M3-7AI Stereo Mastering Console

M3-7AI Stereo Mastering Console

The M3-7AI is our most popular M3 console. It has enough inserts for most users, and also supports parallel analogue processing. With the -TP option you can add MS and level processing as well.

The M3-7AI has these features:

IO

• 8 analogue sources
• 7 analogue inserts

Monitor sources

• Choose any of 8 analogue to listen to
• Easily apply amonitor only trim to any or every source. The trim is calibrated in 0.25dB steps, so you can A/B any source to any other, removing any level differences- hear the difference, not the level
• Each source has a labelled button, and you can print out your own labels to label them with their proper names (eg DAW, or Sadie)

Monitor Controller

• Choose what to listen to with the monitor selector and send it to one of 3 speakers, or a set of headphones
• Each speaker has it's own level control, so you can switch between speaker sets with no jump in volume
• The volume control has coarse steps below - 50dB, then fine 1dB steps from -50 to 0dB, so you can accurately adjust the level.
• All levels are displayed on the panel LCD, so you can see where you are and recall levels easily
• You can calibrate the controller to work to relative dB levels, with 0dB as your normal setting. This lets you easily compare mix loudness, and also operate Bob Katz's K system calibration if you want
• You can make the nearfield speaker work independently, great for use with a external subwoofer
• You can add our -BM bass manager option to get proper filtered outputs for stereo main speakers and stereo or mono subwoofers
  
• There is individual speaker Left and Right Cuts(mutes) as well as a master cut (mute)
• There is a programmable Dim switch, where you can adjust the Dim level
• There are a range of mono functions: Mono Left, Mono Right, Mono Sum and Mono Difference - great for listening to the out of phase audio
• There is a range of phase flip functions: Phase Left, Phase Right, and Phase Absolute
• There is a Swap Left and Right function
• There is an analogue meter output for analogue meters, and a digital meter output for metering digital sources

Transfer Selector

• Select any of the monitor source machines to be the input of the transfer(record) path
• The source is automatically routed to the input of the insert matrix
  
• The source is shown on the LCD panel
  

Insert Switching

• Insert as many inserts as you like, in any order from 7 analogue inserts
• The order of the inserts is shown on the panel's LCD, so it's easy to see where you are, and easy to recall the positions
• You can lock an analogue insert in place, so you can audition it, all from the front panel
• You can form parallel paths with the analogue inserts, choosing what goes in each path, and where the paths split
• Using our -TP trimmer pack option, you can mix the paths back together, with level control on each path

MS & Level trimming option

• You can trim before and after the analogue record chain to optimise levels
• The trimmer has separate Left and Right trims, that can be ganged together with or without a L/R offset
• The trimmer has fine 0.25dB steps over a +/- 6dB range
• The trimmers will mix together parallel paths, to complete your parallel processing
• The MS system allows you to MS any insert or inserts, if you place the MS in 2 inserts. Alternatively, you can fix it to one insert.
• The MS system gives you control of the S level, so the overall volume of the audio stays the same, while you work on the difference signal
  
• All electronics, MS and trimmer have a hard relay bypass

Physical

• 3 or 4 wide front panel units, fit into a 4RU 19" space, or a moveable wooden pod
  
• 3 RU of remote rack houses all of the electronics
• Supplied with 18' (6M) of connecting cable from the racks to the front panels