11EURODESK SX4882 User Manual

6.1.2Aux returns

Next to the aux sends are the stereo aux returns (see fig. 6.3). These can be thought of as a dozen extra line inputs configured as six stereo pairs. On these inputs there is up to 20 dB of gain available. Alternatively, a mono (center-panned) signal may be returned by plugging into the left aux return jack only.

This feature is disabled if all line-level I/Os from the EURODESK are wired permanently to a patchbay (see section 8).

Fig. 6.2: Stereo aux returns

a) Aux returns 1 and 2

Aux returns 1 and 2 have full subgroup routing matrices to enable returning

FX to be sent to tape, plus main mix bus assignment. The functions for aux return

1 (mirrored by aux return 2) are: ROUTING (

S 49

/

S 50

/

S 51

/

S 52

/

S 53

)

LEVEL (

 

), BALANCE (

 

) and SOLO (

 

). LEVEL controls the amount

P 49

P 51

S 54

of signal being blended into the mix or a subgroup, while BALANCE controls the relative amounts of L and R processed signal. We doubt if you’ll often want to adjust BALANCE away from center.

As always, there are exceptions to the above rule. Some short stereo delay effects (say 30 ms to L, 50 ms to right) cause a psychoacoustic effect where the earlier delay seems louder. A similar effect is noticeable when harmonizing in stereo: a slight pitch shift upwards will seem louder than one that goes down. In both cases use the BALANCE control ( P 51 ) to compensate.

When carrying out the above mentioned information, or any other stereo imaging exercise, don’t just rely on the control room monitors. Get a pair of headphones and listen in stereo and in reverse stereo, to allow for any hearing discrepancy between your ears.

b) Aux returns 3 to 6

And so to aux returns 3 through 6. These too have a routing matrix ( S 55 to

S 58 for aux return 3), but this time it is designed to facilitate monitoring rather than recording. The options are MAIN (L/ R) MIX, and PHONES 1/2. Gain pots and solo switches complete the picture.

c) SOLO

Below each column of aux returns lies a local solo LED ( L 61 & L 74 ). These illuminate whenever a SOLO button in the column above is pressed.

There is no absolute reason why the send from aux 1 should feed into a processor whose outputs are sent to the aux return 1. The processor could just as easily be patched into the aux return 3, or even a pair of channels. For many purposes, however, it is sensible to set up a default patch where the aux outputs and inputs correspond. It is logical to put your premier FX units into the aux 1 and aux 2 loops, since these returns enable you to record to tape without re-patching.

An exception to the above is when recording a group of performers live to multitrack. (See section 16.3 “Wet monitoring”).

Sometimes an engineer wants to narrow the stereo width of a reverb field. To do this you will have to come back on either A or B-channels, which have full PAN facilities.

6.2 MIX-B master

Fig. 6.3: Mix-B

Only two controls occupy the MIX-B master (fig. 6.4). P 48 offers the standard EURODESK gain of up to +15 dB. S 48 is crucial: it routes the MIX-B bus output into the main mix bus. MIX-B can have three basic functions:

It can act as an entirely separate mixer-within-a-mixer to provide a completely separate mix ( S 48 UP, S 23 DOWN). (See also section 17.)

It can act as an additional stereo aux feed to FX as well as a pre fader monitoring aid during mixdown ( S 48 UP, S 23 DOWN).

It can provide 24 extra B-inputs to the mix ( S 48 DOWN, S 23 UP).

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