Subject: Audio & Video System

Public Address
System
PREPARED BY:
MAULIK SANCHELA (14EC38)
E. C. DEPT.
RAJKOT
 CAUTION

ALWAYS TURN DOWN VOLUME BEFORE CONNECTING AUDIO EQUIPMENT.

FAILURE TO DO SO MAY RESULT IN PAINFUL FEEDBACK WHICH MAY DAMAGE
HEARING AND EQUIPMENT

THERE ARE MANY ELECTRONIC FACTORS THAT MAY AFFECT HOW

WORKS. NOT ALL EQUIPMENT IS COMPATIBLE. MISUSE MAY LEAD TO
EQUIPMENT AND/OR HEARING DAMAGE.

AUDIO EQUIPMENT CAN BE DELICATE AND EXPENSIVE. PLEASE HANDLE

CARE, AND IF YOU ARE NOT SURE OF SOMETHING, ASK.
BASIC TERMS (grossly simplified)
Signal - The electrical current produced by a device.

Input - 1: The place where a signal enters a piece of equipment; 2: The signal entering
a piece of equipment.

Output - 1: The place where a signal exits a piece of equipment; 2: The signal exiting a
piece of equipment.

Trim/Gain - Typically the amount a signal is amplified relative to its original intensity
expressed in Decibels (dB). The Mackie uses the term “trim,” but many companies and
texts use the term “gain.” They are interchangeable for our purposes. I will use trim in
this manual since that is what is printed on our console.

Fader - A slider that adjusts the signal intensity (volume).

Unity - A setting where the input voltage or intensity equals the output voltage or
intensity.

FOH - Front-of-house; areas in front of the stage, including the control booth,
catwalks, audience seating area, lobby, etc.

Snake - An audio cable consisting of multiple individual lines.

SIGNAL CHAIN: HOW DO WE MAKE IT WORK?

In sound reinforcement, the signal chain is made up of the parts of the

sound system a signal must go through in order to be heard clearly by an
audience. In it’s simplest form it is made up of 4 basic steps:
 SOURCE

The origin of the signal. This could be a microphone, CD player,

computer, iPod, electric guitar, record player (what’s that?), cassette
deck, electronic keyboard, etc.

There are typically 2 types of signal sources categorized by the

strength of their output signals.

Mic level, as its name suggests, is typical for microphones. It is very

low voltage, around 2 millivolts (mV), or thousandths of a volt.

Line level, typically from most other sources, is a stronger, though

widely variable signal, typically from 77.5 mV to 24.5 volts
 Distribution & Control:

Where the source signal is received, modified, and directed to the

desired output(s). The mixer is the primary tool here. This step may also
include effects processors, equalization, and a variety of other signal
modifications.
Happily, for the purposes of this manual, the final 2 steps
are not anything you will have to work with.

Amplification
The boosting of the signal to a speaker level strength, 24.5 volts or higher,
that can drive a speaker.

Output
In a word, speakers. Output could also end up on tape, CD, or other medium,
but our context, speakers is the most relevant.
The process of setting up an audio system is
merely connecting the links in the chain.
Channel Inputs 1
through 20 Your
source devices plug
in here. (mics, CDs,
FOH snake, etc.) Mono Main Out to
Only 16 and 17 are amplifiers. Must be
pictured. Inputs 21- connected to work! Power Phantom
24 are stereo inputs DO NOT ADJUST Power for
that will be covered OUTPUT LEVEL! condenser
in book 2 – Line mics
Level Devices.

WHAT’S IMPORTANT ON THE BACK OF THE CONSOLE?

 Trim/Gain
control —
adjusts
incoming signal
strength

WHAT’S IMPORTANT ON THE FRONT OF THE CONSOLE?

Signal Meters

Power Light

Mute — turns off the

channel input signal
(on/off switch).

Output assignment
— directs the signal
to an output (in this
case the Main (L-R)
fader ).

Main (L/R)
Channel fader — Fader —acts as
adjusts output level master volume
(volume) of channel control for all
signal. faders
ON THE MAIN SOUND RACK IN THE CONTROL BOOTH
TURN THE SYSTEM ON

Push “SYSTEM
POWER” switch should be
lit on main audio rack in
control booth.

Main sound rack – control booth

 SET THE SYSTEM MODE TO
“MANUAL”

Main sound rack – control booth

Manual mode indicator

System Mode switch

Push “System Mode” switch

so “Manual” indicator light is
lit.
IF YOU ARE USING THE MAIN SEATING AREA ONLY, NOT
THE TURNTABLES:

Push “TURNTABLE CONTROL”

buttons so the “LOCAL” indicator
lights are lit.
 MAKING IT WORK

STEP 1: POWER ON & PRESET

Make sure all faders and Trim

settings are all the way down!!
(see pictures)

If something is accidentally turned

up the following step can create
horrendous noise and potentially
damage equipment.

TURN ON POWER (SEE PG. 6

FOR SWITCH LOCATION)
 MAKING IT WORK

STEP 2: PATCH

Plug input device (source) into Note: If you have several devices, it
desired channel on the back of the pays to plan out the channels ahead
mixer. of time to make operation logical.

Line level inputs here. (CD, DVD, PC,

MP3, etc.)
Line level devices generally have 1/4
inch phone plugs on them (example to
right).

Mic level inputs here. (microphones,

wireless receivers, etc.) Mic level
devices generally have XLR connectors
on them.
FOH snake

XLR cable
 MAKING IT WORK

STEP 3: OUTPUT ASSIGNMENT

Assign channel to desired output by

pushing in the appropriate button (in
most cases this will be “L-R”)
 MAKING IT WORK

STEP 4: SET FOR UNITY

Set MAIN FADER to “U” (unity gain)

IF you are setting a mic level input-

set channel fader at “U”

IF you are setting a line level input

(for example, a CD player) - play device and
fade up to “U”; less if it gets too loud before
Unity.
 MAKING IT WORK
STEP 5: SET TRIM LEVELS

IF you are setting a mic level input –

As someone is speaking into the mic,
GRADUALY turn up the trim until you hear a
ringing from the speakers. This is the
beginning of “feedback”. Back off the trim so
that a loud noise into the mic (cough, clap, or
“Pow!”) will not cause painful feedback.
IF you are setting a line level input
(for example, a CD player) –
Turn up the trim until you reach the desired Note: The gain on the right is
volume. extraordinarily high for our theatre.

You may not need any trim boost at all. For

some recordings or devices you may not
even get to set the fader as high as Unity. For
other recordings, such as a poorly recorded
cassette or a computer with the audio output
turned low, you may need to set the trim
quite high.
IT DON’T
ISN’TPANIC;
WORKING! NOW
TROUBLESHOOT!
WHAT?
 TROUBLESHOOTING
 The following suggestions include the problems you are most likely to
encounter, and the questions you should ask when trying to isolate a
problem.

 If you think you have done all of the previous steps correctly, your first step
should be to CHECK AGAIN! Most of the time it is operator error. Don’t
worry, it happens to everyone...frequently

CAUTION

TAKE THE CHANNEL FADER DOWN BEFORE PLUGGING,

UNPLUGGING, UNMUTING, OR SWITCHING ASSIGNMENTS ON
AND OFF. YOU MAY SUDDENLY FIX THE PROBLEM ONLY TO
DEAFEN EVERYONE AROUND WITH FEEDBACK.
IF YOU ARE WORKING AT THE MIXER
ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

Check the input signal light with the trim

IS THERE SIGNAL up.
GETTING TO THE
CONSOLE FROM The green light above the “Mute” button
THE SOURCE? should blink if there is reasonable signal
level coming in. Turn up the trim gradually
to check.
Are your outputs assigned to L-R?
If YES (the light is
blinking), the Is the main fader up?
problem is in the
Are you bringing up the correct channel
booth. Check the fader?
easy stuff first Is the channel muted?
IF YOU ANSWERED “YES” TO THE PREVIOUS
QUESTIONS, YOU’LL HAVE TO CHECK THE
MORE BASIC STUFF

IS THE SYSTEM TURNED ON AT THE MAIN RACK?

IS THE SYSTEM SET TO “MANUAL” MODE?

IS THE “MAIN OUT” ON THE SNAKE PLUGGED INTO THE

“MONO OUT” ON THE CONSOLE?
DID THE CONSOLE OUTPUT LEVEL GET TURNED DOWN?
IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING SIGNAL TO THE
CONSOLE, (THE GREEN LIGHT WON’T BLINK)…

IF YOU ARE USING A CONDENSER MIC, IS PHANTOM

POWER ON?

ARE YOU ADJUSTING THE TRIM ON THE CORRECT

CHANNEL?

DID YOU PATCH THE CORRECT SNAKE INPUT?

DID YOU PATCH INTO THE CORRECT CHANNEL?

IF THINGS ARE STILL NOT WORKING, THE
PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY BETWEEN THE
SOURCE AND THE CONSOLE

Confirm the input # the source is plugged

IS THE SOURCE into matches the input # going into the
PLUGGED INTO THE channel. For example, you were told to plug
CORRECT INPUT? the mic into input 1, but plugged into input
2 by accident.

IS THE CABLE BAD? Try the device with a different cable

Try the device and original cable in a

IS THE INPUT BAD? different input (making the necessary
change at the console, of course!)