Symetrix 488 DYNA-Squeeze Service Manual

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488 DYNA-Squeeze

MASTER CONTROLS

CHANNEL 2 CHANNEL 6

GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)

CHANNEL 7 CHANNEL 8CHANNEL 5CHANNEL 3 CHANNEL 4CHANNEL 1

GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)GAIN REDUCTION (-dB)

51015205101520510152051015205101520515 1020515 1020515 1020

THRESHOLD(DB)

-30

-40

MASTER CONTROLS

OUTPUT TRIM(dB)

-10 -20

-5

-10

+10

MODE

IN BYPASS

DYNA-SQUEEZE

POWER

+10

VER WONDER WHAT SETS THE REALLY SUCCESSFUL ENGINEERS and producers apart from the Joe Average ones? Well, from our conversations with Grammy Award

winners there appear to be lots of things. In our quest for new product ideas, these experts provided us with some valuable clues. No matter what brand console or recorder they use there’s a sacred, unwritten rule: pay meticulous attention to levels and cut tracks hot!

The Symetrix 488 DYNA-Squeeze™ is an eight channel compressor/interface for use with digital multitrack recorders/workstations in recording and production studios. Interfaced between

while they’re lucky to get 12 bits out of a well designed 16 bit recording system. Is this trade-off really necessary? Not at all. Not with DYNA-

Squeeze! mixing console and recorder, the 488 gently squeezes your tracks toward the upper end of the recorder’s dynamic range, giving digital recordings the feel of analog while preserving the clarity of digital. The results are impressive, the tracks are hot!

The 488 is easy to use. Set up is embarrassingly

simple. Just use standard patch cords to connect

DYNA-Squeeze between your console’s bus

outputs and your recorder’s inputs. Once

connected, guess what? You don’t have to run

the faders on your console at ridiculously low Tracks processed by DYNA-Squeeze have “presence” and increased articulation which is lacking in unprocessed tracks. Vocals punch. Acoustic instruments and drums come forward. Reverb “tails”, cymbal decays. And other subtle nuances are more up front. When it’s time to mix, DYNA-Squeeze’d tracks let engineers and producers sit back and concentrate on the creative aspects of the mix instead of riding gain on tracks that were cut at the wrong levels. Ask anyone who knows - better basic tracks make for a better final mix. With DYNA-Squeeze tracking goes faster and sound quality gets better. It’s that simple.

levels any more to avoid overloading your

recorder! Most analog consoles put out much

more level than digital (or analog) multi-tracks

will accept. Most likely your console outputs go

to +24 level. The unbalanced input of the ADAT,

for example, reaches full scale (digital clip) at +8

dBV! Enter DYNA-Squeeze. DYNA-Squeeze’s

rear panel +4/-10 switch lets you come at DYNA-

Squeeze full on (our input doesn’t clip until +24!).

Then we drop our output signal by just the right

amount to perfectly interface to ADAT and DA-

88. A single, wide range threshold control sets the

amount of gain riding for all eight channels. Run

your console levels up to where you’re comfort-

able, adjust the DYNA-Squeeze threshold for the For all their strengths, digital recording devices

have several distinct weaknesses: at high levels,

sound you like, and take off. That’s all there is to

it. they’re very unforgiving. Hit them with just a

little too much input level and WHAMO! Digital clipping and unusable audio. At low levels they lack the resolution to accurately reproduce the signals at their input. Subjectively, most engineers and producers hear this as “graininess”. So what do people do? They record at very conservative, very low levels to avoid clipping; therefore accepting reduced signal to noise ratio, and an increase in low level distortion! Engineers who painstakingly ride gain down to avoid digital

If you record to digital tape (ADAT, DA-88,

3324, etc.) or to a disk-based workstation (Pro

Tools, Spectral, SADIE, etc.) or if you still prefer

an analog recorder, the Symetrix 488 DYNA-

Squeeze can make your job easier and make you

sound better. With almost two decades of

experience designing and manufacturing cutting

edge gain controllers, we’ve come up with a

unique product that is unbeatable in performance

and price. • clipping rob themselves of valuable creative time

APPLICATIONS

Album Tracking

Jingle Production

Audio for Video Production

Use with ADATTM, DA-88TM,

Pro ToolsTM and others

Live Recording

PA System Subgroups

FEATURES

Higher average recording levels

Increased “presence”

Level matching to digital

recorders

Minimum component signal path for sonic transparency

488

Symetrix, Inc. • Lynnwood, WA USA • Tel 425-787-3222 • Fax 425-787-3211 • www.symetrixaudio.comSymetrix, Inc. • Lynnwood, WA USA • Tel 425-787-3222 • Fax 425-787-3211 • www.symetrixaudio.com

Symetrix, Inc. • Lynnwood, WA USA • Tel 425-787-3222 • Fax 425-787-3211 • www.symetrixaudio.com

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488 DYNA-Squeeze

DYNA-SQUEEZE

15 WATTS MAXIMUM

LYNNWOOD WA, USA

POWER

OUTPUT LEVEL

-10dBV +4dBu

CHANNEL 8

INPUT

CHANNEL 7

OUTPUT

CHANNEL 6

INPUTOUTPUT

SPECIFICATIONS

Input/Output

Inputs Eight, Balanced Bridging Outputs Eight, Unbalanced, Zero Ohm source Input Connectors ¼" tip-ring-sleeve Output Connectors ¼" tip-sleeve Polarity Input: tip of jack is high, ring is low, sleeve is ground

Maximum Input Level +24 dBu Maximum Output Level +18 dBu into 2k Ohms

Performance Data

Frequency Response +0, -1 dB, 20 Hz - 20 kHz THD+Noise <0.05%, 0 dBu in, 10 dB gain reduction, 1 kHz Dynamic Range >110 dB Maximum Compression 38 dB Input Common Mode Rejection >40 dB @ 1 kHz Crosstalk -100 dB, +20 dBu in, 20 Hz - 20 kHz Attack Time 1.5 milliseconds Release Time 1.2 seconds Threshold Range -40 dBu to +10 dBu Ratio 2.5:1 (soft knee) Nominal Output Level +4 dBu, -10 dBV (switch selectable) Output Noise -90 dBu, broadband Output Trim Range -10 dB to +10 dB

Output: tip is high, sleeve is ground

CHANNEL 5

OUTPUT

INPUT

Physical

Size (hwd) 1.72 x 19 x 7.25 inches, 4.37 x 48.26 x 18.415 centimeters

CHANNEL 4

INPUT INPUT INPUTOUTPUT

CHANNEL 3

OUTPUT

CHANNEL 2

INPUTOUTPUT

Specifications subject to change without notice.

CHANNEL 1

OUTPUT

Shipping Weight 8 lbs (3.63kg)

Electrical

Power Requirements 117V nominal, 105 to 130V AC, 50 to 60 Hz, 15 watts

230V nominal, 207 to 255V AC, 50 Hz, 15 watts

INPUTOUTPUT

488 ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS SPECIFICATIONS

The Eight Channel Compressor/Interface shall be a high performance, eight-input, eight-output compressor and signal level interface. It shall occupy a single rack space (1U).

The unit shall contain eight independent compressors. All eight channels are operated from a single set of controls. It shall not be possible to alter the settings of one channel relative to the remaining channels.

An overall threshold control shall determine the threshold of the entire unit simultaneously. An overall gain trim control shall alter the overall gain of all channels simultaneously over a range of ±10 dB. A single in/out switch shall disable

all channels simultaneously. The output signal level shall be switchable between +4 dBu and -10 dBV via a single switch for all channels.

Each channel shall have a single balanced input and a single unbalanced output. All input and output connectors shall utilize tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) ¼" jacks. The inputs shall be active balanced bridging designs incorporating LC low-pass filters for RFI suppression.

Independent four-element bar graph displays shall be provided for monitoring the degree of gain reduction for each channel.

The compressor shall be capable of operating by means of its own built-in power supply connected to 117V nominal AC (105-130V) 50/60 Hz.

The unit shall be a Symetrix, Incorporated model 488 DYNA- Squeeze

™

488

Symetrix, Inc. • Lynnwood, WA USA • Tel 425-787-3222 • Fax 425-787-3211 • www.symetrixaudio.com