Antares AMM1 Hardware user manual

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Modeled Mic Section
Here’s where the fun really starts. Press the Edit Select button until
the Model LED is lit. This puts the AMM-1 in Modeled Mic Edit Mode
and allows you to select the mic (and its settings) whose characteris-
tics you to want to apply to your audio.
Mod:aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
x y:bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
Pressing the Microphone button while in Model Edit mode brings up
the Model Select screen and allows you to use the Data Knob to
select your desired modeled mic. Repeatedly pressing the Micro-
phone button moves the cursor between the three editable fields:
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaManufacturer Name
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbMicrophone Name
xA/B Compare
In addition, if the currently selected mic is stored in FLASH
memory (as opposed to EPROM), the y field will contain an “*”
to indicate that the model is capable of being deleted (see the
System Edit section for more details). Otherwise it will be blank.
When you first press the Microphone button, the cursor will appear
in the Manufacturer Name field and turning the Data Knob will
scroll through all of the available manufacturers. As each manufac-
turer is selected, the Microphone Name field will display the first
listed mic from that manufacturer.
Pressing the Microphone button a second time will place the cursor
in the Microphone Name field and allow you to use the Data Knob
to select the specific mic of your choice.
Note: Once the cursor is in the Microphone Name field, you may
continue turning the Data Knob to scroll through all of the mics
in the list. Mics are listed alphabetically by manufacturer name.
In some cases a mic will have a second listing with “-w” appended to
the mic’s name. This indicates that the mic we modeled was supplied
with a windscreen and this is the model of the mic with the
windscreen attached.  If you want your audio to sound as if it were
captured with a windscreen, you should select this version of the
model.
Modeled Mic Section 
						

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Modeled Mic Section: A/B Comparison
Some mic names will have as a suffix “(m1)” or “(m2).” This indi-
cates different examples of the same model of mic, often with some
variation or custom modification of the basic model.
Additionally, the list offers a selection called “Bypass.” When Bypass
is selected, no mic model is applied. The net sonic effect of selecting
Bypass here depends on the setting of the Source Mic:
•If the correct source mic is selected in the Source Mic list and
Bypass is selected in the Modeled Mic list, the final output of the
AMM-1 will be stripped of the characteristics of the source mic,
resulting in the signal that would have been recorded by an
ideal instrumentation microphone with no proximity effect.
•If Bypass is selected in the Source Mic list and Bypass is selected
in the Modeled Mic list, the final output of the AMM-1 will be
identical to the original input signal (with the exception of any
added tube saturation).
A/B Comparison
Pressing the Microphone button a third time will move the cursor
from the Microphone Name field to the A/B Compare field. This
function is used to instantaneously compare the effects of two
different Model Mic selections.
Begin by turning the Data Knob until “A” appears in the field (if it
doesn’t already). Now move the cursor to the Manufacturer or
Microphone Name field as desired and select the first mic to com-
pare. Move the cursor back to the A/B Compare field and turn the
Data Knob to display “B” and then once again move the cursor to
select the second mic you wish to compare. Finally, move the cursor
back to the Compare field and turn the Data Knob to switch back
and forth between the two mics while listening to your audio.
Note: The A/B Compare function switches not only the selected
mics, but their associated Proximity, Low Cut, and Pattern
settings as well. To take advantage of this, select the “A” mic
and set the Proximity, Low Cut, and Pattern as described below.
Then return to the Microphone Selection screen and use the
Compare field to select the “B” mic and then set its Proximity,
Low Cut, and Pattern. Finally, return to the Microphone Selec-
tion screen again, move the cursor back to the Compare field
and turn the Data Knob to switch back and forth between the
two mics (and their respective settings) while listening to your
audio. 
						

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Modeled Mic Section: Low-Cut Menu
Proximity
Pressing the Proximity button while in Model Mic Edit mode will
display something like this:
  Model Proximity
     6.50 inches
and allow you to use the Data Knob to select a mic distance for a
desired amount of proximity effect.
Note: Proximity Effect is a boost in bass frequencies resulting
from placing a directional mic in close proximity to the signal
source. The amount of the effect varies from mic to mic, but is
generally inversely proportional to the distance from the mic to
the source (i.e., the smaller the distance, the greater the bass
boost).
Using the Data Knob to set a particular distance will result in the
amount of proximity effect that would be produced by the actual
modeled mic when placed at that distance from the signal source.
The effect of the Proximity control is unique for each model of
microphone. The AMM-1 does not use a generalized approximation
of proximity effect. Each model reflects the specific physical proper-
ties that create the individual proximity effect for that mic.
Note: A secondary effect of mic-to-source distance is the extent
to which environmental ambience is picked up by a mic. For
example, as a mic is moved away from the source, the proximity
effect decreases, but the amount of “room tone” increases
(assuming that you are not in an anechoic chamber). The AMM-1
does not model this effect. However, judicious use of the Proxim-
ity control in combination with some appropriately programmed
reverb will allow you to create the same effect, with the addi-
tional bonus of being able to control the exact nature of the
room tone.
Mics operating in omnidirectional mode to not exhibit a proximity
effect. Consequently, if the modeled mic is an omni mic, or the
modeled mic has selectable patterns and omni is chosen, the Proxim-
ity will default to “no proximity effect.”. 
						

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Low-Cut Menu
Pressing the Low Cut button while in Model Mic Edit mode will
display something like this:
    Model LowCut
       80 Hz
If the mic you select as the Model Mic is equipped with a user-
selectable low-cut filter, pressing the Low-Cut button will allow you
to use the Data Knob to select from among the actual filter settings
available on that mic. (If the selected mic does not have a low-cut
filter, the display will default to “none.”.)
If the modeled mic does include a low-cut filter, selecting a low-cut
setting will reproduce the same effect that selecting that setting
would have on the actual modeled mic.
Note: The setting labels that appear in the menu are those that
appear on the physical mic. In some cases, the label is the cut-off
frequency of the low-cut filter as specified by the mic’s manufac-
turer. However, the AMM-1 does not simply apply a generic low-
cut filter at the stated frequency, but instead models the actual
filter performance of each modeled mic. In other words, a stated
cut-off frequency is only as accurate as the filter on the actual
mic.
Another Note: Although it’s always best to let your ears be your
guide, if your audio was recorded with the source mic’s low-cut
filter turned on, in most cases it will be best to turn on the
modeled mic’s low-cut filter as well. (After all, there was pre-
sumably some reason that someone chose to use that filter in
the first place.)
Pattern
Pressing the Pattern button while in Model Mic Edit mode will
display something like this:
    Model Pattern
      Cardioid
Modeled Mic Section: Low-Cut Menu 
						

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Preserve Source
If the mic you select as the Model Mic menu is equipped with user-
selectable pick-up patterns (i.e., omni, cardioid, hypercardioid, etc.),
pressing the Pattern button will allow you to use the Data Knob to
select from the actual pattern settings available on that mic. (If the
modeled mic does not have selectable patterns, the display will
default to “none.”)
If the modeled mic does include multiple patterns, select the pattern
whose characteristics produce the effect you desire.
Note: The purpose of the Pattern selection is to model the
varying frequency characteristics that result from each of the
available pattern settings, with the assumption that the audio
was recorded on axis (i.e., from the front of the microphone).
Since the AMM-1 has no way of knowing the actual placement
of the signal source, it does not attempt to simulate off-axis
performance.
Preserve Source
The Preserve Source buttons allow you to split your audio into its
bass and treble ranges and process each range separately. This lets
you create hybrid mics that combine the bass characteristics of one
mic and the treble characteristics of another. One of the two mics
will be your actual source mic and the other can be selected from
any of the available models.
Say, for example, that you have a mic whose bass response is great
for a particular track, but whose treble response just doesn’t sound
right. With this feature you can preserve the bass response of your
source mic while replacing its treble characteristics with that of any
of the modeled mics.
Here’s how it works:
1 Make all the appropriate settings for the Source Mic section. (Do
not select Bypass unless you are going for some special effect, as
it will defeat the normal function of this feature.)
2 Choose the other mic for your hybrid and make all the appropri-
ate Modeled Mic settings. (Again, do not select Bypass unless
you are going for some special effect.)
3 In the Preserve Source section, press either the Bass or Treble
button (its associated LED will light) depending on whether you
want to preserve the bass or treble characteristics of your source
mic. 
						

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Preserve Source/Tube Saturation
There are four possible states of the two Preserve Source buttons.
Here’s what each does (o =LED lit):
1) Preserve Source:  Treble OBass O
With neither button pressed, frequency splitting does not take place
and the AMM-1 operates in its normal manner according to the
settings in the Source and Modeled Mic sections.
2) Preserve Source: Treble OBass o
With the Bass button pressed, the source mic’s bass characteristics
are allowed through unchanged while the treble characteristics are
neutralized. Then, at the model end, only the model’s treble charac-
teristics are applied to the signal. The net effect is that you get the
source mic’s bass characteristics and the modeled mic’s treble charac-
teristics.
3) Preserve Source: Treble oBass O
This, as you’ve probably guessed, is the reverse of no. 2. With the
Treble button pressed, the source mic’s bass characteristics are
neutralized while the treble characteristics are allowed through
unchanged. Then, at the model end, only the model’s bass charac-
teristics are applied to the signal. The net effect is that you get the
source mic’s treble characteristics and the modeled mic’s bass charac-
teristics
4) Preserve Source: Treble oBass o
With both buttons pressed, both the source’s bass and treble charac-
teristics are allowed through unchanged and no model is applied to
either range. This is equivalent to selecting Bypass for both the
Source Mic and Modeled Mic, with the exception that the Proximity
controls for both the source and modeled mics remain active.
Tube Saturation
The Tube Saturation section is designed to model the distortion that
is typical of a high-quality tube pre-amp.
When tube pre-amps are operated in their linear range, there is
virtually no signal distortion and their audio qualities are essentially
identical to solid state pre-amps. However, it commonly occurs that
transients exceed the linear voltage range, resulting in distortion.
The distortion characteristics of a vacuum tube pre-amp is vastly
different than that of solid state amplifiers and is often described as
adding a certain “warmth” to a sound (in contrast to what is often
described as the “brittleness” of the solid state sound). 
						

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Tube Saturation/Bypass
The amount of tube saturation effect applied to your audio is
controlled by the Tube Saturation Drive control in combination with
the Input Level control. Turning the Drive knob will temporarily
display the Drive Level value on the LCD:
  Drive gain (dB)
        +8.5
The Drive control determines the amplification factor of the mod-
eled tube pre-amp with the numeric display indicating the amplifi-
cation in dB. At 0 dB , no distortion occurs, even for full amplitude
(+1 or -1) signal levels. These levels represent the “rails” of the
amplifier. As the Drive is increased, the amplification is increased.
Any regions of the signal that increases beyond the rails generate
distortion. (But instead of the usual ugly digital clipping, they are
distorted the same way the tube pre-amp would distort the sound.)
Because the maximum drive is limited to +10 dB, using the Tube
Saturation model requires the original signal to be at a level greater
than -10 dB. If this is not the case, you should adjust the Input Level
control to increase the level of the sound. (Be certain that Input
Level is not increased so much as to cause digital distortion.) It may
be necessary to to go back and forth between Drive and Input Level
a few times to get exactly the effect you want.
Note:If your audio was recorded at an exceptionally low level, it
may be that even maximum Input Level and maximum Drive will
still not result in a level high enough to generate distortion. In
that case, either re-record your audio at a higher level (if pos-
sible) or use an available digital waveform editor to digitally
increase the level (keeping in mind that this may negatively
affect the signal quality).
If you want to add tube saturation distortion without otherwise
affecting your sound, set both the Source Mic and Modeled Mic to
Bypass.
Bypass
Pressing the Bypass button passes audio through the AMM-1 with-
out any processing. The AMM-1 can also be placed into Bypass Mode
via the Bypass Footswitch or by MIDI.
The MIDI SysEx message to engage Bypass is:
F0 00 01 26 11 02 F7 
						

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The MIDI SysEx message to defeat Bypass is:
F0 00 01 26 11 03 F7
The accompanying LED lights to remind you that you are in Bypass
Mode, whether the mode was initiated by the Bypass button, the
footswitch, or MIDI.
Output Level
The Output Level control is used to fine-tune the AMM-1’s output
level. Turning the Output Level knob will temporarily display the
Output Level value on the LCD:
  Output Level (dB)
        -04.5
This control is strictly an attenuator (i.e., no gain is available). You
should always start with it at 0dB (its maximum value) and then
reduce level as necessary. It is particularly useful when adding large
amounts of tube saturation.
System Edit
Pressing the SYSTEM button at any time will place the AMM-1 in
System Edit mode. The System Edit pages allow you to set param-
eters which affect the AMM-1 globally, as well as to access the
FLASH Model Management functions.
When is System Edit mode, the Microphone, Proximity and Low Cut
buttons function according to their secondary red labels (i.e., as
Cursor, Page and Enter buttons).
Navigation
Press the Page button to cycle sequentially through the available
edit pages. You can only move in one direction, but there are so few
pages in System mode that you are never more than a few presses
away from where you want to be.
If a page includes more than one editable field, Press the Cursor
button to move from field to field.
After you have finished making changes, press the SYSTEM button
again to return to normal operation.
Bypass/Output Level/System Edit 
						

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Input/Output Page
Input: xxxxxxxxxxxxx
SRate: yyyyyyyy zzzz
This page is used to set the format and sample rate of the AMM-1’s
input. Use the Cursor button to move between the Input and
Sample Rate fields.
In the Input field, 
xxxxxxxxxxxxx represents one of the
following input options:
ANALOGProcess the signal appearing at the analog
input. The processed signal will appear at the
Analog output. In addition, The AES/EBU
output will contain the processed data on the
left (channel 1) and the negative (180 degree
out of phase) of that data on the right
(channel 2).
Ch1, Ch2 THRUDigital Input. AES/EBU channel 1 is processed,
channel 2 is passed through unchanged.
Ch2, Ch1 THRUDigital Input. AES/EBU channel 2 is processed,
channel 1 is passed through unchanged.
Ch1, Ch2 ZERODigital Input. AES/EBU channel 1 is processed,
channel 2 is zeroed.
Ch2, Ch1 ZERODigital Input. AES/EBU channel 2 is processed,
channel 1 is zeroed.
In the Sample Rate field, 
yyyyyy represents one of the following
sample rate options:
4410044.1 kHz
4800048.0 kHz
DIGTL INDetects the sample rate of the signal at the digital
input and slaves the system clock to that signal.
This field is only editable when 
ANALOG is selected in the Input
field.
The 
zzzz field displays the sample rate detected at the digital
input. If the digital input is not used, the field is blank. When one of
the digital input options is selected or DIGTL IN is selected with an
analog input, 
zzzz will display one of the following:
System Edit: Input/Output Page 
						

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44.144.1 kHz
48.048.0 kHz
ErrNeither 44.1 kHz nor 48.0 kHz or no digital input is
present
Allow Downloads Page
Allow mic downloads?
       xxx
When the xxx field is set to “Yes,” the AMM-1 will respond to
MIDI downloads of new mic models. When it is set to”No,” it will
ignore such downloads. (See Chapter 5 for details on downloading
new mic models.)
This page is of primary use to those who have more than one
AMM-1 in their system, as it allows you to specify exactly which units
will receive any particular download. The more cautious among you
might also want to keep this set to “No” so that there is no chance
of any inadvertent downloads.
LCD Contrast Page
    LCD contrast
        xx
The LCD Contrast parameter lets you set the optimum display
contrast for your viewing angle.
Delete/Restore FLASH Models Page
 to: xxxxxxx
yyy:zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
or
 to:
(no models in FLASH)
System Edit