The Thumper TH100 Throat Microphone The Pounder P2 In-Ear Microphone

Owners Manual
[DSP Program v1.0 - August 2012]

Table of Contents
Welcome to Awesome! Hooking It Up! The Signal Flow! The Mute Button! DIP Switch Settings! Troubleshooting! Cool Customizations! Installing Software Updates/Upgrades! Technical Info (Specs & Stuff)! Wrapping Up / Special Thanks! 3 4 5 7 8 10 11 12 14 15

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Welcome to Awesome
Whether you call it vocal percussion, beatbox, mouth drumming, beatstrument (beatbox+instrument at same time), or just spitting on the audience, your sound is important to you and Im glad youve decided to trust your sound with the Thumper...we wont let you down. You have just decided to strap a digital signal processing powerhouse to your neck & hip and it is awesome. While this microphone is jam-packed with awesome, it will not: improve your rhythms, improve your groove, improve your fundamental sounds, or improve your attractiveness to the opposite sex (debatable). For that, I am sorry...nothing I can do about that. I tried to write up as much info as I could think of to put in here, because I feel its most important to understand what your gear is doing, that way you can use it to the fullest. Hopefully, it wont bore you too much! I know that I make microphones for a small subset of the music community, but beatboxing & vocal percussion is an amazing art and one that needs its own category of equipment. Strap It On! --> freddie

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Hooking It Up
Wired Setup If you are going to use a wired setup, youll need to convert the output of the BeatPack into a microphone level signal. To do this, youll need to use a little box called a DI Box or Direct Input Box. Sometimes your microphone pre-amp will have a DI Input or Instrument Input. That will work too. If you connect the output of the BeatPack to a Line Input on your mixer, you may not get very good results. I dont recommend it. Wireless Setup Any guitar or bass/guitar wireless transmitter will work with your BeatPack. There is no conversion or adapter necessary. You just need a short cable to connect the 1/4 unbalanced output of the BeatPack to the wireless transmitter.

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The Signal Flow

Input - This is where the microphone signal comes into the beltpack. The belt-pack will not power on and the LED will not light until this cable is plugged in. ADC - The analog signal of the microphone is converted to a digital stream. Low-Pass Filter (bypassable)- We lter out all of the highfrequencies from the signal. The cutoff or corner frequency of this lter is controlled using DIP switches #3 & #4 (see section on DIP Switch Settings). This type of lter has a tendency to drop the volume a little bit, so we add back a few dB of gain when the lter is engaged. The result: less higher frequency content in your signal (hihats, most snares, and frictional noise from the collar rubbing against your throat). Dynamic Bass Enhancement (bypassable) - The Dynamic Bass Boost provides input level-dependent bass boost. Lower level signals are boosted more than higher-amplitude signals. Using a variable-Q lter, this algorithm dynamically adjusts the amount of boost. The result: fatter, rounder sound. Automatic Gain Control (AGC) (bypassable) - The volume is pumped up and kept fairly-constant using a compressor. The result: a louder output that is punchier. High-Pass Filter - To keep the sound from getting muddy, we lter out the frequencies below 25Hz. The result: a tighter sound.

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DAC - The digital stream is converted back to an analog signal. Output - We output to a 1/4 unbalanced connector, similar to that of a bass guitar.

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The Mute Button

There is a small red button next to the input jack on the BeatPack. This is your MUTE button. Then you mute your signal, your volume will slide quickly, and smoothly, down to zero. When you un-mute, your volume will slide back up to full. No pops or clicks, neat right? This button is also useful if youre switching to singing another part, like a solo. It can also be used in performance by temporarily removing your low-end THUMP and then bring it back in for a dramatic texture change. There are two types of mute available in your TH100: Momentary and Latching. Momentary mute will only keep the signal muted while you are holding down the MUTE button. When in latching mute mode, when you press the MUTE button, your signal will mute. When you press the button again, it will un-mute. The muting type is controlled via DIP switch #8. If this switch is set to OFF, then muting is momentary. If this switch is set to ON, then muting is latching. If you are in latching mute mode, the BeatPack will boot-up and automatically be muted. Simply press the MUTE button once and you are ready to perform.

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DIP Switch Settings

You can control some parameters of the DSP using the tiny DIP switches that are visible through a cut-out in the BeatPack enclosure. You can use a pen or small screwdriver to slide the switches up and down. This is not something you would do during a performance, but more during sound-check or at home. To turn a setting ON, slide the switch up, away from the numbers. Where Are The Switches?

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DIP Switch Settings

Switch 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Description Bias Voltage ON/OFF Factory Default

(DO NOT TOUCH)

ON ON ON ON ON OFF OFF ON

Low-Pass Filter ON/OFF Low-Pass Filter Cut-off Frequency Low-Pass Filter Cut-off Frequency Bass Enhancement ON/OFF Pounder Processing ON/OFF Automatic Gain Control (AGC) ON/OFF Latching Mute Switch ON/OFF

Low-Pass Filter Cut-off Frequencies

DIP Switch #3 OFF OFF ON ON DIP Switch #4 OFF ON OFF ON Frequency Cutoff 300 Hz 241 Hz 183 Hz 125 Hz

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Troubleshooting
Problem Where is the power switch? Possible Solutions There is none! The unit will remain powered off until you plug in the input cable from the throat mic. Dont leave this plugged-in when you are not using the mic or you will drain your battery. Your input jack is broken. Contact VOCOMOTION and then send it back for repair. This could be from several different issues: 1) Make sure there is a fresh battery in the BeatPack. 2) Make sure your throat mic or in-ear mic is connected to the input jack. 3) The LED should light up. 4) DIP switch #1 should be set to ON. 5) Are you holding down the MUTE button? Dont do that. 6) With battery removed, make sure the EEPROM chip is still inserted in socket (see Installing Software Updates section)

When I move around the input jack, it makes a thumpy/poppy noise. Im not hearing any output.

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Cool Customizations
The DSP processor inside your BeatPack has been programmed with the standard Thumper & Pounder program. You can purchase customized DSP programs from VOCOMOTION for an additional charge. Some Possible Customizations Volume Control - The MUTE button can be changed to control the output volume. Each press of the button lowers the volume by 25%, until it reaches 0% (muted). On the next press it goes back to 100% and continues to cycle on each press. Cut-Off Frequency - The low-pass lters use a cut-off frequency that can be selected using the DIP Switches. There are only 4 frequencies selectable in the standard program. You can have custom frequencies set in the DIP Switches for you. EQ - If youd like customized EQ settings, they can be programmed in for you. Repurpose The Mute button - Maybe you dont need a mute button. Maybe youd rather engage an effect with that button, like subharmonic synthesizer or even a chorus effect. It can be done.

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Installing Software Updates/Upgrades

This is not as simple as plugging the BeatPack into your computer and downloading a program, but its really not that hard to do. Your software update or upgrade will arrive stored on a small memory chip, called an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory). You will need to remove the old EEPROM from the BeatPack and insert the new EEPROM in its place. There is a tiny dimple on the top of the chip, this dimple needs to be pointing away from the battery. Be careful not to bend the pins when inserting the chip. Bents pins are bad. Upgrade Steps 1. Remove the silicone boot from around the BeatPack. 2. Locate and remove the four small screws hold the enclosure closed (two are under the battery door). 3. Locate and remove the existing EEPROM chip, just next to the DIP switches (see photo on next page). 4. Insert the new EEPROM chip, making sure the small dimple in the chip is facing the end of the circuit board with the audio connectors on it. 5. Close up BeatPack and replace screws.

I believe in you. You can do this.

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Technical Info (Specs & Stuff)

Audio Engine Sample Rate Bit-Depth Signal-To-Noise Ratio (SNR) Output Impedance Output Connector Controls Conguration Power Supply BeatPack Dimensions
28/56-bit, 50 MIPS digital audio processor 48 khz 24 bits 100 dB

560 ohms 1/4 TS Unbalanced Pushbutton Mute 8 position DIP Switch 9V Battery 4.63 x 2.84 x 1.00 in.

VOCOMOTION is constantly striving to maintain the highest professional standards. As a result of these efforts, modifications may be made from time to time to existing products without prior notice. Specifications and appearance may differ from those listed or shown.

Designed by VOCOMOTION in Illinois. Assembled in Utah. Both in the USA.

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Wrapping Up / Special Thanks

How to Contact VOCOMOTION VOCOMOTION 8800 Bronx Ave, Suite 103 Skokie, IL 60077 freddie@vocomotion.com http://vocomotion.com Special Thanks Jill+Jack+Leah Feldman, Miriam+Barry Feldman, David+Judy +Matt+Tracey+Tyler+Max+Charlie+Olivia Eidelman, Dr. Ramkumar Ramaswamy, Chris Gibbs+Florida Probe, Dane Tate +xqp audio, Metin Gunsay, Jonathan Minkoff+Judy Fontana, Diana+Marty+Maya Gasper, Robin Rodriguez, Kevin Child...and ALL the Kickstarter backers! The Thumpiest Kickstarter Contributors: Mike Jankowski and David Longo

Time to go do awesome things with your new toy! Go! Please do it!

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VOCOMOTION warrants this product to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a period of 90 days for parts and labor from the date of original retail purchase. This warranty is enforceable only by the original retail purchaser. During the warranty period VOCOMOTION shall, at its sole and absolute option, either repair or replace free of charge any product that proves to be defective on inspection by VOCOMOTION or its authorized service representative. In all cases disputes concerning this warranty shall be resolved as prescribed by law. To obtain warranty service, the purchaser must first call or write VOCOMOTION at the address and telephone number printed below to obtain a Return Authorization Number and instructions concerning where to return the unit for service. All inquiries must be accompanied by a description of the problem. All authorized returns must be sent to VOCOMOTION or an authorized VOCOMOTION repair facility postage prepaid, insured and properly packaged. Proof of purchase must be presented in the form of a bill of sale, canceled check or some other positive proof that the product is within the warranty period. VOCOMOTION reserves the right to update any unit returned for repair. VOCOMOTION reserves the right to change or improve design of the product at any time without prior notice. This warranty does not cover claims for damage due to abuse, neglect, alteration or attempted repair by unauthorized personnel, and is limited to failures arising during normal use that are due to defects in material or workmanship in the product. ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE LENGTH OF THIS LIMITED WARRANTY. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you. I N N O E V E N T W I L L V O C O M O T I O N B E L I A B L E F O R I N C I D E N TA L , CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE BREACH OF ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY, INCLUDING, AMONTH OTHER THINGS, DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, DAMAGE BASED ON INCONVENIENCE OR ON LOSS OF USE OF THE PRODUCT, AND, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, DAMAGES FOR PERSONAL INJURY. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. This warranty only applies to products sold in the United States of America or Canada. The terms of this warranty and any obligations of VOCOMOTION under this warranty shall apply only within the country of sale. Without limiting the foregoing, repairs under this warranty shall be made only by a duly authorized VOCOMOTION service representative in the country of sale. For warranty information in all other countries please refer to your local distributor. Thumper TH100 & Pounder P2 :: Owners Manual :: Page 16