Unika SDI-1, Stage Series User Manual

Stage Series

Made in Taiwan

Index

Overview

USER GUIDE

SDI-1

Features

Audio Connection

Various Instruments/Device
Connection

Input PAD Attenuation

Eliminating Hum and Buzz and the
Ground Loop

Specications

Measurement

Unika Electronic Co., Ltd.

www.unikapro.com

6F, No.168, Xin-Hu 2nd Rd.
Nei-Hu District, Taipei City. 11494.
Taiwan, R.O.C.

[phone]

[phone]

[e-mail]

UNiKA SDI-1

User Guide

OVERVIEW

The UNiKA SDI-1 is an easy-to-use, single-channel, passive direct box for

musical instrument and audio system applications. In addition to a high-

quality audio transformer, the SDI-1 has some very useful built-in features.

So please take a few minutes to go through this user guide to ensure you

take full advantage of the facilities on offer and get the best possible result.

[e-mail]

If you need further information, please email us and we will do our very
best to help.

FEATURES

• Single-channel, high-impedance, direct input for an electronic musical

instrument or line-level audio source from a music player or computer.

• ¼“ TS LINK socket. A parallel-wired connector which feeds the direct input

signaltoanotherdestinationsuchasinstrumentamplier.

• Selectable, 3-step attenuator acting on the high-impedance (hi-Z) direct

input signal.

• Single-channel XLR. A transformer-isolated, balanced, low-impedance

(low-Z) output.

• Ground lift switch acting on pin-1 of the balanced output.

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UNiKA SDI-1 User Guide

① ② ③

④ ⑤

①

¼“ TS LINK socket: a parallel-wired direct feed from the input. It can be

linkedtoinstrumentamplier.

②

High-impedance direct input with Combo jack: connect to output of electronic

musical instrument or audio device using XLR or TRS, TS jack plugs.

③

Input PAD: 0dB, -20dB & -40dB selectable 3-step attenuator reduces the

input sensitivity to prevent overload.

④

GGround lift switch: lifts the pin-1 on the XLR output connector to help

eliminate hum and buzz caused by ground loops.

⑤

Balanced XLR output: low-impedance output with isolation transformer.

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UNiKA SDI-1

User Guide

AUDIO CONNECTION

Instrument Direct input & Parallel Link connection

As with all audio gear, always ensure audio system levels are turned down
or equipment turned off before making connections. This will avoid plug­in or turn-on transients from damaging more sensitive components such as
tweeters.

There is one channel on the SDI-1, featuring an XLR- ¼“TRS Combo jack
INPUT, a ¼“ TS parallel LINK output and a balanced XLR OUTPUT.

Connect your source instrument or audio device to the input and the
balanced XLR output to the mixing console. The LINK connector output
provides the means for connecting the signal to an instrument amplifier or
personal monitor system. Unbalanced cables are much more susceptible to
noise than their balanced counterparts. Keeping unbalanced cables under
8 meters (25 feet) in length is good practice while balanced cables can
easily extend to 100 meters (300 feet). The balanced output of the SDI-1 is
mic level, meaning that it should be connected to the mic input of a mixing
console or mic preamp.

Female Male

XLR-TRS Combo input

2 1

Fig-1: XLR Plugs Balanced

For Unbalanced connection, pin-3 should be connected to Ground with pin-1.

1

3 3

connection:

1-Ground
2-Signal Hot (+)
3-Signal Cold (-)

2

3-Signal Cold -

Fig-2: XLR-¼"TRS Combo

socket for direct input

1-Ground2-Signal Hot +

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UNiKA SDI-1 User Guide

Tip-Signal (+)

Sleeve-Ground

Tip-Signal Hot (+)

Ring-Signal Cold(-)

Sleeve-Ground

Fig-3: ¼"TS Unbalanced connection Fig-4: ¼"TRS Balanced connection

VARIOUS INSTRUMENTS/DEVICE CONNECTION

Fig-5: Instruments, Guitar to instrument amps & console

Fig-6: Stereo keyboard to instrument amps & console

Fig-7: Audio device / player / computer to active speaker/PA system

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UNiKA SDI-1

User Guide

INPUT PAD ATTENUATION

The most common use of the direct input is with guitar pick-ups, keyboards
or audio devices like CD players, computers etc. The optimal setting for this
is most likely with the pad switch set to 0dB, although with some high-output
pick-ups the performance of the direct input may be improved if the pad
switch is set to -20dB to prevent possible clipping of the input signal.

The instrument is connected to the XLR-¼“Combo jack socket using a TS
jack plug, and a parallel link feed taken from the LINK TS jack socket to the

instrumentamplier.

The direct input can also be fed either from a line-level output from the head­amp (pad set to -20dB) or from the head-amp speaker output (pad set to

-40dB).

ELIMINATING HUM AND BUZZ AND THE GROUND LOOP

The SDI-1 is equipped with output isolation transformers to eliminate hum and
buzz caused by stray DC voltage and ground loops.

Computers, CD players and other consumer equipment can be noisy - this
is particularly true when incorporating audio with a projector - so isolation
transformers can be very useful when combating system noise.

The Ground Lift switch on the output takes this one step further by lifting pin­1 on the XLR. Computers are often the source for noise problems in audio
systems, so greater care is certainly needed to keep things quiet.

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UNiKA SDI-1 User Guide

Specicationsaresubjecttochangewithoutnotice.

SPECIFICATIONS

Circuit design Passive, transformer isolated

Input connectors Unbalanced combo jack

Link connectors Unbalanced phone jack

Input pad switch 0dB / -20dB / -40dB

Input impedance 1MΩ/47KΩ/47KΩ

Max. input level before clipping +26dBv

Output device XLR w/balance transformer isolated

Output impedance 600Ωnominal,Transformerbalance

Output level +26dBv

Frequency resonponse 20Hz to 20KHz ±0.5dB

Dynamic range >109dB

(

( Pin-2 hot, Pin3&1 ground )

)

S/N ratio~ un-weight 20Hz to
20KHz

T.H.D~ 1KHz, 0dBV output < 0.0009%

Ground / Lift switch Lift pin-1 on XLR outputs

Construction 1.6 / 1.2mm steel cabinet & chassis

Surface finished Durable powder coating

Dimension (WxDxH) 124 x 78 x 46 mm

Weight 0.5Kg

Shipping weight 0.6Kg

Packing per carton 20pcs / 13Kgs

Shipping dimension per carton 350 x 310 x 207mm

-129.8dB

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UNiKA SDI-1

MEASUREMENT

User Guide

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UNiKA SDI-1

MEASUREMENT

User Guide

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UNiKA SDI-1 User Guide

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