11.
Resources
11.1
Gain Staging 101: Begin at the Beginning
It may seem counterintuitive to boost the signal closest to its source and cut it later in the signal path if it
is too loud, but this is precisely the best way to get a noise- and feedback-free recording. That said, you
don’t want to gain it up too much at the beginning either. If you find that you must cut the signal at every
component that sits after the input-trim stage to avoid distortion, you’ve probably set the trim too high.
Then, and only then, should you gain it down.
Step 1: Setting the Microphone Gain
First, press and hold the Monitor button on your Revelator Dynamic until it lights green.
Turn the Volume knob for your Revelator Dynamic clockwise while speaking into the microphone.
Watching for the signal/clip indicator to turn red, then back it down
until the indicator is green only. When you’ve stopped speaking the
knob will go dark.
Step 2: Setting the EQ and Dynamics
After you have set the input gain, you can use your channel EQ to sculpt your source. The more bands
your EQ offers, the more control you will have, but you’ll also add more potential for improper gain sta-
ging, so use with caution. This is also true with compression.
To set the EQ, you will need to adjust both the channel and the main faders to 0.0 dB. (AKA “unity.”)
11. Resources
100
