In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
Quantum
Digital Multi-Band Processor
®
®
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
®
2
Quantum
dbx
Welcome! This application guide has been created to provide you with pertinent infor-
mation regarding the dbx Professional Products Quantum and its ability to act as a stand
alone in-ear monitoring processor.
Not only is the dbx Professional Products Quantum an ideal tool for any mastering pro-
ject, but it has also been optimized to accommodate even the most scrutinizing in-ear mon-
itor application. By offering five bands of parametric equalization and four bands of stereo
gating, compression and limiting allow the user to fine-tune the in-ear monitor system of
even the most discriminating ear.
The Quantum’s ability to allow the user to build custom configurations allows the user
to place the five-band EQ prior to the four-band compressor/limiter. This means that the
compressor/limiter not only adds dimension through the compressor effect, but it also acts
as a watch dog for limiting any unwanted volume spikes that can severely damage hear-
ing.
Take the Quantum for a test drive as an In-ear monitor system
Quantum features:
•
4-band stereo gating, compression, and limiting
•
5-band parametric EQ with either adaptive or con-
stant Q response
•
High and low shelves with switchable slopes of 3, 4.5,
6, 9, and 12 dB/octave
•
Pre- or post-dynamics positionable EQ
•
5-band parametric sidechain EQ with adaptive or con-
stant Q response
•
Dual-mono or true stereo operation with true RMS
Power Summing™
•
TYPE IV™ Conversion System with TSE™ Tape
Saturation Emulation
•
Normalizer with flexible gain optimization
•
Stereo adjustability
•
Dithered outputs to 8,16, 20, or 24 bits
•
Noise shaping
•
Sample Rate conversion
•
Low-jitter synchronized inputs and outputs, utilizing
dbx’s proprietary clock chips
Defining the Quantum In-Ear Monitor System
®
Analog Input/Output Connectors
Each analog channel features both XLR and 1/4" TRS electronically-balanced connections that can
be used in balanced or unbalanced configurations.
MIDI In and Out/Thru Connectors
These connectors provide the QUANTUM with full MIDI functionality. The Out/Thru jack allows
you to use the QUANTUM at any point in a MIDI chain.
Sync In and Out Connectors
BNC connectors are provided for both clock in and out functions. The QUANTUM’s custom dbx
VCXO clock chips are designed for low-jitter performance. You may use the QUANTUM as a mas-
ter clock source (i.e., you may slave other processors to the QUANTUM) or you may slave the
QUANTUM’s clock to any other source device.
S/PDIF Digital Connectors
The QUANTUM’s dual RCA connectors allow S/PDIF digital input and output. (The analog outputs
operate regardless of whether a digital output format is being utilized.)
AES/EBU Digital Connectors
AES/EBU input and output is facilitated through the dual XLR jacks.
IEC Power Cord Receptacle
The QUANTUM comes with an IEC cord and international power supply that accepts 100-240V, at
frequencies from 50-60Hz.
Analog Input and Output Level Controls
The QUANTUM’s analog Input and Output controls adjust analog audio levels at the input and
output stages. (Note: The analog output level controls do not affect any digital processing or dig-
ital output levels.)
The QUANTUM is designed to interface as easily as possible with your current gear. Its wide-
ranging analog input and output gain controls allow connection at nominal levels of either -
10dBV or +4dBu.
Front Panel
Rear Panel Connections
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
Quantum
dbx
3
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
®
4
Quantum
dbx
Analog Level Meters
The analog level meters monitor the analog input and output signal levels.
TSE™ Audio Level Meters
The TSE
TM
meters monitor the level of Tape Saturation Emulation.
LCD Display
The large LCD display shows the various programs, curves, digital meters, parameters, and
modules that have been selected using the function buttons and/or the DATA WHEEL.
Data Wheel / Selector
The DATA WHEEL changes selected parameters, programs, etc. Pressing the DATA WHEEL
moves the cursor from parameter to parameter.
Function Buttons
The function buttons allow access to the QUANTUM’s various programs, modules, utilities,
and parameters.
Power Switch
The Power switch turns the QUANTUM on and off.
The Curve Window
After you have chosen a program, you may want to change some of the parameters to meet
your specific needs. One of the QUANTUM’s most useful tools for creating compression
curves is the curve window, which allows you to see the combined effects of dynamics-
related parameters in a graphical format. The figure below shows the parts of the curve
window that are displayed as you edit gate, compressor, and limiter functions.
Parameter
measurement
units
Type IV™
conversion
indicator
Gain Reduction meter
3 parameters
per "page"
Parameter
page number
Program
number
Channel numbers
within program
stereo link indicator
Chain element
identifier
Dynamics
curve graph
Threshold
Meters
Digital input /
output meters
(peak and average)
Fig. 1.1
Front Panel (cont.)
®
When working with either the sidechain EQ or the in-line the curve window displays a graph-
ical representation of the five parametric bands in a frequency grid. Adjustments to the bands
are shown in real time.
The QUANTUM’s de-esser function has a different way of displaying parameters. With the de-
esser, frequencies are shown on the X-axis (the horizontal bar at the bottom of the graph),
while low frequency roll-off is shown on the Y-axis (the vertical bar on the left hand side of
the graph).
The QUANTUM’s Wizard provides the easiest avenue for programming the unit. To access the
Wizard, press and hold the PROGRAM button.
Once in the Wizard mode, select the task you wish to perform. (The QUANTUM will auto-
matically choose the correct chain type for your task.) If you select Mastering or Mixing, the
Wizard will then ask you to select the type of music being played. After you have selected the
music type, select the desired type of EQ, gating, compression, and limiting (all of which are,
of course, influenced by the musical genre being played). For example, with the music type
set to “Hard Rock,” a “Light” compression setting will be heavier than a “Heavy” setting in the
“Classical” mode.
If you select “Tracking,” you will be asked to setup channel one, channel two, or both (stereo).
If you are tracking two separate instruments in dual-mono, you can go through the Wizard
twice (setting up channel one the first time and channel two the second time). If at any time
you want to quit before completing the Wizard, press the PROGRAM button.
Once you’ve answered all the questions posed by the Wizard, the QUANTUM will display the
message, "WORKING...." Then, a custom setup will appear.
If you are working in a stereo setup, the QUANTUM will allow you to optimize your output
gain. To do so, push the EDIT ALL/BAND button while the loudest part of the program mate-
rial is passing through the QUANTUM. Press the EDIT ALL/BAND button again when the peak
has passed. The Wizard will optimize the output level so that the highest peak is set to 0 dBFS.
(If the PROGRAM button is pressed while gain optimizing, the Wizard will exit without chang-
ing the output level.) The Wizard will then return you to the Program mode.
The following diagram illustrates how audio signals flow through the QUANTUM.
Signal Path
QUANTUM Wizard
Front Panel (cont.)
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
Quantum
dbx
5
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
®
6
Quantum
dbx
The QUANTUM’s Wizard provides the easiest avenue for programming the unit. To access the
Wizard, press and hold the PROGRAM button.
Once in the Wizard mode, select the task you wish to perform. (The QUANTUM will automati-
cally choose the correct chain type for your task.) If you select Mastering or Mixing, the Wizard
will then ask you to select the type of music being played. After you have selected the music
type, select the desired type of EQ, gating, compression, and limiting (all of which are, of course,
influenced by the musical genre being played). For example, with the music type set to “Hard
Rock,” a “Light” compression setting will be heavier than a “Heavy” setting in the “Classical” mode.
If you select “Tracking,” you will be asked to setup channel one, channel two, or both (stereo).
If you are tracking two separate instruments in dual-mono, you can go through the Wizard twice
(setting up channel one the first time and channel two the second time). If at any time you want
to quit before completing the Wizard, press the PROGRAM button.
QUANTUM Program Set-Up
analog
input
analog
input
meter
TSE
meter
analog
input
control
digital
input
control
digital
input
analog
output
digital
input
meter
gain
reduction
meter
TYPE IV™
Conversion
digital
output
meter
digital
output
analog
output
meter
analog
output
control
DSP (Software - Based)
Operations
Bypass
Clone Bypass
(push and hold Bypass for 2 seconds)
D / A
Convertor
A /D
Convertor
Sample Rate
Converter
Dynamics
Processor
Dither
Fig 1.2
®
To optimize the Quantum for peak performance in an In-ear monitor application, please apply the following procedure
and refer to the diagram on the next page.
PROGRAMMING THE QUANTUM
• The first place to begin when setting up the Quantum for a In-Ear monitor specific application is to create a
custom program. This can be achieved by bypassing effects within the signal path of the Quantum including:
Noise Gate and Normalizer effect modules.
• From the Utility menu, you will need to select the input setting of: ANALOG. It is also recommended that the
clock be set to 96 kHz. This is to ensure that the Quantum will sample at the analog signal at the highest
sampling rate.
• For this application, it is crucial to use the Multi-band Compression module of the quantum to increase the
definition of the signal being sent to the In-Ear monitor system.
• Within this application, it is also recommended that the Multi-band Limiter module of the Quantum be used
as a crucial tool for ear protection.
• To color the signal that is being sent to to the In-ear monitor it is also recommended that the 5-Band EQ
module of the quantum be used.
• Once all of the editing operations have been performed on the Quantum, make sure to save the program as a
unique In-Ear Monitor program for future reference.
MAKING CONNECTIONS
• Once the Quantum has been setup internally, make all audio connection so that the signal will run from the
stereo mix outputs of a conventional mixing console through the Quantum, where the optimization takes
place, and then out to the in-ear monitor transmitter with variations and accommodations for subwoofer usage.
The diagrams on the following pages demonstrate the appropriate signal route.
Note from the illustration that you can also route the signal to the Quantum via the Mix inserts and run the
signal from the mixer outputs to the In-Ear monitor transmitter.
• To help add Low-frequency affect, several In-Ear monitor systems give you the ability to run out of the trans-
mitter to an external power amplifier and then to a subwoofer. This will provide the user with low-end rum-
ble, without damaging hearing
Note from the illustration that you can also route the signal from the mixer, to the Quantum, and then through a
crossover, which will in-turn, split the signal to the In-Ear transmitter and the subwoofer, providing the same
affect.
In-Ear Monitor Application
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
Quantum
dbx
7
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
®
8
Quantum
dbx
Mixer to QUANTUM to In-Ear Transmitter
Out-
Stereo Mix
Output - 1
In
Quantum
Input -Ch 1
Out-
Stereo Mix
Output - 2
In
Quantum
Input - Ch 2
Out-
Quantum
Ch - Ch1
Out-
Quantum
Ch - 2
In
In-Ear Trans.
Input -Ch 1
In
In-Ear Trans.
Input -Ch 2
®
Mixer to X-Over to QUANTUM/Sub to In-Ear Transmitter
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
Quantum
dbx
9
Out-
Stereo Mix
Output - 1
In
Quantum
Input -Ch 1
Out-
Stereo Mix
Output - 2
In
Quantum
Input - Ch 2
Out-
Quantum
Ch - Ch1
Out-
Quantum
Ch - 2
In
In-Ear Trans.
Input -Ch 1
In
In-Ear Trans.
Input -Ch 2
X-Over
Power Amp
Subwoofer
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
®
10
Quantum
dbx
Mixer to QUANTUM to In-Ear Transmitter w/ Sub Out
Out-
Stereo Mix
Output - 1
In
Quantum
Input -Ch 1
Out-
Stereo Mix
Output - 2
In
Quantum
Input - Ch 2
Out-
Quantum
Ch - Ch1
Out-
Quantum
Ch - 2
In
In-Ear Trans.
Input -Ch 1
In
In-Ear Trans.
Input -Ch 2
Power Amp
Subwoofer
Sub
Output
Amp
Input
Amp
Input
®
In-Ear Monitor Application Guide
Quantum
dbx
11
In-Ear Application Guide
Quantum
dbx
8760 South Sandy Parkway • Sandy, Utah 84070
Phone: (801) 568-7660 • Fax (801) 568-7662 • Int’l Fax:
(219) 462-4596
Questions or comments?
E-mail us at: customer@dbxpro.com or visit our World Wide
Web home page at: www.dbxpro.com
A Harman International Company
®
Quantum In-Ear MOnitor Application Guide
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
-
9
-
10
-
11
-
12
-
13
Ask a question and I''ll find the answer in the document
Finding information in a document is now easier with AI
Related papers
Other documents
-
EAST WEST HOLLYWOOD STRINGS Owner's manual
-
Extron electronics Quantum Elite User manual
-
Chroma C4-DSP User manual
-
Waldorf Quantum Owner's manual
-
dbx Pro 1074 User manual
-
Extron electronics QGE 100 User manual
-
Johnson Controls Frick QUANTUM LX Maintenance Manual
-
Quantum Scalar i80 User manual
-
Vista Quantum Evolution QUANTUM04-XXEVs Installation and User Manual
-
Quantum Data 700A User manual
