26
Combine
21
The V
ITALIZER
works with steep filters and controlled changes of the phase
relationships of the harmonics to process the harmonics structure.
We consciously did without the generator principle of »Exciters«. The
V
ITALIZER
's harmonic filter does not add any distortions to the original
signal, unlike with the generator principle. It extracts all the information it
needs from the original signal. This significantly reduces the hearing
fatigue effect on the listener. By influencing the phase relationship in an
intelligent fashion, the harmonics which have been filtered out are empha-
sized with increasing addition expressed as a percentage. The effect signifi-
cantly improves the speech intelligibility and the transparency. Old archived
recordings sound fresh and silky again. The brilliance of any audio signal
can be improved without it sounding sharp.
The H
ARMONICS
filter derives its input signal from the original signal and
the output of the M
ID
-H
I
T
UNE
filter. If you close the P
ROCESS
control
(extreme left), the B
ASS
and M
ID
-H
I
T
UNE
controls do not function any more.
You can then listen to the H
ARMONICS
control separately.
The second potentiometer level of the M
ID
-H
I
T
UNE
control is responsible
for the cut-off frequency of the H
ARMONICS
filter. A variation of the M
ID
-H
I
T
UNE
control alters the cut-off frequency (fundamental tone) of the harmo-
nics. Both filters complement each other in an ideal fashion as they each
always process the part of the audio signal which is not being processed by
the other filter. If the M
ID
-H
I
T
UNE
control is set at 20 kHz, the H
ARMONICS
filter intervenes at low frequencies. If the M
ID
-H
I
T
UNE
filter is at 1 kHz, the
H
ARMONICS
filter affects higher frequencies. The characteristics of the two
filters therefore complement each other in an ideal fashion.
The C
OMBINE
circuit is used to combine the P
ARAMETRIC
and the V
ITALIZER
sections.
The V
ITALIZER
needs the original signal portion to define the mid attenua-
tion by the P
ROCESS
. If the mid attenuation is not required, C
OMBINE
switches
the original signal off.
The P
ROCESS
control becomes the L
EVEL
control of the V
ITALIZER
. Normally,
the L
EVEL
control is set at M
AX
.
When C
OMBINE
has been activated, the V
ITALIZER
works like an equalizer
which works on a purely additive basis.
Harmonics
20
The VITALIZER's control elements