cranesong avocet manual

cranesong avocet manual

While it is a widely held belief that passive monitoring controllers must be best, in practice the inputs and outputs need buffering to remain reliable and consistent in the real world of unknown impedances. Furthermore, it is extremely hard to derive mono from a stereo source passively without affecting the sound, so some electronics are inevitable in a versatile high-quality monitoring controller. However, these electronics clearly define the ultimate performance of the monitoring chain, so the Avocet's audio path employs just three all-discrete Class-A buffer amplifiers in each channel. Ganged potentiometers often track poorly and can produce image shifts, while active circuitry such as voltage-controlled amplifiers, although affording very flexible control options, often introduce unacceptable levels of distortion. The ideal solution is usually passively switched attenuators, often arranged around an expensive rotary switch. Clever logic control of these relays also allows some quite sophisticated additional features — regaining much of the flexibility of a VCA design without sacrificing audio purity. The front panel of the rack unit features only a stereo headphone socket and a large green vintage-style power lamp, while the rear panel is crammed full of XLRs. Mounted above this all-analogue board is a smaller digital board, the role of which is described in the 'Digital Interfacing' box. The circuit boards feature more than a dozen jumper connections which allow the user to tweak the operation of the Avocet to their own personal tastes. Photo: Mark Ewing. Apparently, an internal link in the current Revision 4 version of the unit (the review model had older Revision 2 circuit boards) optionally provides the Analog 2 input with 14dB of additional gain to accommodate a nominal -10dBV semi-pro input, which is a useful facility.http://acspquebec.com/userfiles/canon-powershot-s5-service-manual.xml

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One of these (Remote) is used to hook up the remote control panel, while the other (Accessory) provides various auxiliary functions such as external switching of talkback, solo, dim, and mute, as well as generating buffered outputs for the talkback mic, headphone output, and unbalanced mono and stereo outputs (the last being intended for an external metering system). There is also provision here for an additional remote-control signal which will be used in future for linking Avocet units when monitoring in surround. Rather than compromise the signal-noise performance of the Avocet's electronics, Crane Song supply adjustable attenuators which can be placed at the inputs of active speakers or power amps to reduce the signal level by up to 30dB. The latter is for a talkback mic (there being no phantom power available), and the mic preamp's gain is adjusted via a multi-turn trimmer adjacent to the XLR. In the centre of the panel is a large green rotary encoder with a detented action and 24 green LEDs around the periphery to indicate the current level setting. The knob feels great to use — just the right size and weight to allow accurate click-by-click adjustments or a quick spin up or down with a flick of the wrist, causing the relays to chatter away in the main frame. The level setting is very clear, and although marked in 2dB steps the LEDs resolve to 1dB level changes simply by lighting adjacent LEDs to show the midway positions. An internal link configures the meter to show either the level of the selected input (default), or the output level from the Avocet. Only one input can be selected at a time, and there is no summing or mixing ability. When the headphone control mode (of which more in a moment) is active, the bottom three buttons in this column serve to configure the headphone monitoring source.http://chevronhotels.com/uploads/canon-powershot-s5-user-manual.xml

There are three options: a feed of the Aux analogue input (intended to pass through a cue mix from a console, for example); a fixed-level feed of whatever input is selected to feed the main monitors; or the same main-monitor feed but taken after the mono, phase, and level controls. The talkback signal is mixed in with the headphone outputs, regardless of what source mode is selected. The idea of this feature is to allow complete integration between the Avocet and a mixing console, allowing soloed channels to appear on the monitoring automatically. With the headphone mode selected the rotary encoder sets the headphone volume, which is totally independent of the main monitoring volume. The Mute and Dim buttons are conveniently located at the bottom of the column where they are easy to reach, and the dim level can be adjusted by turning the volume control while in dim mode. The setting is then remembered, even after powering the unit down. The monitoring level when the talkback button is pressed can also be set independently of the normal dim level, which is a superbly useful feature. There are no obvious pops or splats on the monitored signal when operating any buttons — in fact the unit even turns on and off gracefully, without any nasty thumps. When powering up, all the settings are remembered, but the Mute button is sensibly always enabled. A small trimmer on the rear panel of the remote control allows the talkback mic's gain setting to be adjusted. Photo: Mark Ewing This is essentially done by manipulating the logic data that controls the attenuator relays, so that the audio quality is not affected. The only downside is that you can't adjust the monitoring level beyond the physical attenuator range. In practice, though, this is very unlikely to become a concern. Tap the source button a third time and the operation returns to normal, but with the new gain offset remembered — even if the power is turned off.

This gain trim mode is excellent for allowing different sources to be compared accurately at the same perceived level — for example the original and compressed versions of a track. Selecting sources and destinations, adjusting the monitoring level, and checking mono and phase compatibility are all very straightforward. The ability to set, and more importantly reset, the monitoring level within 1dB is excellent, and essential in a mastering environment. Likewise, the ability to set the headphone and dim levels independently, using the same control and in such an intuitive way, makes life very easy. The facilities to enable complete integration with a console are well thought out too, but don't compromise the stand-alone operation, or indeed the sound quality, in any way. The inability to select mono to one or both speakers from the remote panel is disappointing. Clearly, David Hill recognises the important distinction between these two monitoring modes, because the option is available via an internal link. Also disappointing is the lack of individual speaker muting. Often a problem can only be identified by listening to each channel separately. Bearing in mind the absence of separate speaker mutes, it is interesting to read in the Operator's Manual that there are plans afoot to enable the linking of multiple Avocets to form a surround monitoring controller. Being able to solo and mute individual channels is of paramount importance when working in surround, so it will be fascinating to see how this key functionality is provided. The Avocet sounds totally transparent and I could not detect any quality changes whatsoever when inserting the unit into my monitoring chain. The analogue signal path is exemplary in every way, demonstrated by the fact that the tonality and stereo imaging don't change at all, regardless of the volume setting.

Auditioning digital sources was equally impressive, and it quickly became clear that the internal D-A stage easily matched the quality of my favourite new reference, the Benchmark DAC1. The performance of the Benchmark is truly stunning (once it has warmed up), so for the Avocet to match its resolution is praise indeed, and particularly noteworthy given that both D-As employ a very similar technological approach. There is more than enough volume available, even for the most demanding of artists, and the design provides absolute clarity and neutrality, conveying accurate transients and powerful deep bass. Yes, it lacks individual speaker muting, the mono check mode is not as versatile as I would like, and the truncated 16-bit mode is, to be blunt, utterly pointless. But the plus points far outweigh these irritations. Excellent ergonomics, stunning audio quality, precision level adjustments, console integration flexibility, and the potential of an upgrade path for surround work all make a very convincing case indeed for the Avocet. Two are straightforward AES inputs able to accommodate a full range of sample rates from 32kHz to 192kHz, and labelled Digi 2 and Digi 3. The third is referred to as the DAW input, and this has three input modes selected by a switch on the back panel. The third mode invokes a second XLR socket to partner the first so that dual-wire high-sample-rate AES signals can be connected. The digital inputs do not need to be synchronous — the internal DAC simply locks to the selected source — and changing digital sources is fast, without any nasty bangs or crashes. Interestingly, the Avocet's D-A design employs a similar strategy to that used in the Benchmark DAC1 (which I reviewed back in SOS July 2005), oversampling the selected input to 192kHz and passing it through a sample-rate converter to help remove jitter before D-A conversion clocked by a local crystal.

Internal links allow the oversampling to be disabled or limited to 96kHz, if required, although the designer claims the 192kHz option sounds best. The selected digital input is received through a pair of Cirrus Logic CS8416 chips, before being routed to a Burr Brown SRC4492 sample rate converter, and then on to a Cirrus Logic CS4398 — the company's latest 192kHz flagship device. A local crystal is used to clock the output of the SRC and the D-A chip independently of the incoming digital signal's embedded clock. Among the impressive specifications and features of the D-A chip is the choice of two oversampling interpolation filter designs. This function has been made available through another link on the digital board, with the default being a 'slow roll-off' setting. A 'fast roll-off ' mode is also available, and may be more appropriate if source oversampling is not employed. One rather odd function of the D-A board is operated by a button on the Avocet remote control labelled 16-bit. This truncates the selected digital input to 16 bits and is apparently 'for checking what 16 bits sounds like'. I can't imagine any situation where one might want to do this — at least not without applying proper dithering as part of the process. Not a button that will see much use, I suspect. Pros Exemplary sound thanks to discrete Class-A electronics and passive attenuators. Stunningly good internal D-A converter. Extremely flexible facilities for console integration and external control. Superb input-level offset mode. Independent volume for main and headphone outputs, dim, and talkback dim. Nice ergonomics throughout. Beautifully constructed. Cons You can't control the mono monitoring mode remotely. There are no individual speaker mutes. The truncated 16-bit mode is pointless. Exemplary analogue circuitry is complemented with a superb D-A stage, and controlled via an extremely ergonomic remote panel. November 2017 Retro Jungle Production With Pete Cannon 1 month 2 weeks ago.

Everything You Wanted To Know About Studio Headphones. 2 months 3 weeks ago. Compression sounds quiet Possibly stupid question about amps and cabs Apollo sample rate change problem Intermittently disconnecting Focusrite 2i2 2nd The contents of this article are subject to worldwide copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part, whether mechanical or electronic, is expressly forbidden without the prior written consent of the Publishers. Great care has been taken to ensure accuracy in the preparation of this article but neither Sound On Sound Limited nor the publishers can be held responsible for its contents. The views expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the publishers. Subject to change without notice. Subject to change without notice. the U.S.A. Page 2 First time power up Main Functions Talk back Gain Trims Shift Mode Headphone controls Output 3 mode select Surround mode Reboot Internal configuration jumpers Back panel Surround interconnect Remote control size Accessory connector Revision History 5. Page 3 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read these instructions 2. Keep these instructions 3. Heed all warnings 4. Follow all instructions 5. Do not use this apparatus near water 6. Clean only with dry cloth 7. Install in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions 8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat 9. Page 4 “Avocet” is designed to solve the problems of accurate monitoring and volume control as required by workstation users, studios and mastering rooms alike. Avocet is a stereo controller with three digital inputs, three analog inputs and a headphone system. Page 5 Notes: When configuring the units for Surround, if the system was not purchased as Surround please consult the factory This manual applies to Avocet version 1. Page 6 FIRST TIME POWER UP The first time that Avocet is powered up, it should be initialized.

This is done by pushing all three output select buttons at the same time. This sets up the remote for proper operation. It also resets the user settings: All gains, main and phones are set to zero Output 1 is the selected output DAW is the input selected Phones are set to the Aux input Stereo speaker selection is selected All offsets are cleared The remote cable must be attached and screwed down before power up. Page 7 BUTTON FEEDBACK When holding down a button for gain trim; or speaker setup, the led now provides feedback that the button was held for the required time. In the previous version there was no feedback to the user on mode change. This applies to the 6 input select buttons, the mono button, and the speaker buttons for selecting the mono output channel. Page 8 MAIN FUNCTIONS Truncates the digital input to 16 bits. For checking what 16 bits sounds like Channel Selection to 7.1 surround Talk back button sends the talk mic into the headphone output. Page 9 Talkback Operation Talk mic is on when the LED is on. It has push-on, push-off operation or latching. However if the talk button is held for one half second, talk back releases when the button is released, non latching The monitor level can be set when the talkback button is pushed. The monitors can be dimmed to off or a level that is below feedback. This will allow comminution in both directions while in talk mode. Page 10 Gain Trim Shift key to enable gain trim, offset control Gain trim offset clear Gain trim offset lock Gain trim unoffset lock must be in shift mode to enable these functions If one presses and holds the input select button a second time it will enable the input gain trim mode. It requires about one half second of hold time to enter the trim mode. Trim mode allows changing the input level on the selected input relative to all other inputs. Gain trim has an offset range of plus or minus 10 db in 1 db steps.

Page 11 SHIFT MODE SETUP FUNCTIONS Changes DIM from relative LEVEL to absoulte LEVEL Changes output 3 to work in parallel with outputs 1 and 2 for use as a sub woofer output In the Shift Mode Select the source for the DAW input between AES, SPDIF, OPTICAL. Page 12 SHIFT MODE SETUP FUNCTIONS TALK BACK MIC GAIN TALK BACK MIC GAIN is changed by selecting the TALK button when in the SHIFT MODE. Turning the gain knob changes the mic gain. It’s level does not change with the main system level 13 The headphone source is selected by the main input buttons. Page 14 Shift Mode Output 3 Mode as sub woofer on-off With this button selected in the shift mode. OUT 3 is converted to work as a Sub Woofer output. It is full range unfiltered audio that can be turned ON or OFF with OUT 3. Thus allowing outputs 1and 3, or 2 and 3 to be on at the same time. If this is not selected, OUT 3 works as a normal third speaker system output Shift to select control Output 3 does not provide any filtering or mono summing. Page 15 In normal operation one should set the power amp gain, so that your normal listening level is with the gain knob at 1 o’clock. There is a supplied adjustable pad for powered monitors and power amps that have no gain control. Speaker selects - Mute and Solo Channel or speaker control is determained by the top row of buttons. The channel is on when the led is on. This applies to all modes of operation. The channels are Left, Right, Center, LFE, Surround Left, Surround Right, Extra Left, Extra Right. Page 16 Speaker select buttons now allow multiple selection at a time Mute will over ride all functions including Talk Back 16 Page 17 Changing the speaker setup from Stereo to Surround Default mode By pressing any one of the speaker select buttons and holding it for about 0.5 seconds will put Avocet into the speaker set up mode. If SHIFT is selected the speaker setup is disallowed.

Selecting the center channel button will cause the center channel be the mono speaker when selecting mono. This is the surround mode of operation Selecting the left, right, or both, (left and right) will disable the surround channels. Page 20 Changing the speaker setup from Stereo to Surround By pressing any one of the speaker select buttons and holding it for 5 seconds will put Avocet into the speaker set up mode. Pressing the center channel button will make the center channel be the mono speaker when the mono function is selected. Page 21 Functions that can change There are trim pots on the back of the main unit for the analog gain trim. These have a range of 8 db There is a high gain mode selected by an internal jumper. This will add 14 db of gain to the Analog 2 input. There is a small pop that can be heard when the gain changes by 14 db. Page 22 Clearing the internal settings System Reset By pressing all three output selection buttons at the same time Avocet will reset all of it’s internal settings. This is the same as rebooting the remote. This controls what happens with the center channel and LFE channel when in the mono mode. The settings below is for stereo operation, and in surround mode, the front and surround channels. Center Channel Surround The settings below is for LFE and center channel operation. If they are not all powered at the same time, the audio box with the remote connected to it must be powered on last. If any of the units are not powered the remote will not work correctly. The internal jumpers must be set correctly. Page 32 STEREO INTERCONNECT Connect Remote here The internal jumpers must be set correctly. Page 33 8 inches 7.53 inches Depth not counting the knob is 1.62 inches PAD LOSS ADJUST INPUT OUTPUT XLR OUTPUT PAD This is an adjustable pad for use with amplifiers or powered monitors that have no gain control. The pad has a range of 6 to 20 db of loss. New everything is required.

This version has a db15 connector accessory on it’s back all others have a db 25 pin connector This is units with serial numbers to A682840 Rev4 main pcb Non Surround Remote The Rev 4 main boards will work for front or surround channels only. This is an upgradable item. In units with serial numbers of A682840 and less it will require some soldering skills. The later units it is plugin. Upgrades Upgrades are factory direct only in the US and in the rest of the world by the local Crane Song distrubition company. Page 39 This is avery good starting place for setting up sub woofers. One could go farther and use a RTA and experment and find the best place in the room for subwoofer placement. This was written by Bob Katz, www.digido.com and is used with permission Accurately Set Up a Subwoofer With (Almost) No Test Instruments Bass frequencies are extremely important to sound reproduction. Everyone is interested in getting their bass right, but most people haven’t a clue how to proceed. Page 40 range speaker instead of spikes. Whichever mounting method, the goal is to reduce sympathetic vibrations or traveling waves in cabinets, floor and walls. The resonant frequency of the box and stand should be extremely low. Hit the box with your fist and confirm it does not have a resonant character; sweep a sine wave through the system and listen for vibrations. I’ve had great success with a very thin isolator between the speaker and the stand which compresses almost completely under the speaker’s weight. Page 41 Polarity is not Phase This is still a confusing topic, perhaps because people are too timid to say polarity when they mean it. The polarity of a loudspeaker refers to whether the driver moves outward or inward with positive-going signal, and can be corrected by a simple wire reversal. Remember that phase means relative time; phase shift is actually a time delay. Page 42 All musical instruments and transducers produce harmonics as well as fundamentals.

To the best of our ability to discriminate, we will be concentrating on the fundamental tones in this piece of music. If your loudspeakers have significant harmonic distortion, they can complicate or confuse the test. Many studio loudspeakers are designed for high power handling at the expense of tonal accuracy or distortion. This test is not for them. Page 43 contribution. Reverse the polarity of the sub. The polarity which produces the loudest bass is the correct polarity. Mark it on the plugs, and don’t forget it. Next comes an iterative process (“lather, rinse, repeat until clean”). Page 44 More Refinement Fine tuning the stereo separation (space between the woofers) If you have stereo subwoofers, their left-right separation must be adjusted. Play Spanish Harlem. Listen to the sound of the bass with the subs off. It should be perfectly centered as a phantom image and and its apparent distance from the listener should subtend a line between the satellites. If it is not perfectly centered or its image is vague, the satellites are too far apart. Now add the subwoofers. Page 45 What To Do When the Results are Less Than Perfect When interpreting Spanish Harlem, don’t get too hung up on little “dips” in level. Dips are less objectionable to the ear than peaks. First, attack problems with resonant notes and then look at the dips. Everything may not be rosy the first time around. Supposing that the subwoofer helped the bottom note(s), which means the crossover is at the right frequency, but some upper note in the progression has been affected. Page 46 Acknowledgments: Jon Marovskis of Janis Subwoofers introduced me to the concept of a pitch detection technique many years ago. This article refines and expands onhis original idea. Many thanks to Dave Moulton for insightful technical and editorial comments. Page 48 Method 2 Seperate cue mix The phones are not effected by the main level The main audio source is feed to the internal headphone amp.

Page 49 Method 3 Seperate cue mix The phones are effected by the main level The main audio source is feed to the internal headphone amp. Page 50 USING AN EXTERNAL HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER The audio source will be what ever has been defined during setup, see the pervious three pages. The headphone jack will still operate The external amplifer and the headphone jack will have the same audio and talk back mic singals. The external output level is also changed when changing the internal phones level. The mic signal will be present only when the talk mic button is on. Page 53 Avocet alignment The alignment should not be changed unless you are 100 % positive that you know how to do this and have very good equipment. If not you could mess up the alignment, and the left - right channel balance. The gain trims will provide a plus or minus 3 db range, which can allow for different configurations. Do not attempt to adjust this as a way to reduce the output level. If you do you will mess it up. If you need to reduce the output level use the provided pads. Even if chocolate chip is on your mind, our cookies make an important contribution to a great shopping experience. They help us to show you relevant offers, remember your settings to ease navigation on our website and alert us when the website is slow or unstable. You can view and manage further details and options here.Always with customised added value for musicians. Close Service Contact us Help VAT Delivery date unknown Delivery date unknown This item has sold out and has been re-ordered. Unfortunately, our supplier cannot guarantee delivery within the next three months. We recommend that you choose a suitable alternative from our store. Standard Delivery Times Monitor Speakers In this guide we?ll outline the basic principles of studio monitors, and take a closer look at their most common features. Online Guides Show all Monitor Speakers In this guide we?

ll outline the basic principles of studio monitors, and take a closer look at their most common features. Downloads Show all Manual PDF Downloads Show all Manual Update rev7 PDF test results: Read review. Crane Song Avocet IIA quantity Add to cart Product Enquiry Questions. It is a stereo controller with three digital inputs, three analog inputs and a headphone system. It’s comprised of a rack mounted unit and table top remote control. Avocet has many features including; dim, mute, phase, mono, and 16 bit truncation functions, plus a speaker select switch that sends line level balanced audio to one of three outputs. The internal headphone amplifier can be fed from the program source or an external input. Provisions for a talk back function are included. Crane Song Avocet IIA can operate in surround up to 7.1, with the appropriate number of audio boxes in the system. New Features: Direct sub woofer outputs for each of the three output have been added. The output levels are now programmable in 0.25 db steps for speaker level matching New DAC: The Quantum DAC is the 5th generation design from Crane Song and has less then 1pS jitter. The Quantum DAC uses 32 bit a converter and ASRC for jitter reduction up sampling to 211KHz. Avocet has always upsampled to 211KHz. The reference clock has less than 1pS, 0.5pS typical 1Hz to 100KHz and a proprietary reconstruction filter for accurate time domain response. About us Call 888-SC4-GEAR (888-724-4327) for sales, service, and support for all of your Pro Audio needs. We carry over 250 lines of audio hardware and software, as well as an exclusive private stock of vintage recording consoles, outboard signal processing gear, and microphones. Go ahead and place your order and we will follow up with an ETA as soon as we have it. If you have a deadline then please contact us before placing the order so we can meet your expectations.

It features Dave Hill's new Quantum DAC - a 5th generation design with ultra low jitter, direct subwoofer outputs for each of the three outputs as well as programmable output levels for speaker level matching. It is a stereo controller with three digital inputs, three analog inputs and a headphone system. It's comprised of a rack mounted unit and table top remote control. The Crane Song AVOCET IIA Monitor Controller has many features including; dim, mute, phase, mono, and 16 bit truncation functions, plus a speaker select switch that sends line level balanced audio to one of three outputs. The Quantum DAC uses 32 bit a converter and ASRC for jitter reduction up sampling to 211KHz. Avocet has always upsampled to 211KHz. The reference clock has less then 1pS, 0.5pS typical 1Hz to 100KHz and a proprietary reconstruction filter for accurate time domain response. The clock is of the type of circuits used for microwave and space commutation where ultra short term stability is required. The converter board changes the digital input formats on the DAW input. The input can now be AES single wire to 192K, SPDIF or optical Toslink. The input source is changed from the remote control. The new design is more open and transparent, bigger sounding. An accessory connector has extra functions for the technically minded. They are; buffered stereo output, mono output, talk back mic output, headphone bus output, and several input control functions such as; talk back enable, mute and input selection control that could be used for a pre-listen or solo command. This connector is also used to tie audio boxes together for surround operation. The output levels are now programmable in 0.25 db steps for speaker level matching. By using 3 two channel audio boxes, the Crane Song AVOCET IIA Monitor Controller will function as a 5.1 system, and 4 audio boxes makes a 7.1 system. The speaker setup function allows integrating, both surround and stereo speaker systems.