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Posted by rafale on Jul-25-2004 10:55:

Gains and mixer settings

How do you guys calibrate/configure your mixer for recording and for playing live? Is there a difference?

When I'm recording at home I set the gains to the lowest level and use my amp to raise the volume to the desired level. I figured this would (close to) eliminate distortion which occurs when gains are too high. Am I doing it right in theory?

Posted by Freak on Jul-25-2004 11:24:

no
Need a decent signal/noise ratio

Best way is via unity gain, which is finding the optimum gain settings at every stage of the signal path.

Low gains and high output is just adding a shiedload of noise into your signal

Posted by dJohn on Jul-25-2004 11:40:

care to explain, Freak? I would like to know as well, but more importantly, I don't understand the terminology your using, as seeing that it would be helpful for me as well, not to mention other TAs who don't understand what your saying.
Thanks

Posted by Freak on Jul-25-2004 18:59:

ooh didnt realise i could do that now
sorted

Yes you have it
The amp will amplify the entire signal and noise combined
If only a small percentage of that signal is music then after amplification its even worse.

I would explain it better- but i have one f*cker of a headache, so i wont

Posted by djlemeir on Jul-25-2004 19:15:

freak makes sense

Posted by DJ FireWire on Jul-25-2004 23:00:

All volumes/gains on all your throughput mixing/amplifying devices should be at unity (0db).
Here are two diagrams, the first one is wrong, the second one is correct. EX-1 and EX-2 are just some random devices (such as an effects processor or a sound board). The dashes represent the level in volume/gain:

Wrong volume/gain:
Mixer ====
Amp. =============
Ex-1. ==========
Ex-2. ============

Correct volume/gain:
Mixer ========
Amp. ========
Ex-1. ========
Ex-2. ========

Posted by auujay on Jul-26-2004 02:48:

quote:
Originally posted by DJ FireWire
All volumes/gains on all your throughput mixing/amplifying devices should be at unity (0db).
Here are two diagrams, the first one is wrong, the second one is correct. EX-1 and EX-2 are just some random devices (such as an effects processor or a sound board). The dashes represent the level in volume/gain:

Wrong volume/gain:
Mixer ====
Amp. =============
Ex-1. ==========
Ex-2. ============

Correct volume/gain:
Mixer ========
Amp. ========
Ex-1. ========
Ex-2. ========

Brilliant post!

Posted by rafale on Aug-01-2004 09:34:

I sorta get the idea now with the unity business..all set at 0. therefore there should be minimum noise.
thanks guys !!