Harp CommanderIII Features Front Panel

1=Unbal Mic In Hi-Imp.

2=Mic Gain

3=Bass: Less/More

4=Treble: Less/More

5= Phase: Out/In

6=Compression: Clean/Crunch

7=Effects Loop: Send

8=Effects Loop: Return

9=Instrument Out Level Adjust

10=Instrument Out, T-S unbalanced

Text Box: 1.Unbalanced Mic In Hi-Imp: Use this jack to plug in: Harmonica mics, Guitar-Bass Guitar-Voice Any string instrument with Pick-up Brass instrument with pick-up Mandolin with a pick-up Any traditional vintage high impedance microphone Actually, any instrument with a pick-up We proudly feature premium Neutrik connectors 2. Mic Gain: This knob sets the signal level through the preamp. This is the last knob to be adjusted. 3. Bass: This is a shelving control. Counter-clockwise reduces bass. 12:00 position is approximately flat. Clockwise is more bass. 4. Treble: This is another shelving control. Counter-clockwise reduces treble (high frequencies). 12:00 position is approximately flat. Clockwise is more treble. A brown tone is counter-clockwise. A bright tone is clockwise. 5. Phase: Fully counterclockwise is 180 degree out of phase. (Out of phase means that the output is shifted 180 degrees relative to input.) The 12:00 position is a null which is the minimum or mid-balance. This is a dead position. Fully clockwise puts the preamp in phase with the input signal. Usually, this control is just left fully clockwise. This knob can be used to control feedback problems or add a sonic effect. Just play around with it! Otherwise-leave clockwise. 6. Compression: This is a useful control. Fully counter-clockwise, there is no signal compression. As the knob is turned clockwise, the waveform is cleanly squeezed so that the signal level becomes smaller. At full clockwise, you will hear noticeable distortion similar to “old mic overload”. This knob can be used to maintain a more constant level which is extremely helpful with PA systems. As the knob is turned clockwise, the output is reduced limiting dynamics. This can be used to tighten a sound wave form package to control feedback. Only at 3:00 and higher does the distortion become noticeable. You may need to increase the output level control to compensate for the preamp level reduction. 7 & 8. Effects Loop: The effects loop can be used in several ways. This is called a half-normal loop which means the Send side does not break when the plug is inserted. The loop Return does break the circuit when the plug is inserted. The loop out is a very low impedance at instrument level. The loop return is high impedance. Use this feature with an effects pedal. The loop send goes to the pedal input and the pedal output goes into the loop return. This feature can be used with any effects rack equipment as well as a pedal. The return circuit break is necessary to insert the altered sound into the signal chain. The effects send can be used as a amp feed or record feed that doesn’t break the circuit. This means you can feed an amp or feed the signal out to another device without breaking the circuit if you’re not using a pedal. You could feed a monitor amp with this signal if you were not going to use an effects pedal. 9. & 10. Instrument Out & Adjust: This works with the instrument out jack to set the outgoing level to an instrument amp. The level shown in the photo is a typical starting point: around 2:00. It’s about the right level for any combo amp and follows the signal path after the effects loop.

1

2

4

6

7

8

9

10

5

3

Text Box: The far left jack is line-out, TRS (tip ring sleeve). The next jack is XLR jack. Both are line out and parallel to each other. The line-out is nominal –10dBu balanced signal. This is driven from an output transformer and can be used to isolate the Commander electrically while transferring the line-out signal. This can feed a PA line-in, a computer record card or any device needed a line-level signal. The T (tip of the quarter inch jack) and pin 2 of the XLR are plus phase. The R (ring of the jack) and Pin 3 of the XLR is minus phase. S or sleeve of the jack and Pin 1 of the XLR is ground. The line-out can be used balanced or unbalanced. If a mono quarter inch plug (T-S) is inserted into the TRS jack, the balanced signal will be unbalanced and mono signal fed unbalanced, low impedance. This would be typical for a computer record card. Feeding your record card: Use an audio cable with quarter inch mono (T-S) plug on one end and the other end terminating with a one-eighth inch (3.5 mm.) mono plug. Use the line-in jack on the computer card which is typically a one-eighth inch (3.5mm) jack. Most record cards have a headphone out jack, a mic in jack and a line-in jack. Plug the Commander line-out into the line-in ONLY. The signal level the record card wants to see is -10dBV which is approximately one quarter of one volt audio. Line Level Adjust: This sets the signal level on the line-out channel. Start with this knob at 1:00. This control can be set from zero to the maximum level available. The line-out can be used for a second instrument out if you want by adjusting it to 10:00 to 11:00. Sometimes you may want to feed two amps and no PA. When you use the balanced line-out to the PA, simply use an XLR to XLR (mic cord) between the Commander and the PA. In balanced mode, you can use up to 1000 feet of cable cord and is good for low loss and low hum pickup. Recommendation: I recommend using both a PA system and a small amp as a monitor whenever possible. You can take advantage of the numerous PA speakers to fill the room and use your amp as a near monitor. This way you can hear yourself and get good tone without trying to fill a whole room with it. This is a good strategy to combat feedback and makes you more portable. The XLR and TRS jacks on the right are for a pro mic in. This allows you to use a dynamic pro mic such as a Shure SM58, etc. It is for a low-level, balanced mic input. The mic plugs into either the XLR or the TRS jack. Different mics have different connectors on them so both of these jacks are hot and feed an input transformer. The control next to the XLR jack is not a level control, but is a gain tweak control. This will allow you to add a variable amount of mic gain from this mic input channel. The range is from 30dB to approximately 45dB. This allows you to use the many different mics available. The output of this channel directly feeds the preamp input so the signal adds with the unbalanced mic in: both can be used at the same time. To prevent excessive hum and noise, keep the gain tweak control fully counter-clockwise when not in use. Use the minimum of gain needed to get a good level from your pro mic. If it is set high, it will add noise. I created this feature to allow you to use a wide range of mics. The power jack is for an external supply. It is for a 2.5 mm.X 5.5 mm. round power connector. The build-in power control circuit is sophisticated and will allow you to use any external power from 12 to 24 volts, AC or DC at low current. The internal regulator uses all diode steering and will automatically adjust polarity correctly. There is also an internal regulator that accepts this wide range of voltage and provides the current voltage for the Commander. The Commander runs on approximately 10 mA of current. I suggest using an external supply and keeping new alkaline batteries in the Commander. The batteries will have shelf life and give you a back-up power source if your power cord gets kicked loose. The switch over is silent and unnoticeable and fully automatic. You don’t have to do anything. If you plug in the wall supply while the unit is running on batteries, the wall supply will automatically power the Commander and the batteries will switch completely out of the circuit. The batteries will not blow up. Do not use rechargeable batteries in the Harp Commander because there is no charging provision from the Commander.

Text Box: Click Here for Free PDF Download

coolstuff@holmeseng.com

Compare Commanders