PreSonus BlueMAX User Manual

SMART COMPRESSOR

USERS MANUAL

Version 2.0

 1997, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Incorporated.

All rights reserved. Updated by J-Luck 2004

WARRANTY

PreSonus Limited Warranty

PreSonus Audio Electronics Inc. warrants this product to be free of defects in material and
workmanship for a period of one year from t he date of origi nal retail purc hase. This warranty is
enforceable only by the original retail purchaser. To be protected by this warranty, the
purchaser must complet e and return the enclosed warranty card within 14 days of purchase.
During the warranty period PreSonus shall, at its sole and absolute option, either repair or
replace, free of charge, any product that proves to be defective on inspection by PreSonus or i ts
authorized service representative. To obtain warranty service, t he purchaser must f irst call
or write PreSonus at the address and telephone number printed below to obtain a Return
Authorization Number and inst ructions of where to return the uni t for servi ce. All inquiries m ust
be accompanied by a descript ion of the problem. All authorized returns must be s ent to the
PreSonus repair facility postage prepaid, insured and properly pack aged. PreSonus reserves
the right to update any unit returned for repair. PreSonus reserves the right to change or
improve the design of the produc t at any time without prior noti ce. This warranty does not cover
claims for damage due to abuse, neglect, alteration or attempted repair by unauthorized
personnel, and is limi ted t o fail ures aris ing during normal use that are due to def ect s in m ateri al
or workmanship in the product. Any implied warranties, including implied warranties of
merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited in duration to t he length of this
limited warranty. Som e states do not allow limi t ations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so
the above limitation may not apply to you. In no event will PreSonus be liable for incidental,
consequential or other damages resulting from the breac h of any express or implied warranty,
including , among other thi ngs, damage to property, damage based on inconvenience or on loss
of use of the product, and, t o the extent permitt ed by law, damages for personal i njury. Som e
states do not allow the exclusion of limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the
above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal
rights, and you may also have ot her rights which vary form s tate to stat e. This warranty only
applies to products sold and used i n the United Stat es of Am erica. For warranty inform ation in
all other countries please refer to your local distributor.

PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc.
501 Government St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
[phone]



1997, PreSonus Audio Electronics, Incorporated. All rights reserved.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Overview A Word about Compression

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Features

2. Controls & Connections

2.1 Front Panel Basic Layout

2.2 Back Panel Basic Layout

2.3 Presets

3. Basic Setup & Operation

3.1 Quick Start

3.2 Basic Connections

3.3 Basic Operating Procedures

4. Technical

4.1 Specifications

1. OVERVIEW

A Word about Compression....

Punch, apparent loudness, presence... just three of many terms used to describe the effects
of compression/limiting.

Compression and limiting are forms of dynamic range (volume) control. Audio signals have
very wide peak to average signal level ratios (sometimes referred to as dynamic range which
is the difference between the loudest level and the softest level). The peak signal can cause
overload in the audio recording or reproduction chain resulting in signal distortion. A

compressor/limiter is a type of amplifier in which gain is dependent on the signal level
passing through it. You can set the maximum level a compressor/limiter allows to pass
through, thereby causing automatic gain reduction above some predetermined signal level or
threshold.

Compression refers basically to the ability to reduce the output level of an audio signal by a

fixed ratio relative to the input. It is useful for lowering the dynamic range of an instrument or
vocal, making it easier to record without distorting the recorder. It also assists in the mixing
process by reducing the amount of level changes needed for a particular instrument. Take,
for example, a vocalist who moves around in front of the microphone while performing, thus
making the output level vary up and down unnaturally. A compressor can be applied to the

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signal to help correct this recording problem by reducing the ‘louder’ passages enough to be
compatible with the overall performance.

How severely the compressor reduces the signal is determined by the compression ratio and
compression threshold. A ratio of 2: 1 or less is considered mild compression, reducing the
output by two for signals greater than the compression threshold. Ratios above 10:1 are
considered hard limiting. Limiting refers to the point at which the signal is restrained from
going any louder at the output.

The level of input signal at which the output is reduced is determined by the compression
threshold. As the compression threshold is lowered, more and more of the input signal is
compressed (assuming a nominal input signal level). Care must be taken not to ‘over
compress’ a signal. Too much compression destroys the acoustical dynamic response of a
performance. (‘Over compression’, however, is used by some engineers as an effect, and
with killer results!)

Compressor/limiters are commonly used for many audio applications. A kick drum can get
lost in a wall of electric guitars. No matter how much level is increased, the kick drum stays
‘lost in the mud’. Add a touch of compression and tighten up that kick drum sound allowing it
to ‘punch’ through without having to crank the level way up.

A vocal performance usually has a wide dynamic range. Transients (the very loudest portion
of the signal) can be far outside the average level of the vocal signal. It is extremely difficult to
ride the level with a console fader. A compressor/limiter automatically controls gain without
altering the subtleties of the performance.

A solo guitar can seem to be masked by the rhythm guitars. Compression can make your
‘lead’ soar above the track without shoving the fader through the roof.

Bass guitar can be difficult to record. A consistent level with good attack can be achieved with
proper compression. Your bass doesn’t have to be washed out in the low end of the mix. Let
the compressor/limiter give your bass the punch it needs to drive the bottom of the track.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing the PreSonus Blue Max smart compressor/limiter with presets.
Your Blue Max was designed with you, the end user in mind. As far as we know, it is the only
compressor in the world with built-in compression presets. The presets were created not only
to assist in setting up the compressor but to offer you the experience of professional
engineers in using compression. If this is your first compressor, you will instantly gain
valuable insight into what can be a confusing experience. The experienced user will gain a
few tricks of the trade usually kept in the arsenal of professional engineers.

This dynamics processor was built with state of the art components to deliver crystal clear
compression for an infinite period of time. We believe the Blue Max to be an exceptional
sounding unit at an exceptional price. We hope you agree. Feel free to contact us at 1-800­750-0323 anytime for any reason. We value your comments and suggestions.

Please pay close attention to how you connect your Blue Max to your system. Improper
grounding is the most common cause of noise problems in both live and studio applications.
We suggest you look at the connection diagrams which are part of this manual to insure
optimum operation.

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