Alesis DEQ830 Basic operation Program mode, Basic operation Edit mode, Basics of Equalization

3 Basics of Equalization

Basic operation: Program mode

Program mode is where to be if you want to call up another program, or if you just want to know the number of the program you are using. The DEQ830 has 100 programs in all. Programs 00- 24 contain factory presets that you can use as starting points for your own programs. You can overwrite any of the 100 programs.

Navigation in Program mode is a breeze. First, if you’re not in Program mode, get there by pressing the [PROGRAM] button. The Numerical LED Display will show you the number of the current program. All you have to do to call up a new program is turn the [VALUE] encoder. This enables you to quickly reach any program in the unit's memory.

If the program number flashes when you try to select another program, this means that the Fast Program Select feature is off, and you will need to press the encoder to enfirm the program change. For more information, see pages 44 and 47.

Basic operation: Edit mode

If you're not already there, exit to Program mode by using the [PROGRAM] button. Then select Program 00 on the DEQ830 by using the [VALUE] encoder.

The original factory Program 00 is a “flat” program, and it’s easy to see why it’s called that—the gain setting for every band is 0 dB. Calling up this program is almost the same as pressing the Bypass button, in that the audio passing through the unit will not be equalized in any way. Of course, the difference is that you can edit the program and hear the changes that you make. If you don’t already know what kind of EQ you're looking for, this may be a good place to start.

Single Band Edit

Pressing a [BAND SELECT] button puts the DEQ830 into Edit mode. The Numerical LED Display will now display the gain value in decibels (dB) of the band you just selected. In addition, one of the Band Gain LEDs above that [BAND SELECT] button will start blinking. If the gain value of that band is 0 dB, the green LED will blink. This means there is no gain change occurring in this frequency range. If it is higher or lower than that, one of the yellow LEDs will blink. This indicates that some amount of cut or boost is happening.

Use the [VALUE] encoder to change the gain value of that band. Turning the [VALUE] encoder left will lower the gain value, or “cut” the chosen frequency; turning it right will raise the gain value, or “boost” the frequency. There is an overall range of

+/- 12 dB of gain change available.

Just as Program 00 is a “flat” program, Curve 00 is a “flat” curve. We strongly recommend that you leave Curve 00’s gain settings at 0 so that you may use it as a “clean slate” for building new curves from the ground up.

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