Setting Sound System Level Controls. Dennis Bohn, Rane. Rane. Note 1. 35 written 1. Decibel Audio Workhorse. Dynamic Range Whats EnoughHeadroom Maximizing. ConsoleMic Preamp Gain Settings. Outboard Gear IO Level Controls. Power Amplifier Sensitivity Controls. Active Crossover Output Attenuators. Using the Rane. Gain Test Set. Information contained in this work has been obtained by Rane from sources believed to be reliable. However, neither Rane nor its author guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein and neither Rane nor its author shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of use of this information. This work is made available with the understanding that Rane and its author are supplying information but are not attempting to render engineering or other professional services. If such services are required, the assistance of an appropriate professional should be sought. Importance Correctly setting a sound systems gain structure is one of the most important contributors to creating an excellent sounding system. Conversely, an improperly set gain structure is one of the leading contributors to bad sounding systems. The cost of the system is secondary to proper setup. The most expensive system set wrong never performs up to the level of a correctly set inexpensive system. Setting all the various level controls is not difficult however, it remains a very misunderstood topic. The key to setting level controls lies in the simple understanding of what you are trying to do. A few minutes spent in mastering this concept makes most set ups intuitive. A little common sense goes a long way in gain setting. A dozen possible procedures exist for correctly setting the gain structure of any system. What follows is but one of these, and is meant to demonstrate the principles involved. View and Download CAKEWALK PRO AUDIO user manual online. Cakewalk. PRO AUDIO Stereo System pdf manual download. Ling tower, or blower. Ironmental protection or his or. Once you master the fundamental principles, you will know what to do when confronted with different system configurations. Decibels, Dynamic Range Maximizing Headroom Audio speak is full of jargon, but none so pervasive as the decibel. Mastering gain, or level control settings also requires an understanding of dynamic range and headroom. Poetic Devices Poetry is the kind of thing poets write. Robert Frost Man, if you gotta ask, youll never know. Louis Armstrong A POET IS LIMITED in. Dynamic range is the ratio of the loudest undistorted signal to that of the quietest discernible signal in a piece of equipment or a complete system, expressed in decibels d. B. For signal processing equipment, the maximum output signal is ultimately restricted by the size of the power supplies, i. While the minimum output signal is determined by the noise floor of the unit, i. Professional grade analog signal processing equipment can output maximum levels of 2. Bu, with the best noise floors being down around 9. Bu. This gives a maximum unit dynamic range of 1. B a pretty impressive number coinciding nicely with the 1. Sound Level Meter Device Pdf' title='Sound Level Meter Device Pdf' />B dynamic range of normal human hearing from just audible to painfully loud. For sound systems, the maximum loudness level is what is achievable before acoustic feedback, or system squeal begins. While the minimum level is determined by the overall background noise. It is significant that the audio equipment noise is usually swamped by the HVAC heating, ventilating air conditioning plus audience noise. Typical minimum noise levels are 3. B SPL sound pressure level, with typical loudest sounds being in the 1. B SPL area. Sounds louder than this start being very uncomfortable, causing audience complaints. This yields a typical useable system dynamic range on the order of only 5. B quite different than unit dynamic ranges. Note that the dynamic range of the system is largely out of your hands. The lower limit is set by the HVAC and audience noise, while the upper end is determined by the comfort level of the audience. As seen above, this useable dynamic range only averages about 6. B. Anything more doesnt hurt, but it doesnt help either. Headroom is the ratio of the largest undistorted signal possible through a unit or system, to that of the average signal level. For example, if the average level is 4 d. Bu and the largest level is 2. Bu, then there is 2. B of headroom. Since you cannot do anything about the system dynamic range, your job actually becomes easier. All you need worry about is maximizing unit headroom. Fine. But, how much is enough An examination of all audio signals reveals music as being the most dynamic big surprise with a crest factor of 4 1. Crest factor is the term used to represent the ratio of the peak crest value to the rms root mean square think average value of a waveform. For example, a sine wave has a crest factor of 1. B, since the peak value equals 1. Musics wide crest factor of 4 1. B. This means that musical peaks occur 1. B higher than the average value. This is why headroom is so important. You need 1. 2 2. B of headroom in each unit to avoid clipping. Preset All Level Controls in the System After all equipment is hooked up, verify system operation by sending an audio signal through it. Gate Books For Eee. Do this first before trying to set any gainlevel controls. This is to make sure all wiring has been done correctly, that there are no bad cables, and that there is no audible hum or buzz being picked up by improperly grounded interconnections See Sound System Interconnection. Once you are sure the system is operating quietly and correctly, then you are ready to proceed. Turn down all power amplifier levelsensitivity controls. Turn off all power amplifiers. This allows you to set the maximum signal level through the system without making yourself and others stark raving mad. Download Injustice Apk Free. Position all gainlevel controls to their off or minimum settings. Defeat all dynamic controllers such as compressorslimiters, gateexpanders, and enhancers by setting the Ratio controls to 1 1, andor turning the Threshold controls way up or down for gateexpanders. Leave all equalization until after correctly setting the gain structure. ConsoleMic Preamp Gain Settings A detailed discussion of how to run a mixing console lies outside the range of this Note, but a few observations are relevant. Think about the typical mixer signal path. At its most basic, each input channel consists of a mic stage, some EQ, routing assign switches and level controls, along with a channel master fader. All of these input channels are then mixed together to form various outputs, each with its own level control or fader. To set the proper mixer gain structure, you want to maximize the overall SN signal to noise ratio. Shivam Serial Episode 1. Now think about that a little because of the physics behind analog electronics, each stage contributes noise as the signal travels through it. Digital is a bit different and is left to another Note and another day. Therefore each stage works to degrade the overall signal to noise ratio. Heres the important part The amount of noise contributed by each stage is relatively independent of the signal level passing through it. So, the bigger the input signal, the better the output SN ratio in general. The rule here is to take as much gain as necessary to bring the signal up to the desired average level, say, 4 d. Bu, as soon as possible. If you need 6. 0 d. B of gain to bring up a mic input, you dont want to do it with 2. B here, and 2. 0 d. B there, and 2. 0 d. B some other place. You want to do it all at once at the input mic stage. For most applications, the entire system SN more or less gets fixed at the mic stage. Therefore set it for as much gain as possible without excessive clipping.