CARTEC Comp©re manual v1 -

5
The Compère 500 is an 8 slot 500 series rack/psu with a few very cool features. The internal heavy duty power supply providing up to a massive 3 amps per rail giving users total peace of mind about running combinations of modules from our own Pre-Q5 pre-amp, Fe-Q5 EQ, or from other manufacturers without fear of failure or sonic degradation. What also sets the Compère 500 apart from other 500 enclosures is the assignable front panel input XLR. This is in addition to the 8 input and output XLR’s for each module slot. Users will be able to act as a ‘Compère’ and introduce the front panel input signal to any one of the 8 modules via the front panel ‘Aux to input module’ rotary switch and associated +48v phantom power switch. This is intended to provide uninterrupted phantom power when switching to different pre-amp modules. The ‘Aux to output module’ rotatory switch selects which module carries the output and the audio appears on the dedicated rear mounted ‘routing section output’ XLR socket. This enables users to easily and quickly plug something into the XLR input on the front of the rack (or ‘routing section input’ XLR Line In for neat patch bay installations) and make comparisons with different pre-amps, compressors, or EQ’s. In addition, at the rear of the rack each module slot has a ‘patch’ switch which routes the output of a module into the input of the next module slot to the right. Each Compère 500 will ship complete with 4x blank modules free of charge, each one will also have a Cartec Audio $50 ‘Green Back’ voucher which can be redeemed against a future purchase of either or both Cartec Audio Pre-Q5, Fe-Q5 or any future Cartec 500 modules, with a total discount of up to $200, ( based on a purchase of any four Cartec Audio 500 series modules ). Page 1 of 4 MANCHESTER, ENGLAND CARTEC AUDIO LTD 500 series rack with PSU and routing CARTEC Compére MODEL - 3 Amps available per voltage rail for optimum PSU performance even when heavily loaded - Assignable input/output routing with uninterrupted phantom power for instant preamp comparison - Rear ‘Patch’ switches to feed each module into the next to build channel strips Page 1 of 4

Transcript of CARTEC Comp©re manual v1 -

Page 1: CARTEC Comp©re manual v1 -

T h e C o m p è r e 5 0 0 i s a n 8 s l o t 5 0 0 s e r i e s r a c k / p s u w i t h a f e w v e r y c o o l f e a t u r e s .

T h e i n t e r n a l h e a v y d u t y p o w e r s u p p l y p r o v i d i n g u p t o a m a s s i v e 3 a m p s p e r r a i l g i v i n g u s e r s

t o t a l p e a c e o f m i n d a b o u t r u n n i n g c o m b i n a t i o n s o f m o d u l e s f r o m o u r o w n P r e - Q 5 p r e - a m p ,

F e - Q 5 E Q , o r f r o m o t h e r m a n u f a c t u r e r s w i t h o u t f e a r o f f a i l u r e o r s o n i c d e g r a d a t i o n .

W h a t a l s o s e t s t h e C o m p è r e 5 0 0 a p a r t f r o m o t h e r 5 0 0 e n c l o s u r e s i s t h e a s s i g n a b l e f r o n t p a n e l

i n p u t X L R . T h i s i s i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e 8 i n p u t a n d o u t p u t X L R ’ s f o r e a c h m o d u l e s l o t . U s e r s w i l l

b e a b l e t o a c t a s a ‘ C o m p è r e ’ a n d i n t r o d u c e t h e f r o n t p a n e l i n p u t s i g n a l t o a n y o n e o f t h e

8 m o d u l e s v i a t h e f r o n t p a n e l ‘ A u x t o i n p u t m o d u l e ’ r o t a r y s w i t c h a n d a s s o c i a t e d + 4 8 v

p h a n t o m p o w e r s w i t c h . T h i s i s i n t e n d e d t o p r o v i d e u n i n t e r r u p t e d p h a n t o m p o w e r w h e n s w i t c h i n g

t o d i f f e r e n t p r e - a m p m o d u l e s .

T h e ‘ A u x t o o u t p u t m o d u l e ’ r o t a t o r y s w i t c h s e l e c t s w h i c h m o d u l e c a r r i e s t h e o u t p u t a n d t h e

a u d i o a p p e a r s o n t h e d e d i c a t e d r e a r m o u n t e d ‘ r o u t i n g s e c t i o n o u t p u t ’ X L R s o c k e t .

T h i s e n a b l e s u s e r s t o e a s i l y a n d q u i c k l y p l u g s o m e t h i n g i n t o t h e X L R i n p u t o n t h e f r o n t o f

t h e r a c k ( o r ‘ r o u t i n g s e c t i o n i n p u t ’ X L R L i n e I n f o r n e a t p a t c h b a y i n s t a l l a t i o n s ) a n d m a k e

c o m p a r i s o n s w i t h d i f f e r e n t p r e - a m p s , c o m p r e s s o r s , o r E Q ’ s . I n a d d i t i o n , a t t h e r e a r o f t h e r a c k

e a c h m o d u l e s l o t h a s a ‘ p a t c h ’ s w i t c h w h i c h r o u t e s t h e o u t p u t o f a m o d u l e i n t o t h e i n p u t o f t h e

n e x t m o d u l e s l o t t o t h e r i g h t .

E a c h C o m p è r e 5 0 0 w i l l s h i p c o m p l e t e w i t h 4 x b l a n k m o d u l e s f r e e o f c h a r g e , e a c h o n e w i l l

a l s o h a v e a C a r t e c A u d i o $ 5 0 ‘ G r e e n B a c k ’ v o u c h e r w h i c h c a n b e r e d e e m e d a g a i n s t a f u t u r e

p u r c h a s e o f e i t h e r o r b o t h C a r t e c A u d i o P r e - Q 5 , F e - Q 5 o r a n y f u t u r e C a r t e c 5 0 0 m o d u l e s ,

w i t h a t o t a l d i s c o u n t o f u p t o $ 2 0 0 , ( b a s e d o n a p u r c h a s e o f a n y f o u r C a r t e c A u d i o 5 0 0

s e r i e s m o d u l e s ) .

Page 1 of 4

M A N C H E S T E R , E N G L A N DCARTEC AUDIO LTD

500 series rack with PSU and routing

CARTEC

Compére

MODEL

- 3 Amps available per voltage rail for optimum PSU performance even when heavily loaded

- Assignable input/output routing with uninterrupted phantom power for instant preamp comparison

- Rear ‘Patch’ switches to feed each module into the next to build channel strips

Page 1 of 4

Page 2: CARTEC Comp©re manual v1 -

INSTALLATION AND OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS. CARTEC Compére 500 RACK . . .

The CARTEC Compére consists of an 8 slot chassis forhousing modules that conform to the 500 series standard form, an internal 3amp/rail power supply, and passive relay switched routing for all 8 slots.

Page 2 of 4

GENERAL

INSTALLATION

INPUT CONECTIONS: XLR for each slot with pin 2 hot, plus an additional routable input with an XLR either on therear or front of the chassis. The front and rear routable input sockets are in paralell with each other, and should not be used simultaneously.The rear routable XLR input is a direct feed into the module and will pass phantom powerto the cable if engaged on the module that this input is routed to.The front routable XLR input is also fed to the module in the same way, but is AC coupled.This is only relevant to correct operation in regards to +48V phantom power. To power a microphone using the front input, the frontpanel +48V switch next to the XLR must be engaged, with the advantage that this will provide uninterrupted power to the microphone regardless of its routing assigment, and is key to the primary intended application of the Compére. 48v Phontom power will not be passed between the module and this input, which provides protection to modules that might be adversely a�ected by seeing 48v a their input.

OUTPUT CONECTIONS:

On to the routing....

XLR for each slot with pin 2 hot, plus an additional routable output with an XLR on the rearof the chassis (Next to the routable input).when a module is routed to this output, it’s primary XLR output is disconnected and appearsat this socket.

120v or 240v operation is preset internally. It is possible to be changed, but please contact Cartec audio for details on rewiring (which must be carried out by a quali�ed technicial)Check correct voltage before connecting to mains

The internal power supply is a linear regulated design, with a maximum of 3 Amps available as the total for each voltage rail to draw. The standard for the 500 series form factoradvises that modules should stay below 130mA current draw each which gives a total of1.04 Amps for 8 slots.. Only one third of the Compéres capability.The performance of power supplies degrades as they reach their rated capability, and we feel that it’s important to do justice to the great range of designs available for the 500 format by ensuring a good safety margin and peace of mind that the e�ects of PSU ripple don’t diminish the performance.

POWER SUPPLY:

M A N C H E S T E R , E N G L A N DCARTEC AUDIO LTD

Page 3: CARTEC Comp©re manual v1 -

M A N C H E S T E R , E N G L A N DCARTEC AUDIO LTD

CA

RTE

C A

UD

IO L

TD -

Com

pére

rear

pan

el

INP

UT

1

SLO

T 1

SLO

T 1

SLO

T 2

OU

TPU

T 1

Cab

le

INP

UT

1 P

ATC

HS

WIT

CH

Cab

le

OU

TPU

T 2

SLO

T 4

Fron

t/rea

r rou

ting

inpu

t w

ith ro

tary

sw

itch

to 4

Exa

mpl

e 3:

Rou

ting

sect

ion

Exa

mpl

e 1:

Bas

ic IN

/OU

T op

erat

ion

Exa

mpl

e 2:

Rea

r pat

chin

g to

mak

e ch

ains

S

et th

e in

put r

otar

y sw

itch

to 5

..an

d no

w it

inse

ts th

e si

gnal

to th

e ne

xt s

tage

of t

he c

hain

S

et th

e ou

tput

rota

ry s

witc

h to

5..

and

now

it ta

kes

the

sign

al fr

om o

ne s

tage

bac

k in

the

chai

n

PAT

CH

SW

ITC

H

Cab

le

SLO

T 6

R

OU

TIN

G S

EC

TIO

NIN

PU

T (P

aral

lel w

ith fr

ont)

AN

D O

UTP

UT

SLO

T 5

Out

put r

otar

y sw

itch

set t

o 6,

and

out

put s

igna

l ta

ken

from

the

rear

ro

utin

g ou

tput

XLR

PAT

CH

SW

ITC

H

Page 3 of 4

Page 4: CARTEC Comp©re manual v1 -

Every compere rack ships with four of these steel blank panel GREENBACK vouchers.

Either leave them sitting pretty to cover up your spare slots, or trade them in for $50 discount off each Cartec 500 series module you purchase (limited to one voucher per module).Currently we have two discrete transformer coupled input and output modules:

Pre-Q5 - Which is our microphone Preamp with ‘pultec type’ inductor EQ and switched output attenuation

Fe-Q5 - Our 3 band 0.5dB switched EQ with a high pass filter

Better yet, once your rack is full, you can still keep the Greenbacks as nice paperweights, sincethere’s no need to send them anywhere.Just go to WWW.UNITYAUDIO.CO.UK/GREENBACKS and you’ll find instructions there on howto arrange the discount through your preferred dealer. Easy!

Page 4 of 4

M A N C H E S T E R , E N G L A N DCARTEC AUDIO LTD

Page 5: CARTEC Comp©re manual v1 -