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How to Operate Public Address Amplification Systems

Using a public address (PA) amplification system can seem challenging at first but is actually quite simple. When addressing large audiences, it is necessary to amplify the voice so that the entire crowd is capable of hearing. The PA system will not only allow you to amplify the voice but will also apply an equalizer to it so you can remove any unwanted high, low or mid-frequencies that can cause feedback and distortion.

Things You'll Need

  • Microphone
  • XLR cable
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Instructions

    • 1

      Select a channel of the PA system for your vocal microphone and turn the gain knob and volume fader all the way down to avoid any unexpected feedback or loud pops when plugging your microphone in.

    • 2

      Plug the female end of the XLR cable into the microphone.

    • 3

      Plug the male end of the XLR cable into the channel input of the PA system. The channel input is located just above the gain knob on the PA system.

    • 4

      Begin speaking into the microphone while slowly turning up the gain knob on the channel that you plugged the microphone into. Watch the level meter located on the right side of the board and bring the gain up on your vocal channel until the lights of the meter hit the "0" or unity mark. This is the optimal setting for microphones to prevent distortion.

    • 5

      Bring the master fader of the PA system up to "0" or unity. This fader is located on the far right side of the mixing console.

    • 6

      Speak into the microphone and slowly bring up the channel fader until the audio has reached an acceptable volume.

    • 7

      Use the EQ section of the channel that you have your microphone plugged into to remove any unwanted highs, mids or lows in your vocals

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