Rane ME 30B User Manual

OPERATORS MANUAL ME 30B

microGRAPHIC EQUALIZER

QUICK START

If this is your first equalizer, please do yourself and your speakers a favor and read the complete manual. “An ounce of

prevention...,” and all that.

You may use either the 3-pin or ¼" TRS connector for Input or Output. Hook-up is intuitive. Just follow the

silkscreened instructions on the rear of the unit. Polarity convention is per IEC/ANSI/AES standards of pin 2 positive, pin 3
negative and pin 1 shield. The ME 30B does not invert the signal. Only connect one INPUT type per channel. The 3-pin
and ¼" TRS Inputs do not sum. You may, however, use both types of OUTPUTS simultanesously if desired.

Anyone familiar with other graphic equalizers finds the ME 30B just as familiar. Setting curves is as easy as it is on all
Rane graphics thanks to our innovative constant-Q circuitry. If you feel you want more information on setting up your
curves, please read on.

If you are familiar with equalizers, then hook-up, plug-in, turn-on and go!

ME 30B CONNECTION

When first connecting the ME 30B to other components,
leave the POWER switch off until the very last. This gives
you a chance to make mistakes and correct them without
damaging your fragile speakers, ears and nerves.

INPUTS

Both 3-pin and ¼" TRS Inputs are wired in parallel and
are actively balanced. Each works equally well. Choose
strictly from a required hardware point-of-view, there will be
no performance trade-offs. The wiring convention adheres to
American, British and International standards of pin 2 or tip
being hot, pin 3 or ring being return, and pin 1 or sleeve being
shield. Unbalanced operation involves using only pin 2 or tip
as signal, and pin 1 or sleeve as sheild or ground. It is not
necessary to short any inputs to ground—it doesn’t hurt, it’s
just not necessary. Use pin 1, or the shell, for shield ground.

OUTPUTS

The Outputs mimic the Inputs. Balanced output requires
using pin 2 or tip, and pin 3 or ring for the signal. It does not
require pin 1 or shield. The signal exists differentially
between the two balanced leads; ground is not involved. For
hum-free systems ground is used only for shielding.

EXPANDING

Expanding and/or daisychaining the Inputs and Outputs
normally uses the ¼" jacks. Three parallel Input connectors
allows driving a second signal processor or amplifier without
special cabling.

SIGNAL LEVELS

Signal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu are considered
normal and within range (at least 20 dB of headroom exists
above these levels). Do not directly connect microphones into
the ME 30B. These require a mic preamp.

Manual-1

FRONT PANEL DESCRIPTION

1. ON switch: As you have astutely surmised by now, this switch powers up the ME 30B.

2. Filter level slide controls: Each of these sliders controls the output level of each of the bandpass filters. Center position is

grounded for guaranteed flat response.

3. OVERLOAD indicator: This red LED lights up if any section of the ME 30B is within 3 dB of clipping. Occasional

blinking of this LED is acceptable, but if it remains on more than intermittently, turn down either the equalizer’s LEVEL
control or reduce the output level of the preceding component to avoid audible distortion.

4. LEVEL control: This controls the level of signal coming into the ME 30B. Turn this control down if the OverLoad LED

lights up steadily (meaning too strong an Input signal). Since actual unity gain depends on varying slider settings (which is
why we have not marked a unity gain position on the front panel), use the BYPASS switch to determine the exact unity gain
position of this LEVEL control by comparing EQ and BYPASS volumes.

5. BYPASS switch: When the red LED is lit, this indicates that the unit is in the BYPASS mode: signal is routed directly from

the Input to the Output without passing through any active circuitry (often referred to as “hard-wire bypass”). Use this
switch to compare equalized and unequalized material, or to bypass the EQ section in the event of power loss or unit failure.

6. Filter RANGE switch: The gain range of the filter sliders is switchable (as a group) from ±6 dB for high resolution, to

±12 dB for maximum boost/cut capability.

Manual-2