ging and unplugging cables, or lifting the ground.
Use of high quality, premium cables is recommended for the PVs 15 Sub, as these usually have better shielding
and materials and will provide greater longterm reliability. The best option is a shielded balanced cable no longer
than necessary to reach the PVs 15 Sub. It is usually a good idea to leave some slack at the input to the PVs 15
Sub and also to tape the cables down or run them under a cable guard to avoid anyone tripping over them or
pulling the PVs 15 Sub over when it is holding a speaker on top of it’s pole.
Gain Control Adjustment
The PVs 15 Sub is equipped with a Gain control (7) on the input to facilitate use in many different applications.
With the Gain control adjusted fully clockwise, gain is at maximum and the input sensitivity is 0.16 V RMS for
full-rated output. It is recommended that the PVs 15 Sub Level control be set close to straight up.
At this setting, the input sensitivity is approximately 1.4 volts RMS for full-rated output. The PVs 15 Sub will now
more closely match a typical power amp input. If the mixing board indicates clipping of its output signals, then
all of the PVs 15 Sub power capability is not being utilized cleanly. Clipping the signal before it gets to the PVs 15
Sub is not optimal. Reduce the mixer output level and turn up the Gain control on the PVs 15 Sub.
The amplifier in the PVs 15 Sub is equipped with DSP based compression and limiting and the LIM LED indica-
tor will show when this system has engaged. If the sound seems heavily compressed, check this indicator; if it is
mostly illuminated RED, then the drive level from the mixer (or the Gain control on the PVs 15 Sub) needs to be
reduced. It is OK for the LIM LED to blink RED regularly, as this means the system is doing it’s job to allow you
maximum output before the signal becomes audibly distorted.
When first turning on the sound system, switch on all upstream electronics first, then the PVs 15 Sub with its
Gain control fully counterclockwise (all the way down). Begin checking levels with the mixer output level con-
trols all the way down, and bring them up slowly with the PVs 15 Sub Gain control set to the desired setting
(one-half way up recommended to start).
It is not good practice to turn the Gain control on the PVs 15 Sub all the way up and then try to control level
only from the mixer, this approach would tend to pick up excess noise. Best practice would be to run a “hot”
signal from the mixer down the cable to the PVs 15 Sub, and then turn the PVs 15 Sub Gain control up only as
much as necessary to reach full desired output. With this approach, it is necessary to verify the mixer output is
not clipping.
Cables from the High Pass Outputs (15 & 16)
The preferred method of connecting a full-range satellite speaker system to the PVs 15 Sub’s High Pass Outputs
(15 & 16), is to use a balanced XLR cable no longer than necessary to comfortably reach the satellite speaker
system. If the satellite speaker is on top of a pole above the PVs 15 Sub, then a 6 foot cable will be plenty long. A
10, or 20 foot cable could also be used, but cables longer than that will only allow more interference pickup, and
possibly start to lose high frequency information. Use of high quality, premium cables is recommended for the
PVs 15 Sub, as these usually have better shielding and materials and will provide greater long-term reliability. It
is usually a good idea to leave some slack at the output of the PVs 15 Sub, and also to tape the cables down or run
them under a cable guard to avoid anyone tripping over them or pulling the PVs 15 Sub over when it is holding a
speaker on top of it’s pole.
Recommended Settings for Use of the PVs 15 Sub with other Peavey Powered Speakers
The ideal location for placement of the Peavey powered series full-range speakers is on top of the PVs 15 Sub
pole. In that close proximity, the following settings will provide the best results in the crossover region, and for
tonal balance.
