SoundCraft Spirit Live 3-2 - Manual (Page 23)

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CARE OF YOUR MIXER
General Precautions
l Avoid storing or using the mixer in conditions of excessive heat or cold, or in positions
where it is likely to be subject to vibration, dust or moisture.
l Keep the mixer clean using a soft dry brush, and an occasional wipe with a damp cloth or
ethyl alcohol. Do not use any other solvents which may cause damage to paint or plastic
parts.
l Avoid placing drinks or smoking materials on or near the mixer. Sticky drinks and cigarette
ash are frequent causes of damage to faders and switches.
Regular care and inspection will be rewarded by a long life and maximum reliability.
Glossary
AFL (After Fade Listen) a function that allows the operator to monitor the post-fade signal in a
channel independently of the main mix.
auxiliary send an output from the console comprising a mix of signals from channels and
groups derived independently of the main stereo/group mixes. Typically
the feeds to the mix are implemented on rotary level controls.
balance the relative levels of the left and right channels of a stereo signal.
balanced a method of audio connection which ‘balances’ the signal between two
wires and a screen which carries no signal. Any interference is picked up
equally by the two wires, but out of phase resulting in cancellation of the
interference signal.
clipping the onset of severe distortion in the signal path, usually caused by the peak
signal voltage being limited by the circuit’s power supply voltage.
DAT Digital Audio Tape, a cassette-based digital recording format.
dB (decibel) a ratio of two voltages or signal levels, expressed by the equation
dB=20Log10 (V1/V2). Adding the suffix ‘u’ denotes the ratio is relative to
0.775V RMS. Adding the suffix ‘V’ denotes the ratio is relative to 1V rms.
DI(direct injection) the practice of connecting an electric musical instrument directly to the
input of the mixing console, rather than to an amplifier and loudspeaker
which is covered by a microphone feeding the console.
equaliser a device that allows the boosting or cutting of selected bands of frequen-
cies in the signal path.
fader a linear control providing level adjustment
feedback the `howling’ sound caused by bringing a microphone too close to a loud-
speaker driven from its amplified signal.
foldback a feed sent back to the artistes via loudspeakers or headphones to enable
them to monitor the sounds they are producing.
frequency response the variation in gain of a device with frequency.
gain/input sensitivity the variation in level of the signal
(sub) group an output into which a group of signals can be mixed.
headroom the available signal range above the nominal level before clipping occurs.
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