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Gear / Technical Help => Battery Boxes, Preamps, Mixers, ADCs, and Processors => Topic started by: yates7592 on February 01, 2014, 10:52:13 AM

Title: Line attenuator - where in signal path?
Post by: yates7592 on February 01, 2014, 10:52:13 AM

I have used a -20dB line attenuator pad going into an R-26 previously. The R-26 was providing the P48 and the pad was fitted inbetween the xlr-out of the mics and xlr-in of the R-26. If I now use a recorder (say M10) with no P48, and use an external pre or XLR-1 with P48, does the pad now go between the mics-out and pre/xlr-1-in, or does it go between the pre/xlr-1-out and the M10???

More simply:

mics > -20dB > P48 (pre/xlr-1) > m10

or

mics > P48 (pre/xlr-1) > -20dB > m10


I'm sure this is an easy one for those who've used one before, but its outside my comfort zone at present.

Title: Re: Line attenuator - where in signal path?
Post by: yates7592 on February 01, 2014, 12:32:17 PM

Thanks Jon, I was kind of hoping that would be the case.

Title: Re: Line attenuator - where in signal path?
Post by: DSatz on February 01, 2014, 12:50:18 PM

And the second principle is, put the attenuator as "late" in the signal flow as you can while still protecting the input that you need to protect. That way, the signal in the wires leading up to that point will be unattenuated, thus increasing its immunity to interference (hum, buzz, RFI, cell phone/Blackberry noise, etc.).

So, for example, if you're padding down the inputs to a recorder, put the pads at the recorder's end of the cables--not at the outputs of the device that's driving the recorder's inputs.

--best regards