Version 1.1 December 2001 TUBE ULTRAFEX ® www.behringer.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside; refer servicing to qualified personnel. WARNING: To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this appliance to rain or moisture. This symbol, wherever it appears, alerts you to the presence of uninsulated dangerous voltage inside the enclosurevoltage that may be sufficient to constitute a risk of shock.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 FOREWORD Dear Customer, We thank you for expressing your confidence in BEHRINGER products by purchasing the BEHRINGER TUBE ULTRAFEX. It is one of my most pleasant tasks to write this preface, as our engineering team has made it possible to enhance the traditional tube circuitry design (particularly for our VINTAGER series of products), and adapt it to meet the high sound quality and dynamics requirements of modern, pro-level audio technology.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 TUBE ULTRAFEX® Professional, multi-purpose sound enhancement system for high-end studio and stage applications T1954 s Our new ULTRA-TUBE® circuitry warms up your music without unwanted noise s A special Warmth control lets you add the amount of tube sound you want s Selected 12AX7 tubes for outstanding, ultra-musical tube sound s Gives your music extra sparkle and makes your instruments or mixes stand out s Releases untapped sonic resources and adds detail to instruments, vocals
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................................6 1.1 The Design Concept ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.2 Before You begin ............................................................................................................................. 6 1.3 Control Elements ......................
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 1. INTRODUCTION In purchasing the new TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954, you have acquired an extremely efficient and universal sound processor which combines the sound enhancement features of the ULTRAFEX series with the tube sound of the BEHRINGER ULTRA-TUBE technology. Since its announcement of the first ULTRAFEX model in year 1990, it has caused a sensation. This high-end sound enhancement processor is based on our many years of experience and discoveries in the field of psycho-acoustics.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 + If the unit is damaged, please do not return it to us, but notify your dealer and the shipping company immediately, otherwise claims for damage or replacement may not be granted. Shipping claims must be made by the consignee. The BEHRINGER TUBE ULTRAFEX fits into two standard 19" rack units of space. Please allow at least an additional 4" depth for the connectors on the back panel.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 Fig. 1.2: Control elements of the LOW BAND and HIGH BAND section 1 + Please note that the Bass Processor should be set carefully to avoid possible speaker damage. Most near-field monitors are not capable of handling the bass produced by the TUBE ULTRAFEX. 2 The LC FILTER switch enables an additonal bass sound. The special L/C filter characteristic supplies a more dry and punchy bass sound.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 Fig. 1.3: Control elements of the surround and tube section 9 With the SURROUND IN/OUT switch you can activate the surround section. Please note that this switch has to be released if you want to process two separate input signals. Otherwise there will be undesired cross-talk between the two channels. 10 The SURROUND control determines the effect of the Surround processor.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 17 AUDIO IN. These are the audio inputs of your TUBE ULTRAFEX, available both as balanced 1/4" TRS connectors and XLR connectors. 18 AUDIO OUT. These are the audio outputs of your TUBE ULTRAFEX. Matching phone jack and XLR connectors are wired in parallel. These outputs can be transformer-balanced by retrofitting the optional output transformer OT-1. The reference level is +4 dBu and the maximum level comes to +21 dBu. 2. OPERATION 2.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 2.3 Basic Setting We recommend setting the controls as indicated in the following section. This will give you a better idea of switch and control functionality: s Set the SURROUND IN/OUT switch to position OUT and the L/C FILTER switch to position OFF. Turn the TUNE controls to center position and all other controls fully CCW. Set the EFFECT IN/OUT switch to position IN.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 Remember, less is more. Used with care an exciter can greatly improve the intelligibility while extreme settings can become sharp after a while. + When exposed to high sound pressure level (as in a recording studio) the ears can show signs of fatigue, resulting in a decreased sensitivity to high frequencies. Take regular breaks when you are using this, or any other sound equipment. 2.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 3.3 Enhancing the Sound of Subgroups, Monitor and Effect Paths For this application there are several options: 1. If your mixer features subgroup outputs with insert points, you can process the subgroups separately. 2. You can also combine monitor and effect paths and route them via the BEHRINGER TUBE ULTRAFEX to a free input channel. The respective signals have to be taken pre-fader, the respective channels must be muted.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 1. In audio systems for announcements and background music, the TUBE ULTRAFEX is placed in a similar way to recording and tape duplication - directly before the power amp. The intelligibility and range of your system will be improved and the sonic image will become clear and transparent, even at low volume levels. Problems caused by background noise fluctuations, room acoustics (reflections), and speaker setup can be solved more easily.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 4.2 Psycho-acoustic Background The term psycho-acoustics refers to the psychological aspect of hearing in contrast to the physiological transfer of impulses (transmission of nervous impulses). Psycho-acoustics examines the effect of sound on the listener and the reasons for certain sonic impressions. How a sound is interpreted is influenced by a lot of factors, most of them can hardly be measured yet are fairly important.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 tive enhancement within the sound. These methods are described in more detail in the following: 4.3.1 Frequency correction The boosting or cutting of certain frequency ranges is the simplest form of sound modification. Equalizers can correct the sonic image in order to produce a sound that is more pleasing to each taste. So-called treble boosters achieve this effect by emphasizing the high frequencies, which the listener perceives as a transparent sonic image.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 4.5 The Surround Processor of the TUBE ULTRAFEX Sound quality during signal transmission is given top priority today. The signal is processed with the help of Reverb devices, Compressors, Exciters, Denoisers etc. to produce a compact, low-noise and transparent sound. However, the fact that hearing impression depends largely upon the positioning of the instruments within the stereo panorama is often enough neglected.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 professional studios. Manufacturers try with ever new algorithms to get the most out of DSPs (Digital Signal Processors), the heart of any digital system. Still, many audio engineers, particularly old hands often prefer using both old and new tube-equipped devices. As they want to use their warm sound character for their productions, they are ready to accept that these little darlings produce a higher noise floor than modern, transistor-based devices.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 and anode, a current flow is not possible because the unheated anode emits more or less no electrons. This design was used, for example, as a rectifier in the power supplies of amplifiers. The magnitude and velocity of the flow of electrons depend on the cathodes temperature, the material it consists of, and the magnitude of the anode voltage. When the electrons hit the anode they produce heat that is dissipated by using large anode plates. Fig. 4.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 you overdrive a transistor you get a sudden square deformation of the sine signal applied at the input, which produces an extreme harmonic spectrum at the output. Non-linear distortions are measured with a distortion factor that consists of the total harmonic distortion [k] and partial harmonic distortions [kn]. The latter are defined as the ratio between the voltage of a single harmonic and the voltage of the distorted overall signal.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 5.1 Rack mounting The BEHRINGER TUBE ULTRAFEX fits into two standard 19" rack units of space. Please allow at least an additional 4" depth for the connectors on the back panel. Be sure that there is enough air space around the unit for cooling and please do not place the TUBE ULTRAFEX on high temperature devices such as power amplifiers etc. to avoid overheating. 5.2 Mains Connection Before you switch on the unit, check that it is configured to match your AC mains voltage requirements.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 Fig. 5.1: Different plug types 5.4 Transformer-balanced Outputs (optional) In contrast to electronic balancing, the use of transformer-balanced outputs offers the advantage of galvanic separation between units. Electrical potential differences and ground loops in audio installations do not therefore impair the performance of the units. The transformer-balanced outputs, commonly used in radio and TV engineering, can also be fitted retrospectively upon request.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 6. SPECIFICATIONS Audio inputs Connectors Type Impedance Max. Input Level CMRR XLR and 1/4" TRS connector RF filtered, servo-balanced input 50 kOhms balanced, 25 kOhm unbalanced +21 dBu balanced and unbalanced (unity gain) typ. 40 dB, >55 dB @ 1 kHz Audio outputs Connectors Type Impedance Max.
TUBE ULTRAFEX T1954 7. WARRANTY § 1 WARRANTY CARD/ONLINE REGISTRATION To be protected by the extended warranty, the buyer must complete and return the enclosed warranty card within 14 days of the date of purchase to BEHRINGER Spezielle Studiotechnik GmbH, in accordance with the conditions stipulated in § 3. Failure to return the card in due time (date as per postmark) will void any extended warranty claims.
