Manley SLAM! - Manual (Page 10)

METERING
The SLAM! has some very comprehensive metering. If you skip
this section, you’ll be back here with the yellow highlighter pen,
once you start really using the box.
There are both LED bar graphs and standard VU meters, and each
can show a variety of information. Before proceeding further, we
should mention that any peak meters and VU meters should look
different with music and that they are intended for different pur-
poses. VU meters are deliberately slower, and are mostly intended
to represent apparent loudness much like the way our ears work.
LED peak meters are most often chosen when very fast peak read-
ing signals need to be represented. For “standard” VU meters there
is a long list of specs and qualifications, from needle size, color
and ballistics to meter size, color and scaling. Most importantly,
VUs have been around a long time and most engineers find them
easiest to interpret and most valid for analog tape. Because peak
meters are fast compared to VUs, transients like drums will look
louder than on VUs, and this is a good thing if we are concerned
with clipping or digital recording.
The LED bar graphs are multi-color (8), multi-mode (4), and
multi-purpose. The meter is controlled by a 3 position toggle
switch labeled LED, with MODE & RESET (down), PEAK
(middle) and GR (up). During normal operation, the switch will
be in the center or up position and will control the display on
the meters based on the currently selected mode. The momentary
down (spring) position has different functions depending on the
current operating mode and how long the switch is held down.
Holding the switch down for more than .5 seconds suspends nor-
mal operation and enters the Mode Menu, indicated by a color-
ful pulsing on the top 2 segments of the right meter. While in
this menu, one of 4 Modes described below can be selected. The
selected mode is shown by a lit segment surrounded by two oth-
ers near the bottom of the right meter. You can scroll through
the 4 modes by pushing the switch down again quickly (before it
returns to ‘normal’). Once the desired mode is lit, you ‘confirm’
the choice by either waiting 2.5 seconds or once again pushing
down the switch but longer than .5 seconds. Modes 1 and 2 are
the normal display modes and normal operation resumes. Modes
3 and 4 are used to select options.
Modes
MODE 1) DUAL DISPLAY: (shows two things at once)
Peak Position (center): Displays audio as a green and amber
bar from the bottom up. FET Gain reduction is simultaneously
displayed as a red dot from the top down.
GR Position (up): Displays FET Gain Reduction as a Green bar
from the top down and OPTO Gain reduction as an Orange dot
from the top down.
The Peak Hold dot and the third bar color are not available in this
‘dual display’ mode
MODE 2) SINGLE DISPLAY:
PEAK Position (center): This is a typical peak meter with a peak
hold dot. The bar is divided into 3 colors, Green, Amber & Red. GR
Position (up): Displays the sum of FET and OPTO Gain Reduction
(or the total limiting) from the top down. Both the limiters are added
together which may look a lot more drastic than it sounds and some
interpretation is required. It is most useful when minimal limiting is
the goal.
MODE 3) COLOR CHANGE POINTS:
You can change where the audio peak meters change color from
green to amber and from amber to red. This is an unusual feature
of this meter and lets you ‘match’ the SLAM!’s peak meter to
the meters on your digital recorder or work-station. The SLAM!
meters are analog and your other meters are very likely pure digi-
tal so exact segment for segment matching is unlikely. This just
gives you a way to set color change points.
Select Mode 3 with the momentary toggle and the display will
change so that the left meter is totally lit and the right meter is still
in audio peak mode (for reference). Below the POWER button is
a small hole and a trim pot lives behind it. A small screwdriver or
tweaker is needed to adjust it. If the Mode Switch is in the center
position, then you can adjust the point where green changes to
amber. If the Mode switch is in the GR or up position, you can
change the amber to red point.
If you run out of range on the trim, exit Mode 3, tweak the trim
to approximately center, then go back to Mode 3 and set the color
change point where you want.
MODE 4) PEAK HOLD MENU
This is just for the peak hold dots in Mode 2. The selection is
displayed on the left LEDs.
a) No peaks held (no dot) (indicated by the lower of the 3 left
segments)
b) Peaks held for 1 second (typical generic peak meter)
(indicated by the middle of the 3 left segments)
c) ‘Infinite’ Hold, stores the peak until you manually reset by
a quick push down and release of the momentary toggle. This
mode is handy when the SLAM! is behind you and you need
to know after the fact, the loudest transient that went through.
Unfortunately, it won’t hold a ADC clip indication.
RESET
Each time a mode is changed, all settings are saved to non-vol-
atile memory. If you find that you have ‘out moded’ yourself, or
that the meter is looking goofy, the factory default settings can
be restored as follows. With power off, press and hold the LED
Meter switch down, and turn the power on. The left meter will
light 2 segments red, the right green, release the switch.
Sometimes the Opto will cause a stuck segment because the opto
GR is not slowed down (shared from the VU meter GR mode).
Just change to Peak and back will clear the segments, or wait until
a the next hot peak clears it for you.
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