Pan, pan pot, Parametric EQ, Peaking, Phasing

pan, pan pot

Short for panoramic potentiometer. A pan pot is used to position (or even move back and forth) a monaural sound source in a stereo mixing field by adjusting the source’s volume between the left and right channels. Our brains sense stereo position by hearing this dif- ference in loudness when the sound strikes each ear, taking into account time delay, spec- trum, ambient reverberation and other cues.

parametric EQ

A “fully” parametric EQ is an extremely powerful equalizer that allows smooth, con- tinuous control of each of the three primary EQ parameters (frequency, gain, and band- width) in each section independently. “Semi” parametric EQs allow control of fewer param- eters, usually frequency and gain (i.e., they have a fixed bandwidth, but variable center frequency and gain).

peaking

The opposite of dipping, of course. A peak is an EQ curve that looks like a hill, or a peak. Peaking with an equalizer amplifies a band of frequencies.

PFL

An acronym for Pre Fade Listen. Broadcast- ers would call it cueing. Sound folks call it being able to solo a channel with the fader down.

phantom power

A system of providing electrical power for condenser microphones (and some electronic pickup devices) from the sound mixer. The system is called phantom because the power is carried on standard microphone audio wiring in a way that is “invisible” to ordinary dynamic microphones. Mackie mixers use standard +48 volt DC power, switchable on or off. Most qual- ity condenser microphones are designed to use +48 VDC phantom power. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Generally, phantom power is safe to use with non-condenser microphones as well, es- pecially dynamic microphones. However, unbalanced microphones, some electronic equipment (such as some wireless microphone receivers) and some ribbon microphones can short out the phantom power and be severely damaged. Check the manufacturer’s recom- mendations and be careful!

phasing

A delay effect, where the original signal is mixed with a short (0 to 10 msec) delay. The

time of the delay is slowly varied, and the combination of the two signals results in a dra- matic moving comb-filter effect. Phasing is sometimes imitated by sweeping a comb-filter EQ across a signal. A comb filter can be found in your back pocket.

phone jack

Ever see those old telephone switchboards with hundreds of jacks and patch cords and plugs? Those are phone jacks and plugs, now used widely with musical instruments and au- dio equipment. A phone jack is the female connector, and we use them in 1⁄4" two- conductor (TS) and three-conductor (TRS) versions.

phone plug

The male counterpart to the phone jack, right above.

phono jack

See RCA phono jack.

phono plug

See RCA phono plug.

post-fader

A term used to describe an aux send (usually) that is connected so that it is affected by the setting of the associated channel fader. Sends connected this way are typically (but not always) used for effects. See pre-fader.

pot, potentiometer

In electronics, a variable resistor that varies the potential, or voltage. In audio, any rotary or slide control.

pre-fader

A term used to describe an aux send (usually) that is connected so that it is not af- fected by the setting of the associated channel fader. Sends connected this way are typically (but not always) used for monitors (foldback). See post-fader.

proximity effect

The property of many directional micro- phones to accentuate their bass response when the source-to-mic distance is small, typically three inches or less. Singers generally like this effect even more than singing in the shower.

A way of stating the bandwidth of a filter or equalizer section. An EQ with a Q of .75 is broad and smooth, while a Q of 10 gives a nar- row, pointed response curve. To calculate the value of Q, you must know the center fre- quency of the EQ section and the frequencies at which the upper and lower skirts fall 3dB below the level of the center frequency. Q