In audio engineering, a gain stage is a point during an audio signal flow that the engineer can make adjustments to the level,[1] such as a fader on a mixing console or in a DAW. Gain staging is the process of managing the relative levels in each step of an audio signal flow to prevent introduction of noise and distortion, feeding the inserts, such as equalizers and compressors with the right amount of signal, particularly in the analogue realm. Ideal gain staging occurs when each component in an audio signal flow is receiving and transmitting signal in the optimum region of its dynamic range.[2]
In an audio system containing both microphones and loudspeakers, the total amount of gain in the system can exceed 100 dB. This is usually broken up into a number of smaller steps, called gain stages, where the signal is amplified or attenuated as needed before reaching the loudspeaker.
In a signal flow beginning with an acoustic sound source (such as a musical instrument or singer), the Microphone preamplifier is typically the first electronically adjustable gain stage, where the signal is amplified by as much as 95 dB in exceptional cases [citation needed]. Before reaching the microphone, the sound source is subject to the Inverse-square law, which states that sound intensity diminishes as distance between the sound source and the microphone increases. This means that (1) moving the microphone closer to the sound source increases the signal level produced by the microphone, and (2) moving the microphone farther away from undesirable noise sources will diminish the amount of noise in the microphone signal. Microphone placement is therefore an important aspect of gain staging [citation needed].
Following microphone placement and the microphone preamplifier, the audio signal has been amplified to Line level, and can be processed by a device capable of accepting a line-level signal.
^Thompson, Dan (2005). Understanding Audio. Berklee Press. ISBN 978-0-634-00959-4.
^Davis, Don (2013). Sound System Engineering. Focal Press. ISBN 978-0-240-81846-7.
In audio engineering, a gainstage is a point during an audio signal flow that the engineer can make adjustments to the level, such as a fader on a mixing...
follower, so no voltage gain occurs there; instead, this stage provides current gain, equal to the hfe of Q14 and Q20. The current gain lowers the output impedance...
have multiple stages in cascade to increase gain. Each stage of these designs may be a different type of amp to suit the needs of that stage. For instance...
additional gainstage in the overdrive channel. This means that the clean channel tone stack and gainstages cascade into the gainstage of the overdrive...
2006. The single gained a preliminary position of No. 6 all that week, but finally charted at number 8. Hawkins announced when on stage that their third...
dominant circuit topology during this period was the single-ended triode gainstage, operating in class A, which gave very good sound (and reasonable measured...
(overload) model which had an extra gainstage added. Some were labelled "OL", while many were not. Some had an additional gain control added to the front panel...
other active device. The most common reason for using multiple stages is to increase the gain of the amplifier in applications where the input signal is very...
radiologic examination, biopsy, and endoscopy. Pathologic stage adds additional information gained by examination of the tumor microscopically by a pathologist...
capital gains will be spread over the depreciable period of these assets. Capital gain taxes are only paid on realized gains. At the current stage, taxes...
the amplifier has a high impedance output, such as if a gainstage is also the output stage, then this RC can have a significant impact on the performance...
usually taken from the detector stage and applied to control the gain of the IF or RF amplifier stages. The signal to be gain controlled (the detector output...
internal units or portions of the op-amp (like the input stage, voltage gainstage, and output stage) will be direct coupled and will also be used to set...
connected the two input stages in series rather than parallel on the 2203, but not initially on the 2204, and modified the gainstage circuitry to preserve...
"Future," ostensibly taking place within the "Gain Ground Main System" itself according to its opening stage. Round 1: Dark Ages Round 2: Middle Ages Round...
nominal level for processing. Due to the high gains involved (around +50 dB, for a microphone), this stage is where most noise and interference is picked...
closely related to the concept of audio gain staging; each component in the signal flow can be thought of as a gainstage. In typical home stereo systems, the...
stable gain while preventing induced noise that would otherwise distort the signal. For additional discussion of signal level, see Gainstage. A microphone...
shelving filter that "is linearly dependent on its gain", an approach called "progressivity". The overdrive stage is followed by a simple low-pass filter and...
resistors are often bypassed, etc. The basic gainstage for a valve amplifier is the auto-biased common cathode stage, in which an anode resistor, the valve...
high and low frequency content from the signal. It then moves on to the gainstage, which is based around a single opamp, originally the Motorola LM308 (switched...
optional addition of a rear panel-mounted circuit that introduced an extra gainstage and tone controls for bass and treble (as opposed to the single "tone"...
Sure Thing (1985). Gaines is a voice actor, and is credited with recording several audiobooks. He has appeared on the Broadway stage, in both musicals...
Global Information