Gain Staging (aka Stay out of the RED!)

[KLH]

Gain staging is a super important concept. Keeping it simple, the act of gain staging means to keep all sound source signals as strong as possible without introducing distortion through all stages on the audio chain. This is a tricky and necessary skill to master because if levels aren't right, you sacrifice sound quality.

If your sound source signals are too low, then the mixer and amps distortion become noticeable at the speakers - it sounds like a hiss has been added to the sound. If your sound source signals are too high (which a mixer shows as being "in the red") the resulting sound becomes distorted (i.e. bass becomes blurred, the treble sounds "pump", or the sound becomes mangled). The only way to avoid these problems is to properly gain stage.

Gain staging should be performed when a setup is connected. For that reason alone, most mobile DJs need to know this skill. For permanent setups, gain staging should be done periodically (as part of normal maintenance).

Here's a great basic article on how to do gain staging:

http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/setting_sound_system_and_mixing_console_gain_stagi ng/

If you haven't gain staged your setup. Do it now!

-KLH

[Waterbeat]

Good article. Best explanation I've heard yet.

[DJNR]

Thanks for the article! I was wondering how to do this correctly. +Rep.


edit: I need to distribute rep first T____T

[epik1]

awesome article!