dbx AFS224 Quick Start Guide This step by step tutorial is based on a basic configuration (AFS224 in line between mixer and amplifier) as shown below.
1. Go into the Setup mode by pressing and holding the channel 1 MODE button. 2. Hold this MODE button until the filter LEDs flash all the way across. 3. The Mode buttons should be lit a yellow or amber color. If they are not press each MODE button until they are both yellow. The filter LEDs will indicate how many total filters will be active.
4. Select how many total filters that you want active. The default of 24 is a good place to start. However, if you want to change the total # of filters, press the LIVE FILTER LIFT button to increase the # of total filters for each channel or the TYPE button to decrease the total # of filters for each channel. 5. Press the Mode buttons. They should now be lit green. The filter LEDS will indicate how many of these total filters will be allocated as “Fixed” filters.
6. To exit the setup mode, press and hold the channel 1 MODE button. Hold this button until the filter LEDs flash all the way across. 7. Press the BYPASS buttons so that they are both lit red (bypassed). 8. Press and hold the channel 1 TYPE button to select between dual mono or stereo mode. Note: You can tell which mode you are in by pressing any of the buttons. If the other channel changes as well, the two channels are working in conjunction (stereo mode). If not, the unit is in dual mono mode.
9. Set the “Live Filter Lift” to 10 minutes (yellow). 10. Set the “Type” to Music Medium (yellow).
11. Perform a sound check on all of the microphones that will be active. Get them as close to the performance level as possible without feedback. You should get a reading that is close to “0” dBu on the input meters of the AFS224 when performing this sound check. When done ask all performers to be very quiet (and possibly plug their ears) or walk off the stage (and plug their ears).
12. Pull the master faders on the mixer all the way down (no signal). 13. Check the Mode buttons. If they are not lit green, press the buttons until they are lit green. None of the filter LEDs should be lit at this point. If they are, press and hold the BYPASS buttons until the filter LEDs flash, then release. All filters should now be cleared.
14. Disengage the Bypass buttons (LEDs off). 15. Slowly raise the master faders on the mixer. As feedback occurs, Fixed filters will be set. You may want to push the faders a little past the unity gain point (or performance level). This way the system will not be right on the verge of feedback when set to performance level. If you run out of Fixed filters (this will be indicated by the Mode buttons flashing green) you can go back into the Setup mode and allocate more filters as “Fixed” (steps 1-5).
16. When you have reached the desired performance level, press the MODE buttons until they are both lit red. You are now in “Live” mode. 17. For a faster reaction time with the Live filters, try setting the filter TYPE to “Music Low” (green) or “Speech” (off). Note: A wider notch filter (such as “Speech”) will catch the feedback faster, but may be more audible. A more narrow notch filter (such as “Music High”) will not catch the filter as fast, but will be less audible once the filter is set.
18. If you find that the feedback reoccurs when the Live filters are lifted, try setting a longer Live Filter Lift time or try setting it to “None” (LED off). The AFS process is now complete. If, for whatever reason, you would like to restart the process, you can do so by clearing the filters and restarting with step 1. To clear all of the filters: Press and hold the BYPASS buttons until all lit filter LEDs begin to flash, now release. The filters are now cleared.
19. If you would like to lock the front panel (to prevent tampering), press and hold the channel 1 LIVE FILTER LIFT button. Hold this button until the filter LEDs flash all the way across (from the outside inward). To unlock the front panel press and hold the channel 1 LIVE FILTER LIFT button until the filter LEDs flash all the way across (from the inside outwards). A little practice and experimentation will make you an AFS expert in no time.
