Gain is the amount of "volume" you have available. The gain is there so that you can adjust it in such a way that the volume is at the level you want when it's set on max. Just so that you don't have to worry about where you had your volume set to before. So you can change the volume, and pump it back to max, knowing that's the volume you want. I hope I'm not confusing? Hrm I don't think that made much sense. OK time for math.

Let's represent loudness by a range from 1 to 10, 10 being loudest and 1 being softest.

Channel 1 has a track playing at volume 7. The volume level is set to 100%. Channel 2 has a track playing at volume 5. The volume level is set to 100%. Hmm how to make channel 2 louder?? Set the gain higher on channel 2 SUCH that it's at volume 7 at 100%, like channel 1.

Conversely, if channel 2 is at volume 9 and 100%, lower the gain so that it's volume 7 at 100%.

Another advantage of this is that you can screw around with the volume faders, knowing confidently that when you slam them back to 100% you have volume 7, which is what you want (just as an example).

Hope that helps.

Pretty difficult explanation for a simple thing (just kidding, it was good).

Really the difference between gain and volume is that gain controls the INPUT of the channel (you could see it as some sort of gate that lets through more or less voltage from the source). The volume faders control the OUTPUT (you could see that as a kind of gate that lets through more or less voltage from what has been given at the input, after you tweaked it with EQ's and such).

What's the difference in use?
Well you should basically only use the gain to compensate the levels of different tunes. You see, not all records or cd's or whatever are recorder at the same level. Some will be louder than others. So with the gains you compensate. Normally once they are set (for that record) stay off.

Last edited by Dj Thy on Jun-24-2002 at 16:45

LOL that made a lot more sense.

CarlosM, you might as well just read Dj Thy's explanation because it makes more sense in real-world terms (as opposed to my shoddy mathematical attempts).

So just keep in mind, like Thy said, that gain represents input of a channel, and volume faders represent output.

Thanks Bouth, the 2 explation was excelents, Good Teachers.

another way to think about it is that gain controls what the maximum volume is (how loud the 100% volume is) and the volume bar controls the percentage of the maximum volume used. The gain is used so that you can adjust the volume sliders and not have to worry about overloading the signal when you are at 100% volume.

Hmmyeah, but don't forget the EQ's are post gain, and they can still add volume.
Agreed, most of the time they will cut off signal, but in some occasions by boosting frequencies you still can add up signal.

all the expl. are great you must have understood but if you have't spoose that gain is the DENSITY of the volume...

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