Alesis ProLinear DSP, Reference Manual

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4
Frequently Asked Questions
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5. Should I use the midrange attenuation Program for my
own mixes?
This depends entirely on your taste and the venue and
objective for the recording. However, for the best recording
possible, the midrange should be kept flat. This will give the
truest indication of the response and of any EQ previously
done to the recording.
6. With the parametric EQ, can I model any brand of
studio reference monitors?
You can get a reasonable approximation of the frequency
response, but there is more to replicating a speaker than its
frequency response. For example, certain drivers (e.g. woofers)
may have good transient response. Others may not. Both
could yield the same steady state (continuous tone) response
but sound completely different to something with a fast
transient response such as a snare drum or clapping. By
popular demand, one of the Presets is modeled after the
ubiquitous black monitor with white cones, but it is a rough
approximation. There are two other speaker responses that are
emulated, as well. See if you can figure out their identities!
7. How does the level control on the rear panel differ
from the front panel Gain Trim control?
The level control on the back attenuates the input signal to the
speaker. The Gain Trim control attenuates or boosts the
output of the DSP. For large source signals you want to
attenuate the input level so as to avoid saturating (clipping) the
input Analog to Digital converter (ADC). The Gain Trim
control should be adjusted to avoid saturating the output
Digital to Analog converter (DAC). This must be done by
listening for output distortion. The user should also be careful
to avoid setting the attenuation levels too low, as this could
lead to a loss of resolution as well as a higher noise floor.
To assist you with these adjustments, the ProLinear DSP
provides the ability to monitor the input level to the ADC on
the front panel display. For instructions on how to do this, see
page 21.