User manual
Drive Control
Descripon
MODEL 1 incorporates a unique feature on every input, the Drive control. This control
allows the user to adjust the level at which the channel pre-amplier clips the input signal,
thus creang harmonic distoron as an eect. This is achieved by adjusng the conducon
threshold of circuitry in the feedback loop of the pre-amplier by rotang the “Drive”
control. The Drive control incorporates an LED which illuminates the transparent sha to
indicate when the clip threshold has been reached.
The Drive control and Trim work in combinaon with each other and the amount of
distoron is dependant on several factors; the level of the input signal, the posion of the
Trim and the posion of the Drive. With the Drive control fully counter clockwise the
distoron circuitry is disabled and the channel can be run cleanly well beyond the level at
which the Peak LED lights. With the control fully clockwise, any signal level above
approximately -4dBu will trigger the distoron circuits.
The Drive control is also linked to the channel fader VCA and automacally adds make-up
gain at extreme clip levels, therefore it is normal behaviour for there to be a discrepancy
between the Channel and Master buss metering signal levels. Post –fader level also
inuences brightness of the Drive LED illuminaon.
Fixed level Drive circuitry is built into the Return input pre-ampliers, and can be triggered
by driving the Return signal level beyond that which lights the Peak LEDs
9
Driving the signal level higher results in greater
compression of the signal peaks.
This trace shows the signal level at the clip threshold
with the peaks being slightly rounded or “so clipped”
which will add warmth and strong 2nd harmonics.
This trace shows two signals, one running through the
drive circuit and one not. As the clip threshold has not
been reached, both signals are idencal.
This shows the signal very heavily clipped, virtually to a
square wave.
PRE-AMP
Clip Level
Signal Level










