Sound Performance Lab 2272 Stereo Amplifier User Manual
Contents
1. One main reason for this is that transformers cancel out a large amount of odd harmonics those portions of an audio signal that sound harsh to human ears The GainStation 1 s input transformer delivers 7 dB of additional passive gain which must be added to the printed values Technical specifications are subject to change without notice spl GainStation 1 31 Warranty cS SPL products are manufactured using carefully selected compo nents and materials and state of the art production techno logy Every SPL product is thorough inspected and tested before leaving the factory including acoustic and electronic testing SPL warrantees the SPL 24 96 AD Converter Model 2376 to be free of defects in materials or workmanship for a period of 24 months after the date of purchase Should any trouble caused by defects in materials or workmanship develop during this period SPL will repair or at our option replace the product at no charge Should SPL choose to replace the product we reserve the right to replace it with a newer model In order to validate your warranty you must either return the enclosed warranty registration card completely filled out to SPL or register your product online within 14 days of purchase You may register your product online at www soundperformancelab com or in the USA or Canada at www spl usa com The warranty period begins on the date of purchase The warranty is non transferable Repairs or repla2. User s Guide Co Gain lt pl Station Power 30 0dB 9 18 Clip ADOVL 48V Limit O 00000 O O Mic 50 Rev 10k On Peak aHa HiZ Off Nor 200 Off Fet SAN G4 VBE 9 N 121618 212224 2 18 Mic 7dB w transformer GainStation 1 Models 2272 2273 Single channel microphone and instrument preamplifier User s Guide GainStation 1 Models 2272 2273 Version 1 0 6 2003 Designer Ruben Tilgner This user s guide contains a description of the product It in no way represents a guarantee of particular characteristics or results of use The information in this document has been carefully compiled and verified and unless otherwise stated or agreed upon correctly describes the product at the time of packaging with this document Sound Performance Lab SPL continuously strives to improve its products and reserves the right to modify the product described in this manual at any time without prior notice This documentis the property of SPL and may not be copied or repro duced in any manner in part or fully without prior authorization by SPL SPL electronics GmbH Sohlweg 55 41372 Niederkruechten Germany Tel 49 0 2163 983 40 Fax 49 0 2163 983 420 Email info soundperformancelab com C 4 www soundperformancelab com 2003 SPL electronics GmbH All rights reserved Names of other companies and their products are trademarks of their respective owners GainStation 1 IMEROGUCUOM
3. signals only The TRS output connector see Analog Outputs page 10 can be operated both with balanced and unbalanced wiring Simply use amono 1 4 plug for unbalanced operation spl GainStation 1 9 Rear panel connections 2 C v T 9 3 0 Q Sle GND GND 2 Ring XLR Wiring 1 MIC INPUT Jack Tip ED MIC INPUT Dynamic condenser or tube microphones can be connected to the MIC input The 48V switch provides the phantom power necessary for some microphones see also Control elements Phantom on page 16 The MIC input can also be used as a balanced connection for professional audio equipment with a maximum output level of 20 dBu IMPORTANT NOTE Always switch the phantom power 48 V off before connecting anything other than phantom powered condenser microphones HI Z LINE INPUT The instrument input HI Z Line Input is for electric guitars and basses or other high impedance line level signals such as keyboards samplers drum machines etc with unbalanced outputs If a balanced connector TRS is inserted the ring of the plug is automatically connected to the ground to ensure proper unbalanced operation ANALOG OUTPUTS 1 2 The preamplified output signal is fed to the balanced Analog Outputs Since the XLR and 1 4 TRS connectors are wired in parallel an unbalanced connection at one connector will cause the other connector to operate unbalanced e g if a mono
4. tionally allows tube saturation since tube distortion contrary to transistor distortion is often a desirable effect Once you have adjusted the gain levels as described above use the Output Level control to set the optimal output level for subsequent devices in the chain IMPORTANT NOTE The Output Level control should not be set above odB when working with high internal levels of more than 18dBu Otherwise extremely high output voltages of up to 34dBu approximately 38 Veff can occur which can damage other equipment Please refer to the documentation of your other equipment regarding maximum input levels GainStation 1 Operation Operation Go Combining different amounts of clean and tube gain will create various effects The GainStation1 operates virtually distortion free with the tube stage bypassed The sound is clean and trans parent with extreme detail and very low noise The clean stage is ideal for most acoustic instruments as well as jazz or clas sical recordings If you activate the tube stage and increase the gain setting slowly you will notice that once you reach a certain level harmonic distortion enters the signal The sound becomes punchier and fatter and attains more loudness At this setting the tube stage is still relatively noise free and ideal for adding a bit of presence and liveliness to signals that may otherwise sound dull or lifeless This setting works very well with stringed i
5. utmost care since distortion and clipping are easily heard and absolutely undesirable in classical and most acoustic record ings In general the limiter should only be used if absolutely necessary Acoustic guitar with pickup A combination of clean and tube stages will deliver good results here Lower tube gain settings between 1 and 9 dB will result in avery acceptable S N ratio Moderate use of the peak limiter will provide the best protection against clipping Guitar amps As with acoustic guitars combining the clean and tube stages is especially effective when miking guitar amps Higher Tube Gain settings result in more punch and loudness The more distorted the guitar sound the less limiting is required since the distor tion process levels dynamics spl GainStation 1 23 Application examples Ea Electric Bass Ifan electric bass is directly connected to the HI Z input a combi nation of clean and tube stages is usually best In the case of extreme dynamics the FET limiter will deliver excellent results and a tight punchy bass sound that usually needs no additional compression Keyboards samplers drum machines Electronic sound sources allow you to fully utilize the GainStation1 s potential The clean stage is excellent for clear glassy sounds and pads and a combination of clean and tube stages for most other sounds The more dynamic the material the more effectively you can utilize the limiter Tube dis
6. 1 4 plug is inserted into the 1 4 jack the corresponding XLR socket will also operate unbalanced IMPORTANT NOTE The output connectors can deliver an output level of up to 34 dBu Please ensure that all other equipment can handle these levels to prevent possible damage GainStation 1 Rear panel connections POWER The POWER switch turns the GainStation 1 on indicated by the blue POWER LED on the front panel or off 24 96 AD Converter optional DIG OUT SYNCINPUT SAMPLE RATE 00 SPDIF jock SPDIF x2 44 1 m48 The optional 24 96 Converter module model 2376 provides a digital output for the GS1 in the form of an S P DIF output with RCA and optical connectors in parallel The converter trans mits 24 bit signals The module is based on a 24 bit converter by AKM with a variable sample rate of up to 96 kHz All common sample rates can be selected see below Highly accurate quartz oscillators ensure a Clean low jitter master clock SAMPLE RATE The 24 96 AD converter module allows you to select between the four most common sample rates 44 1 48 88 2 and 96 kHz Using the 44 1 48 button select one of the two basic sample rates out 44 1 kHz in 48 kHz The x2 button doubles these sample rates to select 88 2 or 96 kHz respectively spl GainStation 1 11 Rear panel connections l 4 DIG OUT ED ADIN 2 If the optional 24 96 AD converter module is installed th
7. a low noise field effect transistor that is especially well suited to this task due to its extremely high input impedance The signal then passes to the clean gain stage In order to ensure the shortest possible signal paths all swit ching functions are handled by optimally positioned encap sulated relays with gold plated contacts the switches them selves only trigger the relays Since resistors also greatly affect audio quality the entire audio signal path utilizes painstakingly selected resistors with 0 1 tolerance The op amp circuits use premium FKP foil condensers which sound much more open than ceramic types and provide more natural dynamic response All circuit boards have oversized grounding surfaces for optimal shielding In the case of the power supply no expense was spared After all the power supply is one of the primary factors in the audio quality and overall sound of any device Just like the best coffee beans in the world will not produce a good cup of coffee with poor water the best circuits can t produce a great sound with unreliable inconsistent current The transformer delivers seven different voltages each of which is separately screened and regulated 250 V anode current for the tube 12 6V for tube heating and relays 48V for phantom power 2 x 15V for the LED s and 2 x 30V for the audio signal path GainStation 1 The 2x 30 V current alone is first pre regulated to 33 V and then reduced to 30V i
8. completely dark before re patching GainStation 1 Control elements LIMITER The GainStation1 offers two types of output level limiting PEAK and FET The limiter is pre output level control so that the limited signal can be optimally adapted to the internal or external converter The peak limiter operates with special diodes that convert signal peaks into a type of saturation Depending on the signal this allows levels to be effectively and subtly limited This type of limiting works very quickly reliably limiting even microsecond long transients and is very effective for drums and percussion The peak limiter also enables maximum loudness Operation is displayed via the Limit LED The FET limiter is additionally available when the tube stage is activated The FET circuit operates with a Field Effect Transistor FET which is connected to the tube and enables always in conjunction with the peak limiter a reduction of signal ampli tude Thus this limiter works in a similar fashion to a compressor which makes it very effective for signals that undergo unfore seeable level changes i e vocals speech guitar bass piano etc and where minimum loss in signal quality is desired The peak limiter is always active post FET limiter to ensure reliable protection The Limit LED also displays the operation of the FET limiter always somewhat more calmly than with peak limiting IMPORTANT NOTE If the tube stage is deactivated whil
9. counter clockwise causes the tube stage to be deactivated and bypassed via a relay TIP For optimal signal noise ratios at high preamplification values the majority of preamplification should be achieved via the solid state stage adding just enough of the tube stage for the desired sound Due to the nature of tubes and tube circuitry the tube stage is somewhat noisier than the solid state stage OUTPUT LEVEL This potentiometer adapts the output level to devices following in the chain or to the converter At o dB the output level is equal to the internal level indicated by the LED display The OUTPUT LEVEL control allows an additional 6 dB of amplification or 26 dB of reduction The output level control is post limiter to allow maximum levels to the internal or external converter IMPORTANT NOTE If the internal level is noticeably above 18 dB the orange 18 dB LED is brightly illuminated and the output level is set to 6 dB the output level at the analog outputs can be up to 34 dBu Please ensure that all other equipment can handle these levels to prevent possible damage GainStation 1 Control elements SOURCE This switch allows you to select between the MIC and HI Z LINE inputs Both inputs can remain connected at all times regard less of which input is selected When first thrown after powering up the unit this switch can cause a noticeable pop due to the discharge of residual current This is normal and no cause for c
10. low frequency signals are tight and transparent with clear into nation Percussive transients are interpreted more precisely which leads to a clearer rhythmic content and in turn a more solid rhythmic performance and perception A bassist using the GainStation1 as a preamp will immediately notice that he hears and feels what he is playing much better which leads to improved playing and a better recording The track will have more punch and dynamics greatly improved presence and almost palpable detail In short the instrument sounds incredibly authentic and alive Beta tests with the GainStation1 showed that all instrumentalists enjoyed playing more and in many cases were truly amazed at what their trusty instrument was capable of Given this improvement in the input signal one is much less inclined to equalize and compress in many cases you will probably find that you can do without additional processing which not only saves an enormous amount of time and processor power but also has an extremely positive effect on the final result The GainStation1 itself offers effective sound shaping capabi lities at recording most notably via the tube stage which can be completely bypassed or continuously added to the preamp circuit allowing everything from extremely subtle warmth to a very noticeable tube saturation effect The integrated limiter can be used to protect an internal or external AD converter from clipping or for example t
11. ain off output level odB 20 22 kHz A weighted 67 2 dBu Noise Clean Gain 20dB Tube Gain 10dB output level odB 20 22kHz A weighted 86 4 dBu EIN Clean Gain 60 dB Tube Gain off output levelo dB 20 22kHz A weighted 400 127 2 dB Dynamic response 20 22kHz A weighted 2130 dB Common Mode Rejection Clean Gain 30 dB Tube Gain off 1 kHz Input 30 dBu output level o w o transformer 80dB Maximum Output Level 34 dBu Max Input Level Mic Input Hi Z Input 17 dBu Input Impedance Instrument input 1M0 Output impedance 075 O Slew Rate Clean Gain 30dB Tube Gain off Output Level 6dB 240 V s Phantom power 48V 2V Power consumption w o AD Converter 25W GainStation 1 Dimensions weight Dimensions WxHxD 106 X122x 271mm Weight w o Lundahl transformer and AD converter 2 65kg Options The following accessory is optionally available e Lundahlinput transformer upgrades after sale by authorized service personnel or SPL only e 24 Bit 96kHz AD converter Upgrading after sale can also be done by clients e SPL GainBag Transportation bag for GainStation1 average sized microphone and cable e 19 3U mounting frame for up to four GainStation1 Information on Lundahl input transformers Transformers have the characteristics usually associated with other analog components like tubes or coils they sound warmer fatter punchier more direct improved presence without boosting the top end
12. arent and dynamic subtle string transients and harmonics are repro duced with amazing detail to create a harmonious colorful sound Keyboardists also benefit from the GainStation1 s excellent sonic characteristics On stage the keyboard signal often runs through a DI and then through endless lengths of cable By using the GS1 as a preamp and connecting its output directly to the stage box the FOH console receives a much healthier signal so it and the engineer can do their work effectively Due to its compact format the GainStation1 can almost always be placed in an ergonomic position without being in the way The following section while not attempting to represent a complete guide or answer all questions provides several oper ational tips for various instruments GainStation 1 Application examples Vocals speech The tube stage is well suited for adding presence to vocals Exercise caution when setting levels particularly with the clean stage since vocals can be extremely dynamic The FET limiter can be very helpful here to level peaks in a subtle musical fashion and ensure safe levels for AD conversion Once the limiter is properly set see Limiter page 20 tube gain can be added as required Acoustic instruments orchestra The tube stage should be used very sparingly if at all when miking recording orchestras or acoustic instruments to ensure the highest possible S N ratio Levels should be set with the
13. at the Limit LED illuminates brightly Then reduce the Output Level until the AD OVLLED goes out Now your gain levels can be returned to their normal settings and the limiter can be switched into FET mode if desired The same method should be used with an external converter except that in this case the external unit s clip LED is used for calibration If you are only using the FET limiter and your program material contains few fast transients the output level can be set somewhat higher GainStation 1 Operation n i Application examples ED Next to the obvious recording or sound reinforcement appli cations the GainStation1 is also extremely interesting as an instrument preamp for musicians Bassists can go through it directly into a power amp resulting in a sound that is hard to achieve with standard bass preamps with unparalleled punch detail and dynamic An electric bass was used exten sively during development as a test generator Using the FET limiter results in an extremely compact bass sound which can usually get by without additional compression On stage the GainStation signal can be fed directly to the FOH console Be sure that the console has a pad activated to prevent clipping The GainStation1 is a much better choice for acoustic guitar than standard DI boxes which rarely have high enough imped ance to effectively amplify low level pickup signals With the GainStation1 guitars sound much more transp
14. cements do not extend the warranty period This warranty does not apply if e the product was not purchased from an authorized SPL dealer e repairs are required due to normal wear and tear e the product has been abused misused or improperly maintained or if repairs or alterations have been made or attempted by any other than authorized SPL service personnel e the serial number has been removed or defaced In no event shall SPL be liable for any indirect incidental or consequential damages from the sale or use of this product either during or after the warranty period SPL disclaims liability for any implied warranties including implied warranties of merchantability and or fitness for a specific purpose after the warranty period This warranty gives you specific legal rights You may have other rights which vary from country to country and state to state Some of the above limitations may not apply to you SPL electronics GmbH 41372 Niederkruechten Germany GainStation 1 GainStation 1 Notes User s Guide GainStation1 Models 2272 amp 2273 All you need is imagination good ears and three letters
15. ctions Wiring S P DIF signal to DAW S P DIF signal for external HD recorder etc synchronization MAINS INPUT V 50Hz 315 mA NING TO REDUCE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC V 60 Hz 630 mA SHOCIBDO NOT EXPOSE THIS UNIT TO RAIN OR MOISTURE PUT SAMPLE RATE QOQ x2 44 1 m48 fa lt a Hy SPDIF tock _SPDIF 2nd signal input of the optional 777777 x A D converter i Microphone Instruments Converter HD recorder Line signals or mixing console Pin wiring of the XLR microphone input 1 GND 2 hot 3 cold Pin wiring of the XLR analog output 1 GND 2 hot 3 cold spl 8 GainStation 1 General advices Rear panel connections Again while the GainStation 1 s housing is EMV proof and protects against HF interference placement of the unit is very important since it amplifies microphone signals as well as other unwanted signals Before connecting the GainStation1 or any other equipment turn off all power IMPORTANT Adjust the voltage setting on the back so that it VOLTAGE FUSE wae 230 V 50 Hz 315 mA corresponds with the power conditions 115 V 60 Hz 630 mA The following graph shows the correct wiring for connecting unbalanced signals to the balanced XLR connectors Output balanced unbalanced 1 GND 2 hot 3 cold The HI Z Line Input connector is designed for unbalanced
16. d card to the SYNC input The AD converter will automatically convert to the same sample rate that is received The 2376 is not equipped to accept Word Clock for synchronization The yellow SYNC LOCK LED illuminates when a valid sync signal is present at the SYNC input and the converter is automatically synchronized to the external sample rate The internal oscillators are automatically disabled when an external clock signal is present to prevent interference If the sync signal is no longer present e g in the case of a dropout the converter automatically reverts to the sample rate selected via the buttons GainStation 1 SYNC INPUT lock SPDIF M Control elements N oti 22 Sy N Mic 7dB w transformer A ABE GA a 16 18 22 4 CLEAN GAIN This potentiometer controls the amount of preamplification provided by the class A solid state stage A range of up to 63 dB is provided For more information please see Setting levels on the GainStation 1 on page 19 IMPORTANT NOTE If a Lundahl input transformer is installed add 7 dB to the printed values TUBE GAIN This potentiometer controls the amount of preamplification provided by the tube stage This stage follows the clean solid state stage so that the gain values of the two stages are addi tive Setting Clean Gain at 20 dB and Tube Gain at 15 dB results in 35 dB of total preamplification Turning the Tube Gain control fully
17. e FET limiting is active the LED will continue to display in FET limiting mode For more information on using the limiters please see page 20 Limiter GainStation 1 Peak Fet Limit a Control elements Power O AD OVL Ga POWER LED This LED indicates that the GainStation1 is connected to the proper AC current and switched on If the tube stage is active when the unit is switched on it can take several seconds before a signal can be heard this time is necessary for the tube to reach operating temperature LED Level Display The level display shows the peak level before output level control A special circuit allows the LED s to vary in brightness to display in between values The 30 LED illuminates weakly at 30dB and reaches full brightness at odB The odB LED illumi nates weakly at odB and reaches full brightness at 9 dB and so on The CLIP LED operates post CLEAN GAIN stage and displays clipping at this point in the signal path It will not react to tube saturation in the tube stage since this can be a desired effect AD OVL This LED displays clipping in the internal AD converter and illuminates at approximately 0 5 dB before o dBfs This LED should never illuminate when using the internal or an external converter if it does the output level must be reduced accord ingly If the converter is not being used or not installed the AD IN 1 MUTE switch should be activated so that the outp
18. g a signal and sending it along its path with a healthy foundation requires a great deal of thought and engineering effort To this end the GainStation1 employs technologies that not only satisfy test equipment but also and mostimportantly the user Components and circuits were care fully chosen and designed on the basis of extensive measure ments and listening tests In short developing the GainStation1 was a major undertaking that required immense amounts of time and experience Another important goal in designing the GainStation1 was that the case itself should optimally adapt itself to modern produc tion environments It was to be as compact as possible allo wing easy transport and ergonomic placement in virtually any situation A free standing case which does not need to be rack mounted has several advantages not only are the inputs and outputs always easily accessible but the unit can also easily be placed on top of an amp outboard rack or even some keyboards on your desk next to your laptop or in direct proximity to a microphone to allow for maximum operational comfort and minimum cable lengths GainStation 1 To accommodate portability the optionally available SPL GainBag ensures safe transport of the GainStation1 and offers additional storage for cables and an average sized micro phone For more permanent installations up to four GainStation1 s can be rack mounted in one optionally available 3 unit rack space
19. ies 26 Technical Specifications s ccsicscsssnsscescsvecsevsenvesconadosssceoss 30 Dimensions weight csccscccsseceseessecssseeseceseecsseesseeeseees 31 Optionen Information on Lundahl input transformers _ 31 Warranty svssceseccanssaacssescscecesscocsavcesavensensesensceseseasseeesereess 32 NOLES sieer anneer aer E SE NN EEEN rN SEER NSSS 33 GainStation 1 Contents Introduction Input makes all the difference Modern audio production relies increasingly on digital systems for recording and mixing processes DAW s digital consoles etc The advantages of digital audio are manifold and include affordable storage comfortable editing recall capabilities and automation On the downside digital systems still do not offer the same audio qualities and sound characteristics of high end analog equipment Especially digital equalizers and other aspects of the mixing domain cannot compete with the open transparent sound of the best analog gear So today more than ever your input signal has to sound as good as possible the quality of your original tracks will largely define the end result Lifeless or dynamically lacking signals are often over processed with EQ compression and other effects in an attempt to compensate often an extremely tedious process in the digital domain that doesn t always produce the desired results Attacking this problem on the preamplification front with the goal of noticeably improvin
20. is input can be used to convert an external analog signal To avoid clip ping the input level should not exceed 12 dBu 12 dBu corre sponds to full digital gain of odBfs Excessive input levels are indicated by the AD OVLLED If no connection is made here the output signal of the GS1 is routed to both channels of the converter TIP AD IN 2 can also be used as an insert for external pre conver sion processing Connect the analog outputs of the GainStation1 to the external processor s inputs and the processor s outputs to AD IN 2 on the Gain Station1 One channel of the converter output will contain the dry or unprocessed signal while the other channel will contain the processed signal AD IN 1 MUTE Channel 1 of the converter is internally connected to the analog output so that the AD OVL LED is always active If the converter is not being used this connection can be bypassed via the AD IN 1 MUTE switch so that the LED does not continuously blink or illuminate TIP If no converter is installed this switch should always be activated DIG OUT The converted S P DIF signal is routed in parallel to the RCA and optical outputs The signal is in professional format with no sample rate data in the status block GainStation 1 Rear panel connections SYNC INPUT The SYNC input allows you to feed an external signal into the converter to control the sample rate Connect an S P DIF output from your master source e g soun
21. jescetescssdoeys fhccden ces Seenzsecscstescsecseestaayedscctesenethes 4 Before ygu egin dorsiers io a 7 Rear panel connections 8 WARIS sisicisiscsanenncen 8 General advices sssssssssvscisenesesscceetaacesscsesavasdssedss sussesvesn 9 Connectors and SWitChES sismissirsssisesceiiosisessisiirisiiniieis 10 Optional AD Converter 11 Converter related connectors essssssssssssserereesssssssssess 12 ControlelementS eee ceeseseseceeseeeeeseeeeeeeeees Clean Gain Tube Gain Output Level Source HiPass PHAS sssescsssscaiscsscicasceecscdsssssssaasessiscs Impe dO PHANtOM seavsssseweveasecscaciiceesssatssdoassdecseceasedecs Limiter POWER LED LED Level Display AD OVL ou eeeeeeeeee 18 Operation aciesasccsusssarsscecsscergaiccasaesaeiversdeceaseeusacepapeionsesans 19 Setting levels on the GainStation1 19 Limit r ccvecsetendidcesauSeteueccesbasena canted deduveteneseacsaveacsessedvendes 20 Application examples 22 Vocals Speech srssisisssssersssesstsssss 23 Acoustic instruments orchestra 23 Acoustic guitar with pickup eseeeseecesseeseseeeesneeeeeees 23 Guitar amps Electric Bass Keyboards samplers drum machines cccsessseesseeeees 24 Tube distortions with GainStation1 Drums Snare Drum KIGK DIFUM ssscsevszasaccseses TOMS ssssscersnsazsavaresacs Overhead svessacsssedecucssleniecedseseedsdeenseceaves feavecdecivevecshn Technology isesisessepetseavesssisvanadiercsccaveeletvesavssteciesseaecsavea
22. mounting frame Main technical features of the GainStation 1 Custom designed and built fully discrete class Aop amps no off the shelf stuff here The GainStation s op amps feature 60 Volt operating voltage twice as high as most common op amps for an incredible dynamic range An extremely high amplifier slew rate of 200 V microsecond ensuring clean transmission of high frequency signal portions and rapid transients with virtually no cut off An almost entirely DC coupled signal path making signal degenerating condensers unnecessary An optimized layout guarantees the shortest possible signal paths while generously proportioned grounding surfaces ensure low impedance and maximum shielding All switching functions are handled by encapsulated relays with gold plated contacts All resistors are within 0 1 tolerance and were selected after extensive listening tests A no compromise power supply with extensive additional shielding and seven separately wound and regulated voltages The power supply is of primary importance to audio quality its importance should not be underestimated A tube stage utilizing premium MKP foil condensers and a select 12 AX7 LPS tube for clear dynamic audio GainStation 1 Introduction Introduction This cutting edge technology ensures that signals recorded with the GainStation1 have more presence and substance and will easily cut through a mix even at lower levels Extremely
23. n order to filter out the last remnants of hum This task is handled by select 1000 pF electrolytic capacitors In addition critical currents are stabilized via a 100 nF MKP foil condenser to ensure sufficient current for even the shortest impulses The transformer is encompassed by double shielding to keep magnetic stray fields to an absolute minimum In our humble opinion the time and energy invested in the deve lopment of the GainStation1 was well worth it The result is an extremely compact unusually flexible preamplifier that delivers audio quality usually found only in units costing much more We believe we just may have set a new record in the sound per cubic centimeter category GainStation 1 Technology Technical specifications cS Frequency response Clean Gain 30dB Tube Gain off output level odB 0 5 dB 1 Hz 125 kHz Frequency response Clean Gain 30dB Tube Gain off output level odB 3 dB lt 1 Hz 310 kHz Frequency response Clean Gain 30dB Tube Gain 1dB output levelodB 0 5 dB lt 1Hz 125 kHz THD N Clean Gain 24dB Tube Gain off output level 6dB 20 22 kHz 25 dBu out 0 0005 THD N Clean Gain 23dB Tube Gain 1dB output level 6dB 20 22 kHz 25 dBu out 0 032 Noise Clean Gain 10dB Tube Gain off output level odB 20 22 kHz A weighted 95 4 dBu Noise Clean Gain 30dB Tube Gain off output level odB 20 22 kHz A weighted 91 8 dBu Noise Clean Gain 60dB Tube G
24. nstruments like acoustic guitars electric and acoustic basses and violins since it highlights the harmonics of the strings Naturally these effects become more pronounced asthe amount of Tube Gain is increased The tube can be driven to full satu ration to produce pronounced distortion which can be very effective with synthesizers samplers and drum machines that lack punch Signals recorded in this fashion will generally cut through a mix with no trouble at all Limiter To achieve the desired results with the integrated limiter it is important to understand its operation The threshold value is fixed at 20 dBu The clean and or tube gain settings determine the amount of limiting so that these settings more or less work like a threshold control When the limiter is activated it levels everything above 20 dBu The orange 18 dB LED which displays this level range varies in brightness depending on limiting The actual amount of limiting is displayed by the Limit LED which becomes brighter as more level reduction is applied GainStation 1 The peak limiter sounds different with the tube stage activated since leveling occurs somewhat asymmetrically with the tube in the signal path so that the negative half wave is leveled with a much flatter curve To determine the ideal limiter setting for the internal converter activate the peak limiting mode and adjust the Clean and or Tube Gain to a setting well above your working level so th
25. o add punch to drum tracks which in turn reduces or in many cases even eliminates the need for subsequent compression Put simply the more tracks are recorded with the GainStation1 the more solid and transpa rent and easier to mix the entire recording will be GainStation 1 Before you begin It makes good sense to think about where you place your GainStation1 before connecting it It should be positioned so that you can easily reach it but there are other considerations Try not to place it near heat sources or in direct sunlight and avoid exposure to excessive vibrations dust heat cold or moisture It should also be kept away from transformers motors power amplifiers and digital processors In addition please Do not open the case You may risk electric shock and damage to your equipment Leave repairs and maintenance to a qualified service techni cian Should foreign objects fall inside the case contact your authorized dealer or support person To avoid electric shock or fire hazards do not expose your unit to rain or moisture In case of lightning unplug the unit Always unplug the cable by pulling on the plug only never pull on the cable Never force a switch or knob Use a soft lint free cloth to clean the case Avoid cleaning agents as they may damage the unit GainStation 1 CAUTION RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN AVIS RISQUE DE CHOC LECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR Rear panel conne
26. oncern HI PASS This switch activates the integrated high pass filter which oper ates at a 50 Hz center frequency and 12 dB octave often called a rumble filter The filter is entirely passive avoiding addi tional active circuitry that could potentially degrade the signal and cuts 6dB pre and 6dB post solid state preamplification to prevent the amplification of unwanted low frequency signal portions PHASE The phase reverse function reverses the polarity of the micro phone signal turning the phase by 180 to correct phase inverted signals caused by multiple signal sources A voice over artist for example hears himself during recording through the headphones and simultaneously through the bones in his head Phase inversion will cause an unnatural sound and even minimal variations in distance to the microphone will cause drastic variations in the sound Phase inversion is also commonly encountered when using multiple microphones ona single sound source The GainStation 1 s phase reverse switching is achieved passively via a relay pre preamplification to avoid additional active circuitry GainStation 1 15 Ha Hi Z 50 A off Control elements 10k SA 200 PHANTOM aa Off 48V Gas IMPED This 3 way switch allows you to select between three input impedances for the MIC input The effect varies depending on the microphone used With dynamic microphones a lower impedance set
27. s or roughly three times the total current consumption of a conven tional amplifier which in turn leads to increased heat genera tion Several months went into the development of the GainStation1 op amp First we tested several different circuit configurations using test equipment as well as listening tests with a wide variety of program material It became more and more apparent that less complicated circuits provided better audio results The GainStation 1 s input differential amplifier utilizes an extre mely low tolerance thermal coupled matched transistor pair in a single casing This prevents deviances between the transi stors to ensure minimal THD total harmonic distortion even at various temperatures The resistors in the initial differential amplifier are connected to a secondary differential amplifier also based on a matched transistor pair that handles current conversion GainStation 1 An output stage which also operates in class A mode with over 6mA of closed circuit current functions as a current amplifier The transistors and resistors utilized also had an enormous effect on the audio quality To facilitate selection we assem bled several models and subjected them to extensive listening tests All this trouble more than paid off the final GainStation1 op amp has a slew rate of over 100V us several times faster than industrial op amps This is an absolute prerequisite for clean transparent and dynamic a
28. s with less disciplined drummers Toms Level setting is not quite as critical with toms Moderate use of the FET limiter will provide pleasant yet effective leveling Overheads Using the tube stage on overheads can give the entire drum set extra punch and presence don t worry if the 18 dB LED illumi nates brightly in this case Higher tube gain levels will increase the punch and loudness effect The FET limiter is an additional creative tool on overheads spl GainStation 1 25 Technology Gas Inside the GainStation1 The most time consuming part of the development of the GainStation 1 was searching for selecting and matching compo nents PCB s and IC s One decisive factor in achieving impec cable audio quality is the refusal to accept any weak spots in the chain the insistence upon each link being as good as the next It makes no sense to use a world class op amp with an improperly engineered power supply or lower quality passive components such as resistors and condensers The GainStation1is based on fully discrete op amps that operate in class A mode Class A operation dictates that both end tran sistors are constantly conducting current to prevent distortion In conventional class B amplifiers each transistor carries a half wave and distortion occurs every time current moves from one transistor to the next Class A operation requires much higher closed circuit current approximately 6 mA with this op amp
29. ting will also reduce the input level this effect is less pronounced with good condenser microphones We recom mend the 10k Q setting for most applications although some microphones may benefit from a different setting PHANTOM The GainStation 1 provides 48 Volt phantom power for micro phones requiring external current generally condenser micro phones Such microphones are dependent upon aclean consis tent and noise free power supply for optimal operation and audio quality The GainStation 1 continuously delivers precisely 48 V and a maximum of 14 mA which will power all micro phones IMPORTANT NOTE All microphones with balanced ground free outputs including tube microphones can be used with the phantom power activated First connect the microphone to the GainStation1 then activate the phantom power When finished first deactivate the phantom power and wait at least 30 seconds before disconnecting the microphone to allow residual current to discharge Phantom power should only be activated when using micro phones that require it Please be sure to deactivate phantom power with all other microphones Unbalanced microphones may only be used with phantom power deactivated The 48V LED illuminates to indicate activated phantom power When deactivating phantom power it can take several seconds for the LED to go out since the 48 V current dissipates rather slowly When changing microphones you should wait until the LED is
30. tortions with GainStation1 The GainStation can be a great creative tool for creating distor tion effects for suitable instruments and loops Try using very high tube gain settings so that the 18 dB LED is constantly illu minated Increasing the clean gain will feed more level to the tube stage intensifying the tube saturation effect Activating the peak limiter will add a different type of distortion with more overtones The FET limiter will not add distortion but will create hard limited sounds with an extreme loudness effect GainStation 1 Application examples Drums snare drum Exercise caution when setting levels to avoid clipping Drums are notorious for fast powerful transients that can easily add 10 dB to the average level In addition few drummers or any musicians for that matter are so disciplined that they don t play louder during a take or concert than they do during sound check Experiment to see whether or not you like the sound of the tube stage and in what proportion It s definitely a good idea to use peak limiting to protect converters and or other equip ment and prevent unwanted distortion see Limiter page 20 In FET mode the limiter may be more audible than you d like it to be when used on drums Bass drum Here pretty much the same applies as for snare drum The peak limiter may tend to accentuate the attack or click of the bass drum which can lead to undesirable sound variation
31. udio Transients are depicted with unparalleled accuracy resulting in an open airy and reali stic sound The clean stage is based on a fully discrete balanced instru ment amplifier and also operates in class A mode The special circuit configuration ensures consistent frequency response at virtually every gain setting With its slew rate of over 200V us it is able to amplify fast transients and extremely high frequencies with almost no distortion An op amp subsequently converts the instrument amplifier s output signal into an unbalanced signal which is fed to the tube The tube type a Sovtek 12 AX7 LPS was also selected after extensive measurements and listening tests This tube type delivers an open transparent sound excellent noise values and is especially reliable A generously proportioned 2 2 UF WIMA MKP decoupling capacitor is utilized to ensure clean punchy low frequency response Animpedance converter adapts the tube s high impedance signal to the output stage which also utilizes fully discrete op amps and can easily drive extreme cable lengths Coupling condensers were used as sparingly as possible to avoid their inherent disadvantages such as diffuse sound slurring and loss of dynamics Instead servo circuits were utilized to eliminate DC artifacts GainStation 1 Technology H Technology Gas The Hi Z input is a fully discrete impedance converter that also operates in class A mode It is based on
32. ut signal is no longer routed to the converter and the AD OVL circuit Signals connected to AD IN 2 are also displayed by the AD OVL LED and cannot be switched off they can only be disconnected GainStation 1 In spite of its quality and flexibility the GainStation1 s trans parent user interface allows quick intuitive operation The unit is suited for a wide variety of applications The following sections will provide an overview of the most important opera tional concepts and several application examples Setting levels on the GainStation 1 Start with the limiter switched off With a representative signal present at either the MIC or HI Z input set the desired combi nation of Clean and Tube Gain so that the 9dB LED illuminates brightly When this LED illuminates weakly you have 9dB of gain When brightly lit you have 15 17dB which still leaves you with a good 9dB of headroom in the range displayed by the orange 18dB LED before clipping The orange LED illumi nates dimly at 18 dB and brightly at around 26 GB The red Clip LED should never illuminate this indicates clipping inthe clean stage which generally should be avoided as it will lead to distortion of the solid state circuitry You may find this desir able in some rare cases we had lots of fun creating heavily distorted guitar sounds The Clip LED does not display high amplification levels in the tube stage that could lead to distortion The GainStation1 inten
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