Rane AP 13 User Manual

Page 6

Manual-4

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

OPTIMIZING PICKUP GAIN CONTROLS

The Gain of each pickup input is adjusted via recessed

PICKUP GAIN TRIM controls on the front of the AP 13.
Unity Gain is located at approximately 9:00. To set the Gain
use a screw driver, guitar pick, or other suitable tool to turn
the GAIN TRIM clockwise until a very strong input signal
(e.g. strumming a loud chord) causes the overload LED to
flicker occasionally. For extra headroom, turn the GAIN
TRIM slightly counterclockwise.

SETTING UP EACH PICKUP

Start by turning one of the LEVEL controls to off or “0”.

Now play your instrument and use the LOW CUT filter and
EQ sliders to adjust for the desired timbre. (Try rolling off the
low end of the MIC for presence, and roll off the high end of
the PIEZO to reinforce the sound without shrillness.) Turn
this Channel’s LEVEL control off and repeat the procedure
for the other pickup. When through, adjust both LEVEL
controls for optimum loudness balance and use the PAN
sliders to create a panoramic sound field between the A and B
Outputs.

If the sound seems weak or thin when both pickups are

turned up, especially a noticeable loss of bass, try using one
or the other of the INVERT pushbuttons. This problem often
occurs when pickups are out-of-phase and their outputs are
canceling instead of combining.

EFFECTS LOOPS

Most often the SEND/RETURN loop is used for a reverb,

while something more specialized like a compressor or multi-
effects processor fills the INSERT loop.

Hook-up is simple: connect the SENDs to the inputs of the

reverb and run the outputs back to the RETURN jacks. To
send mono and return stereo, connect only the SEND A
(MONO) jack to the input and return both outputs to the
RETURN jacks; or to send and receive mono use just the A
(MONO) SEND and RETURN jacks. The AP 13 splits and
sums the mono input equally with the A and B Outputs.
Adjust the SEND & RETURN sliders as necessary for correct
levels.

The INSERT loops are the single ¼" send/return type

where tip=send and ring=return. Use standard stereo (2-
conductor) cable with a stereo jack on one end, then split it
out into two mono (1-conductor) cables with mono jacks on
the other. These are common enough, you shouldn’t have to
make them. There are no controls to worry about with this
loop.

SEND/RETURN vs. INSERT

An effect unit will deliver a full “wet” signal when

patched into the INSERT. A standard TRS insert style (tip-
send, ring-return) Y-cord gets input and output from the
INSERT jack to the effects unit. In the SEND and RETURN
loop, the most you can obtain is a 50% effects signal, because
the dry signal is internally mixed with the return. See Figure 1
to the right.

Another effects tip: If you want to put one effect on just

the mic, and a different effect on just the piezo, but you want
a mono output, just pan everything hard left and right for
stereo and push the MONO switch on the rear of the AP 13.

CONNECTING TWO GUITARS TO THE AP 13

A Y-cord can be used, as long as you don’t try to run two

piezo pickups. The impedance of a piezo won’t work right in
the MIC channel, but it won’t hurt anything either. (Qualifier:
If you have a piezo system that has active circuitry like a
battery powered preamp, then run it into the MIC channel
with the straight piezo in the PIEZO channel.)

EXPAND JACKS

Signal entering the AP 13 through these jacks sums (post-

EQ and effects loops) with the internal signal. Mono signal
applied to the A (MONO) EXPAND IN jack sums equally
into Main A and B Outputs.

MAIN OUTPUTS

Two sets of Main Outputs exist. Both are fully balanced,

both may be used at the same time. The ¼" TRS jack operates
at line-level and should be used to drive additional signal
processing, your power amplifier, or any line-level inputs.

The XLR connectors are intended for mic-level inputs on

mixers, tape recorders or a snake. This level is 40 dB less than
the line-level outputs. It is, in effect, a built-in direct box.

Figure 1. Effects Loop Options.

103211