Studio Technologies 65 - Manual (Page 7)

Model 65 User Guide Issue 4, January 2004
Studio Technologies, Inc. Page 7
for Surround
Introduction
What This User Guide Covers
This User Guide is designed to assist you
when installing, configuring, and using the
Model 65 Bass Manager.
System Overview
Model 65 Bass Manager
The Model 65 Bass Manager is designed
to enhance the monitoring of multichannel
audio sources during the recording, mixing,
mastering, and distribution process. The
Model 65 is applicable for any multichannel
monitoring environment where some or
all channels are not supported with loud-
speakers having extended low-frequency
response. Resources are included in the
Model 65 to make it appropriate for cinema,
music, and broadcast applications. The
Model 65’s design is oriented toward di-
rectly supporting 5.1-type applications. The
five main input channels are full bandwidth,
and use the industry-standard designation
of left, center, right, left surround, and right
surround. The “.1” input channel is desig-
nated as LFE, which is also referred to
as low-frequency effects, “boom,” or sub-
woofer. The LFE term originated in cinema
formats but is now part of music and broad-
cast formats as well.
The overall goal of the Model 65 is very
simple: Ensure that the entire audio band-
width of all channels can be accurately
monitored. Many loudspeaker systems have
inherent low-frequency limitations, prevent-
ing a true picture of the source material from
being presented. To overcome this, the low-
frequency energy from the five main chan-
nels can be separated and routed to one or
two subwoofer loudspeakers. The Model 65
includes filters to accomplish this, providing
a smooth and sonically pleasing crossover
of the signals being routed to the main and
subwoofer loudspeakers.
The Model 65 also supports several
format-specific parameters required for
accurate LFE channel monitoring. To mini-
mize digital bandwidth, some multichannel
formats restrict the frequency response of
the LFE channel. To emulate this process, a
low-pass filter can be inserted into the LFE
signal path. For compatibility with some
cinema formats, gain can also be added to
the LFE signal.
While the Model 65 is intended primarily for
use in 5.1 applications, additional special-
ized features and capabilities are also
included. These allow the unit to be config-
ured to meet the needs of a broad range of
monitoring applications.
Main Inputs
The Model 65 contains five full-bandwidth
input channels, which are intended for
connection to left, center, right, left surround,
and right surround sources. The electroni-
cally balanced inputs are compatible with
balanced or unbalanced sources. Associ-
ated with each of the five main inputs is a
crossover circuit, created by means of
separate high- and low-pass filters. The
filters are factory-configured to provide a
nominal crossover frequency of 80Hz. The
output of each high-pass filter is routed to
the output circuit of its corresponding chan-
nel. The output of each low-pass filter can
be individually assigned to subwoofer output
1, subwoofer output 2, or subwoofer outputs
1 and 2. To prevent level build up, the signal
is attenuated 6dB when assigned to both
subwoofer outputs.