Alva Nanoface, User Manual, Page: 12 / 25

Why do I need this?
Plugging an electric guitar or another high-impedance source in a line-level input results in
a loss of high frequencies and the sound gets dull. So it’s not a good idea to use an electric guitar or bass on the
XLR or RCA inputs of the breakout cable.
Usually a DI-box (= direct input) is used to change the high impedance of the guitar output to the low impedance
of the line level input. The Nanoface provides a special high-impedance instrument input, which can be used
alternatively to the analog input 2 on the breakout cable. If the input 2 is switched to the Hi-Z input it’s possible
to use an electric guitar or bass directly with the Nanoface.
Why do I need this?
If you are on the road or at home and want to listen to music played by software like Windows
Media Player, iTunes or Winamp on the headphones you need this feature.
Most audio programs can only play a signal on the default output of an audio hardware. In case of the Nanoface it’s
the analog output 1/2 on the breakout cable. The headphones output does not play this signal.
Why? In the default mode the phones output is assigned to output 3/4 of the Nanoface. This is shown by LED 3/4.
This would mean
you need speakers when you just want to listen to some mp3 songs.
Solution:
Just send the signal from output 1/2 to the headphones output.
Press the encoder until the headphones LED shines.
If LED 3/4 is on, go to step 2, if not ... the signal 1/2 is
already duplicated on the phones output.
LED 3/4 turns off. The phones output on right side of the
Nanoface plays now the signal of output 1/2.
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Using the Nanoface Using the Nanoface
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Duplicate the signal from output 1/2 on the phones output
Output 3/4
Input 1/2
In
In
In
3/4
3/4
1. Switch to headphones output mode.
2. Press and hold the encoder. Turn it to the left.
Press the encoder until the input LED (“In”) shines.
If LED 3/4 also shines, press the encoder until only the
“In” LED is on (3 times).
The guitar LED shines.
Analog input 2 gets it’s signal now from the Hi-Z instrument input on the right side.
The input on the breakout will not pick up any signal until the Hi-Z input is
switched off. The encoder - switched to input 2 (press/hold + turn right) -
adjusts now the analog preamp gain of the Hi-Z input and makes the guitar
signal louder.
The guitar LED turns off.
Switch analog input 2 to the Hi-Z instrument input (“guitar input”)
1. Switch to input 1/2 mode.
2. Double click the encoder.
3. Switch the headphones back to output 3/4: Press and hold the encoder. Turn it to the right. 3. Switch back to the XLR line-input on the breakout cable: Double click the encoder.
The encoder controls now the volume of signal 1/2 separately from
the chosen volume of output 1/2 on the breakout cable (speakers).
This is a very useful feature for a different headphones mix.
Encoder operations Encoder operations