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The UCON in a Project Studio 

Situation 

Let’s imagine the following: Producing your 
brand-new chart hit you reach a critical phase: 
you want to record the vocals. For a singer to 
provide a perfect performance it is important, 
that the surrounding conditions are as well: most 
advantageous. The first step towards this, is a 
latency-free headphone mix in best possible 
quality. For that you use your studio reverb. For 
its latency-free integration – the UCON CX.  

How to do it? 

 

 

Z

  This article bases on 

section “Mixer” and 
“Output Control”, as 
well as “Sounding Good” 
from the “Hands on”-
part. 

 

 

 

 

Hardware routing 

Plu

Z

 Read section 

“Sounding good”.

 

g the microphone cable into the  pre-amp of 

the analog input 1. Within the UCON CX Mixer, 
bring the signal up to perfect level using the 
“GAIN”-knob. Into analog output 1-2 of the 
UCON, plug the headphone pre-amp for your 
musician. Now take care of the effect unit: the 
analog output 5-6 of the UCON is plugged to the 
input of the effect unit. Its output goes to the 
analog input 5-6 of the UCON.  

Software routing 

In the Output Control of the UCON assign under 
“SOURCE” “AUX 1-2” to “Output Analog 1-2”. 
On “Output 5-6” under “SOURCE” push “AUX 
3-4”. 

 

44

Содержание UCON CX

Страница 1: ...UCON CX User s Guide...

Страница 2: ...l including photocopy translation recording or any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from MARIAN All trademarks are the property of the respective owners MARIAN is...

Страница 3: ...ixer 13 What is it all about 13 The channels 14 The master channel 17 Adaptable changing the view of the UCON Mixer 17 The Outputcontrol 19 What is it all about 20 Adaptable changing the view of the O...

Страница 4: ...gs 45 Finalizing 45 The UCON in a Live Session 46 Situation 46 Hardware routing 46 Setting up the monitors 47 Software routing 47 Setting up the monitor volumes 47 Finalizing 47 The UCON as Hard Disk...

Страница 5: ...3 Glossary 58 Technical Facts 63 Service and Support 64 Warranty 64 Care and maintenance 64 Contact 65...

Страница 6: ...4...

Страница 7: ...yback situations You need latency free headphone mixes for your musicians You demand full control of pan regulation mute and solo functions You want to quickly switch between different mixer setups Th...

Страница 8: ...Take your time to also go through the next pages of this manual Besides the helpful installation and setup explanations it offers many valuable hints on how you can use the Mixer and the Output Contr...

Страница 9: ...remote controlled via the computer 9 1 stereo digital I O S PDIF format for digital devices e g CD Player DAT Recorder 9 8 channel digital I O ADAT format 9 1 MIDI in 2 MIDI out 9 Fast MIDI data tran...

Страница 10: ...to be found completely and undamaged 9 1 x UCON CX 9 1 x UCON CX power plug 9 1 x USB cord 9 4 rubber feet 9 1 x CD ROM with driver software 9 1 x CD ROM with bundle software 9 this manual with quick...

Страница 11: ...he operation of the UCON CX with small latencies is unfortunately hindered by certain types of USB host controllers Please check prior to setting up the unit if the USB host controller present in your...

Страница 12: ...Connectors Here is one example of how the UCON can be set up in a music studio environment 10...

Страница 13: ...h microphone plug there is a 20dB switch Pushing it will lower the level of a connected signal prior the pre amp by 20dB This is mostly needed for line signals and if an input signal is still distorte...

Страница 14: ...ixer and Output Control Info shows the current driver version of the UCON CX This is needed when consulting our support service with certain questions The menu is opened with a single mouse click with...

Страница 15: ...you can read the labels INPUT and PLAY for the different channel types INPUT channels are physical inputs These are the 8 analog inputs and the ADAT or S PDIF input on the case of the UCON As opposed...

Страница 16: ...AUX 1 will result in a volume increase of the signal in the signal sum aux 1 pulling up knob AUX 2 increases the volume of the signal in signal sum aux 2 and so forth Hence the aux knobs have the sam...

Страница 17: ...ulled up Just like that PRE button of AUX 2 is activated when pushing PRE button of AUX 1 Now here comes the balance knob BAL It regulates the volume relation between left and right channel of the sig...

Страница 18: ...only exception made is for the analog inputs Here the level is captured after the gain knob but before the fader If PRE is not active it is measured and shown post that means after the fader This appl...

Страница 19: ...he main sum which comes out at the mix out and the headphone out of the UCON CX They are assigned either to the left or the right channel As long as LINK is pushed they are moved synchronously Adaptab...

Страница 20: ...m accidentally being changed Of course apart from all these functions the window can be changed in horizontal size Congratulations You just gained all necessary knowledge in order to successfully mix...

Страница 21: ...signal of a software The Output Control controls all signals leaving the UCON CX It is opened with single click on Output Control via the UCON symbol on the Windows taskbar You probably figure that t...

Страница 22: ...3 and aux 4 are grouped to stereo couples This is how you do it Example you wish to monitor the sum AUX 1 2 at the analog output 1 2 of the UCON Thus push the AUX 1 2 knob in the output channel with t...

Страница 23: ...e is one output channel As opposed to the channel of the optical digital output which is hid and deactivated In Non ADAT Mode all ADAT output channels are hid and deactivated As opposed to the channel...

Страница 24: ...p are to be assigned You can save many many different setups Clicking on Load Setup opens Windows file browser where the location of an already saved setup is to be assigned If a file is chosen clicki...

Страница 25: ...symbol on the taskbar Don t worry about all those plenty of options which it offers We ll take it easy with em one after the other Should questions remain we recommend taking a look at the hands on p...

Страница 26: ...n of audio signals is now limited to max 48 kHz 15 pitch Since the sample rate for the UCON is set up globally this applies to all audio signals passing the UCON That means you are no longer allowed t...

Страница 27: ...if no playback is active between different clocks All other settings are being explained in the following Z For examples for the practical use and precise explanations of what a clock actually is ple...

Страница 28: ...he wordclock input WC IN is interpreted as wordclock and used When choosing Superclock Input 128 x Fs the clock at the wordclock input WC IN is interpreted and used as superclock with 128 times the sa...

Страница 29: ...f you work with an audio application using the ASIO interface of the UCON all clock settings will be managed by that program and overwrite the current settings in the manager Which clock source is use...

Страница 30: ...ck 4 stereo audio tracks from an audio application on different devices of the UCON ADAT 1 2 to ADAT 7 8 If all devices would be started and stopped asynchronously it could happen that track 1 here AD...

Страница 31: ...rbing signals on the running recording or playback That s why the UCON will inhibit the usage of such channels 2 You already work with certain in or outputs of the UCON with a certain sample rate Now...

Страница 32: ...nfirming these by clicking OK By standard error and warning messages are therefore deactivated For diagnostically purposes it is recommended to deactivate this option since it can provide a good hint...

Страница 33: ...31...

Страница 34: ...can be at all achieved with the UCON The value of the latency of the audio driver interface e g ASIO must never be smaller than this Z Important hints on how to set up the latency of the UCON you can...

Страница 35: ...here may differ from computers with comparable static CPU clock They are not reliable in that case Clicking on the save button will create a file including the data of the USB Timing Profile This is...

Страница 36: ...d via the classical MME interface They appear with the suffix MME on recording and playback devices within an audio application Please quit all audio applications prior to activating this option GigaS...

Страница 37: ...ata out of the transmitted MIDI data You get shorter processing times of the MIDI signals but without loosing a single MIDI command 35 Filters active activates all existent MIDI filter options For mos...

Страница 38: ...nds which can now be filtered for each single channel By clicking On or Off the chosen MIDI command is filtered or passed through on all channels On View by Channel Command Filters shows all MIDI chan...

Страница 39: ...w by Matrix all MIDI channels and the MIDI command filters are shown in form of a matrix System Data Filter The command filters offered here are MIDI channel independent but concern the chosen MIDI po...

Страница 40: ...s become a standard for professional music production The ASIO Device Setup offers important settings for the UCON CX using the ASIO interface It is opened from within the audio application which supp...

Страница 41: ...lance which signal origins from the CD player In the bottom left corner of the window the Execution priority slider is situated It can be moved between high and low by dragging it with the mouse In po...

Страница 42: ...o in just 5 minutes he fills the first piece of paper with lots of notes He then hands the paper to the musician who instantly starts to transform these notes into beautiful melodies He too is now bus...

Страница 43: ...system load is recommended Connect your stereo to the analog output 1 2 at the UCON CX 1 Activate Test tone on Analog 1 2 in the settings window 2 Wait approx 2 to 4 seconds to check if distortions a...

Страница 44: ...imple signal e g a stereo track and control it via the UCON 3 Go to the audio setup of the audio application 4 For an ASIO application the latency is set up at the ASIO Device Setup For an GSIF applic...

Страница 45: ...in the UCON Mixer with the help of the gain knob How to do it Z If the overload lamp flashes when using the 4 analog inputs on the front of the UCON CX even though the gain knob is completely closed t...

Страница 46: ...cle bases on section Mixer and Output Control as well as Sounding Good from the Hands on part Hardware routing Plu Z Read section Sounding good g the microphone cable into the pre amp of the analog in...

Страница 47: ...our monitor volume independently of the musician You wish to hear the signal solo or want to let the musician be louder than the playback No problem the headphone mix is not affected Important for tha...

Страница 48: ...e 8 microphone signals of the drums go to an ADAT converter which is connected with the ADAT input of the UCON Now take good care that all signals reach the UCON Mixer with perfect level The mix out o...

Страница 49: ...el analog input 2 Hence in order for the bass guitarist to hear himself simply pull up AUX 2 at his channel analog input 2 In order for the bass guitarist to hear the singer AUX 2 has to be pulled up...

Страница 50: ...UCON in a live session Situation Let s recall your friend who asked you to mix his band at a live gig Just shortly before the concert is about to begin he comes up to you pretty excited and tells you...

Страница 51: ...to reliably process that amount of data in the given time The software You need a multitrack capable software which can reliably record the audio signals of the UCON The software communicates with the...

Страница 52: ...ctivated via the ASIO device setup Using the multimedia driver all wanted in and outputs are commonly activated via the audio software Set up the latency for MME ASIO Again rather enter bigger buffers...

Страница 53: ...51...

Страница 54: ...e impulse or rate generator The rate given by the clock defines the sample rate Let s make this a little clearer with an example Imagine an orchestra with a conductor The maestro lifts and lowers the...

Страница 55: ...synchronization can be ensured using wordclock or superclock connections But within a compound of digital audio devices the clock has to be the same everywhere Let s take a look at 4 simple examples o...

Страница 56: ...on for S PDIF or ADAT In this the digital output of the UCON CX is connected to a FX unit or a digital mixer The digital output of the device is again connected with the digital input of the UCON CX I...

Страница 57: ...rnal via a soundcard or a synchronizer Depending on the wordclock signal the option Wordclock Input Superclock Input 128 x Fs or Superclock Input 256 x Fs must be active If the wordclock cable of the...

Страница 58: ...sample rate is given by the UCON naming 44 1 kHz In order to convert the analog signals of the UCON with a different sample rate e g 48 kHz the mixer of your studio has to work as clock master For th...

Страница 59: ...alone mode the UCON CX this last setting is still active Example you turn down one gain knob of the Mixer when the UCON CX is connected to the computer It will still be turned down when working in sta...

Страница 60: ...features one ADAT in and output Z The UCON CX features 18 Stereo audio devices Analog 1 8 in and out ADAT 1 8 in and out and digital in and out ADAT ADAT stands for Alesis Digital Audio Tape and is a...

Страница 61: ...s called buffer That means they are a certain time frame out of a complete signal The number and size of the buffer defines the delay time latency Direct Sound Direct X DirectX is a Windows system sof...

Страница 62: ...Z The UCON CX supports the current version 3 of the GSIF standard Interface Interface names a part of a device or software hich other devices or software applications can communicate and possibly exc...

Страница 63: ...e and is a standard of transmitting control signals for sound expanders It transmits e g note information which request a sound expander to play certain notes Pitch In the field of audio techniques th...

Страница 64: ...used to handle digital audio data within the computer see Direct X Wordclock Is the name for a synchronization signal for digital audio systems It ensures for all devices cted to work with the identi...

Страница 65: ...ts 1 8 Max output level 0 dBFS bal 600 Ohm 4 3 dBu Max output level 0 dBFS bal 10 kOhm 7 5 dBu Frequency response 44 1 kHz 20 Hz 20 kHz Frequency response 96 kHz 20 Hz 40 kHz SNR AD 44 1 kHz 104 dB A...

Страница 66: ...receiving a calculation of the approximate repair costs For this please get in contact with our support service Care and maintenance For the UCON CX to serve you a long time errorless please take care...

Страница 67: ...ish downloads htm 2 Take a look at our Audio Guide published on the internet under www marian de 3 If still any questions remain you can contact us via the internet using our support form at www maria...

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