Does the SQ run internally at line level?

[Dave]

Hi fellow SQ users,

I am curious; I know we raise raise the gain knob to bring the level of the signals up to “optimum” level, and I assumed that this meant line level, but a friend told me that the SQ board does not run internally at line level.
It’s not a real issue either way – the SQ board sounds great, but I am curious. I assumed all consoles basically run internally at line level, especially since any external analog inserts would need a line level to operate correctly.

Cheers!

Dave

[Brian]

Your friend is wrong. According to the SQ specs, the outputs are +4dBu. This is considered line level for professional audio equipment. You are correct that the consoles are designed to run internally at line level. As long as your set your preamp gain correctly to start with, the output on the SQ will be at +4dBu without any additional gain staging. This can be confirmed by the block diagram in the SQ reference guide. This proves that the signal must be at +4dBu throughout the console because the preamp is the only required gain stage and the output is +4dBu.

[Dave]

Thanks for the info, Brian!

That’s what I thought, and I appreciate the reference to the block diagram too – it’s always a good place to look!

Cheers!

Dave

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