User Manual F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 Audiophile 2 In/2 Out 24-Bit/96 kHz FireWire Audio Interface
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual Table of Contents Thank you Thank you.......................................................2 Thank you for expressing your confidence in our products by purchasing the F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202. With the FCA202, you have purchased a high-performance audio interface that includes a FireWire connection. With its unbalanced ¼" jack inputs and balanced outputs, this sound card is ideal for laptop computers.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual Important Safety Instructions This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside the enclosure voltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock. This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to important operating and maintenance instructions in the accompanying literature. Please read the manual. Caution ◊ To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the top cover (or the rear section).
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus. 11. Use only attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer. 12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over. 13.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual MUSIC GROUP AND HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO AUTHORITY TO BIND MUSIC GROUP BY ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED UNDERTAKING OR REPRESENTATION. THIS MANUAL IS COPYRIGHTED. NO PART OF THIS MANUAL MAY BE REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING AND RECORDING OF ANY KIND, FOR ANY PURPOSE, WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MUSIC GROUP IP LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. © 2013 MUSIC Group IP Ltd. Trident Chambers, Wickhams Cay, P.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 1. Introduction 1.1 Before you get started The high-resolution 24Bit-A/D and D/A converter can process signals up to 96 kHz. Totally reliable drivers for Windows XP and Mac OS X guarantee an extremely short latency. Thanks to its ultra-stable metal construction and the small dimensions of the housing, the FCA202 is also ideal for traveling.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual ◊ Please always use the original packaging to avoid damage due to storage or shipping. ◊ Never let unsupervised children play with the FCA202 or with its packaging. ◊ Please dispose of all packaging materials in an environmentally friendly fashion. 1.1.2 Initial operation Be sure that there is enough space around the unit for cooling. To avoid overheating, do not place the FCA202 on top of power amps or near radiators, etc.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 2. Installation 2.1 System requirements Important Notes Concerning Installation on a PC! To work with the FCA202, your computer must fulfill the following minimum requirements: ◊ To ensure that your FCA202 works properly, make sure you install the drivers before connecting the hardware to the computer. Otherwise, the hardware will not be correctly identified and in some circumstances will not work correctly.
• F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual When the installation has been successfully completed, connect the hardware interface with the computer via an unused FireWire socket. The hardware inputs and outputs are now available to you in every audio application ◊ During the installation process, you may be given a Windows message that the equipment drivers that are to be installed have not passed the Windows Logo test. Confirm this message and proceed as usual with the installation.
• F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual Operation with a mains adapter on a computer with a 6-pin socket Use the appropriate cable that includes two 6-pin plug connectors. In this case, the FCA202 will be provided with current via the mains adapter. This option is suggested if you have a laptop with a 6-pin socket but don’t want to add another burden on the computer battery when running the computer from the battery, or if your computer cannot provide enough power to operate the FCA202.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 3. Operating Elements and Connections 3.1 Front panel (1) (3) (2) (4) Fig. 3.1: Front panel FCA202 (1) You can connect standard commercial headphones fitted with a ¼" TRS jack plug to the socket. (2) Use the LEVEL control to adjust the headphone volume. Turn the control fully to the left before you connect the headphones. This helps you avoid the damage that is caused by high volume settings.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 3.2 Rear panel (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Fig. 3.2 back of the FCA202 (5) Use the DC IN socket to connect the mains adapter provided. For further information, please carefully read through Chapter 2.4. (6) The LOCK port in combination with a suitable security lock from Kensington offers you a very good way to protect your equipment against theft. For further information, visit kensington.com.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual (12) (11) (13) (10) Fig. 3.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 3.3 FCA202 control panel In addition to the device drivers on the PC, a CONTROL PANEL is installed during the installation process. If you use an ASIO driver, use this software to configure the FCA202. You’ll find more information on the drivers in Chapter 4.1. In Windows systems, the panel can be accessed from the “Start Menu”. In the “Start Menu”, choose “Control Panel”, and then look for the entry “FCA202”.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 4. Working with the FCA202 4.1 Device drivers and latency A device driver is an interface that ensures communication between the software (audio application) and the hardware (the FCA202). In recent years, the PC platform has witnessed the establishment of several different driver models for sound cards.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 4.2 The FCA202 in studio operation F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 PC/Mac HPS3000 Firewire 1 Phones Out Bal/Unbal Out 1/L Bal/Unbal Out 2/R Unbal In 1/L Unbal In 2/R Tape In order Channel Input 1 Channel Input Alt 3-4 Outputs XM8500 Control Room Out L Channel Input 2 XM8500 Channel Input 3 Channel Input 5/6 Audio Firewire Control Room Out R XENYX 1204FX Electric Guitar Fig. 4.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual To provide a professional recording interface between mixing console and computer, you can use the FCA202 in combination with a suitable mixing console that includes subgroup outputs. This type of setup allows you to record several signals in the computer at the same time, to simultaneously play back several takes or playbacks which have been recorded, and to listen to the whole recording via loudspeakers or headphones. Figure 4.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 4.3 The FCA202 as a portable laptop recording device HPS3000 Phones Out B2031A B2031A Bal/Unbal Out 1/L Bal/Unbal Out 2/R F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 XM8500 MiniMIC MIC800 Laptop Firewire 1 Unbal In 1/L Unbal In 2/R Audio Firewire XM8500 MiniMIC MIC800 Fig. 4.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual Its small dimensions means that the FCA202, in combination with a laptop computer, provides the ideal solution for a mobile recording studio. All that you need is a small mixing console or two microphone preamplifiers, so that you can connect microphones. Given its size, the MINIMIC MIC800 is especially suitable for this type of application. Figure 4.2 shows a setup that includes a laptop computer, FCA202, and two MINIMIC MIC800 microphone preamplifiers. 5.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual tip signal sleeve ground/shield tip sleeve strain relief clamp strain relief clamp sleeve tip sleeve ground/shield tip signal Fig. 5.1: Unbalanced jack cable with 1/4" TS jack plugs If your other equipment has balanced inputs, use a balanced switched cable with two stereo jack plugs at the balanced outputs of the FCA202.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 5.2 Headphones socket tip hot (+ve) ring cold (-ve) sleeve ground/shield The FCA202 is provided with a socket for headphones. You can connect any standard commercial headphone with a 1/4" TRS jack plug to this. For Mini TRS jack plugs, you will need a suitable adapter. You can see the required pin allocation from the following diagram.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual 6. Specifications Unbal In Sockets 1/4" TS jacks, unbalanced Input impedance ca. 24 kΩ Max. input level 2 dBV Bal / Unbal Out Sockets 1/4" TRS jacks, balanced Output impedance ca. 1 kΩ Max. output level 2 dBV Phones Out Socket 1/4" TRS stereo jack Output impedance ca. 50 Ω Max. output level 4.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual System Data Frequency response Harmonic distortion Crosstalk Signal to noise 10 Hz to 21 kHz, ±1 dB @ 44.1 kHz sample rate 10 Hz to 45 kHz, ±1 dB @ 96.0 kHz sample rate 0.01% typ. @ -10 dBV, 1 kHz -100 dB @ 0 dBV, 1 kHz 100 dB typ. @ 1 kHz, A-weighted Power Supply FireWire connection Mains connection 9-30 V𝌂, 200 mA max. External mains adapter, 12 V~, 200 mA Mains Voltage USA / Canada U.K.
F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 User Manual FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION COMPLIANCE INFORMATION F-CONTROL AUDIO FCA202 Responsible Party Name: MUSIC Group Services US Inc. Address: 18912 North Creek Parkway, Suite 200 Bothell, WA 98011, USA Phone/Fax No.: Phone: +1 425 672 0816 Fax: +1 425 673 7647 installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
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