Gain staging with the SQ

[BarnabY]

Hi everyone,

Dave Rat realse this video few days ago.
I would like to know how much Allen & Heath agrees with this.

I think the video is mostly based on experience with analog consoles. With digital, I feel like some of the approaches are changing even on this topic.

In a facebook video, Keith (from A&H) says that you should use the gain to adjust the input level (aim for zero) and use the faders to get a well-balanced mix.

In this approach, is it possible to have a maximum of faders close to zero?
How do you deal with the problem of drum sounds ? Personally, all my inputs are set to have a gain of zero on average, but the Cajon mic is sometimes busy clipping, and yet I hardly hear it :-/.

Thanks for your answers.

[AsherN]

Didn’t watch the entire video, but he’s playing with non-mic’d sources. a) you have known control over input volume, b) they don’t pick up GOH sound. Those are easy to gain to zero. Mics, especially mics that can be used by multiple people are harder. I aim to have as much GBF as I can with the fader around unity. Simply get the strongest signal in and then play with volume. I can’t amplify a signal that’s not there, but I can turn down a signal that’s too strong. There is no one right answer, but there is a single wrong one, trying to put everything at unity. Faders I can see because that’s where it’s easier to make small adjustments. gain? not so much.

[Author]

Posts