Cymatic Audio LP-16 Manual - Manual (Page 6)

PRODUCT MANUAL PRODUCT MANUAL 11 10 MODES OF OPERATION SIGNAL FLOW
7. MODES OF OPERATION
The LP-16 offers three different modes of operation, depending on your specific needs:
7.1. Multi-Track Mode
This mode, hereby abbreviated as “MT Mode”, is the main operational mode of the LP-16. In
MT mode, the unit can play back up to 16 separate tracks of audio, which are each output to a
separate physical ¼” output connector on the rear panel of the unit.
The most common use for MT mode is to play back separate, pre-recorded “backing tracks” in a
live music environment, used to augment and expand upon live tracks played by live musicians.
By feeding the pre-recorded tracks into separate channels of the live sound mixer, the FOH
engineer can mix together the individual pre-recorded tracks alongside the live tracks, just as if
they were coming from individual live musicians. This provides much more flexibility than if all
the pre-recorded tracks were “pre-mixed” to a stereo track that could not be altered or adjusted
in any way.
You may copy multiple .wav files to a USB drive, attach the drive to the LP-16, and playback the
files in MT mode, without any external software, using the following steps:
• Create a folder within the ‘Recording’ Folder (this folder is created on the USB device when
you first plug it in)
• Copy 16 .wav files to this folder
• If the .wav files do not contain any numbering, they will be assigned to the LP-16 channels in
alphabetical order.
• In order to get a channel assignment you can number them in two ways:
Number as prefix with underscore (always two digits)
○ 01_Guitar.wav
○ 02_Drums.wav
○ 09_vocals.wav
○ 16_bass.wav
Number as Suffix with underscore (always two digits)
○ Guitar_01.wav
○ Drums_02.wav
○ vocals_04.wav
○ bass_12.wav
Additionally, the LP-16 also works with an external Windows software named “LP-16 Playlist
Editor“, available for download at www.cymaticaudio.com/downloads
The LP-16 Playlist Editor is required to configure a “multi-track file playlist”, with the ability to step
through them in order as the concert progresses.
The external playlist software also allows for applying assorted playback settings to each playlist
file.
For specific details of operation for the external playlist software, please refer to its user’s manual,
available at: www.cymaticaudio.com/downloads
7.2. Stereo Mode
The LP-16 also offers a “stereo player mode”, hereby referred to as “ST Mode”. This mode is ideal
for playback of stereo audio files, such as pre-show, post-show, and break music.
In ST mode, the LP-16 plays back 44.1 and 48 kHz stereo wave files that are stored in the “Music”
folder on the attached USB drive. The stereo files can be configured to output from a specific pair
of rear-panel audio connectors of your choosing, and can also be monitored from the front panel
headphone output.
To transfer stereo audio files to the Music folder of the USB drive:
• Attach your USB drive to the LP-16
• The LP-16 will check the drive for proper formatting, and place the needed folders on the
drive
• Unplug the drive from the LP-16 and attach it to a computer containing the desired stereo
audio files
• Copy the desired files from the computer’s hard drive, to the “Music” folder on the USB drive
• Attach the USB drive to the LP-16.
• The files now residing in the “Music” folder of the attached drive are now available to the LP-
16 when used in ST mode.
!
NOTE: The LP-16 only plays back stereo files in the “.wav” format. It does not play back stereo
files in other commonly available consumer formats such as MP3, AAC, WMA, and FLAC.
If the stereo files you wish to use are in one of these other formats, make sure to first convert
them to the .wav file format, using an audio utility on your computer.
There are many freeware utilities available online that can convert from the above unsupported
formats, to a standard wave file. For example, the free Apple ITunes software performs this type
of conversion; instructions for doing so can be read at http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1550
7.3. USB Interface Mode
In USB Interface mode, the LP-16 acts as a 2-input, 18-output audio interface for OS X, Windows,
and iOS. For more details, please refer to the section titled “USB Interface Mode”;
8. SIGNAL FLOW
• The LP-16 contains 16 separate line-level outputs, which are sent out of 16 separate mono,
unbalanced line-level outputs.
• In MT mode, the LP-16 also contains an internal digital mixer that provides a mono mix down
of the 16 separate audio streams, mixed together at unity gain. This internal mix is sent out
of the front-panel headphone output.
• When operating as a USB computer audio interface, the stereo line input allows recording of
2 incoming channels to the DAW, while 18 separate DAW output channels can be sent to the
LR-16 (16 to the rear-panel outputs and an additional stereo channels sent to the headphone
output).
DIGITAL TO
ANALOG
CONVERTER
(18 Ch)
STEREO
ANALOG TO
DIGITAL
CONVERTER
MIDI IN
MIDI OUT
USB Media
USB 2.0
USB 2.0
Computer
STREAM
CONTROLLER
INTERNAL
DIGITAL 2x16
MIXER
STEREO
PHONES
OUTPUT
Phones
level
1/8“
STEREO
LINE
INPUT
x x
x x
x x
STEREO
LINE LEVEL
OUTPUT (x16)