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The pad switch will allow you to attenuate the input by 10 or 20 DB, depending on which console you’re using. If the speakers are way too loud, I’d recommend fixing that by turning down the amplifier rather than fixing it by adjusting the master fader. As you adjust the knob, you should hear the signal through the speakers and see your meters jump. This knob determines the input level of the audio source. Once you’ve routed your input channel to the main speakers or the headphones, the first thing you should adjust is the preamp gain. And finally, the mute button will stop all audio on a specific input. PFL stands for pre-fader listen, so pressing that button will allow you to listen to that input regardless of the fader’s position. If you’d like to listen to a specific input through headphones, you can connect your headphones to the console and use the solo or PFL button on that specific input channel. The fader also operates on a logarithmic scale, which means that the same movement of the fader would be a minor adjustment around the zero dB mark and a much bigger adjustment, the further you get from the zero dB mark, working around zero dB, gives you the finest control over the signal level. When a fader is set to unity, it won’t boost or cut the signal. These faders determine the level of the signal sent to the master fader. Each input channel strip has a fader too. Remember, the master fader controls the output level of the main outputs. If you want all input signals to be routed to the main speakers, you’ll have to engage the LR button on all input channels. At the bottom of each channel strip, you’ll find a fader and some basic routing buttons. Channel stripsĪt the top of each channel strip, you may see a phantom power switch.
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That makes it great for attending to an outboard multitrack recording device so that you can mix those tracks later, and the recording tracks aren’t affected by what you’re doing for the live show.
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The signals that come out of the direct outs won’t be affected by the adjustments you make on the mixer. The outboard gear processes the signal and sends it out through the other TS connector, which returns the signal to the channel strip. The mixer sends the signal out one of the TS connectors on the Insert cable that goes to the gear’s outboard piece. It’s a TRS quarter inch on one end that goes to the mixer. To use this, you’ll need an insert cable. An insert gives you a way to insert an outboard piece of gear into the signal chain. Your mixer may have insert jacks on some channels. You can also connect a line-level device such as a drum sequencer into one of these channels using a quarter-inch TRS or TS cable. You’ll have to plug in a dynamic microphone for vocals into channel one with an XLR cable and a condenser microphone for guitar into channel two with an XLR cable. Let’s plug in some audio sources so that we have audio signals to send to those destinations. The level of each AUX output is controlled by the AUX master knob located in this section. The master fader controls the level of these outputs, usually found in the bottom right-hand corner of the mixer. To do this, you will have to connect the left and right output of the mixer to your main amplifier’s inputs. The first step in a basic setup is to connect the main outputs to the main speakers or PA system. It gives us primary control over each of our outputs: Master Fader, group faders, AUX master knobs, and matrix master knobs. On the right part of the console, you’ll find the master sections. That set of controls repeats itself again and again for each input. Each vertical column of knobs, buttons, and faders represents an individual input channel. On the left portion of the console, you’ll find a bank of channel strips. It is where you connect input devices such as microphones and output devices such as speakers. Either on the top of the console’s rear panel, you’ll find the inputs and outputs.