Imagine that buying a car was like buying a large venue sound (PA)system: you would buy the transmission from one manufacturer, the engine from another, the body from a third, the suspension from a fourth manufacturer, etc. Pretty crazy, Huh? Well that’s how we put together sound systems: We buy a mixer from one company, outboard gear like limiters and equalizers from many companies, amplifiers from another company, and, if we are lucky, the loudspeakers and processor/controller from the same company.

Unbalanced signals and the pin 2 or pin 3 “hot” argument can affect the quality and quantity of output from a PA system. In this course we will begin with an overview of the different types of live events themselves, then describe the basic equipment used in a PA system, and wiring theories. Next, I will explain how to use signal indicators on equipment to properly set the gain structure, and conclude with troubleshooting, and removing unwanted noise. Each manufacturer has their own theory on how their equipment should be used, and it is amazing how changing one knob or the order of signal flow can affect the other devices.