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USER’S GUIDE
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RTA-31
Plug-in for Mackie Digital Mixers
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Iconography This icon identifies a description of how to perform an action with the mouse. This icon identifies a description of how to perform an action from the console. This icon will lead you to some further explanations of features and practical tips. This icon marks information that is very important, so please make sure you have a read. This icon does not appear in this guide. Note: Any future revisions of this guide will be available for viewing and down- loading from our website: www.ma
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Contents Iconography ----------------------------------------------------- 2 Introduction ---------------------------------------- 5 About Acuma Labs ---------------------------------------------- 5 About the D8B UFX Card --------------------------------------6 About the RTA-31 ------------------------------------------------6 Let’s Get Started -----------------------------------7 Requirements ---------------------------------------------------- 7 Authorizing the Plug-In-------------------------
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Preset Title Window ------------------------------------------14 Input Select ----------------------------------------------------14 The Close button ----------------------------------------------14 The Analyzer Panel ------------------------------- 15 The Analyzer Window ---------------------------------------- 15 The dB Range Magnifier -------------------------------------- 15 The dB Reference Window ----------------------------------- 15 Graph Type -------------------------------------------
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Introduction Thank you for purchasing the RTA-31, the ultimate in equalization and frequency analysis from Acuma Labs. It is one of the exciting new family of 24-bit plug-ins for the D8B, specifically designed for the new Mackie Universal Effects (UFX) card. The RTA-31 is a highly creative tool that enables you to produce great mixes quickly and easily. The first time that you use the visual and easy-to-use graphic user interface (GUI), you will quickly understand the power of this package. Afte
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About the D8B UFX Card The Mackie UFX card provides robust processing power for computation-heavy plug-ins. The UFX card is a 4-in/4-out architecture, which means it can support four mono, two mono and one stereo, or two stereo sends simultaneously. Up to four UFX cards can be installed in the D8B, allowing up to sixteen simultaneous single-channel effects, eight stereo plug-ins, or combinations thereof. Note: It is recommended that you increase the D8B’s memory if you install more than one UFX
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Let’s Get Started Requirements • One or more Mackie UFX cards • Mackie Real Time OS 3.0 Software • Plug-in Software We will assume you have successfully installed a Mackie UFX card and Mackie Real Time OS 3.0 software upgrade. If you have encountered problems with the installation of hardware or software, please see their associated user guides or contact Mackie support (www.mackie.com). Authorizing the Plug-In If you have Digital 8•Bus version 3.0, build 186 or higher, the RTA-31 may already
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Unlock Procedure 1. Locate your D8B’s Electronic Serial Number (ESN). This is displayed at the bottom of the Licensing window, which is accessed from the Setup screen. The 12-digit ESN is made from numbers 0–9 and letters A–F. It is unique to the D8B processor, and is not the same as the serial number on the rear of the control surface or CPU chassis. 2. You will also need your plug-in’s serial number, which is printed on the floppy disk label. If you download the plug-in, you won’t have a ser
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Configuring the Plug-In After installing your UFX card, unlocking the plug-in, and booting up the D8B, all you need to do is assign the RTA-31 to a UFX card slot. Assigning the Acuma RTA-31 to a UFX Card 1. Click the Plugins menu and select Plugins, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+P. 2. In the Plugin Configuration menu, locate the card slot that contains the UFX card to which you want to assign the RTA-31. 3. In the MODE column, click the MONO/STEREO toggle button and select MONO. 4. In th
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Assigning an Input Source In the INPUT column of the Plugin Configuration screen, select an input source for the RTA-31. This can be an auxiliary send, a Pre- or Post-DSP channel insert, or the main left or right mix. In this example, we’ve chosen the Pre-DSP insert point for Channel 1. Deactivating the RTA-31 If you wish to deactivate the plug-in from a UFX card slot, select none from the PLUGIN column’s pull-down menu. 10 Acuma RTA-31
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Using the RTA-31 Front Panel (Overview) You can think of the RTA-31 as being comprised of two separate panels: the EQ Panel and the Analyzer Panel. There is also a reduced view (Shrunk Screen) that collapses the plug-in window into the minimized control strip. EQ Panel The 31-Band Graphic EQ section of the GUI (graphic user interface) is a fully functional 1/3-octave frequency EQ controlled by a series of linear sliders. These sliders may attenuate only (band cut) or, more typically, attenuate
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Mouse Control Use your mouse to perform various editing EQ functions: • Single Set: Click the left mouse button to adjust individual bands and sweep across the GUI to quickly paint a new EQ curve. • Sweep Default: Press Ctrl and click the left mouse button (Ctrl + left click) to set the default (0 dB) on individual EQ bands as you sweep across the bands. When using Sweep Default, you must press the Ctrl key before the mouse click and keep it down when you click the mouse. • Sweep Copy: Click the
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Preset Toggle Input Select Preset Title Close Button The Main Control Bar EQ Analyze Morph Rate Menu Memory B Morph Memory A Enable EQ The EQ selection button toggles the graphic EQ in and out of view via the mouse. Clicking the EQ button when the analyzer is not activated shrinks the EQ GUI to a condensed yet functional screen that can access and modify EQ curve settings, change between Mem A and B, and access the Menu functions. Analyze The Analyze select button activates the analyzer drop pan
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Enable This button simply enables or disables the RTA-31 for a wet/dry comparison. Preset Toggle Buttons The up/down arrows, located just to the left of the Preset window, enable you to scroll up or down through either the Factory or User Presets. Tip: As there is no delay in loading presets, you might try building performances by stacking user presets and toggling between them using the up/down arrows located at the right-hand side of the Preset window. For example, you can quickly switch from
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The Analyzer Panel dB Range Magnifier Graph Type To EQ Post EQ Graph Speed Select Pre EQ Freeze dB Reference Window The Analyzer Window The analyzer window is represented by thirty-one bar graphs that correspond to the same thirty-one sliders of the graphic EQ section. The Analyzer displays a frequency spectrum from 20Hz to 20kHz with a range that runs from –40 dBr to +20 dBr or –24 dBr to +12 dBr. The reference point is 0 dBfs in the D8B. The dB Range Magnifier The dB Range Magnifier, represent
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Graph Speed Select Graph speed select refers to the response speed of the Analyzer meters. It controls the peak and hold times as well as the decay rate of the meters. This is very useful when you are trying to identify quick transients and is probably most noticeable when you have selected either Peak Hold, Point, or Peak Difference. To EQ (Live Application/Pre EQ Only) The To EQ feature is designed to optimize your live sound by finding high and low spots in the room and then applying an auto
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The Reduced Screen Control Bar 31-Band Graphic EQ Analyze Input/Output Meters EQ The Reduced Screen Control Bar The control bar is a convenient way of viewing your signal without taking up valuable real estate on the D8B screen. With the Analyzer button off, simply click the mouse pointer on the EQ button to switch from the full screen GUI to the reduced version. Note: The analyzer must be closed to access the smaller screen. The reduced screen is intended for EQ control only. The full GUI is re
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Saving, Loading and Resetting a Preset RTA-31 settings can be saved and recalled from the hard drive. You can save and load files to either Memory A or Memory B. To Save a Preset: 1. Click and hold the MENU button. 2. Select Save User Preset to overwrite the file currently opened. 3. Select Save User Preset As to save to a new file name. The Save Preset File As dialog box appears. 4. A default name for the preset is automatically displayed, such as Preset#1. If you want to rename it, simply
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To Load a Preset: 1. Click MEM A or MEM B to choose the memory location from which to load the file. 2. Click and hold the MENU button. 3. Select Load Graphic EQ to open a file. The Load Preset File dialog box appears. 4. Click INTERNAL if the file is on the internal drive, or click FLOPPY if the file is on a floppy disk. 5. Select the preset you want to load. 6. Click Open to load the selected preset. Click in the Preset Display to load from the pull-down menu or scroll through presets us
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To Reset The Preset: Reset will reload the previous patch. 1. Click and hold the MENU button. 2. Select Reset Graphic EQ. To Cut Preset Settings: 1. Click and hold the MENU button. 2. Select Cut Graphic EQ. The current settings are temporarily stored in the clipboard memory in case you want to paste them to a new preset. The plug-in also reverts to its default state (it is reset). To Copy Preset Settings: 1. Click and hold the MENU button. 2. Select Copy. The current settings are temporari
