User Manual

Master Fader and My Fader Reference Guide
135
Output Alignment Delay
Located at the bottom of the screen is the output alignment delay. It’s used to time-align the sound when
there are speakers that are not near each other. If two speakers are playing the same sound (the mains and,
a loudspeaker in the balcony) that are physically distant from each other, the sound can get muddled since
the sound from each loudspeaker is hitting the listener’s ears at dierent times. Additionally, there are sound
sources on stage – drums, for example – that are so loud that the audience can hear them even before they
reach the loudspeakers. Therefore, most professionals align every speaker on the stage to the drums so all
sounds arrive simultaneously.
Here are a few more examples in which the output alignment delay is handy:
Delay Stacks — Sometimes additional speakers are necessary in order to support the main PA.
Perhaps it’s a club with multiple rooms, or an outdoor concert with a beer garden located up
on the lawn, or a cry room in a House of Worship. Applying alignment delay to these delay stacks
ensures that the sonic experience is the same throughout the venue.
For setup, the user will set a delay time based on the distance and a given temperature.
As the show goes on, the room will heat up from the glow of the amp tubes and growing audience...
or the temperature might drop at an outdoor venue after the sun disappears. The engineer may simply
adjust the temperature and the delay time adjusts automatically. After all, the temperature is changing,
not the (already) xed distance between the speakers!
Stage Monitors — Band members hear the drum kit itself, as well as the drums coming through
the monitors. Delaying the monitors to align these dierent sources improves intelligibility.
Main PA — Like the band, audience members located close to the stage also hear the stage drums
and the monitors. Delaying the main PA back to the drums improves intelligibility for these front
row warriors.
Fill Speakers — The main PA stack doesn’t always cover all spots of a venue. Architectural features
like balconies, alcoves, etc. are often simply not covered, or the sound is undesirable in those areas.
The rst few rows of an audience is another common place for the main PA to miss. Fill speakers
are used to cover these areas and aligning them with the PA is the only way to ensure proper sound
throughout the venue.
The delay time ranges from a low of 0.0 ms (m, ft) to a maximum of 350.0 ms (115.8 m, 380.1 ft).
The temperature ranges from a low of 0.0 ˚C (32.0 ˚F) up to a maximum of 40.0 ˚C (104.0 ˚F).
These may be adjusted by moving the sliders left and right. Additionally, exact settings may be entered
into the current parameter display. The output alignment delay may be adjusted whether the output
compressor / limiter is on or o. The output alignment delay is accessible on the main LR and all aux sends.
There is no output alignment delay on the reverb and delay outputs. Press the Delay button to turn
the output alignment delay on or o. It will illuminate green when engaged and is gray when disengaged.