Ashly mXa-1502 12-Channel 4-Zone DSP Mixer-Amplifier User Manual

Page 21

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Average Noise Meter

: This meter indicates

the average level of the selected ambient noise

detecting microphone.

ANC Setup Procedure

In software, place an ANC block on the

output channel to be used for background

music or voice paging in that zone.

Open the ANC block to edit its control

window. Set the ANC controls to the typical

settings described above, which are the

default settings of a new ANC block when it

is first placed.

Turn the ANC function ON.

Select the noise-sensing microphone input

from the drop-down box labeled "Mixer

Input Channel".

Physically locate the noise-sensing

microphone in the zone by pointing it toward

the primary noise sources such as groups of

people, HVAC equipment, vehicle traffic etc,

but pointed

away

from the sound system

speakers or their direct reflections.

Add appropriate mic preamp gain to the

ambient-sensing mic channel, add gain,

EQ, HPF or LPF, compression, or even a

noise gate if desired. The noise-detecting

microphone signal will appear on the

Average Noise input level meter. To adjust

ANC controls for good-sounding operation

without people present, a pink noise source

or even a portable stereo can be placed

near the expected ambient noise source to

simulate anticipated volumes.

Beginning at -40dBu, adjust the Noise

Threshold control to respond to the average

noise input level above which point you want

the program audio to begin increasing.

Increase the zone noise source volume until

you see the average noise meter rise above

your noise threshold setting. You should

begin to see the ANC Gain meter slowly rise

above the minimum gain setting.

Slowly increase the noise source further and

adjust the program/ambient gain ratio for

the desired amount of noise compensation.

Continue to increase the noise source

volume to the highest anticipated level.

Adjust the max gain to a level which limits

the maximum gain that the ANC applies to

the program audio so it will not become too

loud or clip.

The gain change rate can be adjusted

according to how fast you would like the

gain changes to take place in response to

changes in ambient noise.

Be aware that an improperly setup ANC can

result in runaway gain where the program

audio is picked-up by the noise-sensing

microphone as background noise. The

result is not necessarily feedback squeals,

but the gain of the program audio could

ramp up to the max gain value even with no

ambient room noise. The best remedy for

this problem is to locate the noise-sensing

microphone closer to the expected noise

sources and further away from the sound

system speakers or their reflections. A baffle

can be constructed between the speaker

and microphone to block direct or reflected

sound pickup. Also, the Program/Ambient

Gain Ratio can be lowered to reduce the

susceptibility to gain runaway.

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mXa-1502 • Operating Manual

Ashly AquaControl™ Software

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