DBX 400XG Unit Questions

[braxus]

I'll admit Im a techie myself and am pretty good about figuring out equipment without the manuals. But this unit has me pondering.

First off does this unit work passively, because even when the power is turned off on the 400XG, it still passes sound and the switches work. The only thing I don't see is the lights since there is no power. Is it supposed to do this with the passive switching?

Also I have some questions about some of the switches. First sound processor seems easy enough. Something like an effect unit or such that goes in between the chain. Not sure how that connect in line with the decks, but Im not worried since I'll probably never use it.

Tape monitor is also easy as you chose whether to listen to the source or the tape deck selected. Now if you are using the NR section, I would assume you select both encode and decode by pushing them in? What is the purpose of selecting one (encode for example), but not the other (decode)? And the second selection is monitor (or Line on the opposite side) and then copy. What exactly does copy represent? Same question about copy on the right side of the unit with the tape 1 to 3 selection.

I'll post this example. If I wanted to record a source and listen to the tape deck selected and also use NR, how would one set this unit up to select the proper switches?

[Acoustic]

Tape monitor is also easy as you chose whether to listen to the source or the tape deck selected. Now if you are using the NR section, I would assume you select both encode and decode by pushing them in? What is the purpose of selecting one (encode for example), but not the other (decode)? And the second selection is monitor (or Line on the opposite side) and then copy. What exactly does copy represent? Same question about copy on the right side of the unit with the tape 1 to 3 selection.

I'll post this example. If I wanted to record a source and listen to the tape deck selected and also use NR, how would one set this unit up to select the proper switches?

I will try to answer your two main questions but first... do you have a copy of the owners manual? If not here it is. (http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=a1e69ee3cea3374f5c6e3a828aca54be)

The top row of encode decode buttons do that job when you are recording to a tape deck from an outside source. If you have a three head deck and you are going from 'source' to 'tape' you are monitoring you can listen to the source either encoded or not... but you can listen to the tape (decode) while the its taping (encoding) and switch your deck to 'tape' and listen and/or adjust your recording levels. That's the top row while recording from an outside source.

The bottom row you'll keep on 'moni' or 'line' while doing the above. But when your taping from Tape 1 to Tape 2 the bottom row is used to either send the signal decoded or not to that deck. Say you have a dbx tape that you want to dupe so you can take to your car that is non dbx. You dub that tape while the tape is decoding to play in the car. So Tape 1 your playing from the Monitor area of the 400x and your using the Copy Master area on Tape 2 either with the encoding light on if that is desired or not in if that is wanted.

And your last question... yes. I have my decks set up like the diagram on top of the unit... and I just listened to Tape 2 while decoding while recording from FM to Tape 1 encoding. The LED on will mean that decoding is on. So my set up was... in the Monitor area Tape 2 button was lit and LED below on to listen from Tape 2 decoding. Then in the Rec Selector area Tape 1 was lit in the 'Line' row and the LED next to it lit... which meant taping to Tape 1 from FM encoding, since the LED next to the Tape 1 button in the 'Line' row was on.

Yes the 400 is basically passive but the lights show you the paths you are taking. You can shut it off when you get things set up to go and there will be no change.

I just hope*hope* this is close to answering your questions! This is a flexible unit! Also I hope what I said is accurate!

Here's also a link to a flyer of both the 200 and 400x advert (http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=33c905b75a2e2b22f7ae35bce09093c8). Both the manual and advert are about 2.4mb each.