Product Review: Rane DSP
Author: Barry Birdwell
Contact Info:
D&H Electronic Systems
Mt. Juliet, TN
(615) 754-5692

Barry Birdwell is the Engineering Coordinator for D&H Electronic Systems in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. D&H specializes in sound system design and installation.

The “New” Drag Net

By Barry Birdwell

“The story you’re about to read is true.”

“The equipment types have been changed to protect the audio.”

It wasn’t too long ago for some of us that DSP (Digital Signal Processing) was something that might have been used only by Captain Kirk on the Starship Enterprise.  We were born into this industry the children of analog and raised on the tactile feel of knobs and sliders. Most projects would have you standing in front of one, maybe two, 6 foot tall equipment racks chocked full of processing equipment (equalizers, compressors, delays, mixers, etc.) with hundreds of controls just waiting to be twisted or slid.  As analog devices now slowly go the way of the Dodo, these are the stories we will tell our children’s children.

The analog processor world has given way to computer controlled and programmed Digital Signal Processing (DSP) units.  These computerized “systems in a box” have now primarily become the defacto standard for the signal processing chain.  Not only does it give you greater options than its analog grandfather for massaging the audio signal, it does it in a much smaller package. The processing power of 2 racks of various analog devices can now be harnessed in one single or dual rack space DSP unit. While there are many (and I mean MANY) manufacturer’s of DSP units on the market, one product line in particular stands out as leading the charge in fully configurable DSP; the Rane “Drag Net” series of products.

The Rane Drag Net multiprocessor family consists of several units. The RPM 2 has 2 analog line level inputs and 2 analog line level outputs.  The RPM 26z has 2 analog line level inputs, an AES3 digital input and 6 analog line level outputs. The RPM 22, RPM 44, and RPM 88 have 2, 4 or 8 analog mic or line inputs, an AES3 digital input and output and 2, 4 or 8 analog outputs respectively. 

While this input and output stuff sounds really great and all, it’s what’s under the hood that sets these units apart from the rest of the vehicles in the DSP lot.  Using Rane’s proprietary “Drag Net” drag and drop software, these units go from already Cadillac status to Ferrari status in just a few mouse clicks.  The idea behind the software is an open architecture window where specific signal processing “blocks” are placed and connected together to form exactly the type of system component structure that you need. Everything from simple input to output processing strands to a multitude of mixing and matrixing input to output configurations. The user has a complete pallet of processing blocks to choose from. Everything from standard and automatic multi-input mixers, limiters, compressors, graphic and parametric equalizers and delays to crossovers, automatic gain control, ambient noise control, and automatic feedback reduction.  Blocks can be positioned and connected as single entities or a group of blocks can be combined to form your own personal audio “widget”.  Need to build a crossover with eq and delay on only the high pass output and compression limiting only on the low pass output; no problem.  Need a parametric eq on each side of a 4x1 mixer, hey knock yourself out! Once you have configured your signal routing using the system blocks you are then able to go into the control windows of each block and through the amazing technology of a software interface, tweak virtual knobs and slide sliders to your hearts content.

With this arsenal of software control virtually any type of input to output software DSP configuration is possible. The units can also be remotely controlled using Rane’s series of “smart” remotes or custom remote panels to change almost any parameter including preset selection, volume levels and routing.

This approach to DSP configuration gives the user free reign to let his processing configuration juices flow. For churches, this means a single unit can be configured in multiple configurations to accommodate everything from a simple wedding service to a full blown crusade (so to speak).  Not to mention the cost savings of this approach over the analog alternative.  With retail pricing of the Rane units ranging from $799 to $3499 this in itself could run the savings into the thousands when comparing to the laundry list of analog devices that would be required to achieve the same (or get even close to the same) results.

For more information on this product contact you local Rane representative or you can contact Rane directly at 425-355-6000 (they are very smart). To get your copy of Drag Net 4.0 and more information on the RPM products go to www.rane.com, click on the Drag Net 4.0 icon and download your own. Rane also has a series of digital processing units with analog control, for those of us who are having a hard time letting go.

Drag Net is a trademark of Rane Corporation, Mukilteo, WA

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