Alesis DEQ230D manual Connections, Connecting to the inserts on an instrument amplifier

Connecting to the inserts on an instrument amplifier

Unbalanced I/O

The insert sends on a guitar or bass amp are usually labeled "effects send and return" or "insert send and return." This allows your instrument to be boosted to line level before the signal is sent to the equalizer, processed, and returned to the power amp.

Another method would be to insert the DEQ230 between the preamp and the power amp, if you are using a two-piece system. You should never put the equalizer between the power amp and the speaker, as the high-powered levels created by the power amp will damage the unit.

Connecting to equipment with XLR inputs and outputs

If you are connecting the DEQ230 to a product with XLR balanced inputs and outputs, you will need to convert this signal to a TRS balanced connector. Make sure that pin 2 of the XLR connector is connected to the tip of the TRS adapter, and pin 3 is connected to the sleeve.

Connecting to equipment with S/PDIF inputs and outputs (DEQ230D only)

The DEQ230D has the added capability of receiving and transmitting its audio signal in the digital domain. This is done through a pair of coaxial connectors (also known as RCA jacks) found on the rear panel. The jacks are labeled S/PDIF In/Out: each carries two channels of audio, so both Channel A and Channel B are handled by a single cable in each direction.

Using the S/PDIF jacks to connect to an external device such as the Alesis MasterLink is very easy, because the DEQ230D will automatically switch over to the S/PDIF input when it senses that a valid digital signal is present.

Connections 2

Don't use line transformers! Many XLR-to-1/4" adapters sold at electronics stores are NOT adapters, but transformers (and very low quality transformers at that). Don't use these on the output of the DEQ230—they're unnecessary and generally sound awful because they don't have the headroom to handle the DEQ230's output. Get a hard-wired adapter or cable from your professional audio dealer, or make one yourself from components.

23