-
Friday, May 20, 2011
Pat Brown
05/20/11 07:31 AM,
0 Comments
Because the impedance of a loudspeaker is a frequency-dependent parameter, it must be measured at multiple frequencies to get a true picture of what the amplifier is “seeing” at its output terminals. While very sophisticated methods and instruments exist, you can get a pretty good idea about the impedance curve of a loudspeaker with a standard real-time analyzer. You will need a pink noise generator and voltage source of at least 10 volts RMS to drive the loudspeaker. A small…
View this story
Filed in:
AV •
Feature •
Study Hall •
Amplifier •
AV •
Loudspeaker •
Measurement •
Power •
Sound Reinforcement
-
Monday, May 16, 2011
Gary Zandstra
05/16/11 01:17 PM,
2 Comments
For the past year I have been attending a weekly bible study that meets in a church multi-purpose room. The group is rather large, around 400 people, and includes a 40 minute lecture so sound reinforcement is needed. For my taste, the sound reinforcement always seems a touch loud. It’s not painful or anything like that, but I find in annoying. I think the main reason it bothers me it that it doesn’t feel natural. It sort of feels like…
View this story
Filed in:
Church Sound •
Feature •
Blog •
Poll •
Study Hall •
Consoles •
Education •
Interconnect •
Loudspeaker •
Mixer •
Monitoring •
Software •
Sound Reinforcement •
System •
Technician •
Wireless •
Audio
-
Bill Whitlock
05/16/11 08:13 AM,
0 Comments
Previously (see here and here), we’ve looked at how unbalanced audio interfaces work, as well as how grounding-related noise can actually couple into the signal path. Of course, under fortuitous conditions, audio systems may be acceptably quiet in spite of poor techniques. But physics will ultimately rule and noises may later appear for no apparent reason – remember, noises that disappear by themselves also tend to re-appear by themselves! Most systems consist of more than two pieces of interconnected equipment,…
View this story
Filed in:
AV •
Feature •
Poll •
Study Hall •
AV •
Engineer •
Installation •
Interconnect •
Power •
Signal •
Sound Reinforcement •
System •
Audio
-
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
PSW Staff
05/04/11 04:36 PM,
0 Comments
What is dynamic range? Dynamic range can be defined as the distance between the loudest possible level to the lowest possible level. For example, if a processor states that the maximum input level before distortion is +24 dBu and the output noise floor is -92 dBu, then the processor has a total dynamic range of 24 + 92 = 116 dB. However, the average dynamic range of an orchestral performance can range from - 50 dBu to +10 dBu on…
View this story
Filed in:
Church Sound •
Feature •
Poll •
Study Hall •
Analog •
Digital •
Processor •
Signal
-
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
The Gang In The LAB Lounge
04/26/11 04:14 PM,
0 Comments
Question: Everyone knows that adding people to a room changes everything, so does anyone have any tricks on simulating or accounting for the audience when doing soundcheck? I’m just curious to see what can be done. Reply by Per: That’s an interesting thought that has followed me for years. I guess it would be possible to build a virtual audience for soundcheck purposes. Since acoustic absorbers are a combination of material and air, maybe they could be constructed so that…
View this story
Filed in:
Live Sound •
Feature •
Poll •
Study Hall •
Concert •
Engineer •
Measurement •
Sound Reinforcement •
Stage •
System •
Technician •
Audio
-
Gary Zandstra
04/26/11 02:31 PM,
0 Comments
From our resident church audio blogger Gary Zandstra comes the first video in a multi-part series on some of the basics of mixer usage and selection, which is equally useful to novices in any field.
For more helpful hints from Gary, make sure to check out his Church Sound Blog.
Gary Zandstra is a professional AV systems integrator with Parkway Electric and has been involved with sound at his church for more than 25 years.
View this story
Filed in:
Church Sound •
Feature •
Poll •
Video •
Study Hall •
Digital •
Installation •
Interconnect •
Mixer •
Signal •
Sound Reinforcement •
System •
Audio
-
Monday, April 11, 2011
Dennis A. Bohn
04/11/11 02:01 PM,
1 Comment
This article is provided by Rane Corporation. (Click here to read part 1, focusing on crossovers, and click here to read part 2, addressing equalizers. Dynamic controllers or processors represent a class of signal processing devices used to alter an audio signal based solely upon its frequency content and amplitude level, thus the term “dynamic” since the processing is completely program dependent. The two most common dynamic effects are compressors and expanders, with limiters and noise gates (or just…
View this story
Filed in:
AV •
Feature •
Poll •
Study Hall •
Analog •
AV •
Digital •
Processor •
Signal •
Audio
-
Friday, April 08, 2011
Bob Thurmond
04/08/11 10:21 AM,
0 Comments
A continuation of the discussion of factors of a “good” sound reinforcement system that begins here. A common complaint of audience members who have become familiar with a particular sound system, typically in a venue with a permanently installed system and which they visit repeatedly (such as a church) is that there are locations where sound is obviously better than at others. In other words, sound is not uniform throughout the audience area. In fact, this is a common problem…
View this story
Filed in:
AV •
Feature •
Opinion •
Poll •
Study Hall •
AV •
Education •
Engineer •
Software •
Sound Reinforcement •
System •
Audio
-
Thursday, April 07, 2011
Dennis A. Bohn
04/07/11 12:19 PM,
This article is provided by Rane Corporation. (Click here to read part 1, focusing on crossovers.) You may have heard it said that equalizers are nothing more than glorified tone controls. That’s pretty accurate and helps explain their usefulness and importance. Simply put, equalizers allow you to change the tonal balance of whatever you are controlling. You can increase (boost) or decrease (cut) on a band-by-band basis just the desired frequencies. Equalizers come in all different sizes and shapes,…
View this story
Filed in:
AV •
Feature •
Poll •
Study Hall •
AV •
Processor •
Signal
-
Pat Brown
04/07/11 09:40 AM,
1 Comment
Good sound reproduction requires balance. Many auditoriums have at least two sound systems. The house system covers the audience, and the monitor system covers the stage. On stage, balance must be achieved between the various instruments to satisfy the musicians. The resulting stage level must be balanced with the house system level to satisfy the audience. Let’s use an analogy to clarify things. If I need gray paint, I can mix a little black in with a lot of white…
View this story
Filed in:
Church Sound •
Feature •
Poll •
Study Hall •
Installation •
Measurement •
Monitoring •
Sound Reinforcement •
Stage •
System