Fostex FM-3 user manual

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Owner’s Manual
Portable Mixer
Model
FM-3
Thank you very much for purchasing the Fostex FM-3 portable mixer.
To ensure the best performance, read this manual thoroughly before using the unit. Keep this manual handy for
future reference.
Table of contents
Safety Instructions ..................................................................2 Display .......................................................................................14
Adjusting the display brightness ........................

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CAUTION: CAUTION TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT. DO NOT OPEN ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, INTRODUIRE CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, LA LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK). CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU' AU FOND. NO USER - SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL. The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol

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Important Safety Instructions 1 1 ) O n l y u s e a t t a c h m e n t s / a c c e s s o r i e s s p e c i fi e d 1) Read these instructions. by the manufacturer. 2) Keep these instructions. 12) Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, o r t a b l e s p e c i fi e d b y t h e m a n u f a c t u r e r , o r s o l d 3) Heed all warnings. with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use 4) Follow all instructions. caution when moving the cart/appa

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Precautions Precautions before using Precautions on installation • Do not supply the voltage that does not match the Do not install the unit in the following conditions. voltage requirement of the unit. * In an extremely hot or cold place • If you operate the unit on battery power, use alkaline * In a moist place or nickel hydride batteries. * I n a s t r o n g m a g n e t i c fi e l d o r n e a r a d e v i c e • If you supply the power to the unit from the AC po

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Main features • The input trim, HPF and master level controls are push- Mixer section features locked type. You can make them flat with the panel so • Three input channels and two output channels. that they are not accidentally rotated. All input and output channels are transformer- balanced. • You can view the positions of all switches on the side panel from the input status and output status displays. • The analog VCA limiter is provided on each of left and right stereo outp

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Basic operations Tab After fully inserting the battery box, slide Preparation of power supply up the [EJECT/LOCK] lever to the LOCK position. To operate the unit on internal battery power, set AA alka- A tab appears as shown on the right line or nickel hydride batteries to the supplied battery box figure and the battery box is locked. a n d fi t t h e b o x t o t h e b a t t e r y c o m p a r t m e n t o n t h e r i g h t s i d e panel. Battery box compartment

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You can turn on the unit by setting the [POWER] switch Preparation of output channels on the front panel to “INT” (upper position) or “EXT” (lower position). When you operate the unit on internal battery (1) Connect an external audio device such as a power, set the switch to “INT”. recorder to the [MAIN OUT] connectors (L and R). When you operate the unit on external power, set it to (2) Set the output level switch appropriately depending “ E X T ” . W h e n y o u t u r n o n

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Preparation of monitoring : I n t h e f o l l o w i n g fi g u r e s , t h e m e t e r n e e- dles point the reference (0 VU). (1) Connect headphones to the 1/4-inch [PHONES] jack on the front panel or the mini-phone [PHONES] jack on the right side panel. You can use both the 1/4-inch and mini-phone jacks simultaneously. (2) Set the monitor select switch to “ST” and adjust the monitor level using the [PHONE] control. Stereo metering Mono metering (4) After

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Block diagram 9

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Names and functions Front panel section 1. PEAK indicators (1 through 3) Each indicator lights according to the signal level of the corresponding input channel as follows. Lighting level Color Details (compared with the reference level) : For details about the contents of the dis- Approximately -12dB below play, see “Display details” on page 14. Green +8dB the internal maximum level Approximately -3dB below Red +17dB 5. [SLATE] switch (1k / OFF / MIC) the internal maximum level W

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10. Monitor select switch : When you select the [LIMITER] switch to This switch selects the signal monitored by the ON or LINK, the meter display shows “LIM” (pointed headphones connected to the [PHONE] jacks (1/4-inch by arrows below). When the limiter is working, “LIM” and mini). fl a s h e s . T h e f o l l o w i n g s h o w s d i s p l a y e x a m p l e s o f t h e stereo meter display. AUX Signals input to the [AUX IN] connector. When the switch is set to OF

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Left side panel section 1. [INPUT] connector (1 through 3) 5. Microphone power supply switches (T12 / DM /P48) Each switch sets whether or not supplying the Each connector is used to connect an external audio device or microphone. microphone power. Connector: XLR-3-31 type T12 or AB power supply mode. A 12 V power is sup- plied to the hot terminal of the [INPUT] connector. 1 GND T12 : If you do not need T12 power supply, 2 HOT you can disable the power supply via the input 3

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Right side panel section 1. [MAIN OUT] (L, R) connectors 7. AUX OUT level select switch These connectors output stereo buss L and R signals. This switch selects the output reference level of the You can select the output reference level using the [AUX OUT] connector between -10 dBV and -60 dBV. MAIN OUT level select switch described below. 8. AUX OUT select switch Connector: XLR-3-32 type This switch selects the output signal source of the [AUX OUT] connector. GND 1 No signal

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(2) Press the [-] key to lower the brightness or press Display the [+] key to increase the brightness. You can select from OFF and 1 through 5. The display on the front panel of the unit normally Brightness shows the VU and peak meters. You can select stereo or mono metering. The display also can show the status Turning off the 1 2 3 4 5 display of inputs, outputs, etc., which you can edit. You can also adjust the display brightness to match the circumstance. [-] key (darker) [+] ke

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Selecting the meter mode Selecting the status display In the status display mode, not only you can check the You can select the meter mode from stereo, mono L and mono R. By default, it is set to the stereo mode. status for the input, output, meter and system, but also you can edit setting. The meter mode setting remains even after you turn o f f t h e u n i t . I f y o u i n i t i a l i z e t h e fl a s h m e m o r y u s i n g t h e system status display, it is reset

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T12 disabled/enabled setting Input status display Some condenser microphones used for video field re- On the input status display, not only you can see the cur- cording, such as the Sennheiser 416T, require T12 (AB- rent status of the following switches, but also you can 12V) power. The FM-3 can supply the T12 power. disable or enable the T12 power supply function. The fol- lowing shows the default setting when the unit is shipped. Unlike the phantom power (P48), connecting a dynamic micropho

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Output status display : If you switch the microphone power supply switch of INPUT 1 to “T12”, the input sta- On the output status display, not only you can see the tus display changes as below. current status of the following switches, but also you can set the threshold and ratio of the limiter. The follow- ing shows the default setting when the unit is shipped. Front panel Right side panel If you set the microphone power supply switch of INPUT 1 to “T12” and set the microphone power

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LIMITER parameter setting To select the threshold value: By setting the [LIMITER] switch to “ON” (or “LINK”), the lim- iter function is enabled and you can apply the limiter to the Flashing stereo L/R buss. The threshold level and ratio (compression ratio) of the lim- iter are set to “+12” and “5.1” respectively by default. Press the [+] key Press the [-] key : In the following description, it is assumed that the [LIMITER] switch on the front panel is set to “ON” and the input Flashing

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In the following display example, both the left and right Meter status display peak meters are set to “ ”. On the meter status display, not only you can see the cur- See “Parameter details” below for the available options rent status of the metering, but also you can set param- of each parameter. eters. The following shows the default setting when the unit is shipped. Flashing (4) After editing parameters, press the [EDIT] key long e n o u g h t o s t o p fl a s h i n g . (5)

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Lighting level of peak over indicator System status display On the system status display, not only you can see the The default is “+18 dB”. You can select between “0 dB” following information, but also you can reset the time and “+18 dB” in 1 dB steps. d i s p l a y a n d i n i t i a l i z e t h e fl a s h m e m o r y . : When peak level exceeds the lighting level, “OVER” is lit on the stereo meter display, as pointed by an arrow in the stereo meter display example below