ARX AFW-1 Manuals

Application Notes Application Notes AFW-1 What is the Anti Feedback Workstation? Well, basically it is the best of both worlds! Graphic Equalizers are great products, and are extremely useful tools for professional audio engi- neers. But, they do require a fair degree of knowl- edge to operate them successfully. Feedback Exterminators are great, too, because they automatically find frequencies that are feeding back and pull them down. But, that’s all they do. You can’t tune the system with them - for that, you need an equalizer, usually a Graphic Equalizer. In the ARX AFW-1 Anti-Feedback Workstation, we’ve combined the two products described above, to give users the best of both worlds. An equalizer, to tune the sound of the room/system, and an FBX Anti Feedback to automatically pull out any feed- back. And, as a very useful added bonus, we’ve includ- ed a fast, smooth sounding Peak Limiter to ensure that the signal stays within the level that you de- cide. 10dB cut or boost. The Q of the filter has been spe- cifically optimised to allow easy combining of the filters. This enables you to set up a musical, notch free system curve. It's quite possible to use this section as a stand- alone EQ, but then you'd be missing out on some of the AFW-1's very exciting features! Using the EQ section The idea behind the EQ section is to ‘tune’ the room to the system, and to ‘tweak’ the response a little so that it sounds good. We’re not going to use it to notch out feedback - we’ve got the Anti Feedback section for that - but to adjust the overall sound of the sys- tem so it doesn’t sound ‘boomy’ or ‘harsh’. So, play a tape or CD that you’re very familiar with, and adjust the sliders on the EQ section so that the system sounds ‘just right’. Note that a little EQ is a lot, so use each fader gently. Avoid any sudden dips or peaks - that’s not what it’s there for. The look of the sliders should resemble a smooth curve. If you don’t need to move it, then leave it. Avoid too much boost at lower frequencies. Very few systems can deliver much response below 30 Hz, so it’s pointless pushing those sliders up. It will only waste valuable amplifier power. However 50 to 100Hz can often benefit from a little boost, as can 8 – 12.5KHz. Between those points it should be a smooth succession of gentle curves. The Anti Feedback section The Anti Feedback section of the AFW-1 is essential- ly a computer controlled parametric equalizer which continuously searches for feedback. Once feedback is detected, it extinguishes the feedback automati- cally by inserting a very narrow notch filter directly on the feedback frequency, only as deep as neces- sary to control the feedback. It finds and eliminates feedback typically in less than one second. The result is that the overall program gain is in- creased 6 or more dB and provides much clearer and more natural sounding speech and music. And since it is fully automatic, no operator is required once it has been set up. The digital filters inside the AFW-1 are switch- able between 1/5th octave and 1/10th octave. 1/5th is recommended for speech applications, such as So, as you can see, although it may look a little like a 30 band Graphic Equalizer, it's a whole lot more. Since it involves a few radical departures from the normal way that we think of equalizers, we've put together these Application Notes to familiarise you with the workings and the concepts behind the ARX AFW-1 Anti-Feedback Workstation. Let’s work our way through the operation of the AFW-1, from start to finish. The Equalizer Section The EQ section of the AFW-1 has been designed with- out compromise as a totally accurate professional third octave equalizer, with innovative ‘Constant Q’ circuitry. Constant Q is a true WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) design concept that allows far more accuracy in EQ control. Each of its 30 smoothly damped, centre ground- ing sliders can be adjusted to give a maximum of www.arx.com.au

AFW-1 Owner's Manual v 1.3 CE ©1997 ARX® AFW-1 Owner's Manual v 1.3 CE ©1997 ARX® 1 Anti-Feedback Workstation OWNER’S MANUAL AFW-1 ARX Systems Pty Ltd, PO Box 15, Cheltenham, Victoria 3192, Australia Phone: 03 - 9555 7859 Fax: 03 - 9555 6747 International Fax: +61-3 -9555 6747 On the Web: http://www.arx.com.au Email: [email protected] 12 INTERNATIONAL LIMITED WARRANTY ARX Systems (ARX) warrants to the first purchaser of any ARX equipment that it is free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service. ARX’s sole obligation under this warranty shall be to provide, without charge, parts and labour necessary to remedy defects, if any, which appear within twelve (12) months from date of purchase, and for a further twelve (12) months supply parts only. This is our only warranty. It does not cover finish or appearance items, or if the equipment has been, in ARX’s sole judgement: •Subjected to misuse, abuse, negligence or accident; •Repaired, worked on, or altered by persons not authorized by ARX; •Connected, installed, adjusted or used for a purpose other than that for which it was designed. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages so some of the above exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you and us specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which may apply. Warranty Service Procedure Should it become necessary to have your equipment serviced under the terms of the warranty, please follow these steps: 1. Call your ARX distributor for a Return Authorization (RA) number; 2. Carefully repack the unit, in its original packaging where possible, including a note with a description of the problem, and a copy of the receipt showing date of purchase. Attach these to the actual unit itself. Don’t forget to write your name and address clearly, and in- clude a phone number where you can be contacted during normal business hours. Make it easy for our service technicians to contact you if they have a question. Also, use plenty of packing material - better to be safe than sorry. 3. Send the unit freight prepaid to ARX Systems, at the address given you with your RA number. We will pay the return freight when the serviced unit is returned to you. 4. We strongly recommend you insure the package. We can’t fix it if it gets lost! Send it by UPS, Fedex, or any similar service that can track the package. Parcel Post is not recommended If Warranty Registration Card is missing, please write to ARX in the country of purchase, stating model and where purchased, or to ARX, PO Box 15, Cheltenham, Victoria 3192, Australia.

AFW-1 Anti-Feedback Workstationtm Features þ Automatic Feed- back control þ Genuine FBX Feedback Exter- minator þ 30 band Graphic Equalizer þ Fast, smooth Output limiter þ Intuitive, 'user friendly' layout þ Ultra low noise ‘Constant Q’ circuitry þ Balanced Inputs and Outputs on XLR and Jack connectors þ Audio Ground lift switch on rear þ Flawless perform- ance in any audio environment þ Security cover available Equalizer, Peak Limiter, FBX Feedback Suppression http://www.arx.com.au Tuning a live sound system, whether it’s a concert or a conference or all points in between, is a complex procedure at the best of times! Simply stopping feed- back is only a part of it - you still need to adjust the actual sound of the sys- tem in the room. In the ideal world you’d have an equal- izer to set the system curve, something to eliminate feedback, and something else to keep the system level under control. So, we’d like to introduce you to the ARX contribution to the ideal world - the all-new ARX AFW-1 Anti Feed- back Workstation. A super accurate 30 band graphic equalizer, with up to ± 10dB of cut and boost, a fast, smooth sounding peak limiter, plus onboard genuine FBX Feedback Exterminator circuitry.? Want total control over everything? You’ve got it. Want automatic feedback locating and suppressing? You’ve got that too. Want a safety valve that’ll keep your system in one piece? You’ve got that as well. All integrated into one 2 RU package, all designed to work with each other, and with you. Operation of the AFW-1 is simplicity itself. Just use the EQ section to set the curve you require, press the switch in the anti feedback section for 4 sec- onds, and start pushing up the level. That’s all there is to it. When you’re happy with the way things sound, set the limiter Threshold at the appropri- ate level, and start mixing. If the system is in a fixed installation, simply power everything down when you’ve finished. The AFW-1 remem- bers your anti-feedback settings next time it is used - there’s no need to reset the circuit when it is turned back on. And if you forget the instructions, we’ve printed them on the lid for you! The ARX AFW-1 Anti Feedback Workstation has an application for every mode of live audio: Monitors, Front of House, Church installations, TV audience monitors, Conferences; in fact, anywhere there’s a live micro- phone, there’s a need for the AFW-1.