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Application Note

SAM Series Compatibility and Operations July 2015

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July 2015

SAM Series Compatibility and Operations

The purpose of this Application Note is to provide further insights into the inter-compatibility between various Genelec Smart Active Monitor (SAM) systems as well as to highlight specific system settings in order to allow optimal use of each system combination.

The terminology used in this document is as follows: Legacy subwoofers: specify all products from the 7200 Series (7260, 7270, 7271) Legacy monitors: specify the following products; 8240, 8250, 8260, 1238CF

GLM Software and Network

This Application Note assumes that the latest GLM 2.0 software is used. The GLM 2.0 software calibrates and controls Genelec SAM monitors and subwoofers using Genelec Network Adapter model 8300-416.

Genelec Network Interface models 8200-416 and 8200-416B are not supported with the GLM 2.0 software. Also note that GLM 1.x to 1.5 software are only compatible with Legacy subwoofers and monitors and should not be used, either in a system combination or alone, with 1237, 1238, 1234, 83XX and 73XX Series products.

Table of Content:

1. Legacy subwoofers Group Definition / Edit page

2. Legacy subwoofers with 8351, 1237, 1238, 1238AC for LCR front channels and 8240,8250, 8260, 1238CF for Sides or Rear surround channels

3. Legacy subwoofers with Legacy monitors for LCR front channels and 8330 for Sides orRear surround channels

4. 7260 Subwoofer with 8330s in stereo or multichannel configuration

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1. Legacy subwoofers Group Definition / Edit page

Group Name - Name the Group according to its function in the room.

Input Signal Type - Each Group can either be Analog or Digital. Any Group that uses a Legacy subwoofer must be selected as Digital.

Video Delay Compensation - This is a Group wide value but is shown on each Monitor (Group) Edit page. It is set according to the documented value in the video displays operating manual.

Monitor Name - Automatically given according to where it is placed on the Layout Grid. It can be re-renamed.

In Group - A monitor can be either In the Group or not. Double clicking on the monitor icons on the Group Edit page does the same thing as switching between OFF and ON. A single click of the monitor Icon queries the monitor for editing.

AES/EBU Channels - The 4 rows represent the 4 inputs of the Legacy subs. Note: the 7350 subwoofer only has 1 input for 2 AES channels. Check marks indicate that the channel is being reproduced by the subwoofer.

LFE Channel - Check if the LFE channel is being utilized and on which AES sub-frame it is. Input 4 is always used for the LFE cable/channel. The upper cut-off limit of the LFE channel is fixed at 120Hz.

LFE Channel Gain - If the production is Dolby Digital or DTS select the +10 dB setting.

Subwoofer crossover - Can also be thought of as Bass Management crossover. Selections are available from 55 Hz to 100 Hz.

Crossover setting is - Either Individual or Global. The default is Global. In cases where you may be mixing both Legacy monitors with newer SAM monitors in the same Group with a Legacy subwoofer, you may need to select Individual.

Pass Through Mode - When set to OFF, the high-pass filtering occurs on the AES outputs of the Legacy subwoofers. When set to ON, bit accurate AES unfiltered audio passes through all outputs. Pass Through is automatically ON with 7350 and no selection is possible since no high-pass filtering is applied to the 7350 outputs.

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2. Legacy subwoofers with 8351, 1237, 1238, 1238AC for LCR front channels 8240, 8250, 8260, 1238CF for Sides or Rear surround channels

Overview In rooms where there is a combination of 8351s or larger 1237s or 1238s in the front LCR channels with 8240s, 8250s, or 8260s in the side/rear surround channels, all being bass managed by a Legacy subwoofer (7260,7270,7271), careful editing of the Group is required so that proper crossover and phase calibration can be obtained.

AES 5.1, 7.1 or Wiring: The typical recommended wiring configuration is L/R as one AES pair, L/R Surrounds on another, and Center plus LFE on the remaining AES cable. All AES signal cables should go to the Legacy subwoofer first.

Note: Input 4 is intended for any cable carrying the LFE Channel.

Define Layout: Drag monitors off the Stack and place them onto the grid into the appropriate locations for your

room.

Press Confirm Layout

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Define Group First, single click on the subwoofer icon

Step 1 Subwoofer Group

Group Title and AES Input select: Name the Group Select AES/EBU Digital for Input Signal Type since the 72XX ONLY have AES Inputs

LFE Channel select, LFE +10 dB and Crossover: All channels are defaulted to be reproduced but you need to identify which AES sub-frame is

carrying the LFE, typically the Center channel is the A sub-frame and the LFE is the B sub-frame

Set LFE Channel Gain to +10 dB Crossover Frequency: leave the 85 Hz selection Crossover Setting should be set from Global to Individual

Pass Through Mode: Leave the Pass Through Mode to OFF

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Group Settings in each of the 1237, 1238 or 1238AC SAM monitor: Single click and set each 12XX monitor as shown in Step 2 below.

Step 2 Define Group

The crossover filter in each 1237A, 1238A, 1238AC needs to be set to Full Band.

Important note: the 12XX have their own internal lookup filter tables for Distributed BassManagement filtering. On the other hand the Legacy subwoofer perform Centralized BassManagement (applying the Low Pass / High Pass filtering).So, one must avoid double filtering at the 12XX end. Setting each monitor Individually to FullBand means that the monitor is by itself a Full Band loudspeaker, band limited by the subwooferinternal filtering circuits preceding it.

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Notations to Group Edit / Define Bass Management labels:

The 85 Hz label under the subwoofer icon present on the grid means that the LP/HP filters areset at 85 Hz. Cables connected to the subwoofer outputs are filtered at 85 Hz or any otherselected crossover frequency.

The label Full means Full bandwidth. There is no filtering done locally at the monitor since thecables going to them are already filtered.

8240s, 8250s, 8260s, 1238CFs are defaulted to Full Band since they DO NOT have the internaldistributed bass management filtering facilities.

Next, press Confirm Group and proceed to AutoCal and AutoPhase functions. Be sure to have the microphone plugged into the Network Adaptor.

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3. Legacy subwoofers with Legacy monitors for LCR front channels 8330 for Sides or Rear surround channels

Overview In some cases there may be an opportunity or desire to utilize compact SAM 8330s as sides or rear surround channels in combination with Legacy monitors (8240, 8250, 8260) as LCR fronts and Legacy subwoofers, providing the bass management channel summing function.

Due to a D-to-A scaling differences in the 8330s, it is required that the AES wiring be routed to the 8330s first and then returned via the AES loop-thru to the 72xx Legacy subwoofer. The proper high pass filtering for the 8330s satellites is done locally at each 8330 via the GLM Subwoofer crossover command. High pass filtering for the Fronts is done internally in the 72xx Legacy subwoofer.

AES 5.1, 7.1 Wiring: The typical wiring configuration is L/R as one AES pair, L/R Surrounds on another, and Center and LFE on the remaining AES cable. As noted above, all AES signal cables should go first to the 72xx Legacy subwoofer except for the

8330s. Those feeds must first go to the 8330s, then looped back to the 72XX subwoofer. Input 4 is intended for any cable carrying the LFE Channel.

Define Layout: Drag monitors off the Stack and place them onto the grid to the appropriate locations for your

room.

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Press Confirm Layout.

Define Group First Single click on the subwoofer icon

Group Name and AES Input select: Name the Group and set Input Signal Type to AES/EBU Digital since the 72XX ONLY has AES

Inputs.

LFE Channel select, LFE +10 dB and Crossover: All channels are defaulted to be reproduced but you need to identify which AES sub-frame is

carrying the LFE. Typically the Center channel is the A sub-frame and the LFE is channel is the B sub-frame.

Set LFE Channel Gain to +10 dB. Leave Subwoofer Crossover and Setting at 85 Hz and on Global.

Pass Through Mode: Leave the Pass Through Mode to OFF.

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Notations to Group Edit / Define Bass Management labels:

The 85 Hz label under the subwoofer icon present on the grid means that the LP/HP filters areset at 85 Hz. Cables connected to the subwoofer outputs are filtered at 85 Hz or any otherselected crossover frequency.

The label NA means Not Applicable. It indicates that there is no filtering done locally at themonitor since the cables going to them are already filtered.

The labels under the satellites give a frequency in Hz indicating that the complimentary filtering tothe subwoofer is done locally at the satellite (Distributed Bass Management filtering). In thisexample the 8330s do the 85 Hz high-pass filtering. The AES loop thru outputs from the 8330s arefull bandwidth and go back to the 72XX Legacy subwoofer where the signal is properly low-passfiltered.

Next, press Confirm Group and proceed to AutoCal and AutoPhase functions.

Be sure to have the microphone plugged into the Network Adaptor.

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4. 7260 Subwoofer with 8330s in stereo or multichannelconfiguration

AES Wiring: The typical wiring configuration is L/R as one AES pair, L/R Surrounds on another, and Center and LFE on the third AES cable. All AES signal cables must first go to the 7260.

The cable carrying the LFE Channel must be plugged into Input 4 of the 7260.

If another channel is paired with it, (eg. the center channel), the cabling shall continue to that monitor via Output 4.

Define Layout: Drag monitors off the Stack and place them onto the grid to the appropriate locations for your

room.

Press Confirm Layout.

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Define Group First Single click on the subwoofer icon

Group Name and AES Input select: Name the Group and Select AES/EBU Digital Input Signal Type since the 7260 ONLY has AES Inputs.

LFE Channel select, LFE +10 dB and Crossover: All channels are defaulted to be reproduced but you need to identify which AES sub-frame is

carrying the LFE Channel, typically the Center channel is the A sub-frame and the LFE channel is the B sub-frame.

Set LFE Channel Gain to +10 dB.

Pass Through Mode: Set the Pass Through Mode to ON.

Press Confirm Group and proceed to AutoCal and AutoPhase functions.

Be sure to have the microphone plugged into the Network Adaptor.

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Genelec Oy Olvitie 5 T +358 17 83 881 genelec@genelec.com FI-74100 Iisalmi F +358 17 81 2267 www.genelec.com Finland