Rane RE 27 - Manual

OPERATING / SERVICE MANUAL RE 27
REALTIME EQUALIZER
QUICK START
If you are familiar with real time analyzers and graphic equalizers, feel free to jump right in. To avoid some of the
lurking sharks read these few tips as a reminder of what it is you already know:
1. FLAT IS NOT BEAUTIFUL. Equalizers have two basic purposes: correction and enhancement. The Rane analyzer
allows you to accurately correct system response to each location. A task very difficult to do by ear. Once this is quickly
done, then you adjust for further sound quality enhancement by ear; only rarely will a system be left in a “flat” condition.
2. USE MORE THAN ONE TEST MICROPHONE LOCATION. Speaker dispersion characteristics vary greatly, from
beamy highs to boomy bass traps. While performing the pink noise test, try at least two different test mic locations and
average the two if they differ.
3. USE ENOUGH PINK NOISE VOLUME TO OVERRIDE BACKGROUND NOISE. There’s no need to run
deafening pink noise levels to EQ a system. Just be sure that no green/red LED responds when pink noise is turned off (if
they do, background noise is causing erroneous readings and pink noise should be turned up higher).
4. USE ±3 dB DISPLAY SETTING FOR LOW FREQUENCY ADJUSTMENTS. The crest factor (peak response) of
true pink noise causes considerable LED flutter in the ±l dB mode, making it difficult to adjust quickly. We recommend
that the ±1 dB setting be used on frequencies below 500 Hz or so; use ±1 dB on the more sensitive mids and highs.
5. THE ANALYZER SECTION CAN BE USED WITH ANY OTHER EQUALIZER. The analyzer section of the RE
27 responds to whatever the microphone picks up. Simply run pink noise through the desired equalizer (channel) and
speaker and use the Rane analyzer to adjust that particular EQ. The RTA is a completely separate instrument.
6. MONITORING -PROGRAM WITH ANALYZER DISPLAY. When the front panel microphone is unplugged, the
analyzer display automatically monitors the output of the equalizer section. Use this feature to identify specific feedback
points by watching for red LEDs during the performance. You can then apply EQ exactly where it’s needed very quickly.
If all else fails, read the rest of the manual.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Since the RE 27 features a unique form of realtime analyzer, we highly recommend that you read this section before
performing an alignment with pink noise. If you’ve never used an analyzer before, use these instructions on your first
occasion. You’ll be delighted at how simple it really is.
1. SYSTEM HOOK-UP: Connect the RE 27 into your system as shown on page 6 or 7, whichever is appropriate. Plug
the Rane condenser microphone into the front panel RTA MIC INPUT. CAUTION: Do not plug any other microphone into
the front panel jack: This jack contains DC voltage which may be damaging to other microphones. For special applications
you can use another microphone by patching into a send/receive loop on a mixer as described in Rane Note 104 (available on
request).
2. BACKGROUND NOISE CHECK: Any background noises such as air conditioners, talking, nearby traffic and the
like can cause false readings on the analyzer display if the pink noise volume through the speakers is not loud enough to
drown these noises out. Before turning on the Pink Noise, turn up the RTA LEVEL control on the RE 27 until some of the
green and red LEDs respond on the display: now you’re looking at background noise. Slowly turn the RTA LEVEL control
back counter-clockwise until all the green and red LEDs are off, and no background noise is showing on the display. You
will now have to run the pink noise volume through the speakers loud enough to make sure that the RTA LEVEL control is
not turned clockwise (up) from this setting, otherwise the background noise will falsify the readings.
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