Bartlett Audio DJ 505 Mixer Controls Pad User Manual
- June 13, 2024
- Bartlett Audio
Table of Contents
User Manual
DJ 505 Mixer Controls Pad
WHY DO MIXER CONTROLS HAVE SUCH WEIRD NAMES? (part 4) By Bruce
Bartlett
For example, “pad”. In normal use, a pad is a thick cloth or sponge
that cushions a blow to prevent damage. In audio, a pad is a circuit that
reduces a mic’s signal level to prevent distortion. If a microphone is “hot”
or has a high sensitivity, it can produce a voltage that is strong enough to
cause distortion in a mic preamp built into a mixer. A flashing CLIP light in
your mixer indicates distortion: a gritty sound.
Suppose you have miked an instrument and the musician is playing it loudly. If
you see the CLIP light flashing in that mic’s channel in your mixer, you could
push in the PAD button. That will soften the mic signal so that the mic preamp
doesn’t distort, and the CLIP light goes out.
A better solution is to turn down the GAIN TRIM knob in that mic’s channel.
GAIN TRIM or GAIN is the amount of amplification in the mic preamp. Turn it
down just until the CLIP LIGHT goes out. If you can’t make the CLIP light turn
off by turning down the GAIN TRIM, switch in the pad.
If you use a pad when it isn’t needed, that can create a noisy signal.
Another type of pad is an inline attenuator. You connect it between a mic and
an instrument amp input. If your mic signal is so hot that you can’t turn up
the amp volume very much, purchase a mic pad and plug it in. Here are two:
Whirlwind IMP Pad
Pearstone IMA-1030 adjustable mic pad
The Bartlett Bass Mic and Banjo Mic are especially hot or sensitive, so they
would benefit from a mic pad plugged into your instrument amp.