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THE ROUTING MATRIX

 

On the MicMAID, any of the 4 microphones can be connected to any of the 4 mic preamps.  When the 

MicMaid is powered up for the 

 rst time, there are no routes between any mics and preamps.

 

To get started, select a microphone by pressing the assigned A, B, C or D button at the top of the rout-

ing matrix. For this example, let’’s say Microphone A. Now, select one of the 4 mic preamps on the right vertical 
side of the matrix - let’’s use PRE 1. Now, MIC A is hardwired to the input of PRE 1, and the output of PRE 1 is 
hardwired to the DIRECT 1 output on the back of the MicMAID - you can treat that output as the output of the 
mic preamp, as it simply mirrors it.

 

You can move on and select PRE 2, 3, and 4 in succession, and you’’ll be able to hear MIC A through 

all four preamps. Likewise, selecting each mic in turn will let you hear each mic through any and all preamps. 
Simple, right?

 

Now, let’’s say you 

 nd a match you really like (““MIC B sounds particularly lovely running through PRE 

4!””). The LOCK button displays and controls the lock status of the currently selected microphone and preamp. 
Press this LOCK button, and you can toggle the lock status of the currently selected microphone and preamp. 
The LOCK button 

 ashes if an attempt is made to change a locked route (e.g. trying to use a mic with a preamp 

that has already been locked to another microphone). To learn how to save your locked routings as ““snapshots””, 
see The Monitor Section below.

 

Phantom power to any of the four mic inputs can be supplied by the MicMAID. Hold the phantom button 

below the corresponding Microphone button (which will start 

 ashing), and press that Microphone button to turn 

phantom on. Repeat to turn it off. 

Phantom power should never be turned on in a connected preamp.

 If the 

MicMAID detects phantom power from a connected preamp, the display will 

 ash ‘‘bP’’ (bad phantom) and the 

offending PRE button will blink until the external phantom power is removed. If a mic was routed to the offend-
ing pre, it will be muted and the route will be disconnected. The pre button for that channel will also be disabled. 
After the offending phantom power is removed, the display will continue to 

 ash ‘‘bP’’ for a few seconds while 

the circuit is stabilizing, and you will then need to manually re-assign the route. 

THE MONITOR SECTION

 

The monitor section uses the output of the currently selected preamp as its input. The GAIN TRIM knob 

can be used to trim the monitor section’’s gain by ±19.5 dB in 0.5 dB steps for each of the 16 microphone/mic 
preamp combinations.

 

In addition to these trims, you can also save up to ten ““snapshot”” memories of routing schemes you’’ve 

set up via the instructions above. Snapshots remember the state of all gain trims and button controlled settings 
(most importantly, the routing matrix) except the phantom power settings. (These are not saved because improper 
application of phantom power could potentially damage some microphones). The 

 rst snapshot, number 0, is 

read-only: loading snapshot 0 returns the MicMAID to ‘‘factory default’’ - no routes, no gain trims, no locks.

 

Pressing the rotary encoder knob activates the snapshot menu. While in the snapshot menu, think of 

pressing the rotary encoder knob as pressing ““Enter”” on a computer. When the menu 

 rst appears, all button and 

matrix leds turn off and the display shows 

{{

 . During menus the upper and lower half of the plus sign alternate. 

If no action is taken the menu will time out without any effect. Whenever stacked dashes 

{

 are displayed, press-

ing Enter will exit the menu immediately without effect and without having to wait for the timeout.  

(continued on next page)

7

Summary of Contents for MicMAID

Page 1: ......

Page 2: ...3 MAINS CONNECTIONS 4 THE FRONT PANEL 5 THE BACK PANEL 6 THE ROUTING MATRIX 7 THE MONITOR SECTION 7 8 VARIABLE PHASE 9 THE FADER 9 THE PICKLE REMOTE 9 TROUBLESHOOTING 10 BLOCK DIAGRAM 11 SPECIFICATIO...

Page 3: ...mpli ers are plugged in and that s it Hear any mic through any pre any way you like For each of the four signal paths levels are easily adjusted and saved this level matching xes the all too common pr...

Page 4: ...LO fuse 220 240V Operation Uses a 0 5A SLO BLO fuse Fuses for ALL VOLTAGES are 5x20mm GDC packaged fuses Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment WEEE Information for customers The European Parliamen...

Page 5: ...ncy material bass guitar kick drum and the high lit posi tion will work better on full bandwidth material This is a subjective choice of course and a choice that should always be made with your ears C...

Page 6: ...Direct Outputs These outputs simply mirror the signals from the neighboring mic preamp returns Think of each of these as direct outputs from each of your 4 mic preamps Use them to go to your console y...

Page 7: ...er should never be turned on in a connected preamp If the MicMAID detects phantom power from a connected preamp the display will ash bP bad phantom and the offending PRE button will blink until the ex...

Page 8: ...to the left of the P indi cates that the current pickle mode is microphone Any microphone inputs that will be stepped through by the pickle will be lit Pressing a mic button will toggle inclusion in t...

Page 9: ...ed to ride the output level of the Monitor Section Think of this as your MON REC output level control immensely useful for riding the level of a vocal track live to tape for instance The fader should...

Page 10: ...send return is open there will be no sound when that particular signal path is selected Does one or more of your microphones need phantom power If the microphone needs it and the MicMAID is not provid...

Page 11: ...BLOCK DIAGRAM 11...

Page 12: ...RIX Matrix Crosstalk Leakage from adjacent microphone inputs 117 dB 1 kHz sine Leakage from adjacent Preamp sends 107 dB 1 kHz Sine Microphone Inputs terminated with source Z 150 Ohm Preamps sends ter...

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