Instruction/ maintenance manual of the product ModFx Ampliton Alesis
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Re fe rence Manual.
This pa ge intentionally left blank 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100 % Copyright 2002, Alesis. All rights reserved Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Specifications subject to change without notice. All trademarks are the property of their respective holders.
Table of Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................... 3 Welcome! .........................................................................................................3 About the Ampliton ............
Table Of Contents 2 Using the Foot Switch ...................................................................................34 Sample Settings .............................................................3 5 Blank templates ..........................
Introduction 3 Welcome! Thank you for making the Alesis Ampliton a part of your studio. Since 1984, we've been designing and building creative tools for the audio community. We belie ve in ou r products, because we've heard the results that creative people like you ha ve achie ved with them.
Introduction 4 About the Ampliton Your new Ampliton is a member of the Alesis ModFX family of performance effects boxes. This particular ModFX unit, the Ampliton, is an amplitude modulator that combines a t remolo effect with an autopan effect.
Introduction 5 Ampliton Key Featu res • Two digital effects in one box (tremolo and autopan), each with its own separate controls for modulation sou rces, depth and speed • Uniform, friendly, unco.
Introduction 6 How to Use This Manual A little technical kno wledge will help you get the most out of y ou r gear...it’s really pretty simple. This manual is divided into the following sections describing the various functi ons and applications for the Ampliton.
Safety Instructions/Notices 7 Important Safety Instructions (English) Sa fe ty sy mbols used in this p roduct This symbol alerts the user that there are important operating and maintenance inst ructions in the literatu re accompanying this unit.
Important Safety Instructions 8 11. Use only attachments or accessories specified by the manufactu rer. 12. Use only with a cart, stand, bracket, or table designed for use with professional audio or music equipment. In any installation, make su re that inju ry or dama ge will not result from cables pulling on the apparatus and its mounting.
Important Safety Instructions 9 CE Declaration Of Conformity See ou r website at: http://www.alesis.com FCC Compliance Statement This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC rules .
Important Safety Instructions 10 Instructions de Sécurité Importantes (French) Sy mboles utilisés dans ce p roduit Ce symbole alèrte l’utilisateur qu’il e xiste des instructions de fonctionnement et de maintenance dans la documentation jointe a vec ce produit.
Important Safety Instructions 11 11. N’utilisez que des accessoires spécifiés par le const ructeur. 12. N’utilisez qu’a vec un stand, ou table conçus pour l’utilisation d’audio professionnel ou inst ruments de musique.
Important Safety Instructions 12 Lesen Sie bitte die folgende Sicherheitshinweise (German) Sicherheit Sy mbole ve rwendet in diesem Produkt Dieses Symbol alarmiert den Benutzer, daß es wichtige Funktionieren und Wartung Anweisungen in der Literatu r gibt, die diese Maßeinheit begleitet.
Important Safety Instructions 13 11. Benutzen Sie nur das vom Hersteller empfohlene Zubehör. 12. Verwenden Sie ausschließlich Wa gen, Ständer, oder Tische, die speziell für professionelle Audio- und Musikinstrumente geeignet sind.
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1 Quick Start Guide 15 If y ou can’t w ait to get started The Alesis Ampliton is a unique product, but its basic hookup and operation is similar to other effects units in most respects. If y ou're experienced with signal processors, this chapter is a "shorthand" guide for those who want to start using the Ampliton right away.
1 Quick Start Guide 16 A quick overview of the controls Roc ke r s wi tc h es The TREMO LO an d AUT OPA N swi tch e s se lec t the c ur r e n t e f fe c t m o d e, as s ho w n b y the LE D s ne x t t o the m. The RA TE kn ob s a ffec t the s pe e d o f m od u l a ti on , i n c o o pe ra tio n with th e TEMPO S Y NC an d TA P T EMPO b u tt o ns .
2 Connections 17 Unpacking and Inspection Your Ampliton was packed carefully at the factory. The shipping carton was designed to protect the unit du ring shipping. Please retain this container in the highly unlikely e vent that you need to retu rn the Ampliton for servicing.
2 Connections 18 Connecting audio The Ampliton will work in many different applications, whether y ou are connecting an inst rument directly into it, or connecting it through a mixing console. But since the Ampliton is a stereo effect unit, it’s important to know whether the source will be stereo or mono.
Connections 2 19 Connecting to the Channel Inserts o f a mixing console: Most recording consoles ha ve a jack near the mic and line inputs labeled "Insert". This is typically a TRS jack with the send and retu rn on the same jack. To use the Ampliton as a channel insert, y ou will need an insert cable (not included).
2 Connections 20 Connecting to the Main Ou tputs o f a mixing console: In addition to channel inserts, most mixing consoles have main insert jacks near the main outputs. You can use insert cables to connect the Ampliton to the main L/R bus the same way y ou connect it to a pair of channels.
Connections 2 21 Connecting to the inse rts on an instrument amplifie r : The insert send on a guitar or bass amp is usually labeled "effects send and retu rn" or "insert send and return". This allows you to preamplify y ou r instrument before flanging it and sending it to the power amp.
2 Connections 22 Connecting to equipment with XLR inpu ts and outputs: If you are connecting the Ampliton to a product with XLR balanced inputs and outputs, y ou will need to convert this signal to a 1/4” unbalanced connector. Make su re that Pin 2 of the XLR connector is connected to the Tip of the 1/4” adapter or cable.
Connections 2 23 Using the ModLink The Ampliton can be connected to other effect boxes in the ModFX family via the ModLink. The ModLink is a cable-free connection between two ModFX units that t ransfers digital audio and word clock. The 9-pin male connector on the left side of the unit is the ModLink IN port.
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3 Using the Ampliton 25 This section defines t remolo and autopan, and e xplains the functions of the Ampliton’s cont rols in greater detail. The two sides of the Ampliton The basic operation of the Ampliton couldn’t be simpler.
3 Using the Ampliton 26 What is Tempo Sync ? Tremolo and Autopan are both rhythmic effects—they have a beat. Sometimes, you’ll want the rate of the effect to match the beat of your music instead of being random. For e xample, you can set the rate so that the Autopan effect pans from side to side once per measure, or once per quarter note.
Using the Ampliton 3 27 Description of Controls Rate The [RA TE] knobs change the speed of the Ampliton’s effects: • The [RA TE] knob on the left cont rols how quickly the Tremolo effect will happen. • The [RA TE] knob on the right cont rols ho w quickly the Autopan effect will happen.
3 Using the Ampliton 28 Tremolo Mode Rocke r Switch The up/do wn rocker switch beside the Tremolo label on the left side of the unit selects the type of t remolo effect. The LEDs next to the switch light up to indicate the cu rrent mode. There are fou r kinds of Tremolo a vailable, explained below.
Using the Ampliton 3 29 Patte rn This mode randomly generates a 16-step sequence to modulate the t remolo or autopan and repeats it over and over. Pattern mode sometimes makes the level jump quickly from step to step, while other le vels “glide” from step to step.
3 Using the Ampliton 30 Au topan Mode Rocker Switch The up/do wn rocker switch beside the Autopan label on the right side of the unit selects the type of autopan effect. The LEDs next to the switch light up to indicate the cu rrent mode. There are five kinds or shapes of Autopan available.
Using the Ampliton 3 31 Uncertainty This mode randomly generates a continually altering waveform for the autopan. Patte rn This mode randomly generates a 16-step pattern for the autopan modulation and repeats it o ver and over. Pattern mode sometimes makes the le vel jump quickly from step to step, while other le vels “glide” from step to step.
3 Using the Ampliton 32 Reset Mod Press this button to reset the autopan and tremolo modulation as follows: • In TRIANGLE and SQU ARE modes, press [RESET MOD] to start the wave from the be ginning of its phase. In Autopan, the wave starts at the right side, then moves to the cente r/left.
Using the Ampliton 3 33 Tap Tempo This button affects the speed of the effect whenever the tremolo and/or autopan is set to TEMPO SYNC mode. In that mode, you can tap this button along with the music to set a new tempo. The Tap Tempo light will flash at the cu r rent tempo.
3 Using the Ampliton 34 By pass This button sends the signal directly from the input to the output without any effect. Press [BYPASS] to check the sound of the source without any effect from the Ampliton. When the red BYPASS LED is lit, both Tremolo and Autopan are off.
4 Sample Settings 35 While there’s nothing like disco vering new sounds for yoursel f, we thought it would be a good idea to pro vide some sample settings of the Ampliton to help get you started.
4 Sample Settings 36 D J Transform This i s a DJ tr an sf o rm ( ga t i ng ) e ffe ct in ti m e wi th t h e m us i c a t 1 6 t h no te in t e rv a l s . U s e [ BY PA S S] t o tog g l e th e e f fe c t o n an d o f f o n c ue . A round the World This se tt ing wil l m a ke th e s ou nd r e vo lv e a r o un d y o u r h e a d.
Sample Settings 4 37 B lank F il l in y o u r ow n fa v o r ite s et ti ng s h er e . Pho toc op y th e n e x t pa g e if yo u ne e d mo r e s pa c e . Spin the Wheel Tre mo lo st ar t s fa st, e nd s s l o w , a n d yo u n ev er kn ow q u it e wh e r e the p an will en d u p .
4 Sample Settings 38 Blank templates.
5 Troubleshooting 39 Troubleshooting Index If you experience problems while operating you r Ampliton, please use the following table to locate possible causes and solutions before contacting Alesis Product Support for assistance. Sy mptoms Cause Solution No a udi o output s.
5 Troubleshooting 40 Sy mptoms Cause Solution Pro blem w ith th e source Try bypass ing t he Amp li ton by con nec t i n g the input cabl e s to t he out put c a bl es a nd see if the problem rem ains . AC hum Gro und lo op Place al l eq uip m ent in the stu d io on a co m m o n gro un d (s ee next pa ge) .
Troubleshooting 5 41 Avoiding g round loop noise In today’s studio, where it seems every piece of equipment has its own computer chip inside, there are many opportunities for ground loop problems to occu r.
5 Troubleshooting 42 If the basic experiments don’t unco ver the sou rce of the problem, consult your dealer or technician t rained in proper studio grounding techniques.
Troubleshooting 5 43 Care and Maintenance Cleaning Disconnect the AC cord, then use a damp cloth to clean the Ampliton’s metal and plastic surfaces. For heavy dirt, use a non- abrasive household cleaner such as Formula 409™ or Fantastik™.
5 Troubleshooting 44 Obtaining repai r service Before contacting Alesis, check over all your connections, and make su re y ou’ve read the manual. Customer s in the USA and Canada: If the problem persists, contact Alesis and request the Product Support department.
Specifications 45 Audio Inpu t Input Connectors: 2 unbalanced 1/4” jacks Maximum Input Le vel: +10 dBV Nominal Level: -10 dBV Input Impedance: 470k Ω Input Converter Resolution: 24-bit, 48 kHz sam.
6 Specifications 46 This pa ge intentionally left blank..
Index 47 amplifier, 21 A UTOPAN, 25 switch, 16 Autopan switch, 30 BYPASS , 16, 34 with foot switch, 34 cables, 22 DEPTH , 16, 27 digital converters, 34, 45 DSP, 45 Effect Send/Return, 20 FOO T SWITCH .
Warranty / Contact Alesis 48 Alesis Limited Wa r ranty AL E SI S C ORP OR ATI ON ( "A LES I S" ) w ar r an ts th is prod uct to b e fr ee of def ect s in material an d w or kman sh i p fo r a pe rio d of one (1 ) yea r for pa r t s an d f or a p er iod of on e ( 1) year fo r l abor fr om the date of origi nal ret ail pu rc hase.
Warranty/Contact Information 49 Alesis Contact Information Alesis Studio Elect ronics Los Angeles, CA USA E-mail: support@alesis.com Website: http://www.alesis.com Alesis Ampliton Reference Manual Revision 1.0 by Alex Souppa & Dan Tinen Copy right 2002, Alesis.
An important point after buying a device Alesis ModFx Ampliton (or even before the purchase) is to read its user manual. We should do this for several simple reasons:
If you have not bought Alesis ModFx Ampliton yet, this is a good time to familiarize yourself with the basic data on the product. First of all view first pages of the manual, you can find above. You should find there the most important technical data Alesis ModFx Ampliton - thus you can check whether the hardware meets your expectations. When delving into next pages of the user manual, Alesis ModFx Ampliton you will learn all the available features of the product, as well as information on its operation. The information that you get Alesis ModFx Ampliton will certainly help you make a decision on the purchase.
If you already are a holder of Alesis ModFx Ampliton, but have not read the manual yet, you should do it for the reasons described above. You will learn then if you properly used the available features, and whether you have not made any mistakes, which can shorten the lifetime Alesis ModFx Ampliton.
However, one of the most important roles played by the user manual is to help in solving problems with Alesis ModFx Ampliton. Almost always you will find there Troubleshooting, which are the most frequently occurring failures and malfunctions of the device Alesis ModFx Ampliton along with tips on how to solve them. Even if you fail to solve the problem, the manual will show you a further procedure – contact to the customer service center or the nearest service center
