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Basic Connection
The A 5360 has balanced inputs and outputs, and can be used with any line-level device. Some common examples
include: mixing consoles, musical instruments, patch bays and other signal processors.
For all connections, refer to the following steps:
1. Turn Off all equipment before making any connections.
2. Mount the A 5360 in a 1U rack space (Optional).
The A 5360 requires one rack space (height) and 1 rack space (width). It can be mounted above or below anything that
doesn’t generate heat, since it requires no special ventilation. Ambient temperatures should not exceed 45°C when
equipment is powered.
Caution:
Never remove the cover. There are no user-serviceable parts inside, and you run the risk of an electric shock.
3. Make connections via XLR or 1/4” TRS jacks according to your requirements.
Typical patch points include: a mixer’s channel or subgroup inserts when using the A 5360 on individual instruments or
tracks; the mixer’s main outputs or bus inserts when mixing; an instrument preamp’s effects loop when using the A 5360
for guitar or bass; main outs of a submixer (e.g., keyboard mixer) as the signal is sent to main mixer; between a DAT’s
output and an analog cassette input. When using a chain of processors, the A 5360 may be placed either before or after
effects or dynamic processors. However, if you are using the A 5360 for speaker protection, the compressor should be as
close to the amplifier as possible in the signal chain. We recommend you use common sense and experiment with different
setups to see which one provides the best results for your needs.
Note:
Never connect the A 5360’s input to the speaker output of an instrument or power amplifier.
4. Power On the unit: Securely connect the AC power cord to the unit and mains power.
Note:
Check the line voltage. The unit is shipped for 240V operation. Refer to the unit’s rear panel to verify your unit’s precise line voltage.
Using the SIDECHAIN INSERT
The SIDECHAIN INSERT can be used to control the compressor or the expander/gate by signals other than the audio
input (via an auxiliary device, such as an equalizer). Common Sidechain applications include keyed gating,
frequency-sensitive gating and frequency-weighted compression. These topics are covered in detail in the previous pages
of this manual. Certain Sidechain applications may require special cabling.
For example, to set up you’re A 5360 for frequency-sensitive gating or frequency-weighted compression, you must feed
an equalizer’s input with the same signal fed to the A 5360’s INPUT, and then connect the equalizer’s output to the A
5360’s SIDECHAIN INSERT jack (Figure 3). Providing the signal to both the A 5360’s INPUT and the equalizer can be
accomplished in several different ways: (1) use an insert cable plugged into the SIDECHAIN INSERT jack. The SEND
goes to the input of the EQ. The RETURN goes to the output of the EQ; (2) use a Y-cable to feed the audio source to both
the A5360 INPUT and the equalizer input; (3) feed the signal to one of the A 5360’s INPUT jacks and use the compressor
channel’s parallel INPUT jack to drive the equalizer (e.g., if the audio source feeds into Channel 1’s 1/4” INPUT jack, use
Channel 1’s XLR INPUT jack to feed the signal to the equalizer); (4) if the audio source can internally split its output signal
(e.g., some synthesizers can send the same signal from two outputs), plug a cable into each output and feed one cable to
the A 5360 INPUT and the other to the equalizer.
Specific System Connections
The A 5360 has balanced inputs and outputs, and can be used with any balanced or unbalanced line-level device.
Some common examples include: mixing consoles, musical instruments, patch bays, and other signal processors.
Mixing Board
If you wish to compress a particular track of a multitrack recording or one channel of a live performance, connect the A
5360 INPUT to the audio source’s output jack while the A5360 OUTPUT can be directly connected to a line input jack
(balanced or not) or the A 5360’s INPUT and OUTPUT can be wired to an Insert point. In the latter case, the signals will
most likely be unbalanced.
It is important to note that the amount of compression is directly related to the level of the input signal. However,
depending upon your system’s setup, it may not always be clear as to what volume controls in your chain affect input level
and which affect output level. If the A 5360 is connected so that compression occurs before the mixer’s volume controls
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