STUDIO

preserve the full sound of the drum; during a fastroll it will probably just stay open. This, ofcourse, means that the connected sampler will notretrigger, and all snare beats after the first arelost. It is very easy to adjust the timing of thegate so that fast, accurate retriggers will happen,but in the process the original sound is wrecked.The answer is to use two gates although a lessextravagant way round it should be possible andwould surely be appreciated. This is not todenigrate the DPR -502, which is particularlyeffective and easy to use in this role.The other main MIDI function is the ability toreceive note commands; the gates will open andclose in response to certain note -on and note -off110 Studio Sound, June 1989values. These numbers are the same as thetransmitted note numbers, and like the MIDIchannel itself are set on Dip switches on the rearpanel. This is obviously inconvenient, but anEPROM update will make all this programmablevia System Exclusive messages from a remotecomputer. This will also expand the controlpossibilities', so that for instance each gatechannel may be mapped to different note rangeson the keyboard. As it stands each channel maybe set to respond to a specific note or all notes.In the meantime it is generally going to beeasier when using the 502 as a MIDI trigger toremap the note assignments on the destinationsound source. This can be tricky on some drum59 Maltings Place, Bagleys LaneLondon SW6 28XTelephone: 01 -731 7434Vodafone: 0836 204995Fax: 01 -731 3280machines, where the assignment can only bemade by sending the required number to themachine, but another useful feature on the 502simplifies this. The Check button forces the gatethrough its open -close cycle regardless of thepresence or absence of an audio signal, and causesthe relevant MIDI data to be transmitted at theappropriate times. This is also a useful check onmany functions; since the VCA is forced open itallows signal checks without bypassing the unit,it allows the attack, hold and release times to beaudibly monitored, and checks the action andballistics of the meter LEDs. Another checkingfunction is a MIDI Active indicator, which lightswhen any MIDI data is transmitted or received.An unexpected bonus in the MIDI facilities isan intelligent Merge function, which mergesreceived data with data generated by the 502itself and re- transmits both via the MIDI OUTsocket. For this to be operational, the unit has tobe selected (again on the back panel) to Relaymode. It is also possible to select whether or notthe gate will re- transmit, or echo, its owninternally -generated MIDI commands when it hasbeen triggered by a remote MIDI device.In addition to all the MIDI selector switches,the ADE level preset switch and the MIDIsockets, the rear panel incorporates all the audioconnections. The Key input and side chain accessshare a 3 -pole ya inch jack, while ins and outs(capable of handling up to +20 dBV) are on XLRs.The XLR wiring is configured pin 3 hot, whichwould not necessarily be a problem except for thefact that the output is unbalanced'; patching itinto my unbalanced insert points usingconventional pin 2 hot leads naturally resulted inno signal whatever. This would of course be noproblem in a competently wired permanentinstallation, but hire companies beware!The overriding impression of the DPR -502 is ofa very user- oriented treatment of a familiartheme. Rather than trying to add hosts of newfeatures, it seems to have set out to makeestablished ideas easier to control, at the sametime adding a few specialities of its own. In thisit succeeds very well, to the extent that its use isintuitive and hardly requires a manual evenwhen confronted with it for the first time. Noisegates can be notoriously difficult to set upaccurately; the 502's features, particularly themetering and filtering arrangements, make it oneof the easiest and fastest gates I have used.BSS Ltd., Unit 5, Merlin Centre, AcrewoodWay, St Albans, Herts AIA OJY, UK.USA: EDC, 611 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.Manufacturer'scomment1 When this unit was reviewed the SystemExclusive access was in the planning stageand is now a reality. Also, a connector toallow these MIDI Dip switches to be remoted,ie to the back of an effects rack, has sincebeen added.2 Electronic balanced outputs have beenincorporated as standard in the updatedversion available since November.