Author Topic: F1-X: some technical questions (Read 314 times)

thebass · « **on:** June 19, 2003, 10:27:51 AM »

A question to Mr.Ron Wickersham or all the technical skilled club members:

I noticed that when I use the low pass out and the full range out on my F1-X to drive the two channels of my power amp separately, I have a lot shallower sound in the low end as when I connect both PA inputs with the full range output in parallel. Of course I checked my whole equipment, speakers, cables etc. for any phase turns but anything was ok. Is it possible that there is a phase shift between the full range output and the crossover outputs of the F1-X ?

And a second question: I use a Triple-C Compressor in the Effect loop which adds some gain to signal. Anything is fine and sounds fat using the normal outputs but without any changes the DI out (post) has lots of distortion. I don't understand this. Shouldn't the DI out carry the same signal as the full range out ?

(Message edited by thebass on June 19, 2003)

(Message edited by thebass on June 19, 2003)

wayne · « **Reply #1 on:** June 19, 2003, 03:17:00 PM »

Werner-

I can't comment on your first question - never tried that myself.

However, I do know that the post-EQ DI on the F1-X is SCREAMING hot. So much so, that I shipped mine back to Ron and had a 20dB pad put on it. Even with that, most boards that I plug into have to engage the 15-20dB pad to be able to handle the signal without distortion. This is all with my F1-X volume set at around 5. Before the modification was done, I could never turn up past 2.

C-Ya..........wayne

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** June 20, 2003, 09:10:02 AM »

Is this common with the F1-X? Do all of you F1-X owners here have problems when connecting the post-EQ DI to a sound board?

s_wood · « **Reply #3 on:** June 20, 2003, 09:40:57 AM »

There was a thread on The Bottom Line'a few years back discussing the fact that the full-range out put is out of phase with the low pass and hi pass outputs. If that's true, that would explain the shallow' sound you experienced.

If it's true, does anyone (Mica?) know why Alembic designed the F1-X that way, and does anyone know of a workaround?

thebass · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2003, 01:54:33 AM »

Was my question a bit too technical or do you prefer to spend your time in your garden and have barbeque with your friends ? I would totally accept the last excuse :-D

@s_wood: do you have a link to that thread ?

@wayne: the F-1X schematics have a remark that older units have a -20dB pad (two resistors). I guess exactly for that reason.

kipknee · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2003, 09:13:30 AM »

Which question are you referring to? It sounds like both of your original questions were answered. In summation...

Answer #1: Full range is (probably) out of phase with lo/hi pass outputs.

Answer #2: Post EQ DI is extraordinarily hot. The distortion you're experiencing is probably the result of overdriving the input of your low-impedance device.

As to the why of either of these design characteristics, that question would best be directed to Alembic customer support and not a public discussion board.

I would guess that there were no additional responses to this thread because everyone felt it had been addressed sufficiently. Or maybe nobody liked your prefer to spend time in the garden comment.

thebass · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2003, 12:44:35 PM »

If I had offended anyone with my garden comment that was definitely not my intention and I apologize for any possible misinterpretation. May be this my very special german sense of homour.

I was referring to my first question of the phase problem where I got the intention that wayne was not completely sure of the root cause and just liked to get access to the mentioned thread.

And finally I believe you are right that I should rather direct my question to Alembics customer support. I just hoped that someone from the very skilled technical oriented club members could help me.