User Manual

Apollo 8 Hardware Manual Front Panel 11
(2) Preamp Gain & Channel Select Knob
This rotary encoder with integrated switch has three functions:
Rotate – Rotating the knob adjusts the preamp gain for the selected input channel.
Press – Pressing the knob selects which preamp channel (1 – 4) is adjusted by the front
panel preamp controls.
Press+Hold – When a Unison plug-in is active in the channel’s dedicated Unison insert
within the Console application, pressing and holding the knob enters/exits Unison Gain
Stage Mode.
Each of the three functions above is explained in greater detail below.
Preamp Gain
The preamp gain of analog inputs 1 – 4 is adjusted with the rotary control. The preamp
channel to be adjusted is set with the Channel Select (press) function. The input to be
adjusted (Mic, Line, or Hi-Z) is determined by the state of the channel’s Mic/Line switch
(#4) or Hi-Z input (if connected).
Rotating the knob clockwise increases the preamp gain for the selected channel. The
available gain range for the preamp channels is 10 dB to 65 dB for the Mic, Line, and
Hi-Z inputs.
More than one full revolution of the knob is needed to move through the available range.
This feature increases the control resolution for more precise preamp gain adjustments.
Tip: To adjust signal levels for inputs 5 – 18, use the output level controls of de-
vices connected to those inputs.
Line Input Gain Bypass
By default, line inputs 1 – 4 are routed through the channel’s preamp so the line input
level can be adjusted with the Gain knob. However, line inputs 1 – 4 can be individually
set to completely bypass the channel’s preamp circuitry and instead be routed directly to
the channel’s A/D converter at a fixed reference level. This feature is set with the LINE
INPUT GAIN menu in the Hardware panel within the Console Settings window.
Tip: This feature routes the preamp channel’s line input signal directly into the
A/D converter for the purest path when additional gain is not needed (for example,
when connecting external mic preamps to preamp channel line inputs).
When the channel’s LINE INPUT GAIN menu is set to BYPASS in Console Settings:
• The Preamp Gain Indicator ring (#3) for the channel is solid green
• When the Gain knob (#2) is rotated, the ring flashes to indicate that no gain ad-
justment is occurring
• If a Unison plug-in is in the channel’s dedicated Unison insert in Console, the
Unison plug-in is bypassed