Cantar v1.29 user manual 2004 Sept 28
p.10
Test
Microphone Prep.
10 o’clock
This position opens access to
the classical audio tests. It is
important to properly feed the
Cantar mic-preamps which offer the longest dynamic
range in one go with no pre-conditionners.
Audio inputs
Five microphones
M1, M2 and M5 on XLR3,
M3 & M4 on an XLR5.
Four lines
L1 & L2 on an XLR5, L3 and L4 on an XLR5.
Eight
AES
-
IN
Tascam SubD25 (see pin-outs page 26).
Dynamic or Phantom mics
The default setting is Phantom.48V on all mic inputs.
When connecting a dynamic microphone switch-off
the phantom supply; the mic preamp gain is boosted
by12dB. Press [shift] (blue button) and button [2].
When the phantom power is desactivated, the small
triangle disappears from below the mic number on
the rightmost circular display.
Limiters
Press button [1] to on/off activate the limiter. A
triangle (dis)appears below the mic number on
the leftmost circular display. When the signal level
reaches the limiter zone (–8dB), the triangle starts
blinking. In 24bit recording mode it is common
practice to adjust the input gain so that a ‘normal’
signal does not go over the –20dB level. When the
limiter is activated, the 32dB head-room above the
–8dB kick-in point gives 24dB above the ‘no-limiter’
full scale. Thus the operator can count on a 44dB
reserve over the normal’–20dB level. If the signal
does reach the -1dB level, a CLIP icon appears at
the end of the modulometer scale and a beep can
be sent to the headphones.
The same limiting signal is applied to ganged
preamps.
Filters and Attenuators
The high-pass filter default setting is ‘linear’ on all mic
inputs. Press the mic fader button [2] and rotate the
jog to select a corner frequency/slope. A first bank
shows in the message panel it goes from 60Hz/-6dB
to 180Hz/-12dB and LFA, a second bank, identical to
the first one activates a -10dB attenuator which con-
verts the mic input into a line-input. While pressed
the button activates the solo-mic.
Note: to handle signals coming out of devices gene-
rating high line-out levels, the best solution is to
insert an external -26dB XLR3-XLR3 attenuator on
the mic input.
Mic Coupling
The five coupling types M1–>M2 and M3–>M4, or
M1–>M2-M3 or M1–>M2-M3-M4 or M1–>M2-M3-
M4-M5 are selected in the main selector AUDIO.
Phantom, Limiter and Highpass-Filters are identically
applied to coupled preamps. Phase inverters remain
independant.
Stereo-pairs
To link M1–>M2 (or M3–>M4) mic pairs, simulta-
neously press [Shift] and button [3]. Same operation
to delink. The left fader becomes the master, the
right fader the ±12dB balance.
Surround sounds
M1 (black rectangle marked) always is the master. To
activate the coupling press the button [3] between
the M1 and M2 faders. The slaved fader tuning range
is 12dB either side of the master set value.
To protect the tuning of a slaved preamp the modi-
fications can only be done while pressing its fader
button [2]. The memorized gain value is displayed in
dB on the control panel, the physical position of the
fader is shown by < > signs. There is no sudden
level change if re-activation takes place when the
fader has been put back into its < | > memorized
value.
