OceanAudio The Ark 500 Series Owner's Manual - page 17
Ark 500 range - Owner’s Manual - Revision 2.2 - page 17
Input module operational description (Ark 504, 516, 508 Ex, 516 Ex)
The Ark input module is an extremely versatile channel strip that provides all the facilities necessary for multi-
track recording and mixing.
All of the switches / pushbuttons are illuminated when activated.
Exception to this are the pre/post switches for the Aux sends.
At the top of the module, eight pushbuttons route the signal to the 8 sub groups in odd
and even pairs.
If required, the channel pan control can be used to direct the signal to an individual sub
group by turning it fully left for an odd numbered sub group or fully right for an even
numbered sub group.
A further pushbutton routes the signal to the master left/right outputs and again by using
the channel pan control, the signal can be routed to either the left or right master output.
The meter switch allows it’s associated VU meter to read either the channel direct output
signal when non illuminated or the signal feeding the channel monitor section when the
button is depressed (illuminated). These individual channel metering select switches
work in conjunction with the master meter switch located at the top of the master module.
Please check the "More on Metering" section of this manual for details.
Below the meter switch is the channel input level control. It is continuously variable with a
convenient centre detent (click) position which denotes that the control is set for ‘0’
meaning that the input is set for unity gain. Attenuation of up to -15db is provided so that
the input signal can be matched for high levels often encountered from some DAW
systems. Gain of up to +10db is provided so that low level signals can be brought up to
provide suitable recording levels.
Next to the input level control is the input selection between two balanced input sources
referred to as ‘External Input’ or ‘Line Input’. This actually emulates the mic/line input
switching of a conventional analogue recording console.
A typical example of this might be where the ‘External Input’ is connected to a 500 series
slot containing a microphone pre-amplifier while the ‘Line Input’ is connected to the
output of a DAW multi-track system, possibly going through another 500 series slot
hosting an EQ for example.
Situated below the input level controls are the six auxiliary sends.
These consist of four mono (auxiliaries 1-4) and one stereo (auxiliaries 5-6.)
All auxiliaries can be selected pre or post fader.
Additionally, auxiliary sends 1 and 5-6 can be routed to the channel monitor section, thus
providing auxiliary send facilities from the monitor section.
Below the auxiliary sends is the channel monitor section. This is in effect another
independent input channel that operates separately from the main one. The purpose of
the channel monitor section is to provide a means of monitoring the replay signal from a
DAW or other recording device (such as a good old analogue multi-track tape recorder).
Using the direct outputs as sends to the multitrack and the channel monitor section as
returns it is possible to monitor the send (input) and replay (output) to the multi-track
recorder. Used in conjunction with the meter switching as described above, this feature
provides a very flexible and convenient way to record multi-track.
The input to the channel monitor section is balanced and the signal level can be
controlled via the ‘Mon Level’ control. A ‘Mon Pan’ control allows the signal to be panned
between the master left and right outputs. This has a centre detent (click) so that it is
easy to find the central position. Also provided are a solo (after fade listen) switch so that
the signal can be heard in isolation and is non destructive; and mute switch that kills the
channel monitor signal.