All Rights Reserved.

3 Oak Park

Bedford, MA 01730 USA

Tel [phone]

Lexicon Part #070-09678

Fax [phone]

Introduction

1. Installing the 300

Mounting............................................................................................. 1-2

Power Requirements .......................................................................... 1-2

The Rear Panel .................................................................................. 1-3

Connectors, Cables and Configurations............................................. 1-4

Connectors................................................................................... 1-4

Cables .......................................................................................... 1-5

Setting Analog Audio Levels ........................................................ 1-6

Configurations .............................................................................. 1-7

2. System Overview

Terms used in this manual ................................................................. 2-2

The Front Panel.................................................................................. 2-4

Overview of Front Panel Controls ................................................ 2-5

Overview of the 300 Display ........................................................ 2-6

System Overview................................................................................ 2-7

3. System Operation

Getting Started ................................................................................... 3-2

Selecting digital input and/or changing analog sampling rate ...... 3-3

Single Setups ..................................................................................... 3-4

Dual Mono Setups .............................................................................. 3-5

Cascade Setups ................................................................................. 3-7

Setup Select Mode ............................................................................. 3-9

The Setup Presets ....................................................................... 3-9

Using the Soft Knob as a Parameter Controller ......................... 3-12

Setup Edit Mode ............................................................................... 3-13

Single Setups ............................................................................. 3-13

Dual Mono and Cascade Setups ............................................... 3-15

Naming the Setup............................................................................. 3-17

Storing the Setup.............................................................................. 3-17

Effect Edit Mode ............................................................................... 3-18

Parameter Selection................................................................... 3-18

Naming and Storing Effects ....................................................... 3-19

Mod Edit Mode ................................................................................. 3-20

Soft Knob Patches ..................................................................... 3-21

Control Mode .................................................................................... 3-22

Time Code Event List................................................................. 3-22

MIDI Mode and Map Table......................................................... 3-23

Machine Configuration ............................................................... 3-24

Digital Interface and Sampling Rates......................................... 3-24

SCMS Mode............................................................................... 3-25

Emphasis ................................................................................... 3-25

Bypass/Effect Load Mode .......................................................... 3-26

Copy Tools ................................................................................. 3-26

Purge Tools................................................................................ 3-27

Contents

Contents, cont'd.

4. The Algorithms and their Parameters

Single Setup Algorithms ..................................................................... 4-2

Random Hall ................................................................................ 4-2

Random Ambience....................................................................... 4-8

Rich Plate................................................................................... 4-11

Stereo Pitch Shift ....................................................................... 4-15

Stereo Adjust.............................................................................. 4-18

"Split" Setup Algorithms.................................................................... 4-23

Dual Delays................................................................................ 4-23

Split Chamber ............................................................................ 4-26

Mono Pitch Shift ......................................................................... 4-29

Compressor................................................................................ 4-31

PONS (Psychoacoustically Optimized Noise Shaping).............. 4-33

Small Stereo Adjust.................................................................... 4-34

5. The Presets

Single Setup (and Effect) Presets ...................................................... 5-2

Split Setup Presets and Their Effects................................................. 5-6

Split Setup Effect Descriptions ......................................................... 5-20

Effect Preset Parameters ................................................................. 5-25

Effect Presets Using the Random Hall Algorithm....................... 5-25

Effect Presets Using the Random Ambience Algorithm............. 5-27

Effect Presets Using the Rich Plate Algorithm ........................... 5-28

Effect Presets Using the Stereo Adjust Algorithm...................... 5-29

Effect Presets Using the Stereo Pitch Shift Algorithm................ 5-30

Effect Presets Using the Dual Delays Algorithm ........................ 5-31

Effect Presets Using the Split Chamber Algorithm..................... 5-34

Effect Presets Using the Mono Pitch Shift Algorithm ................. 5-36

Effect Presets Using the Compressor Algorithm........................ 5-36

Effect Presets Using the PONS Algorithm ................................. 5-36

Effect Presets Using the Small Stereo Adjust Algorithm............ 5-36

6. Time Code Operation

Using Time Code................................................................................ 6-2

The Event List..................................................................................... 6-3

Using time code to initiate program changes ............................... 6-3

Snapping events .......................................................................... 6-4

Editing the List.............................................................................. 6-4

Trimming Time Codes in the Event List ....................................... 6-5

Programming Parameter Glides................................................... 6-6

Things to Consider about Glides.................................................. 6-8

Adding an event ........................................................................... 6-9

Deleting an event ......................................................................... 6-9

Dumping the List to MIDI storage devices.......................................... 6-9

Event List Log Sheet ........................................................................ 6-10

7. MIDI Operation

MIDI Connections ............................................................................... 7-2

Setting MIDI Channels........................................................................ 7-3

Dynamic MIDI ..................................................................................... 7-4

Using MIDI Program Change Messages with the 300........................ 7-5

MIDI Table mode.......................................................................... 7-5

Editing the MIDI Table.................................................................. 7-5

Real-time MIDI Effects Automation .................................................... 7-6

Using Real-time SysEx and Non-registered Parameters ............. 7-6

Using Dynamic MIDI® to transmit and receive MIDI

Controller Information ............................................................ 7-7

Using SysEx and Dynamic MIDI® Patches................................... 7-7

Controlling Multiple 300s .................................................................... 7-7

MIDI Dumps of Current Setup, Event List, MIDI Table, and

All Registers ................................................................................. 7-8

8. Troubleshooting

Low Voltage........................................................................................ 8-2

Overheating ........................................................................................ 8-2

Common MIDI Problems .................................................................... 8-2

Common Time Code Problems .......................................................... 8-3

Common Digital Interfacing Problems ................................................ 8-3

9. MIDI Implementation Chart

10. Specifications

Congratulations on your purchase of the 300 Digital Effects System! The 300 not
only contains the finest sounds, as you've come to expect from Lexicon, it
incorporates new functions that satisfy the needs of today's audio production.

Analog and Digital Audio Interfacing

For both analog and digital use the 300 takes full advantage of recent advances
in converter technology and combines them with flexible digital interfacing.

The A/D and D/A converters use oversampling techniques to minimize low-level
distortion and provide linear phase characteristics. 64x oversampling Delta/
Sigma conversion is used in the A/Ds; 8x oversampling is used in the D/As. The
result is sonic transparency without the artifacts normally encountered in
conversion.

The digital I/O simplifies interfacing with both the AES/EBU professional and the
EIAJ consumer format. XLR, RCA and Optical connectors are provided for both
input and output. The digital inputs of the 300 will automatically accept and lock
to any AES/EBU/SPDIF format; the 300's digital output format is user-selectable
for feeding either professional or consumer equipment. This allows for format
conversion as well as using the high quality A/D converters to feed digital
recorders. Control of additional Channel Status information is provided as well.

Dual DSP Architechture

The 300 utilizes two proprietary high performance DSP engines. The configu­ration of these engines can be determined by the end-user to suit a particular
audio application. The Single Setup configuration unites both DSP engines.
Two “split” configurations: Dual Mono and Cascade, allow each DSP engine to
run a special program especially designed for “Split “ applications. The Single
algorithms include: Random Hall, Random Ambience, Rich Plate, Stereo Pitch
Shift, and Stereo Adjust. The “split" algorithms include: Dual Delays, Chamber,
Mono Pitch Shift, Compressor, a special mastering dither program called PONS
(Psychoacoustically Optimized Noise Shaping), and a small version of Stereo
Adjust.

Introduction

Comprehensive Effects Automation

The 300 makes effects automation available in three different ways. If you use
time code, the 300's Event List and Time Code Reader add a new twist to effects
processing. Each entry in the 50-item list contains a time code value and a 300
effect preset/register number, allowing incoming time code to trigger setup and
effect changes, as well as setup and effect parameter glides. For changing
effects in music or changing rooms and environments for film and video, the
300's time code capability opens new avenues to all time code users.

Dynamic MIDI® is included for real-time performance control and effects auto­mation. All parameters in the 300 can be patched to most MIDI controllers,
allowing full control from remote devices. For full MIDI automation all parameter
changes can be recorded on any sequencer. For additional control, complete
System Exclusive information is available.

Lexicon Sound

Even with the best functions and features, the heart of any signal processor is
its sound. The 300 contains the very best of the Lexicon Sound — with new
refinements such as dynamic size parameters in the Reverb and Ambience
algorithms. We have also included stereo and mono pitch shifting, delay effects,
a mastering algorithm with precision level/balance controls and equalization.
These sounds, combined with analog and digital audio I/O, time code based
effect change, an internal LFO, and full MIDI automation result in a system that
provides new creative options each time you use it.

We’re confident you’ll find that the 300’s combination of state-of-the-art sound
and extraordinary versatility is exactly what you’re looking for — to make sure
you don’t miss out on anything, we’d like you to read this manual. It provides a
thorough explanation of both front panel and MIDI operation, digital and analog
interfacing, descriptions of the effects and presets, and complete MIDI Implem­entation data — all the information you need to access the full power of the 300.

Installing the 300

Installing the
300

1

1-1

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

Lexicon

Mounting

Power Requirements

Before rack-mounting the 300, you may want to remove the four rubber feet
attached to the bottom of the 300 chassis. Gently pry off the black plastic buttons
in the center of each foot, then remove the foot itself.

The 300 measures 19"W x 3.50"H x 13.9"D (483 x 90 x 353 mm). It uses two
EIA-standard rack spaces and can be mounted on any level surface or in a
standard 19 inch (483 mm) rack. Whatever mounting method you use, make
sure that the 300 is securely screwed into the rack adapter If the 300 is mounted
in a rack or road case, support the rear of the chassis to prevent possible
damage from mechanical shock and vibration.

The 300 is equipped with a 3-pin IEC power connector and detachable cord,
providing chassis grounding to the AC mains line. Plug the female end of the
power cord into the 300, and the male end into a wall outlet.

The 300 is internally wired to operate at 100, 120, 220 or 240 VAC. The operating
voltage set at the factory is marked on a label attached to the rear panel. Check
the label

before

applying power to the unit.

If the voltage must be changed, refer a qualified technician to the Voltage
Changeover procedure in the 300 Service Manual.

1-2

DO

PUSH

L IN

MIDI

OUT

DO

IN

R IN

INPUT

GAIN

THRU

PUSH

L OUTR OUT

DI

DI

EIAJ CP340

PUSH

DIDO

PUSH

TIME CODE IN

AES/EBU

COMM PORT

Time Code In

3-pin female XLR con­nector for input of
SMPTE (Drop or Non­drop), EBU, or FILM
time code formats.
(Electronically bal­anced, 100mV p-p
minimum)

Digital Inputs and Outputs

Inputs

Three connectors are provided for digital input:

AES/EBU professional format (1):

3-pin female XLR

S/PDIF EIAJ CP-340 consumer format (2):

unbalanced coaxial RCA
optical (fiber-optic)

One of these connectors may be selected for
digital input.

Outputs

Output format can be AES/EBU or S/PDIF.
Output always goes to all three digital outputs.

Digital interfaces conform to both the AES ANSI
S4.40-1985 spec and the EBU doc tech 3250.
Input/output impedance levels of the AES/EBU
connectors comply with the CCITT V.11 EIA­422A specification.

Installing the 300

The Rear Panel

Analog Inputs and Outputs

3-pin XLR connectors, electronically balanced.
Either pin 2 or pin 3 can be used as high but, to

maintain polarity when transferring data to the
digital domain, pin 2 high convention is used by
Lexicon.

Pin 1 and either pin 2 or pin 3 of each output
be grounded for unbalanced operation.

Input impedance is 50kΩ unbalanced, and
100kΩ balanced. Inputs accept input levels from

-14dBu to +20dBu.
Output impedance is 75Ω, and levels up to

+18dBu are possible.

must

AC Power

Standard 3-pin IEC
power connector.

Communications
Port

DE9 connector, re­served for future en­hancements.

MIDI Connectors

Out: Transmits MIDI data to other equipment.
Thru

: Passes any MIDI data received without

change.

In

: Receives MIDI information from other MIDI

equipment such as master keyboard controllers,
MIDI foot controllers, sequencers and synthesiz­ers.

Input Gain

2-position (In/Out)
switch for matching in­put gain to the source
being used.
In = +16dB; Out = 0dB.

1-3

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

Connectors, Cables

and Configurations

Lexicon

Connectors

Signal Mating Connector Description

L and R Analog XLR A3M Active balanced, pin 2 high
Audio Input +2dBu min; +20dBu max

at 0dB setting

L and R Analog XLR A3F Active balanced; pin 2 high
Audio Output -2dBu to +18dBu

at full scale output

AES/EBU XLR A3M Balanced RS-422
Digital Input pin 2 high

AES/EBU XLR A3F Balanced RS-422
Digital Output pin 2 high

S/PDIF RCA Unbalanced 75Ω
EIAJ CP340
Consumer Digital
Input and Output

S/PDIF EIAJ Consumer Digital
EIAJ CP340 Audio format
Consumer Digital
Audio Optical
Input and Output

Time Code XLR A3M Active balanced RS-422;

pin 2 high, 100mV p-p

Input minimum
MIDI In 5-pin DIN Standard MIDI Interface

MIDI Out
MIDI Thru

Male

Female

Pin 2 high by convention.

2 = high

3 = low

1 = ground

1 = ground

3 = low

2 = high

1-4

Cables

Installing the 300

For best performance, maintain balanced connections, and use high-quality,
low-capacitance, twisted-shielded pair cable.

When connecting to single-ended, unbalanced devices, connect the low side to
signal ground at the unbalanced piece of equipment.

For mono connection, connect the left and right input channels in parallel.
Be careful to keep input and output to all channels wired consistently. Out-of-

phase wiring can produce audible effects.

This interface requires balanced connections using high-quality, low-capaci­tance, controlled-impedance, data communication, twisted-shielded pair cable.

It will not work reliably if microphone cable is used.

This interface is unbalanced but, because it carries digital signals, it requires the
use of 75Ω RG-59 coaxial cable.

Use commercially-available, consumer audio optical cable assemblies.

Analog Audio I/O
and Time Code

AES/EBU
Digital Audio I/O

SPDIF (EIAJ CP340)
Consumer Digital Audio I/O

SPDIF (EIAJ CP340)
Consumer Digital Audio
Optical I/O

Use standard 5-pin DIN MIDI cable asemblies, available from your local dealer.

Below are recommended manufacturer's part numbers for cable and cable
assemblies. In some cases, two types are specified: one with an overall braid
shield for heavy use, and one with a foil shield for permanent installation.

Analog Audio and Time Code

Belden 8412 (microphone cable with braided shield)
Belden 9461 (foil shield)

AES/EBU

Belden 9271 (foil shield)
Gotham GAC-2 AES-FRU
Maximum recommended length: 100 ft (30M)

S/PDIF (EIAJ CP340) Consumer Digital Audio

Belden 9259 (22 AWG conductor, .242 O.D.)
Belden 8218 (27 AWG conductor, .150 O.D.)
Maximum recommended length: 32 ft (10M)

S/PDIF (EIAJ CP340) Consumer Digital Audio Optical

Toshiba TOCP174y
Sony POC-15
Maximum recommended length: 16 ft (5M)

MIDI IN, OUT and THRU

1-5

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

Lexicon

Setting Analog

Audio Levels

Level Indicators

Red DSP Overload

Amber -3

-6

Green -12

-18

-24

-30

-36

-42

values are dB approximate

When shipped, the 300 is set for the Analog I/O configuration. Once you have
connected the analog inputs and outputs, you can set up the analog input and
output levels. To do this, press the 300 front panel key marked LEVEL. The
display will show:

This line is selected, and will

change as you turn the Soft
Press this button to toggle
selection of INL on and off.

knob to give a visual indica-

tion of the level settings

INL ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ (-10.0dB to +10.0dB)
INR ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ ❚ (-10.0dB to +10.0dB)

LEVEL

LEVEL

Press this button to toggle
selection of INR on and off.

Actual level settings (in dB)
are shown here.

The front panel PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys allow you to switch the display
from input levels (IN L and R) to output levels (OUT L and R).

When a line is selected, the boxes on the display will be lengthened. (The
illustration above shows the upper line selected.) If both lines on the display are
selected, turning the Soft knob will alter both settings simultaneously. The
buttons directly above and below the display act as toggle switches to individu­ally select and un-select these lines.

If additional gain is needed, the rear panel INPUT GAIN switch allows you to set
unity gain of the 300 to 0dB (switch OUT), or to +16dB (switch IN).

Feed a 1kHz tone (or a musical signal at the maximum peak level used in your
system) to the 300. Use the front panel Soft knob to adjust the level so that the
peak input level falls just short of lighting the red overload LED. To set the output
level, press the front panel PAGE UP or PAGE DOWN key and use the Soft knob
to set the output to provide appropriate levels for your console or system.

1-6

Effects Send (L)
Effects Send (R)

Channel Input or
Effects Return (L)

Channel Input or
Effects Return (R)

Installing the 300

Configurations

Connection to a
mixing console's
effects sends

OUT

EIAJ CP340

DO

MIDI

THRU

DI

DI
DO

IN

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

AES/EBU

DIDO

PUSH

If you will be using a 300 as your primary effects unit, and your system includes
a console with one or more auxiliary (effects) sends, connect the 300 as shown
above. In most applications, it is preferable to connect the 300 outputs to two of
the console's input channel strips, panned full left and right, rather than the
effects returns. This allows the greatest flexibility in routing and equalization.

In this configuration the console controls are used to set the amount of effect
heard—the 300's MIX control should be set for 100% wet. If you are using only
one effects send, connect the left and right inputs of the 300 in parallel.

The following diagrams give a few examples of various possible configurations
for interfacing to digital equipment.

L IN

R IN

L OUTR OUT

PUSH

PUSH

INPUT

GAIN

1-7

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

AES/EBU to AES/EBU

DIGITAL AUDIO

or

DIGITAL VIDEO

MACHINE

Lexicon

AES/EBU Format

Source Machine

AES/EBU Format

DIGITAL AUDIO

or

DIGITAL VIDEO

MACHINE

Destination Machine

S/PDIF to S/PDIF

Out In

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

AES/EBU

DIDO

PUSH

EIAJ CP340

DI

DO

MIDI

THRU

OUT

Analog outputs for monitoring

Analog outputs for monitoring

DI
DO

IN

Out

Out

L IN

R IN

L OUTR OUT

PUSH

PUSH

INPUT
GAIN

HEADPHONE AMP

CONSOLE

or

RDAT MACHINE

or

CD PLAYER

S/PDIF Format

Source Machine

AES/EBU

DIDO

PUSH

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

S/PDIF Format

RDAT

MACHINE

Analog outputs for monitoring

Destination Machine

Note: These digital connections can be made with fiber
optic, or XLR cables instead of 75Ω coaxial RCA cables.

1-8

Analog outputs for monitoring

In

EIAJ CP340

DI

DO

DI
DO

MIDI

THRU

OUT

IN

Out

L OUTR OUT

Out

L IN

R IN

PUSH

PUSH

INPUT
GAIN

Out

CONSOLE

HEADPHONE AMP

or

Source Machine

DIGITAL AUDIO

or

DIGITAL VIDEO

MACHINE

Installing the 300

AES/EBU to S/PDIF
Conversion

AES/EBU Format

Analog outputs for monitoring

RDAT

MACHINE

Destination Machine

Source Machine

RDAT MACHINE

or

CD PLAYER

In

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

AES/EBU

DIDO

PUSH

EIAJ CP340

DO

MIDI

THRU

OUT

Out

S/PDIF Format

Analog outputs for monitoring

S/PDIF Format

Out

DI

DI
DO

IN

Out

L IN

R IN

L OUTR OUT

PUSH

PUSH

INPUT
GAIN

CONSOLE

or

HEADPHONE AMP

S/PDIF to AES/EBU
Conversion

AES/EBU Format

DIGITAL AUDIO

or

DIGITAL VIDEO

MACHINE

Destination Machine

Out Out

AES/EBU

DIDO

PUSH

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

In

EIAJ CP340

DO

DI

DI
DO

MIDI

OUT

THRU

Analog outputs for monitoring

Analog outputs for monitoring

Out

L IN

R IN

L OUTR OUT

PUSH

PUSH

INPUT
GAIN

IN

CONSOLE

or

HEADPHONE AMP

1-9

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

ANALOG I/O and

AES/EBU to AES/EBU

Lexicon

Digital Source

DIGITAL AUDIO

or

DIGITAL VIDEO

MACHINE

AES/EBU Format

DIGITAL AUDIO

or

DIGITAL VIDEO

MACHINE

Digital Destination

AES/EBU Format

Out In

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

AES/EBU

DIDO

PUSH

OUT

Analog outputs for monitoring

EIAJ CP340

DO

Analog Source

ANALOG

MACHINE

CONSOLE

In

R IN

L OUTR OUT

DI

DI
DO

MIDI

THRU

IN

Out

PUSH

Out
Analog audio

CONSOLE, HEADPHONE AMP

ANALOG MACHINE

or

Analog Destination

or

Analog audio

In

L IN

PUSH

INPUT
GAIN

ANALOG I/O and

AES/EBU Digital Output

AES/EBU Format

DIGITAL AUDIO

or

DIGITAL VIDEO

MACHINE

Destination Machine

Analog outputs for monitoring

Out

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

AES/EBU

Source Machine

CONSOLE

or

MIKE PREAMP

Analog audio

In

DIDO

PUSH

EIAJ CP340

DO

DI

DI
DO

MIDI

OUT

IN

THRU

Out

L OUTR OUT

Out

In

L IN

R IN

PUSH

PUSH

INPUT
GAIN

Analog audio

CONSOLE, HEADPHONE AMP

ANALOG MACHINE

or

1-10

Installing the 300

ANALOG In
with Digital Patch Point
to ANALOG Out

DIGITAL PROCESSOR

AES/EBU Format

Out

In

TIME CODE IN

PUSH

COMM PORT

AES/EBU

ANALOG

MACHINE

or

CONSOLE

Out

In

InOut

DIDO

PUSH

EIAJ CP340

DO

OUT

OutInOut

DI

DI
DO

MIDI

THRU

IN

Out

In

In

L IN

R IN

L OUTR OUT

PUSH

PUSH

INPUT
GAIN

1-11

System Overview

2

System Overview

2-1

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

Terms used

in this manual

Lexicon

In discussing 300 operation, the following terms are used.

Algorithm

The 300 contains eleven
the 300's audio processors how to process the input signal. One algorithm
produces pitch shift effects, another produces reverberation, etc. Algorithms are
stored inside the 300 on ROM (Read-only memory) chips.

algorithms

. An algorithm is a set of instructions that tells

Configuration

The 300 can deliver two effects (one from each machine) simultaneously. The
manner in which the two machines relate to each other is called the
The machines can be used with independent inputs and outputs (Dual Mono
configuration), they can share the same stereo input signal (Single configura­tion), or the outputs of one machine can be fed into the input of another (Cascade
configuration).

configuration

Effect

An

effect

consists of an algorithm, the parameter values which create a specific

sound, four associated patches, and an identifying name.

.

Machine

The 300 contains two processing modules, called
Although both machines can run simultaneously, only one can be accessed from
the front panel at any given time. A dedicated function key labeled MACH allows
front panel selection of either Machine A or Machine B.

Machine

A and

Machine

B.

Pages

Because effects (and other modes of operation) have more parameters than can
be displayed at one time, parameters are grouped into several
between pages by pressing the dedicated function keys labeled PAGE UP and
PAGE DOWN.

pages

. You move

Parameter

Each algorithm has a set of
The settings of the parameters can be changed to create radically different
sounds from a single algorithm.

parameters

(controls) that uniquely characterize it.

Patch

A

patch

is a routing assignment that allows one of the 300's parameters to be

driven by a source controller (LFO, footswitch, mod wheel, etc.)

Register/Preset

Registers

effects.
overwritten, but they can be modified and stored as custom setups in the
registers. Registers and presets are differentiated on the 300 display by the initial
R (Register) or P (Preset) before their number.

are simply memory locations where you can store your own setups and

Presets

are factory-installed setups and effects. The presets cannot be

2-2

System Overview

Effect presets:

100 effect presets are installed in the 300 to give you a
wide variety of sounds to use as is, or to use as a starting point when
creating your own sounds. (50 effect registers are provided for storage.)

Setup presets:

100 setup presets provide a convenient starting point for
selection of effect combinations. (50 setup registers are provided for
storage.)

Setup

A

setup

consists of a single effect or a pair of effects, the configuration
associated with them, and an identifying name.The three basic setup configu­rations: Single, Dual Mono and Cascade, are shown below.

SINGLE SETUP

INPUT LEVEL

ANALOG DIGITAL

INPUT BALANCE

ANALOG DIGITAL

RANDOM HALL STEREO ADJUST
RANDOM AMBIENCE STEREO PITCH SHIFT
RICH PLATE

MACHINE

ALGORITHM

OUT MIX

LFO

RATE SHAPE

EFFECT

PARAMETER

VALUES

METERS

LEFT RIGHT

MOD EDIT

PATCH PATCH

PATCH PATCH

PATCH PATCH

EFFECT

NAME

MOD EDIT

SETUP

NAME

A LVL B LVL

ALGORITHM

SPLIT CHAMBER MONO PITCH SHIFT
DUAL DELAY COMPRESSOR
PONS

SPLIT CHAMBER MONO PITCH SHIFT
DUAL DELAY COMPRESSOR
PONS

SMALL STEREO ADJ SMALL STEREO ADJ

INPUT

BALANCE

ALGORITHM

SMALL STEREO ADJ SMALL STEREO ADJ

EFFECT A

INPUT

BALANCE

EFFECT A

INPUT BALANCEINPUT LEVEL

A BAL B BAL B

MOD EDIT

PARAMETER

VALUES

PARAMETER

VALUES

PATCH PATCH

PATCH PATCH

CASCADE

FEEDBACK

PATCH PATCH

PATCH PATCH

MOD EDIT

DUAL MONO SETUP

MIX

A

EFFECT

NAME

LFO

RATE SHAPE

SPLIT CHAMBER MONO PITCH SHIFT
DUAL DELAY COMPRESSOR
PONS

CASCADE SETUP

MIX

A

B

EFFECT

NAME

O

LFO

RATE SHAPE

SPLIT CHAMBER MONO PITCH SHIFT
DUAL DELAY COMPRESSOR
PONS

METERS

LEFT RIGHT

ALGORITHM

METERS

LEFT RIGHT

ALGORITHM

MOD EDIT

PATCH PATCH

EFFECT B

PARAMETER

VALUES

MOD EDIT

PATCH PATCH

EFFECT B

PARAMETER

VALUES

SETUP
NAME

MOD EDIT

PATCH PATCH

PATCH PATCH

SETUP

NAME

PATCH PATCH

PATCH PATCH

MOD EDIT

EFFECT

NAME

EFFECT

NAME

2-3

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

The Front Panel

MIDI and Sample
Rate LEDs

The amber MIDI LED
indicates activity over
the designated MIDI
channels. The sam­pling rate of the 300 is
shown by the green
LEDs.

MIDI
48 kHz

44.1 kHz
32 kHz

300

DIGITAL EFFECTS SYSTEM

Level

Used to adjust Analog
input and output levels
(in conjunction with
the Soft knob and the
Page Up/Down keys).
Levels are shown on
the LED bar graphs di­rectly above the
LEVEL key. The lower
6 LEDs are green, fol­lowed by 2 amber, and
one red - indicating
overload.





LEVEL

Page Up/Down

Allow access to dis­play pages of adjust­able parameters.





Bypass

Enable digital bypass
of Machine A or B to
provide an unproc­essed signal, or to
mute the effect input.

7 89



PAGE

UP

PAGE

DOWN

456



123



—0

ENTER





Power

Power on/off.

CONTROL

SETUP

SELECT

SETUP

MACH

EDIT

EFFECT

STORE

EDIT

VALUE

MOD

EDIT

Lexicon

BYPASS



A



BYPASS



B

POWER

Soft buttons

Each of these eight
buttons is used to se­lect the parameter
displayed directly
above or below. Once
selected, parameters
can be changed incre­mentally by additional
button pushes, or they
can be adjusted by
the Soft knob.

Soft knob

Used to adjust para­meters displayed and
selected with the Soft
buttons.

Numerical Keypad

Used for numeric entry
of program numbers
(as an alternative to
Soft Knob selection)
and for time code en­tries.

Dedicated-function keys

Setup Select: Used to

select and run setups.

Mach

: In appropriate

configurations, allows
selection of either of
the 300's two process­ing modules (Machine
A and Machine B) for
front panel control.

Store

: Used to memo-

rize effects and set­ups

.

Value: Used to display

parameter values for
Soft button or Soft
knob adjustment.

Control

cess system parame­ters.

Setup Edit: Used to
create or modify the
current setup.

Effect Edit

adjust the parameters
of effects.

Mod Edit

create patches.

: Used to ac-

: Used to

: Used to

2-4

System Overview

The 300 front panel has been designed for ease-of-use and intuitive access to
all of the 300's functions.

In general the user will be operating in one of the following modes of operation,
each of which is accessed from the dedicated keypad on the front panel. Each
mode key has an LED which lights when the key is activated. The functions of
the VALUE and STORE keys are discussed later in this section.

SETUP SELECT

It is from Setup Select mode that setups are selected and loaded. Setups can
be selected with the Soft knob, or by entering a setup number on the numeric
keypad and then pressing ENTER.

CONTROL

Control mode provides access to global system functions which include: Digital
I/O Configuration, MIDI Channels, Modes, and Effect Change tables. Selecting
Control mode does not interrupt the audio operation of the 300.

MACH

This button allows you to toggle between the 300's two DSP engines. Each
machine can process audio continuously and simultaneously. However, the
front panel can only actively

control

one effect at a time.Each time you press
MACH, the 300 switches control; the display indicates whether Machine A or B
is being controlled.

Overview of
Front Panel Controls

CONTROLSETUP

SELECT

SETUP

MACH

EDIT

STORE

EFFECT

EDIT
MOD

VALUE

EDIT

SETUP EDIT

This mode is used to modify the current setup. In this mode you can select the
effect for the setup, and the name assigned to the setup

EFFECT EDIT

In this mode you can modify the effect used in the current setup, and change the
name of the effect. The available parameters for each effect are organized onto
display pages. The algorithms and their parameters are discussed in detail in
Chapter 4.

MOD EDIT

In Modulation Edit you can assign MIDI and Soft knob patches.

Switching between these various modes is as simple as pressing a button. The
operation of the 300 in each of these modes is discussed in the following
sections.

2-5

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

Lexicon

Overview of the

300 Display

CONTROLSETUP

SELECT

SETUP

MACH

EDIT

EFFECT

STORE

EDIT

VALUE

MOD

EDIT

Generally, the display will indicate a page of parameters, any of which can be
selected by pressing the button directly above or below it. In the example below,
the "RTIM" parameter has been selected and is highlighted by an underscore
cursor on the display.

RTIM SIZE ROLL PDLY

RLVL TDCY BASS XOVR

LEVEL

Once selected, parameters can be adjusted over their entire range with the Soft
knob. The parameter and its current value will appear on the display as long as
the Soft knob is being adjusted.

Pressing the front panel VALUE key will display all of the current parameter
values for the selected page. in this example, pressing VALUE will cause the
following display to appear:

2.0s 37.1M 2.9k 22m
FULL 3.6k 2X 0.5k

2-6

PAGE

UP

PAGE

DOWN

Here again, turning the Soft knob will adjust the selected parameter over its
entire range; the buttons will select other parameters for adjustment.

The PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys are used to access various pages of
additional parameters (or parameter values) which can then be edited via the
Soft knob.

System Overview

L

The 300 presents you with an incredible number of choices — all of which can
be made through the front and rear panel. Although you could certainly operate
the 300 by setting each I/O configuration and effect parameter by hand each time
you use it, you probably wouldn't enjoy it — so we've tried to organize the 300
so that its considerable flexibility doesn't become an obstacle. Before digging
into the details of operation presented in this manual, you may find this brief
overview useful.

The block diagram shown below illustrates the basic flow of audio through the

300. Analog and/or digital audio enters on the left. Each is conditioned and
translated as required and, in the case of digital audio, a sample clock is
extracted. The resultant digital audio streams are sent to effect processing, then
converted to appropriate analog and digital outputs (on the right).

48 kHz

Digital

In

XLR

RCA
OPT

Analog

In

Digital

In

Emph

44.1 kHz
PL

SR

A/D

Sample Rate

(SR)

Effect

DSP

System Overview

Digital

Out

XLR
RCA

OPT

Analog

Out

SR

D/A

SR

Digital

Out

Emph

0.0 or +16dB
Rear Panel

Gain Switch

-10 to +10dB
Input Level

Control

Panel, MIDI and Time Code

Program Change

DSP

As you can see from the figure, the 300 has a rich set of I/O capabilities, with
many choices available to the user, including:

Sample Rate
Analog or Digital Input connector
Digital and Analog Emphasis/De-emphasis
Digital Output format (AES or SPDIF)
Digital Copy (SCMS) and Emphasis bit manipulation
Processor Configuration

The I/O organization is part of the 300's Control Mode. Other items which form
part of the global operaton of the box are: Time Code event list viewing and
editing, MIDI Mapping Tables, Purge functions for User Registers,Copy Tools,
and Bypass button functions.

-10 to +10dB
Output Level

Control

2-7

300 V 3.0 Owner's Manual

SELECT

MACH

STORE

VALUE

CONTROLSETUP

SETUP

EDIT

EFFECT

EDIT
MOD

EDIT

Lexicon

By far the most important aspect of the 300 is the Setup and its association to
the digital effect(s) that you want to use. The 300 has three types of Setups:
Single, Dual Mono, and Cascade. Each is strikingly different and together they
provide incredible audio possibilities.

Each Setup includes one or more effects along with other items such as
machine input(s) and source balance(s), the relationship between wet (effect)
and dry (input) mixing for each machine, meter functions, LFO rates and
shapes, and a naming function. In addition, there are two(2) modulation patches
which can link source controllers to two Setup parameters.

To simplify the choice among the many possible effect and system routings, the
300 is shipped with 100 Setup Presets. (The organization of the Setup Presets
is shown to the left.) These factory presets cannot be overwritten, but can be
modified and stored as User Setups in any of 50 Setup Registers.

Setup Presets

The Setup Presets are organized
as follows:

101-150 = Single Setups
201-225 = Dual Mono Setups
301-325 = Cascade Setups

Single Set-Ups contain one ef­fect running in a single unified
machine (both DSP engines
working as one).

Dual Mono and Cascade can be
thought of as “split” configura­tions, and are capable of simulta­neously running two different (or
identical) effects.

Effect Presets

Effect Presets are organized as
follows:

101-115 = Random Hall Presets
201-210 = Random Ambience
301-308 = Rich Plates
401-409 = Stereo Adjust
501-508 = Stereo Pitch Shift

These can only be loaded into
Single Setups (101-150)

.

Audio effects, of course, are what the 300 is all about, and a total of 100 Effect
Presets are provided for loading into the three Setup types. Five algorithms can
be loaded into Single Setups: Random Hall, Random Ambience, Rich Plate,
Stereo Pitch Shift, and Stereo Adjust. Six different algorithms can be loaded into
the "split" Setups (Dual Mono and Cascade): Dual Delays, Split Chamber, Mono
Pitch Shift, Compressor, PONS, and Small Stereo Adjust. (The organization of
the Effect Setups is also shown to the left.)

Each algorithm has its own control parameters. Random Hall, for example, has

28. The front panel EFFECT EDIT key and the Soft knob, allow effect
parameters to be adjusted along a range of values, dramatically altering the
audible effect of the algorithm. An effect can also activate as many as 4 patches,
each linking a source controller to a parameter. This MOD EDIT function is
intrinsically mapped as an extension of the EFFECT EDIT function. Saving
either saves the other. (The Effect Presets cannot be overwritten, but can be
modified and stored as custom Effects in any of 50 Effect Registers.)

In summary, the 300 is organized into setups and effects. Setups are collections
of many decisions, including DSP routing, Input levels, Source, Balances, LFO
Rate and Shape, and an Effect or Effects. These selections are grouped
together, named and stored so they can be called up with a single user action.
Each Effect included in a Setup contains an algorithm, a complete set of
parameters, and 4 patches. As with Setups, Effects can be loaded, copied,
edited, named, and stored, as well as dumped and recalled via MIDI.

601-616 = Dual Delays
701-720 = Split Chambers
801-810 = Mono Pitch Shift
901-902 = Compressor
001 = the PONS Program for
Mastering Applications
010 = Small Stereo Adjust

These can only be loaded into
“Split” Setups (201-325).

2-8

The 300's Control Mode provides access to general global parameters and
miscellaneous functions. Selecting Control mode does not interrupt the audio
operation of the 300.

There are 9 Control mode pages:

1. Set-up Configuration and Input type select (Analog and/or Digital),

2. Analog sample rate select, Digital locked, Digital input connector type,
Digital Input format display and Digital Output format selection.

3. SCMS Detect and select

4. Digital emphasis detect and select

5. Effect Load select(Bypass, Mute) and Bypass function (Input mute, Bypass

6. Copy Protect/Copy Tools for Setups, Effects, and MIDI Mod Edits

7. Purge (Delete) Tools for Time Code Event List,All Registers, All Effects,
MIDI Map Table, and return to Factory Initialization.

8. Time Code Event List Management

9. MIDI Mode and MIDI Map Table

Note: The 300 Digital Effects System is shipped from the factory running in an
Analog Input, 48kHz mode with Setup Preset S:P101 SINGLE running Effect
Preset EA: P101 Large Hall.

System Overview

If you are already familiar with the operation of the 300 and wish to change the
Input to a Digital Type, simply enter Control mode and make your selections.

If you have no previous experience with the 300, we suggest you remain in the
analog mode and read on...

2-9

System Operation

3

System Operation

3-1