Rane ECS Hardware (ECB 62e and ECM 82e) - Manual (Page 7)

HW Manual-7
QuickAdapt™
The QuickAdapt algorithm allows a single AEC to operate
the entire system. This algorithm uses the Rane exclusive
Smart Last On™ feature to precondition the AEC for a
microphone gate change. This feature can be disabled by
setting a Mic Gate Depth to 0 dB on the ECM 82eA. If you
want to maintain the QuickAdapt algorithm, but you also
want to keep a microphone opened, set the Mic Gate Depth to
-1 dB. Another QuickAdapt feature is to precondition the
AEC for a microphone mute condition. This allows standard
Push-To-Talk microphones to be used.
PHANTOM POWER
The ECM 82e Mixer is shipped with the Phantom Power
switches in the “on” position. To change, locate the Phantom
Power switches on the rear panel of the unit and select the
“off” position when you don't want phantom power.
The ECM 82e Mixer is shipped with an internal switch
selecting 24v Phantom Power. 12v Phantom power may be
selected by changing the internal switch from 24v to 12v. See
the diagram on page HW Manual-10 to locate the switch.
REDUCING NOISE AND ACOUSTIC GAIN
To reduce noise and acoustic gain due to the mixing of
multiple microphones, the ECM 82e uses a special NOMM
Mode (Number Of Mics per Mixers open). This function
maintains full level at the loudest Mic Input while reducing
Gains of the other Mics in order to keep unity gain. Turning
on this feature also enables a limiter for each Mic channel.
DEVICE ADDRESS
The Mixer’s rear panel ECS INTERFACE DEVICE
ADDRESS determines its Mixer number and Mic Input
numbers. For example, Device Address 1 is Mixer 1 including
Mics 1-8, and Device Address 2 is Mixer 2 including Mics 9-
16. Only Device Addresses 1 through 6 are allowed, since this
is the maximum Mixers per Base. When a Mixer is first
powered up and has not received data from the Base, the Mic
Status LEDs display the Mixer Device Address.
An invalid Device Address set on the Mixer causes its
COM LED to continually flash. The ECM 82e’s power must
be cycled after changing the Device Address. Unplug from
the wall, not the unit!
ECM 82e MIXER
The ECM 82e Mixer is a digitally-controlled-analog
8- channel Mic/Line auto-mixer. An optional internal DSP
Echo Canceller module is available either separately (model
ECA 2) or included (model ECM 82eA). Each Base supports
up to 6 Mixers, allowing 48 Inputs. All system parameters of
the Base and Mixers are stored within the Base using non-
volatile memory (no batteries). The ECM 82e Mixer is not a
stand-alone device and will not operate without a Base
connected.
All functionality is controlled through RaneWare. Soft-
ware controls are printed in this manual in san-serif type like
this. See the RaneWare Operators Manual for details.
LAST-ON or GATED MODES
Unique among automatic mic mixers, each Mic can be
independently set to Last On or Gated. A Mic assigned as
Gated simply opens the mic when the input signal is above
the
Threshold Level, and returns to its Gate Depth when the
signal drops below the Threshold Level and the Release
Timer has expired. A Mic assigned as Last On remains on
once it becomes the
Master Mic.
This is useful in boardrooms where the head table would
require last-on mics and the audience area requires gated
mics. This way, the board members (and their background
noise) are always heard, while the less-often used audience
(i.e., questions) mics, gate off when not in use. Rane has
patented this concept – the marketing buzz word being Smart
Last On™. Having an open mic also maintains the full duplex
awareness of the conference.
MZEC™ (em-zeck)
Using large auto mixers with an echo canceller can cause
echo problems when several microphones gate-on at the same
time. If a single Echo Canceller is adapting to all Mic signals,
and more than three Mics are on at the same time, the acoustic
model for the room may become too complex. This causes
Echo Canceller divergence, resulting in more suppression or
return echo. To eliminate this problem, each ECM 82e Mixer
allows the addition of an internal Acoustic Echo Canceller.
Placing an Echo Canceller in each mixer reduces the number
of acoustical echo paths for a multi-microphone system,
improving the system audio quality. (See the ECA 2 Acoustic
Echo Canceller module on page HW Manual-10.) This
method is called MultiZone Echo Cancelling (MZEC™).
Important: The ECB 62e PORT 1 MONO OUTPUT must
be connected to all the E/C REF Inputs of the ECM 82e
Mixers.