Aviom A-16 Personal Monitor Mixing System
Connecting Audio
The are many ways to get audio into the A-16 for processing. Depending on your application—studio, stage, etc.—the types of signals and equipment available will vary. This section will give examples of some typical setups that you can modify to suit your individual needs.
Connections on the A-16T Rear Panel
There are two rows of connectors on the rear of the A-16T Transmitter. They are marked In and Thru, but are much more flexible than the simple labels may lead you to believe.
The connections on the A-16T can accept balanced or unbalanced 1⁄4-inch cables.
The system can accept a wide variety of signal levels.
The audio design of the A-16T allows you to add the system at virtually any point in your audio system. It can accept audio coming from:
• Mixing board direct outputs
• Mixing board insert sends only
• Mixing board insert send and return loops
• Line output from mic preamps
• Line outputs from keyboards and other music devices
• CD players
• Tape decks
• Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs)
• Effects processors
• Video decks, cameras, etc.
Signals sent into the A-16T Transmitter can be at any level, from semi-professional and home recording gear, studio devices, and broadcast equipment.
Connecting a Mixer
As mentioned above, almost any line level audio output can be used with the A-16T.
Depending on the topology of your particular mixer, some or all of the following signal types could be available.
Direct Output
A direct output is typically found at the channel level. That is, each channel on the mixer has its own direct output jack. This type of output sends an exact copy of the audio signal present in each channel out of the mixer without interrupting the signal being sent to the main part of the mixer. This layout is ideal for use with the A-16.
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Aviom A-16 Personal Monitor Mixing System
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If your mixer has direct outputs available, then a cable from each channel that needs to be sent to the monitors is connected to the Transmitter inputs. A maximum of sixteen direct outputs can be plugged into the Transmitter unit.
If you have more than sixteen direct outputs to be monitored, then some of the channels will need to be sub-mixed. This can be accomplished on most consoles by using a bus output, described below.
Bus Outputs
A bus output is typically used to route audio signals to a recording device or to control the volume of a group of channels from a single fader. Most mixers equipped with bus outputs have fewer bus outputs than channels. Four, eight, or sixteen bus outputs are common mixer configurations.
To use a bus output with the A-16T, the individual channels in your mixer need to be assigned to the desired bus output. This is usually done with a selector button located somewhere within each channel strip. Assigning a channel to a bus output does not remove the signal from the main mix. (Some mixers do allow the option, however.) Specific instructions about how to use your particular mixer in this case are beyond the scope of this document. Consult your mixer’s documentation to learn more.
With a channel assigned to a bus output, you can then control the level of the bus independent of the other levels on the mixer. In fact, if you assign multiple channels to a bus output, this acts as a sub-mixer, combining the audio from all assigned channels into one signal. The individual channel level fader is used to set the relative balance of all channels assigned to the bus.
As an example, you could assign all the channels of the main mixer devoted to drums to a bus. As mentioned previously, the relative mix of all the components of the drum sound would remain the same; the levels are based on the individual channel’s level settings. By sending all the drum channels to a bus, the entire drum kit sound can be raised or lowered in volume from a single fader. (By using two bus outputs a stereo drum sub-mix with panning can be created. More on this below.)
The same theory extends to the operation of the A-16. If you send the sub-mixed drum sound in the example above from a console bus output to the A-16T Transmitter, then each Personal Mixer in the system has a single channel devoted to the drums. Each performer can control the amount of drums in his/her mix with a single knob. He/she cannot, however, change the relative balance of the drums that make up this mix (more snare, less cymbals, etc.). This change would need to be made at the main mixer, and would affect the balance in all connected A-16 Mixers.
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Aviom A-16 Personal Monitor Mixing System
You can extend this idea further to create a stereo drum mix. This requires that the drums be assigned to two bus outputs, usually consecutive numbers such as 1 and 2,
3 and 4, etc. The pan (or left/right balance) from the drum kit is then set by using the mixer’s Pan knobs. To get the floor tom into only the right speaker, for example, its pan knob should be turned to the fully clockwise position.
The bus output idea can be combined with direct outputs as needed. This could be useful if you wanted to have individual control over the band’s instruments, but also be able to turn up or down all background vocals from four singers from a single knob.
Aux Sends (Effects Sends)
An Auxiliary Send (or Aux Send for short) is typically used on a live or recording console to send the sound from a channel into an effect device such as a reverb. Using a dedicated set of knobs found in each channel strip, each channel can have a different amount of the effect applied as needed.
An Aux Send does not have to be used exclusively with effects, though. You can think of an Aux Send as another mini mixer; it functions in a similar manner to a bus output.
It is used to pass the audio signals from the console to another destination. You can use any combination of audio sources with the A-16 to create a monitor mix.
The method for using an Aux Send to create a monitor mix is similar to that described for using a bus output. Most consoles have from two to eight Aux Sends. So, the number of independent audio signals that can be sent to the A-16T Transmitter via Aux
Sends will depend upon the design of the mixing console you are using.
Insert Send/Return Points
The insert loop on an audio mixer is typically used as a means of extending the processing capabilities of the mixer on a channel-by-channel basis. An effects device such as a compressor can be added to the channel so that only that specific channel is affected.
An insert on a mixer consists of a Send and a Return. The Send is used to get the channel’s audio into the effects processor. The processed signal coming from the effects device goes back to the console via the Return path.
The physical jack layout of an effect Send/Return loop on a console varies depending on the model and manufacturer.
TRS Inserts
Some consoles use a single jack to perform both send and return functions. In this case the jack would use tip-ring-sleeve (TRS) wiring, with one of the signal wires performing the Send function, the other being used for the Return. Both Send and Return share the common ground wire. For TRS inserts, it is common to use a “Y” cable, one that has a TRS plug on one end and then a split into two mono tip-sleeve cables on the
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Aviom A-16 Personal Monitor Mixing System
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Using a TRS insert, the effects device would have the Send cable plugged into its Input and the Return cable plugged into its Output. This wiring completes the loop without interrupting the audio being played though the console.
Console TRS
Channel Insert
Effect Output
Effect Input
Signal flows from the console into the effect device and back into the console
To use the A-16T Transmitter with this insert layout, both the In and Thru jacks on the
Transmitter are used. The main console’s Insert Send should be plugged into the In jack on the Transmitter. The Thru jack on the Transmitter is used to return the signal to the console, completing the audio loop. In this case the A-16T acts like an effects device, but it has no audible effect and does not change the audio signal in any way.
Console TRS
Channel Insert
A-16T Thru
A-16T In
Signal flows from the console into the A-16T and back into the console
Note: There is some variation in the send/return insert wiring on consoles. Some manufacturers use the TRS tip connection for a send function, while others use the ring connection. Consult your console’s documentation.
Discreet Insert Send and Return Jacks
If a console uses separate jacks for Send and Return functions, the cable connections are much more obvious. The Send from the Insert point on the console is connected to the A-16T Transmitter In jack. The Thru on the A-16T is connected to the Return jack on the console to complete the loop.
Insert Return
Insert Send
A-16T Thru
A-16T In
Separate cables connect signals into the A-16T and back into the console
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Aviom A-16 Personal Monitor Mixing System
Line Level Devices
In addition to connecting a traditional mixing console, there are numerous other audio sources that can be used with the Personal Monitor Mixing System. There is no requirement that your audio sources be connected to a mixing console first.
Using some creative patching, you’ll find numerous uses for the Personal Monitor
Mixing System. Here are a few examples:
• Connect a CD player’s stereo outputs to two inputs on the Transmitter.
Singers can rehearse to a backing track while still controlling their vocal balance in the monitors
• Patch a drum machine output into the A-16T to provide a click track.
• If a keyboard player has multiple keyboards being mixed by a dedicated keyboard line mixer, that mixer’s outputs can be connected to the A-16T.
• Connect outputs from stereo guitar processors or amp simulators.
• Virtual drums can be connected directly into the A-16T. Add in outputs from keyboards and guitar amp simulators, and a band can rehearse silently without a mixer.
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