Allen&Heath Xone 23C - Manual (Page 16)

16
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 just the VOLUME.
OPERATING LEVELS
The diagram below illustrates the operating range of the audio signal.
NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. For normal music the signal should range between
–6 and +6 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.
An important note …
The human ear is a remarkable organ with the ability to com-
press or ‘shut down’ when sound levels become too high. Do
not interpret this natural response as a reason to turn the sys-
tem volume up further! As the session wears on ear fatigue
may set in, and the speaker cones may become hot, increasing
distortion and reducing the ability of listeners to gain any ben-
efit from increased volume.
82!