User manual FISHMAN PRO-EQ PLATINUM

[. . . ] Another innovation utilized in the Platinum is our SmoothTM acoustic compression circuit. This control removes the harsh percussive edge from your amplified sound when you play hard. Sound engineers will appreciate the Pro-EQ Platinum's pro-audio features which include a balanced XLR out, an XLR pre/post EQ switch, plus optional 48-Volt phantom power operation. This means no more batteries or wall warts if your mixer has phantom power. [. . . ] If a 9Volt battery is in the preamp, no battery drain will occur when you use an AC adapter. INPUT This is for all piezo and magnetic pickups (passive or active). Remember to unplug the Input Jack when you are not using the preamp, to conserve the battery's life. It is a good idea to turn down your amp or mixer's input before you plug into this input. Doing so will protect your speakers (and your ears) from loud pops. 4 Owner's Manual INPUT GAIN Use this knob to set the input level of the preamp for the strongest signal with no noise or distortion. Adjust the input gain control so the Clip/Battery Low light faintly flashes when you strum hard. Like the trim control on a pro-audio mixer, the input gain accommodates a variety of signal levels. Input gain is also critical for calibrating the Smooth acoustic compression circuit (see "Smooth" below). CLIP/LOW BATTERY LED (LIGHT EMITTING DIODE) This light has three distinct functions: 1. Power Up Indicator The Clip/Battery Low LED will flash briefly when you first turn on the preamp. Some people ask us, "Why doesn't this light stay on, like a conventional pilot light?" Well, a steadily lit LED devours too many precious hours of battery life. By briefly flashing the light when the unit turns on, we conserve power and extend the useful life of the battery. Clip Indicator / Smooth Acoustic Compression Calibration The Clip/Low Battery LED will light brightly when the signal from your pickup overloads and distorts the input of the Pro EQ Platinum preamp. Adjust the Input gain control until the Clip/Low Battery LED faintly flashes when you play your hardest. This will give you the cleanest signal into the preamp, with no distortion. Setting the input gain in this way is also essential for calibrating the Smooth (acoustic compression circuit). Low Battery Warning When the Clip/Low Battery LED lights steadily with no signal present, it is time to change the battery. 5 Pro-EQ Platinum VOLUME Set this as high as possible (without distorting your amp or mixer) for the cleanest signal. SMOOTHTM ACOUSTIC COMPRESSION Takes the percussive edge off of your high end when you play hard. Adjust the Input Gain so that the Clip/Low Battery light faintly flashes when you play your hardest. Raise the Smooth knob (clockwise) just enough to take the percussive edge off your string sound as you strum hard (set the dial at about 12:00). Be aware that turning the Smooth knob up too high may kill the highs for lighter picking styles. NOTCH AND PHASE These controls work hand in hand to suppress two adjacent ranges of acoustic feedback. When you set them properly, you can play your instrument as loud as you like, feedback free. We use guitar as an example, but the notch filter and phase switch are compatible with all acoustic instruments. NOTCH Tune the Notch filter to scoop out the lowest range of feedback when you play bass notes between the open low E string and (up to and including) the fourth fret G# on the same string. This "cavity resonance" feedback can usually be squelched by setting the Notch control between 1:00 and 2:00 on the dial. Note that for instruments that do not suffer from low frequency feedback, the notch can be defeated by moving the dial to the 7:00 position. 6 Owner's Manual PHASE SWITCH Flip the Phase switch back and forth until you find the position that sounds best and subdues mid-bass feedback. [. . . ] Note that unlike other manufacturer's DI/preamps, our ground lift works even with phantom power applied at the XLR output. 9 Pro-EQ Platinum XLR (BALANCED) OUT Plug a standard XLR cable from your PA or recording console into this low impedance balanced output. Note that the Pro EQ Platinum can run off 48-Volt phantom power through this output. See Power section above for phantom power operation. OUTPUT (1/4" UNBALANCED) Plug a standard instrument cable from this output to a stage amp or an unbalanced microphone input on a Mixer. All the Pro EQ Platinum's controls (except the XLR switches) will affect this output. TUNER/SEND Use this output when you need an unbalanced fixed level signal (regardless of changes in stage or house level), for an external tuner, recording device or a live radio feed. [. . . ]