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Setting Sound Levels

Mon, 6 Oct 2008, 06:28 pm
Don Allen15 posts in thread
Has anyone actually learnt How to set up the sound levels in your theatre or is there an "expert" who says you have do do it my way and yet they cannot explain to you why they do it their way. If you can hear hiss, or noise or your speakers sound overloaded or distorted, then it is time to learn how to set up the levels in your audio desk. This article by Yamaha will explain it all, please remember to turn your amplifier gains way down before you start setting your levels. http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/ContentDetail/WrappedTextDetail/0,,CNTID%25253D48551%252526CTID%25253D227500,00.html In summary: 1. Your cd player will have a nominal line output, it may be fixed at 774mV as it is not usually a 600 ohm feed, but a 10Kohm feed (domestic). 2. Set the slide fader to 0dB which is the black line at the 3/4 mark (3/4 of 1 volt is 775 mV) 3. Set the main fader to 0dB which is the black line at the 3/4 mark (3/4 of 1 volt is 775 mV) 4. Adjust the channel gain which is usually a rotary knob so you get 0VU on the desk output meter. 5. Adjust you power amp input level, usually a rotary know, for the desired sound level in the theatre. You now have the ideal compromise between best signal to noise (getting rid of the hiss) and not running out of headroom (distorting the sound coming out of the speakers. Hope this explains things and helps improve the sound in some of Perths theatres. Links: Line Level - Wikepedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level

Thanks for the link

Wed, 8 Oct 2008, 06:38 pm

Thankyou Don, David and "Roger" for your input and advice. Having seen Ric, Martin, Dan Higgot (ESH Touring Company) and others of their ilk going through the "sound check" pre-show setup more times than I care to remember, I am one who is painfully aware of the need to keep it low on the controls.

For the record, Yes Gaafa, riding the desk is a bit of an ego trip for some Audiophiles, but as Don implied, in most cases it is not necessary if they have set their desk up correctly in the first place, but sometimes knobs just have to be twiddled.

Whilst I am here, I apologize on behalf of Audio Tech's the world over for taking up valuable seating space in the centre rear of the auditorium, but that is simply the most logical place for us to be. We need to hear what the audience hears,if not.... well we may as well not be there.

Sit us up in the Bio Box behind a glass screen and we will run your show.... but be prepared for the onslaught of unhappy patrons that complain it is too loud, too quiet, couldn't hear the vocalists over the band, couldn't hear the band over the vocalists, the telephone was too loud, the gunshot was too quiet, the thunder was unbearable, what were those strange noises that sounded like blah...blah...blah.. and so ad-infinitum.

If you want the best sound reproduction you can get, we need to be where we can hear it the best, which is in among the audience so that we are listening to whatever they are listening to and can (if we want to show off and ride the desk) make adjustments as neccessary.

"Be nice to your Tech's - or they'll turn out the lights and go home!"

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