MANLEY LABORATORIES, INC. OWNER'S MANUAL MIC EQ 500 COMBO MANLEY LABORATORIES, INC. 13880 MAGNOLIA AVE. CHINO, CA. 91710 TEL: (909) 627-4256 FAX: (909) 628-2482 email: emanley@netcom.com http://www.manleylabs.
CONTENTS SECTION PAGE INTRODUCTION 3 MAINS CONNECTIONS 4 CONNECTING YOUR PREAMPLIFIER 5 CONNECTION EXAMPLES 6 HINTS 7 EQ CURVES 8 BASIC MAINTENANCE 9 FIGURE 1 FRONT PANEL 11 FIGURE 2 REAR PANEL 12 OPERATIONAL NOTES 13 SPECIFICATIONS 14 WARRANTY 15 WARRANTY REGISTRATION 16 TEMPLATE TO RECORD SETTINGS FREE page 2
INTRODUCTION THANK YOU!... for choosing the Manley Laboratories "MIC EQ 500 COMBO". Designed by David Manley, The MIC EQ 500 COMBO uses the best available parts with the, cleanest, signal path possible. This preamp features a new fully differential Mic preamplifier with transformer coupled input and output. This circuit is similar to the Manley Variable Mu Limiter/Compressor and is considered the finest line amplifier currently being built.
MAINS CONNECTIONS Your MIC EQ-500 COMBO has been factory set to the correct mains voltage for your country. The voltage setting is marked on the serial badge, located on the rear panel. Check that this complies with your local supply. Export units for certain markets have a moulded mains plug fitted to comply with local requirements. If your unit does not have a plug fitted the coloured wires should be connected to the appropriate plug terminals in accordance with the following code.
CONNECTING YOUR PREAMPLIFIER Setting up your Mic EQ-500 COMBO is rather easy. 1. Please refer to page 12 for an illustration of the back of the preamplifier. The following page shows some slightly more involved examples. On the left end of the back panel is a standard IEC mains connector. This should be connected to a standard mains outlet with the supplied cable. This unit has been hard-wired for the mains voltage in your country 2. There are two main XLR male outputs.
THIS PAGE FOR CONNECTION EXAMPLES page 6
HINTS, notes, etc The MIC EQ-500 COMBO preamp section and make-up gain stage use a similar circuit to several of our most expensive yet most popular circuits. The MANLEY VARIABLE MU LIMITER COMPRESSOR uses a similar topology. It would be described as a transformer input, fully differential tube amplifier, transformer output. The "optimum" setting of the MIC GAIN control is simple - Describing technically what to do is difficult.
This page is reserved for freq resp curves
Try taking advantage of the separate MIC and LINE sections by feeding to tape with the MIC PRE OUTPUT and returning the signal from tape to the LINE INPUT. Send the LINE OUTPUT to a good little mixer (no EQ) or directly to your power amp. Now you can use the LINE GAIN control as a mix / monitor level and maybe use the unit's EQ while recording "flat". If you had two (or more), this would be the "Purist" live to 2 track approach. Another advantage of separate MIC and LINE GAINS is for true tube distortion.
BASIC MAINTENANCE CHANGING THE FUSE As with most gear a fuse may need to be replaced. The symptom is "no power" and no LEDs lit even though you have checked that it is plugged in correctly. The first thing to check is the fuse. Unplug the AC power before taking a look at the fuse - Simply turning the EQ 500 "off" is not safe enough. A blown fuse will either look "blackened" or the little wire inside will look broken. If you have a multi-meter you can check continuity of the fuse.
FRONT PANEL A MANLEY FULLY DIFFERENTIAL PHASE 0º 180º ALL TUBE B PHANTOM 48V ON PULL C EQ INPUT D E MIC INPUT LINE GAIN MIC PRE OP LINE IN LEVEL MIC / EQ 500 COMBO EQ 100 HZ SHELF DESIGNED BY DAVID MANLEY 2 -0+ 4 4 6 HANDCRAFTED IN CHINO, CALIFORNIA BYPASS F 40 HZ G PEAK H 6 8 8 10 I dB LEVEL 2 2 10 L F H F -0+ 4 35 2 4 6 71015 SHELF 6 8 8 10 dB J 10 POWER PEAK KHz K L M A PHASE - Changes the polarity of the Mic signal from 0º to 180º In 0º a positiv
REAR PANEL A REPLACE WITH SAME TYPE AND RATING B FUSE 2 AMP SLO-BLO C D E F LINE OUT LINE IN MIC PRE IN CIRCUIT GROUND CHASSIS WARNING TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR SHOCK DO NOT EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE . RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK - DO NOT OPEN REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL. MIC PRE OUT 100 / 120 / 240 VAC (AS INDICATED) 50 / 60 HZ OPERATION G A FUSE HOLDER Unplug AC. Replace with 2A SLO-BLO fuse only. B GROUND TERMINALS Different studios have different grounding practices.
OPERATIONAL NOTES SWITCHING ON The power switch is located on the right hand corner of the front panel. Flip the switch up to turn on the preamplifier and down to turn off the preamplifier. Do not flip the power on and off rapidly or you may damage the bridge rectifiers in the power supply. RUNNING It is not recommended that you leave your preamplifier permanently switched on. This only wastes electricity and tube life.
SPECIFICATIONS MIC EQ 500 COMBO Vacuum Tubes: Fuse Type Lamp type 2X 5751, 1X 6414, 1X 7044 2 AMP SLO-BLO 1/4 X 1 1/4, 12 volt, .15 amp MIC PRE SECTION Gain Frequency Response @ -1 dB @ -2 dB Maximum Output Noise floor @ maximum gain Signal to Noise Distortion @ +10 dBm / 1 kHz / open load Input Impedance Output Impedance 46 dB maximum 10 Hz to 25 kHz 5 Hz to 60 kHz +28 dBm, +24 dBm (1K load) -72 dBm typical (tubes vary) 100 dB typical .
WARRANTY All Manley Laboratories equipment is covered by a limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 90 days from date of purchase to the original purchaser only. A further optional limited 5 year warranty is available to the original purchaser upon proper registration of ownership within 30 days of date of first purchase.
WARRANTY REGISTRATION We ask that you please fill out this registration form and send the bottom half to: MANLEY LABORATORIES REGISTRATION DEPARTMENT 13880 MAGNOLIA AVE. CHINO CA, 91710 Or you may FAX this form in to: 909-628-2482 Registration entitles you to product support, full warranty benefits, and notice of product enhancements and upgrades. You MUST complete and return the following to validate your warranty and registration. Thank you again for choosing Manley Laboratories.