Gain structure



Posted: Monday, April 11, 2011

by Barry Gardner
SafeandSound Mastering

Gain structure is a very important concept for audio engineers to understand. It relates to the minimum and maximum signal levels that either an analogue or digital audio system can operate at. If we imagine a mixing console channel, the dynamic range of the channel is determined by the noise floor of the electronic circuits in the channel and the distortion produced when the electronics can no longer successfully amplify a signal without harmonic distortion. Similarly with a digital system the noise floor and distortion will be fixed by the digital noise floor and 0dBFS where instant distortion occurs.

As such it means that when an engineer uses such systems he or she must ensure that they have optimized the signals within the channels of the mixer or digital device. The engineer will have to take level and ensure that it does not exceed the maximum signal a system can take and also keep it away from the noise floor. This is often optimized by "taking level", on an analogue mixer this would mean doing a PFL check (Pre fade listen) and peaking input signals to be recorded up to 0VU. This would leave ample headroom above the nominal operating levels in order to avoid distortion and also hiss that may come from the noise floor of the device.

In the context of a DAW a good recommendation is to use a peaky course (such as kick or snare) and peak it to around -14dBFS. The balance all other mix elements against this. This has now built in headroom into your master bus so when mixing you will not need a limiter on the master output. Simply increase your volume on your amp or monitor controller to compensate for the lower mix levels.

When you work with audio always make sure your signals are nicely set between the possible source of inherent noise and the point of distortion. This procedure is know as optimizing gain structure.

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