Instruction Manual

While we are not in a position to tell anybody how to mix, we can communicate some mastering
engineers comments. They tell us that the most common problem today is mixes that are too brite and
over compressed. They also tell us that these are the most difficult problems to fix. As an engineer you
know it is easier to boost a little than perform surgery to some narrow band. They have good de-essers
(often ours) but de-essing a mix is difficult with hi-hats and cymbals and snares everywhere. Notching
a narrow band is bound to affect all sounds that have harmonics in that band. It is better to leave a little
less at both high and low frequency extremes for them to fine tune rather than too much that they have
to fight to remove.
NearField Monitors provide a valuable reference for most engineers. These smaller speakers are
widely recognised to be closer to the average listener's home system. They are also recognised for not
providing any accuracy in the lowest octaves. Accurate lows cost exponentially in dollars and size. You
may or not be aware that most monitor systems have sibilance problems of thier own. Of course this
doesn't directly add sibilance to a tape but if everything sounds sibilant through them how are you
supposed to be judging the top end quality of your mix? The answer, once again, is electronics. This
problem is far more likely to be amplifiers than speakers. Unfortunately most powered speakers use
better speakers than amplifiers. The amps distort somewhat (TIM) with sibilance and high frequency
transients. Shakers become pink noise. Gotta have great amps when you engineer professionally. OK,
this is a cheap plug - try our tube amps. Besides knowing how much sibilance is really happening, you
will get better mixes by hearing the details and beauty that was there to start with.
USING THE HIGH FREQUENCY LIMITER
First the easy step by step approach then if you want you can read some techno-babble.
1) Connect the XLR input and the 1/4" output. Turn the HIGH FREQUENCY LIMITER power ON and
wait a few minutes for the tubes to warm up. Don't rush - It makes big thumps as it warms up.
2) Use the console channel inserts to patch a vocal track. Don't forget to press the channel's "insert" button
if it has them.To start set all controls to half way or 12:00. Verify the signal is fine with the unit in
"BYPASS". Any hum, noise? Play tape. You might "SOLO" the track if so inclined.
3) Switch the HF LIMITER to "IN". Switch the "MONITOR OUTPUT " to "SIDECHAIN". You should
hear the brite brittle sound of the filters. If that's not bad enough, you gotta tune those filters to sound even
uglier. Switch the toggle with the triangle arrows to HIGH and adjust the HIGH control to get the worst
sibilance. Now switch the toggle to HIGH-MID and adjust the HIGH-MID control to tune in that
sibilance again. Pick the worst or the most "ESS" with the toggle.
4) Had enough? Switch the "MONITOR OUTPUT" to "NORMAL". Adjust the "THRESHOLD' control
to see meter movement and the LED flashing on sibilance. Only on the sibilance is the big trick.
5) Verify that the desired de-essing is taking place and if not re-adjust the THRESHOLD and maybe the
HIGH or HI-MID controls. Compare by switching to "BYPASS".
6) Take the channel out of "SOLO". Adjust the RE-ESS like any EQ to fine tune the highs. Probably a
little boost will help. The console INSERT button is the best way to verify "ya did it good".