XONE:92
User Guide
13
Gain and Operating Levels
It is most important that the system level settings are correctly set. It is well known that many DJs
push the level to maximum with meters peaking hard in the belief that they are getting the best from
the system.
THIS IS NOT THE CASE !
The best can only be achieved if the system levels are set
within the normal operating range and not allowed to peak. Peaking simply results in signal
distortion, not more volume. It is the specification of the amplifier / speaker system that sets the
maximum volume that can be achieved, not the console. The human ear too can fool the operator
into believing that more volume is needed. Be careful as this is in fact a warning that hearing
damage will result if high listening levels are maintained. Remember that it is the QUALITY of the
sound that pleases the ear, not the VOLUME.
Use the
LEVEL TRIM
1 to match the input source
to the normal operating level of the console. Adjust
this so that the
CHANNEL METER
4 averages
0dB with loudest moments r6. Press the
CUE SWITCH
3 to listen to the signal on
headphones and check the level on the
MAIN
METERS
9 . Adjust the
CHANNEL FADER
5 so
that they normally operate near the top of their
travel. Make sure the amplifier/speaker system has
been correctly calibrated for the loudest volume
required at the fader top position. Boosting the
EQ
2 also adds gain to the system. Reduce by turning
back the
LEVEL TRIM
1 if the meter red peak
leds flash. Adjust the
HEADPHONES
8 and
BOOTH
7 monitor controls for safe listening levels.
A final note …
The human ear is a remarkable
organ with the ability to compress or ‘shut down’
when sound levels become too high. Do not
interprete this natural response as a reason to turn
the system volume up further ! As the session
wears on ear fatigue may set in, and the speaker
cones may become hot so reducing the
effectiveness of the system and listeners to gain any
benefit from increased volume.
BE SENSIBLE, BE SAFE WITH SOUND LEVELS
The diagram above illustrates the operating
range of the audio signal.
NORMAL OPERATING RANGE
. For normal
music the signal should range between –5 and +5
on the meters with average around 0dB. This
allows enough
HEADROOM
for unexpected
peaks before the signal hits its maximum
CLIPPING
voltage and distorts. It also achieves
the best
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE-RATIO
by keeping
the signal well above the residual
NOISE FLOOR
(system hiss). The
DYNAMIC RANGE
is the
maximum signal swing available between the
residual noise floor and clipping. The
XONE:92
provides a massive 110dB dynamic range.
!
☺
