karacter - Processor Elysia - Free user manual and instructions

USER MANUAL karacter Elysia

WARNING: High Voltage

• Risk of electric shock.
• Do not open chassis.
  Refer service to qualified service staff only.
• Before connecting the device to the main power supply, check if the right voltage is selected.
• Replace fuse with the same type and value only.
• This device must be connected to ground.
• Do not use a damaged power cord.
• Never place containers with liquid, e.g. beverages or a vase, on the unit.
• Do not expose this device to rain or moisture.
• Do not use this device near water, e.g. swimming pool, bathtub or wet basement.

CAUTION: Temperature

• Surfaces of the device may become hot during operation.
• Do not install this device near any heat source such as radiators, stoves or other heat sources.
• Always allow enough ventilation space around the unit for air circulation.
• Do not cover circulation vents.

CAUTION: Connecting & Mounting

• Never connect the output of a power amplifier to this device.
• Place the unit on a rigid board or place it in an appropriate rack.
• Use the device according to this manual only.

CAUTION: Humidity

• If this device is moved from a cold place to a warm room, condensation can occur inside the device. To avoid damaging the unit, please allow it to reach room temperature before switching it on.

elysia

And now for something completely different

The karacter is a box full of vibrant colors. It covers a complete spectrum including mastering-grade saturation, tube-inspired distortion and glorious destruction. Gone are the days when only racks full of outboard gear could achieve these elusive and highly desirable styles of tonal coloration...

This all-in-one solution offers two separate channels which can be set up for dual mono, linked stereo or linked and unlinked M/S operation. Integrated mix stages for parallel signal processing and the unique Color Control add to its remarkable flexibility.

The entire unit is designed with discrete class-A topology, so even the most lo-fi sounds will benefit from the character's high-end touch. Enhance your tracks or decimate everything – it's a matter of character.

Enjoy countless hours of fun with this marvelous machine!

Index

Controls 4

Connectors 6

Control Voltage 7

Mastering-Grade Saturation 8

Tube-Inspired Distortion 9

Glorious Destruction 10

M/S Mode 11

Recall Sheet 12

Technical Details 13

CE Conformity 13

Warranty Info 14

Legal Info. 15

Deutsches Handbuch. 16

Manuel François. 30

Controls

Drive

Determines the overall intensity of saturation/distortion/destruction. Clockwise means more.

Color

Changes the harmonics-frequency relation. Middle is flat; turn left for more dub and right for more shred.

3 Gain

Sets the amount of output gain. This controller can both cut (turn left) and boost (turn right) the level. Middle is flat.

4 Mix

Blends the direct and the processed signal in any desired relation. Left = 100% dry, right = 100% wet.

Left/Right On

Activates a channel or switches to hardwire bypass.

6 FET Shred

Switches from mastering-grade saturation (LED off) to tube-inspired distortion (LED on).

7 Turbo Boost

Provides an additional kick for truly wild distortion (only available in FET Shred mode).

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8 Stereo Link

Links both channels for processing stereo sources (left controllers and switches become the master for both channels). Linking the channels also works in M/S mode. It might seem a little odd, as the behavior seems to be exactly the same as in linked stereo mode. It can still have its benefits, though, as the inevitable divergences between left and right channel which are caused by natural component tolerances will be reduced in this mode, because here the side information of both channels is processed in a single audio path.

M/S Mode

Switches from Stereo to M/S processing. The left controllers and switches control the Mid, the right controllers and switches process the Side.

Connectors

① Audio inputs (XLR and 1/4'' phone jack)
2 Audio outputs (XLR and 1 / 4'' phone jack)
3 Control Voltage inputs (1 / 4^ phone jack)
4 Mains connector/power switch/fuse holder
5 Voltage selector

Mono operation: Connect either input and output 1 or 2 - both will work identically.

Stereo operation: Connect both inputs and outputs 1 and 2 - the choice which channel is left and which is right is up to you.

Audio inputs (+4dBu)

XLR balanced: Pin 1: ground Pin 2: hot (+) Pin 3: cold (-)
XLR unbalanced: Pin 1: ground Pin 2: hot (+) Pin 3: ground
Jack balanced: Sleeve: ground Tip: hot (+) Ring: cold (-)
Jack unbalanced: Sleeve: ground Tip: hot (+) Ring: ground

Audio outputs (+4dBu)

XLR balanced: Pin 1: ground Pin 2: hot (+) Pin 3: ground
XLR unbalanced: Pin 1: ground Pin 2: hot (+) Pin 3: idle
Jack balanced: Sleeve: ground Tip: hot (+) Ring: ground
Jack unbalanced: Sleeve: ground Tip: hot (+) Ring: idle

Fuses (2 pieces)

230V operation: 100mA slo-blo
115V operation: 200mA slo-blo

Control Voltage

The Drive and Mix parameters can be modulated or automated with an external Control Voltage (abbreviated CV). The special signals needed for this are typically provided by analog synthesizers or specialized products for generating control voltages.

The CV can only cover the complete range of the Drive and Mix parameters if the corresponding knobs are set to their fully counter-clockwise position (see above). Now you are able to control the parameters as follows:

Drive:

Mix:

0 Volt (DC) = Warp 0

0 Volt (DC) = 100% Dry

5 Volt (DC) = Warp 11

5 Volt (DC) = 100% Wet

The control voltages are fed into the kacter through the rearward EXT1 and EXT2 connectors. If the kacter operates in Link mode, both of its channels will be controlled by the signals present at EXT1.

The assignment of the jack connector is like this:

Tip = Drive (0 ... 5 Volt DC)

Ring = Mix (0 ... 5 Volt DC)

Sleeve = Ground

Therefore, a common insert cable (1 x TRS > 2 x TS) will be the best solution to employ the CV functionality of the k character in most cases.

Note: When using oscillators, the control voltage will become noticeable in the audio path when higher frequencies are being used.

Mastering-Grade Saturation

In this mode, the k character generates gentle Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) with a soft characteristic curve, resulting in symmetrical clipping. Your sound gets fatter but stays intact - the

perfect color for busses, stems and complete mixes.

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Stereo Link

Dual Mono

Tube-Inspired Distortion

In FET Shred mode, the behavior of the k character changes drastically. The sound instantly reminds of tube amplifiers, with a wide range of asymmetrical distortion. It's a good idea to make

extensive use of the Color controller – there are so many nuances to discover...

Stereo Link

Dual Mono

Glorious Destruction

Now, this is pushing the envelope. The Turbo Boost option is only available in FET Shred mode and works best at high Drive levels. It shifts the operating point of the distortion circuit and

generates even more asymmetrical wave forms. Hit your samples hard!

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Linked M/S

Unlinked M/S

M/S Mode

The integration of an M/S encoder and decoder into an audio processor generates new potentials that classic stereo devices can hardly offer. One of the main advantages is the possibility

to process the middle and side signals separately. This way you can make the center sound more solid without corrupting the original stereo spectrum, for example.

The most interesting option here is the unlinked M/S mode, as it gives you the possibility to process the mid and the side signals completely independent from each other (remember left becomes mid channel and right becomes side channel).

You can apply a high amount of saturation to the mid and leave the sides completely untouched, or the other way round, or anything in between... Different settings of the gain controllers can be used to create subtle or significant changes within the stereo spectrum.

The Left On button always switches both channels when the k character is operating in linked or unlinked M/S mode.

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Technical Details

Frequency response:

• 100% Dry

<10 Hz - 400 kHz (-3 dB)

• 100% Wet

<10 Hz - 27 kHz (-3 dB)

THD+N (100% Dry):

• @ 0 dBu

0.013%

• @ +10 dBu

0.024%

THD+N (100% Wet in Saturation Mode):

• @ 0 dBu Min Drive

0.47%

• @ 0 dBu Max Drive

35.1%

Noise floor 20Hz - 20kHz (A-weighted):

• 100% Dry

-91 dBu

• 100% Wet (depending on Drive and Gain)

-81 to -91 dBu

Dynamic range, 20Hz - 22kHz

112dB

Maximum input/output level:

+21 dBu/+21 dBu

Input/output impedance:

10 kOhm/68 Ohm

CE Conformity

The conformity of this device to the EU directives is confirmed by the CE mark on the device.

This declaration becomes invalid by any unapproved modification of the device.

Nettetal, 01.04.2016 - Ruben Tilgner

Warranty Info

The character is covered by a limited warranty for a period of 2 years against defects in parts and labor from the date of purchase. Natural wear is not covered by this warranty. Repairs or replacements will not extend the warranty period.

The warranty is given to the original purchaser only and is not transferable. elysia will only give warranty on products purchased through authorized elysia dealers. The warranty will only be valid in the country of the original purchase unless otherwise pre-authorized by elysia.

All warranties become void when the product has been damaged by misuse, accident, neglect, modification, tampering or unauthorized alteration by anyone other than elysia authorized service personnel.

The warrantor assumes no liability for property damage or any other incidental or consequential damage whatsoever which may result from failure of this product. Any and all guarantees of merchantability and fitness implied by law are limited to the duration of the expressed warranty.

elysia will not pay for express or overnight freight service or pay for shipments to locations outside Germany. All damages caused by transport are not covered by this warranty.

This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. Some of the above limitations may not apply to you.

elysia

Legal Info

The information in this document is subject to change without further notice and shall not be deemed as an obligation or warranty of any kind by the manufacturer. No warranties, express or implied, are made with regard to the quality, suitability or accuracy of this document.

The manufacturer reserves the right to change the contents of this document and/or the associated products at any time without the provision of prior notice. The manufacturer shall not be held liable for damages of any kind arising from the use, or the inability to use this product or its documentation.

The information in this document is subject to copyright. All rights, technical changes and errata are reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or for any purpose without the explicitly written permission of the copyright holders.

elysia and karacter are registered trademarks of elysia GmbH. Other product and brand names contained in this document are used for identification purposes only. All registered trademarks, product designations or brand names used in this document are the property of their respective owners.

The product has been manufactured in compliance with the RoHS directive. The purpose of this directive of the European Union is the Restriction of Hazardous

Substances (RoHS) in electronic equipment in order to protect health and nature. Dispose separately!

Version 1.1 © 2019 elysia GmbH

Vorsichtsmaßnahmen

Tube-Inspired Distortion 23

Glorious Destruction 24

M/S-Modus 25

Recall Sheet 26

Technische Daten 27

CE Konformitat 27

Garantie 28

Hinweise 29

English Manual. 2

Manuel François 30

Bedienelemente

Drive

Tube-Inspired Distortion

Glorious Destruction

ATTENTION: Haute Tension

0 Volt (DC) = Warp 0

0 Volt (DC) = 100% Dry

5 Volt (DC) = Warp 11

5 Volt (DC) = 100% Wet

Distortion type 'Lampe'