ADC SS-3 H3LP

[SEAWOLF97]

The other day I picked up an ADC Sound Shaper 3 Paragraphic Equalizer but no manual..

it looks like this ...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=007

hope someone here has experience

Q1. below each of the sliders there is a 3 way switch that seems to modify the function of the slider above it...how does this work ?

Q2. around the center level display there are 4 LED arrows, 2 up and 2 down, that react to the signal....what is the function ?

I've had numerous graphic EQ's over the years, but this monster is a little different , any help wud be appreciated ( or even a link to the manual)

[grumpy]

Q1: 3-way switches just allow you to offset the center frequency of the band influenced
by the slider.

Q2: As you normally want to set up the EQ to have something resembling unity gain,
and modifying the sliders can affect that, the red arrows would probably both "blink"
more or less equally when you've approximated unity gain... using the signal gain
sliders to compensate... at least this is how old Soundcraftsman "comparator" indicators
work (and this appears to be a "similar" feature).

hope that helps.

[SEAWOLF97]

Q1: 3-way switches just allow you to offset the center frequency of the band influenced
by the slider.

Q2: As you normally want to set up the EQ to have something resembling unity gain,
and modifying the sliders can affect that, the red arrows would probably both "blink"
more or less equally when you've approximated unity gain... using the signal gain
sliders to compensate... at least this is how old Soundcraftsman "comparator" indicators
work (and this appears to be a "similar" feature).

hope that helps.

Thanx mucho, Grumpy .....it looks then like each of the 12 sliders can have 3 different values (modify points) WOW !! thats like 144 combinations !

yes, the arrows BLINK ..so when they blink equally UP & DOWN then the channels are even ? or an optimal setting ?

Its a big rack mount thing that seems very well constructed , sounds good too..

[grumpy]

so when they blink equally UP & DOWN then the channels are even ? or an optimal setting ?

"optimal" ? sure, or something approaching it. No one can control what whacky things
some folks will try with a graphic EQ.

channels even? possibly, if the F/R impressed by the slider "curves" are mostly similar
in shape and both channels are playing content with similar spectrum (hint: set the
channel "balance" up/adjust "signal gain" sliders using an input set to mono if possible).

... at least, that's my guess given past exposure to home-stereo graphic EQ's,
& what I'd do.

[organeu]

ADC is a good product, vintage, but you have state of the art DBX 2X31 rather much better than ADC and from HARMAN PRO !
best regard

The other day I picked up an ADC Sound Shaper 3 Paragraphic Equalizer but no manual..

it looks like this ...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=007

hope someone here has experience

Q1. below each of the sliders there is a 3 way switch that seems to modify the function of the slider above it...how does this work ?

Q2. around the center level display there are 4 LED arrows, 2 up and 2 down, that react to the signal....what is the function ?

I've had numerous graphic EQ's over the years, but this monster is a little different , any help wud be appreciated ( or even a link to the manual)

[SEAWOLF97]

hope someone here has experience

Q1. below each of the sliders there is a 3 way switch that seems to modify the function of the slider above it...how does this work ?

the parametric EQ ...each slider is a specific frequency..the 3 way switch will be higher than the marked freq OR center position IS the marked freq OR down is a 3rd freq ...so you can make a choice of 3 for each slider

Q2. around the center level display there are 4 LED arrows, 2 up and 2 down, that react to the signal....what is the function ?

you adjust the volume so that the top arrows and bottom arrows are ON about the same amount of time...called unity gain....so not ALL top or ALL bottom..equal time on for each.

[grumpy]

Dude... you just answered your own questions.

Organeu appears to have been plugging a sale (that is either old or has been
removed), or was attempting to make some sort of apples/oranges comparison.

[SEAWOLF97]

Dude... you just answered your own questions.

Well ,yeah...but at the start of this thread..I didnt know till you helped me out Grump..now I can help udders... (hope I got it right )

[grumpy]

Ok, I won't make any unnecessary references to what goes first with age then

I don't honestly think Organeu was interested in a reply.

[boputnam]

Thanx mucho, Grumpy .....it looks then like each of the 12 sliders can have 3 different values (modify points) WOW !! thats like 144 combinations !

This is a clever way to cram a 36 "band" EQ into a 12 band space. It it basically is a 1-octave unit, with variable center points as Dave said. It would be interesting (to me) to test the precision of those adjustable center points...

No one can control what whacky things some folks will try with a graphic EQ....

I wish I had a "before and after" picture from last Thursday's show. I was patching-in to the house console and there was some house music was on - sounded pretty muffled, but I was busy. I hadn't paid any attention yet to the house EQ. I started running Pink Noise and it sounded, well, wrong. The house GEQ's were set like nothing I seen before - gigantic valleys centered at 1k (-12dB) with the valley walls each peaked (+12dB). Far beyond the normal, and too-often loved, "Loudness" curves people deploy . So, I flattened it out and ran the test - I ended-up with subtle notches at 63, 125, 250, 2k and 6.3kHz. Nothing drastic was required and it needed no fiddling all night. I can't imagine what the prior night was like for the audience - loud, boomy and mufled all at once. Oops! I forgot to put it back the way I found it!! I almost never do that...

the parametric EQ ...

It is not a parametric - it is merely a graphic with a switchable center frequency for each band. PEQ's have adjustable frequency, Q, and gain. It is the adjustable Q that is their real power.

you adjust the volume so that the top arrows and bottom arrows are ON about the same amount of time...called unity gain.....

Not exactly. You are describing "equal volume/gain". Unity gain is the voltage drive when the input is not overloaded but the signal is sufficient to drive the input to it's full undistorted output voltage. I suppose that "0" on those dB meters would be unity gain for that device, but I don't know it's specs. You shoulld stay near "0" if you can, unless you need make-up gain / attentuation available by the device.

[SEAWOLF97]

It is not a parametric - it is merely a graphic with a switchable center frequency for each band. PEQ's have adjustable frequency, Q, and gain. It is the adjustable Q that is their real power.

Not exactly. You are describing "equal volume/gain". Unity gain is the voltage drive when the input is not overloaded but the signal is sufficient to drive the input to it's full undistorted output voltage. I suppose that "0" on those dB meters would be unity gain for that device, but I don't know it's specs. You shoulld stay near "0" if you can, unless you need make-up gain / attentuation available by the device.

yes, I shud have said "paragraphic" as was stated correctly in the first post.

thanx for info on Unity gain ...have never found a manual on this unit .

[boputnam]

yes, I shud have said "paragraphic"...

So much marketing hype. Perhaps they intended to mislead? Dunno...

..have never found a manual on this unit .

Yeah, I'd love to see one too! These were really well done when they were first released - great gear, which obviously holds it's quality.