5
TUBE COMPOSER T1952
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 The concept .................................................................................................................................... 6
1.2 Before you get started ..................................................................................................................... 7
1.3 Control elements ............................................................................................................................. 8
2. OPERATION .......................................................................................................................... 11
2.1 Compression/levelling/limiting/clipping ........................................................................................... 12
2.2 Expander/gate section .................................................................................................................. 12
2.3 Compressor section ...................................................................................................................... 14
2.4 Peak limiter section ...................................................................................................................... 15
2.5 The side chain function ................................................................................................................. 16
2.6 The vacuum tube of the TUBE COMPOSER ................................................................................. 17
3. APPLICATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 17
3.1 The TUBECOMPOSER in the studio ............................................................................................ 17
3.1.1 Controlling leakage in the studio ......................................................................................... 17
3.1.2 Using the TUBECOMPOSER for recording and cassette duplication .................................. 17
3.1.3 The TUBECOMPOSER in digital recording and sampling ................................................... 18
3.1.4 Noise reduction on effects paths ......................................................................................... 18
3.2 The TUBECOMPOSER in live applications................................................................................... 18
3.2.1 Reducing leakage in stage mics ......................................................................................... 18
3.2.2 Reducing feedback in stage mics ....................................................................................... 18
3.2.3 The TUBE COMPOSER as a protective device ................................................................... 18
3.2.4 Improving the sound of a processor system ........................................................................ 19
3.3 The TUBECOMPOSER as a sound effects unit ............................................................................ 20
3.4 The TUBECOMPOSER in mastering ............................................................................................ 20
3.5 The TUBECOMPOSER in broadcast ............................................................................................ 20
3.6 Side chain..................................................................................................................................... 21
3.6.1 The TUBECOMPOSER as De-Esser ............................................................................... 21
3.6.2 Frequency selective filtering of unwanted signals ................................................................ 21
3.6.3 Suppressing instruments during recording ........................................................................... 22
3.6.4 Emphasizing musical instruments during recording ............................................................. 22
3.6.5 Anticipated compression..................................................................................................... 22
3.6.6 Voice-Over compression (ducking) .................................................................................. 22
3.6.7 Triggering additional sounds from a rhythm track ................................................................ 22
4. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND .............................................................................................. 22
4.1 Audio dynamics ............................................................................................................................ 23
4.1.1 Noise as a physical phenomenon ....................................................................................... 23
4.1.2 What are audio dynamics? ................................................................................................. 24
4.1.3 Compressors/limiters .......................................................................................................... 25
4.1.4 Expanders/noise gates ....................................................................................................... 25
4.2 The tubes used in the TUBECOMPOSER .................................................................................... 26
4.3 Tube history .................................................................................................................................. 26
4.4 Design and functional principle of tubes ........................................................................................ 27
4.5 Properties of tubes ........................................................................................................................ 28
4.6 The best of both worlds ................................................................................................................. 29
4.7 UTC circuit .................................................................................................................................... 29
4.8 Studio applications ........................................................................................................................ 29
5. INSTALLATION ..................................................................................................................... 30
5.1 Rack mounting .............................................................................................................................. 30
5.2 Mains connection .......................................................................................................................... 30
5.3 Audio connections ........................................................................................................................ 30
5.4 Selecting the operating level .......................................................................................................... 31
5.5 Transformer-balanced output (option) ............................................................................................ 31
6. SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 32
7. WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................... 34