Behringer MX2442A manual Equalizer, Aux Sends, Routing & Muting

EURODESK MX2442A

3.2 Equalizer

All mono input channels are fitted with a semi-parametric 3-band EQ, plus a switchable low-cut filter for eliminating unwanted subsonics. The upper and lower shelving controls have their frequencies fixed at

12 kHz and 80 Hz respectively. The midrange control is semi-parametric with a peaking response Q fixed at 1 octave, sweepable from 100 Hz - 8 kHz ( ). All three bands have up to 15 dB of cut and boost, with a center detent for “off”. Thirdly, there is a steep high pass (low-cut) filter , slope @ 18 dB/oct, for reducing floor rumble, breath noise and popping, woolly bottom end etc.

+The combination of shelf boost at 80 Hz together with low-cut at 75 Hz results in a peaking response, useful for adding warmth to vocals and instruments, and a firm bottom to kick drums and basses, without losing control of low-frequency speaker cones.

3.3 Aux Sends

All six aux sends are mono and post-EQ. Aux sends 3 - 6 are fixed post-fader while 1/2 can be configured pre-fader using the PRE switch . A SHIFT switch ( ) toggles the second control pair either to aux send 3/4 or 5/6.

+For almost all FX send purposes, you will want aux sends to be post-fader, so that when a fader level is adjusted, any reverb send from that channel follows the fader. Otherwise, when the fader is pulled down, the reverb from that channel would still be audible. For cueing purposes, aux sends will usually be set pre-fader, i.e. independent of the channel fader.

+Most reverbs etc. internally sum up the left and right inputs. The very few that do not may be driven in true stereo by using 2 aux sends.

+There is +15 dB of gain on every aux send. Such a high boost is usually only appropriate where the channel fader is set around -15 dB or lower. Here, an almost exclusively wet signal will be heard. In most consoles, such a wet mix requires the use of a pre-setting for the channel aux send, losing fader control. With the EURODESK you can have a virtually wet mix with fader control.

Channels may be altered for pre-EQ aux sends (see section 10: “MODIFICATIONS”).

3.4 Routing & Muting

Routing means selecting which bus you want a channel to address. There are three stereo buses in the EURODESK MX2442A (plus a stereo solo bus). Main mix and the subgroups are selected via the assign switches , , . SOLO/PFL have already been explained in section 3.1.

Channel PAN positions the output of the channel in the stereo field. Its constant-power design ensures there are no level discrepancies whether a signal is hard-panned, center-stage, or somewhere in-between. Such pin-point accuracy will be a revelation if you have been working on consoles with lower quality circuits.

All stereo buses follow channel PAN. Usually, only one of the buses will be selected for a particular channel.

+An exception to this rule is when laying down voice takes. It is often convenient to have the mic channel(s) routed to all potential take tracks simultaneously, since you are often dropping in quickly between four or more tracks. It means one less button to press each time you switch tracks.

The level to the group and main left and right buses is ultimately determined by the channel fader . It is designed to give a smooth logarithmic taper of a type more usually associated with megabuck consoles. The low level performance particularly is far smoother than that of a “normal budget” fader.

The MUTE button , like that for SOLO is ergonomically placed immediately above the channel fader, and has an associated LED for excellent visual status indication of this much-used feature. Engaging mute is equivalent to setting a fader level of minus infinity. Therefore, pre-fader aux sends are unaffected when applying mute.

3. MONO INPUT CHANNELS 9