Soundcraft SPIRIT PRO TRACKER USER GUIDE

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Contents

Introduction

Thank you for buying a SPIRIT ProTracker mixer, brought to you with pride by the SPIRIT team of Trevor, Martin, Gary, Ian, Martin, Peter,
George, Colin, Mukesh, Andy and Simon. We hope you have as much fun as we did!

Introduction 1
Safety Precautions 1
Connections 2
System Overview 3
Controls in Detail

Inputs 5

Master 7
Advanced Features 8
Initial Setting Up 9
Applications 10
Specifications 14
Glossary 15
System Block Diagram 16

Owning a SPIRIT console brings you the expertise and support of one of the industrys leading manufacturers and the results of over 22 years
experience supporting some of the biggest names in the business.

Built to the highest standards using quality components, ProTracker offers superbly clean sound for live recording direct-to-tape, simultaneous
recording and monitoring of live concerts, small scale PA or high quality overdub mixing in the smaller studio or bedroom.

ProTracker packs tremendous flexibility into a small unit and is designed to be as easy to use as possible, but some time spent NOW, looking
through this manual and getting to know your new mixer will give you lots of helpful tips and confidence, away from the pressures of an important
session. Dont be afraid to experiment to find out how each control affects the sound - this will only extend your creativity and help you to get the
best from your mixer.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

For your own safety and to avoid invalidation of the warranty please read this section carefully.

The ProTracker mixer must only be connected to a mains supply in the range 100-240V AC, 50-60Hz and must be earthed.

The wires in the mains lead are coloured in accordance with the following code:

Earth: Green and Yellow (Green/Yellow - US)
Neutral: Blue (White - US)
Live: Brown (Black - US)

As the colours of the wires in the mains lead may not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals in your plug, proceed as follows:

The wire which is coloured Green and Yellow must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked with the letter E or by the earth symbol.
The wire which is coloured Blue must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked with the letter N.
The wire which is coloured Brown must be connected to the terminal in the plug which is marked with the letter L.

Ensure that these colour codings are followed carefully in the event of the plug being changed.

The unit contains no user-serviceable parts. Refer all servicing to a qualified service engineer, through the appropriate Soundcraft dealer.

Page 1

Connections

Protracker uses three types of audio connector - XLR, 3-pole jack and RCA phono. XLR and jack connectors may be used in balanced and unbalanced configurations as shown below:

Balanced Mic Input

2. Hot(+ve)

3. Cold(-ve)

2. Hot(+ve)

Link 3

to 1

2TK Monitor Input

XLR

1. Screen

Unbalanced Mic

XLR

1. Screen

Line/Instrument Inputs

Insert Returns

Tape Sends

Hot (+ve)

Cold (-ve)

Gnd/Screen

Tip

Ring

Monitor, Aux Outputs

Insert Sends

Unbalanced

Line Input

Signal
Gnd/Screen
Gnd/Screen

Sleeve

XLR

Headphones

RCA

PHONO

JACK

1. Screen

Mix Outputs

XLR

3. Cold (-ve)

2. Hot (+ve)

Signal (+ve)
Gnd/Screen
Gnd/Screen

Left Signal
Right Signal
Ground

Page 2

System Overview - The basic Signal Paths

The ProTracker is designed as a very high quality in-line mixer for recording direct to tape. The basic signal paths provide a minimum route from input to tape, and versatile monitoring
off tape as shown below:

+4dBu/

-10dBV

INPUT

Channel Path

TAPE

RETURN

Monitor Path

INPUT

AMPLIFIER

+4dBu/

-10dBV

INPUT

AMPLIFIER

HI-PASS

FILTER

INSERT POINT

(if switched

to MNTR)

INSERT POINT

(if switched

to INPUT)

PRE POST

FADER

LIMITER

(if switched to INPUT)

FADER

BUFFER

(if switched to MNTR)

TAPE SEND

AUX

SEND

L

MIX

R

PAN

AUX

SEND

Page 3

System Overview - Live Recording

Protracker incorporates advanced features to allow the mixer to be used simultaneously for recording and live mixing. Two status buttons on the Master section, I/P to MIX and MIX to
7/8 enable the channel signal to bypass the normal tape send/return loop and feed direct to the stereo mix output to drive a PA system, and the Mix signal to be brought back to the
tape send path on channels 7 & 8 to feed to tape. These features are illustrated below:

+4dBu/

-10dBV

INPUT

TAPE

RETURN

INPUT

AMPLIFIER

+4dBu/

-10dBV

INPUT

AMPLIFIER

MIX

HI-P ASS

FILTER

CH 7/8 ONLY

INSERT POINT

(if switched

to MNTR)

INSERT POINT

(if switched

to INPUT)

NOT CH 7/8 if ’MIX TO 7/8’ PRESSED

FADER

PRE

LIMITER

FADER

BUFFER

TAPE SEND

AUX

SEND

(if switched to INPUT)

L

POST

MIX

R

PAN

AUX

SEND

(if switched to MNTR)

Page 4

Controls in Detail

ProTracker is an in-line format mixer, combining a channel path (nor­mally feeding direct to tape) and a monitor path within the same verti­cal strip. The Insert point and the Auxiliary send may be swapped
between the two paths for flexibility, which together with some
advanced features controlled from the Master section make the mixer
suitable for a wide range of applications.

For clarity, facilities are numbered differently to show which channel
path they normally serve.

normally in Channel path normally in Monitor path

CHANNEL PATH

The Microphone input is via a standard female XLR-3 connector

1

and is available when the Mic-Line/DI switch (4) is released. It is
designed to suit a wide range of BALANCED or UNBALANCED
low-level signals, whether from delicate vocals requiring the best
low-noise performance or close-miked drum kits needing maxi­mum headroom. Professional dynamic, condenser or ribbon mics
are best because these will be LOW IMPEDANCE. While you can
use low-cost HIGH IMPEDANCE mics, you do not get the same
degree of immunity to interference on the microphone cable and
as a result the level of background noise may be higher.

2 The +48V switch applies PHANTOM POWER to the mic input

socket providing a suitable powering voltage for professional con­denser mics.

DO NOT use unbalanced sources with the phantom power
switched on. The voltage on pins 2 & 3 of the XLR connector may
cause serious damage.

3 The Line/Instrument input accepts 3-pole or 2-pole `A gauge

(TRS) jacks. Use this input for sources other than mics, such as
keyboards, drum machines, synths, tape machines or guitars. The
input is BALANCED for low noise and immunity from interference,

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but you can use UNBALANCED sources by wiring up the jacks as
shown on page 2 of this manual, although you should then keep

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cable lengths as short as possible to minimise interference pick-up
on the cable.

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4 The Mic-Line/DI switch selects between the Mic input socket

(switch released) and the Line/Instrument socket (switch pressed).

5 The GAIN control sets the

level of the selected input

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feeding the tape send. Too
high, and the signal will dis­tort as it overloads the chan­nel and causes clipping
within the mic amp. Too

If the signal level is too high, clipping distortion
may occur.

low, and the level of any

8

background hiss will be
more noticeable and you
may not be able to get
enough signal level to feed
the tape machine adequate­ly. This is shown in the dia-

If the signal level is too low it may be masked
by the noise.

gram on the right:

1

6 The red O/L (Overload) LED monitors the channel source signal at

the output of the input amplifier and the monitor signal at the out­put of the fader buffer amplifier, giving a visual warning if the sig-

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nal exceeds a safe working level.

7 Pressing the 100Hz switch inserts a 12dB per octave Hi-Pass Filter

into the signal path. Use this in live recording applications to
reduce stage rumble or popping from microphones.

Signal

Clipped

Signal

Noise

Noise

8 A built-in Limiter with an attack time of 300msec is always avail-

able in the path to the tape send, to avoid the possibility of tran­sients overloading the inputs of a digital tape machine. The

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Limiter threshold is set globally from the Master section, but the
Limiter may be switched in individually on each channel using this
switch.

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