Soundcraft GB8 User Manual

Soundcraft Registered Community Trade Mark/RTM No. 000557827

SOUNDCRAFT

HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES LTD.,
CRANBORNE HOUSE, CRANBORNE ROAD
POTTERS BAR, HERTS, EN6 3JN, UK
T: [phone]
F: [phone]
E: [e-mail]

SOUNDCRAFT USA

8500 BALBOA BLVD.
NORTHRIDGE, CA 91329, USA
T: [phone]
F: [phone]
E: [e-mail]

www.soundcraft.com

Soundcraft reserves the right to improve or otherwise alter any
information supplied in this document or any other documentation
supplied hereafter. E&OE 07/06
This equipment complies with the EMC Directive 89/336/EEC

Part No: ZL0627-03

TYPICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Frequency Response Mic/Line Input to any output, 20Hz - 20kHz ...................................... <1dB

THD + N Mic sens. -30dBu, +20dBu at all outputs @1kHz.......................... <0.006%

Noise Measured RMS, 22Hz to 22kHz Bandwidth

Mic E.I.N. @ unity gain,150Ω source impedance ........................... -128dBu

Mix Output, 40 inputs routed to mix .............................................. <-82dBu

Group & Centre Outputs ................................................................ <-83dBu

Aux Outputs (GB2 Groups only) ..................................................... <-80dBu

Matrix Outputs............................................................................... <-89dBu

Crosstalk Input Channel Mute......................................................................... <-97dB

(@1kHz, typical) Input Fader cut-off........................................................................... <-95dB

Pan isolation ................................................................................... <-75dB

Mix route isolation........................................................................... <-97dB

Group route isolation....................................................................... <-97dB

Adjacent channel crosstalk.............................................................. <-99dB

Group to Mix.................................................................................... <-84dB

Aux Send pots offness (typical) ....................................................... <-84dB

Matrix Send pots offness (typical) ................................................... <-84dB

CMRR Typical @ 1kHz .................................................................................... 80dB

Input & Output Mono & Stereo Mic Inputs.............................................................. +15dBu

Max Levels Mono & Stereo Line Inputs ............................................................. +30dBu

Stereo Returns & Insert Returns ..................................................... +20dBu

Any output ...................................................................................... +20dBu

Nominal Operating Level ..................................................................... 0dBu

Headphone Power.................................................... 2 x 250mW into 200Ω

Input & Output Mic Inputs ............................................................................................ 2kΩ

Impedances Line Inputs and Stereo Returns .......................................................... 10kΩ

Input channels Insert Return ....................... 5kΩ with EQ in, otherwise 3kΩ

Mix, Group, Aux, Matrix & Direct outputs............................................ 150Ω

Insert sends ........................................................................................ 75Ω

Recommended Headphone Impedance .................................... 100 - 600Ω

High pass filter (Mono input) .........................................................................100Hz, 18dB per octave

EQ (Mono input) HF ....................................................... 13kHz, +/-15dB, 2nd order shelving

Hi-Mid......................................................... 550Hz-13kHz, +/-15dB, Q=1.5

Lo-Mid ......................................................... 80Hz-1.9kHz, +/-15dB, Q=1.5

LF.......................................................... 80Hz, +/-15dB, 2nd order shelving

Metering Input channels (GB4/GB8) ......... Single tri-colour 4-segment LED bargraph

Outputs (GB4) ................................ 7 tri-colour 12-segment LED bargraphs

Outputs (GB8) ............................. 11 tri-colour 12-segment LED bargraphs,

+ Meterpod with 3 VU meters (L/R/C)

Outputs (GB2) ........................... 2 tri-coloured 12-segment LED bargraphs,

(indicates monitor source level)

Power consumption AC mains supply (internal PSU) 85V-270V AC,

50/60Hz universal input

Power consumption............................................................ Less than 150W

Operating conditions Temperature range............................................................. -10ºC to +30ºC

Relative humidity........................................................................ 0% to 80%

GRAHAM BLYTH

In the year of our 30th anniversary, Soundcraft

co-founder and Technical Director Graham Blyth has

taken a well established and classic Soundcraft

microphone preamplifier to a new level of performance,

resulting in the new GB30 preamp which boasts

extraordinary clarity with exceptionally controlled

overload characteristics.

Soundcraft’s legendary 4-band EQ has also been

improved further with the addition of elements derived

from Soundcraft’s highly successful MH Series consoles.

This new design delivers the sound of the classic ‘British

EQ’ enhanced even further with more focused HF and LF

shelving sections.

Note:These figures are typical of performance in a normal electromagnetic environment and are often exceeded. Performance may be
degraded in severe conditions.All measurements refer to electronically balanced inputs and outputs.

4-BUS & 8-BUS

PROFESSIONAL

MIXING CONSOLES

THE FULLY PROFESSIONAL LIVE SOUND CONSOLE
YOU THOUGHT YOU COULDN’T AFFORD

Drawing on 30 years of Soundcraft

experience, GB Series consoles set new

standards in professional live sound mixing

on a budget. The GB8 (8-bus) console is

packed with the features you need to create

a memorable FOH and monitor mix,

combining totally re-engineered circuit

topology with our ground-breaking GB30 mic

preamp and EQ designs to deliver a sonic

performance rivalling many high-price, high-

end consoles.

The GB8 has plenty of bus power for

sophisticated mixing applications. All eight

Aux master controls can be swapped

with eight Groups, and all Auxes

are pre/post switchable globally

per Aux bus from the Master

Section. In addition to the eight

Groups, the GB8 has L/C/R and

eight Aux busses. Four mute

groups provide quick and easy muting

of groups of channels, ideal for scene

changes or where groups of instruments

need to be silenced. And the output matrix is

essential when different zones in a venue

require specifically tailored mixes,

enabling the operator to create

sub-mixes of the Group, L-R

mix and C (mono) busses.

Unlike other mixers in their

class, GB Series consoles

are built to last with a rigid

steel chassis, high quality

vertically mounted fibreglass PCB

channel strips and individually nutted

potentiometers ensuring reliability in both

fixed installations and on the road.

And because Soundcraft understands

the way that live sound

engineers work, you’ll find

an intuitive control

surface and a

conveniently angled

rear connector

panel, so you can do

all your patching

without ever leaving the

mix position.

GB8 FEATURES:

• 16, 24, 32, 40 and 48 channel frame sizes

• 19 busses

• 4 full feature stereo channels

• 4 stereo returns

• 8 Aux sends (all are pre/post

switchable)

• 8 sub groups (SWAP with all 8 Auxes)

• 11x4 output matrix

• Record output with limiter

• Alternate stereo output with limiter

• 1kHz oscillator

• Meterpod with 3 high definition LED VU

meters (L/C/R)

• Internal jumpers switch pre-fade Aux sends

to pre-EQ

• GB30 mic preamp and precision

equalisation circuitry

• Direct outputs on every channel

• Talkback facility

• 100mm faders

• Switchable 48V phantom powering on every

channel

• 18dB/octave high pass filter

• 4 mute groups

• 12-segment LED metering

With dual-mode topology derived from

Soundcraft’s acclaimed MH Series, the GB8

and GB4 consoles provide ideal live sound

mixing solutions for medium-sized venues

including clubs, theatres and houses of

worship. With a single button press on the

GB4 (4-bus), any of the first four Aux master

controls can be swapped with the

respectively numbered Group fader, providing

the flexibility to work at FOH, Monitors, or

perform both duties simultaneously.

The GB4 has L/C/R and eight Aux busses in

addition to its four groups and, like the GB8,

there are four mute groups and an output

matrix for creating zoned mixes.

Like all GB series mixers, the GB4 uses

GB30 mic preamps which use local

linearisation techniques rather than global

feedback to deliver an extremely open

frequency response and excellent phase

linearity. The GB30 EQ borrows the innovative

designs developed for the Soundcraft MH4

console, providing GB users with the benefits

of genuine high-end equalisation. And thanks

to a meticulous ‘ground-up’ approach to

circuit and mechanical design, the GB Series

exhibits class-leading noise performance and

channel isolation figures.

When it comes to recording a performance,

the GB4 & GB8 are similarly well equipped

with pre-/post-fader switchable direct

outputs on every channel and a high-quality

limiter on dedicated record outputs fed from

the L-R mix bus.

GB4 FEATURES:

• 12, 16, 24, 32 and 40 channel frame sizes

• 15 busses

• 2 full feature stereo channels

• 2 stereo returns

• 8 Aux sends (4 are pre/post switchable)

• 4 sub groups (SWAP with Auxes 1-4)

• 7x4 output matrix

• Record output with limiter

• GB30 mic preamp and precision equalisation

circuitry

• Direct outputs on every channel

• Talkback facility

• 100mm faders

• Switchable 48V phantom powering on every

channel

• 18dB/octave high pass filter

• 4 mute groups

• 12-segment LED metering

Dedicated record outputs with a high-quality

limiter are fed from the L-R mix bus.

DUAL-MODE TOPOLOGY,
STRAIGHT FROM THE SOUNDCRAFT MH SERIES