PRECISION 8i | OPERATION MANUAL |
9 PEAK REFERENCE selector. This sets the level at which the Peak-Hold indicators 4 activate. It also changes the operating level indication 6 to -10 dBV operation when the -10 dBV position is selected.
10Peak-Hold reset. RESET clears the peak-hold indicators on all channels. NOTE: It is normal for the Peak-Hold indicators to activate when phantom power is applied, when AC power is applied, or when a new setting is made on the PEAK REFERENCE selector - simply depress RESET to clear the indicators.
11Direct inputs DI-1and DI-2are controlled by gain controls for channels 7 and 8, respectively. The gain range for the direct inputs is from -4 dB to +44 dB.
12AC power indicator. The green power LED indicates that the unit is on.
More About M-S Decoding:
M-S (Mid-Side) decoding is a particularly creative feature of the PRECISION 8i. While the M-S microphone technique has been around for many years, the opportunity to use it is frequently limited by the need for specialty microphones and/or decoders.
What is M-S? | MID |
It is a stereo microphone placement technique | |
that uses a center, forward-facing omni or | |
cardioid mic (Mid) and a side-facing figure 8 | |
mic (Side). The signals from these two mics | |
are passed through matrix circuitry that | SIDE |
combines them in particular phase and level |
relationships to produce a stereo L and R | |
output. | |
What good is M-S versus the typical XY microphone placement?
Originally, M-S was used because it provided a stereo signal with good mono compatibility. While this is not very interesting for contemporary stereo CD’s, it is still valuable for broadcast and film sound production. But there is another significant benefit: varying the gain of the Side mic in relation to the Mid mic causes a variation in the stereo image - from none, to extreme separation. It is not necessary to change the angle or position of the microphones in order to change the stereo image. This feature can really speed up the time-consuming process of finding a “sweet spot”that provides both good tonal quality and good imaging.
What are the best applications for M-S?
M-S does an excellent job of capturing the natural sonic perspective of acoustical ensembles.
∙ Orchestral and choral recording: use an M-S pair for the central array
