Instruction/ maintenance manual of the product ModFX Bitrman 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 Bitrman .............
Table Of Contents 2 Bypass ...............................................................................................................33 Using the Foot Switch ...................................................................................33 Sample Settings .
Introduction 3 Welcome! Thank you for making the Alesis Bit rman a part of y ou r 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 Bitrman Your new Bit rman is a member of the Alesis ModFX family of performance effects boxes. This particular ModFX unit combines a compressor, a distortion effect, a dual phasor, plus one of six different “Bit rness” effects.
Introduction 5 Bit rman Ke y Featu res • Fou r simultaneous digital effects in one bo x, each with its own separate control: compression, distortion, dual phasor, and “Bitrness” • Six differen.
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 functions and applications for the Bit rman.
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’utilisateu r qu’il existe 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 pou r l’utilisation d’audio professionnel ou instruments de musique.
Important Safety Instructions 12 Lesen Sie bitte die folgende Sicherheitshinweise (German) Sicherheit Sy mbole verwendet in diesem Produkt Dieses Symbol alarmiert den Benutzer, daß es wichtige Funktionieren und Wartung Anweisungen in der Literatu r gibt, die diese Maßeinheit be gleitet.
Important Safety Instructions 13 11. Benutzen Sie nu r das vom Hersteller empfohlene Zubehör. 12. Verwenden Sie ausschließlich Wagen, Ständer, oder Tische, die speziell für professionelle Audio- und Musikinst rumente geeignet sind.
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1 Quick Start Guide 15 If y ou can’t w ait to get sta rted The Alesis Bit rman 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 Bit rman right away.
1 Quick Start Guide 16 A quick overview of the controls CON F I GU RE swit c h This ch o os es th e or d er o f t he fou r i n ter na l e ffe c ts, a s s ho wn b y t h e LED s n ex t to th e s w it c h. S ee pa ge 3 2. CO MP RESS ( 1) is a s ing l e - k n o b co m pr es s or /lim ite r.
2 Connections 17 Unpacking and Inspection Your Bit rman 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 Bit rman for servicing.
2 Connections 18 Connecting audio The Bitrman will work in many different applications, whether you are connecting an inst rument directly into it, or routing signals to it from a mixing console. But since the Bit rman 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 Bit rman 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 Bitrman to the main L/R bus the same way you 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 your instrument before processing 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 Bitrman 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 Bitrman 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 Bitrman 25 This section will e xplain how the effects work, and explains the functions of the Bit rman’s cont rols in greater detail. About multieffects Think of the Bit rman as being fou r different effect bo xes in one.
3 Using the Bitrman 26 About the effects What is Compression? Compression makes things sound louder and more sustained. It reduces the difference between loud sounds and soft sounds. When it “hears” a soft sound, it increases the gain. When it “hears” a loud peak, it instantly lo wers the gain.
Using the Bitrman 3 27 Bit rness Ef fects Because of the unique digital signal processing used inside the Bit rman, Alesis engineers were able to include a family of effects that take effects processing to a whole new le vel. These effects process the input in unique, striking ways that have to be heard to be understood.
3 Using the Bitrman 28 What is Bit Reduction? The BIT REDUCER is an e xt reme combination of limiting and distortion that’s not for wimps. By intentionally reducing the digital resolution (or word length) of the signal, distortion and noise increase, and dynamic range decreases.
Using the Bitrman 3 29 What is Ring Modulation? Ring Modulation was first used in modular synthesizers. Ring modulation happens when two signals are multiplied by each other, creating sum and difference frequencies that aren’t in the original sou rce.
3 Using the Bitrman 30 Description of Controls Comp ress [1] Tu rn the [COMPRESS] cont rol clockwise for more compression. At high settings, you’ll get a lot of sustain, but less dynamic range. When the control’s all the way up, you’ll find that soft and loud inputs both come out at almost the same loudness.
Using the Bitrman 3 31 BIT RNESS select switch The up/do wn rocker switch above the [BITRNESS] knob on the right side of the unit selects the type of Bitrness effect. The LEDs ne xt to the switch light up to indicate the cu r rent mode. There are six kinds of Bitrness effects available, explained pre viously.
3 Using the Bitrman 32 About the six configu rations When the top CONFIGURE LED is lit, the effects are in the same order they’re in on the top panel, from left to right. This compresses the signal before distorting it. The second configuration (B 3 2 1) puts the effects in reverse order, with the compressor last in the chain.
Using the Bitrman 3 33 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 Bitrman. When the red BYPASS LED is lit, all effects are off.
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4 Sample Settings 35 While there’s nothing like disco vering new sounds for yoursel f, here are some sample settings for the Bit rman to help get y ou started. Simply set the knobs on y ou r Bit rman so they’re at the positions shown, and press the rocker switches so each effect is in the mode sho wn by the LEDs.
4 Sample Settings 36 B ell Worship The fr e q u e n c y s h if tin g h e r e m ak e s in ha rm o n i c be l l s ou nd s f ro m the inp u t. Twin Distortion This co m bi ne s c om pr e ss io n wi th dis t o rtio n a nd bit r ed u c t io n to ge t a n as ty d i s to r tion .
Sample Settings 4 37 B lank F il l in y o u r ow n fa v o r ite s etting 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 p a c e . H ollowgram The c o m b filte r m ak e s it s ou nd like y o u ar e lis te n in g thr ou gh a ho llo w t u b e an d the p ha so r g i v e s it s o m e m ot i o n.
4 Sample Settings 38 Blank se ttings templates.
5 Troubleshooting 39 Troubleshooting Index If you experience problems while operating your Bitrman, 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 sourc e Try bypass ing t he Bi t rman by connecting t he i np ut cab les to t he o u tp ut cab les and s ee i f th e prob le m rem a ins. 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 4. Keep all cables as short as possible, especially in unbalanced circuits. 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 Bit rman’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. Customers 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.
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Index 47 amplifier, 21 BIT REDUCER, 28, 30 BITRNESS, 16, 27, 30 order in configu rations, 31 quantized in BIT REDUCER, 28 switch, 16, 31 BYPASS , 16, 33 with foot switch, 33 cables, 22 COMB filter, 27.
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 on e (1 ) yea r f or pa r ts an d for a p eri od of on e ( 1 ) year fo r labo r fr om the d ate of ori gin al ret ail pu rch ase.
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 Bit rman Reference Manual Version 1.0 by Ale x Souppa & Dan Tinen Copy right 2002, Alesis Dist ribution, LLC.
An important point after buying a device Alesis ModFX Bitrman (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 Bitrman 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 Bitrman - thus you can check whether the hardware meets your expectations. When delving into next pages of the user manual, Alesis ModFX Bitrman you will learn all the available features of the product, as well as information on its operation. The information that you get Alesis ModFX Bitrman will certainly help you make a decision on the purchase.
If you already are a holder of Alesis ModFX Bitrman, 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 Bitrman.
However, one of the most important roles played by the user manual is to help in solving problems with Alesis ModFX Bitrman. Almost always you will find there Troubleshooting, which are the most frequently occurring failures and malfunctions of the device Alesis ModFX Bitrman 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
