ATTENTION: Si l'exposition à un niveau sonore supérieur à100 dB doit être proongée, portez des protections auditives dans les oreilles ou sur les oreilles.
CAUTELA: In caso di esposizione prolungata a livelli superiori a 100 dB, si consiglia l'impiego di tappi per le orecchie oppure di indossare cuffie protetive.
PRECAUCION: Si a a quedar expuesto a niveles superiores a los 100 dB durante un periodo prolongado de tiempo, colóquese tapones o cascos de protección en los oídos.
GEFAHR: Wenn Sie längere Zeit höheren Pegeln als 100 dB ausgesetzt sind, sollten Se einen Gehörschutz inden Gehörgängen oder über den Ohren tragen.
1 0 . 2 . 1 O p e r a t i n g L e v e l s
EAW loudspeakers, when appropriately powered, are capable of producing sound levels that are potentially damaging to your hearing. For a single loudspeaker and depending on the product, this can easily occur within 50 ft / 15 m of the loudspeaker. When used in multiples, such levels can be reached at considerable distances from the loudspeakers.
Avoid operating the loudspeaker systems at levels that exceed 100 dB PL in the listening area for more than short periods. One way to do this for musical performances is to provide some moderate boost at the very low and to a lesser extent, at the very high frequencies. Judicious applications of this type of equalization can make a loudspeaker sound significantly louder than it actually is. Both your listeners and your loudspeakers will thank you. It is recommended that a sound level meter be used to verify listening levels. Relatively inexpensive meters are available that provide adequate accuracy for this purpose.
Be aware that audience members will not have the benefit of ear protection. Therefore, if you need to use ear protection because the levels are loud, the audience also needs ear protection. The remedy is to reduce the system volume to a safer listening level.
1 0 . 3 Te s t i n g a n d Te s t S i g n a l s
Loudspeakers are designed to reproduce primarily speech and music audio signals. Such signals are highly variable from moment to moment in their level, frequency content, and phase. Accepted loudspeaker measurements and tests that are accurate and consistent are possible only with signals where the level, frequency content, and phase are accurately known and consistent at all times. Such signals include sine waves, swept tones, pink noise, white noise, and other constant level test signals. These are much harder on a loudspeaker than speech and music signals and therefore the potential for damage is much greater. Keep in mind that the parameters of electronic limiters are also designed for the characteristics of speech and music signals - not test signals. Their capability to protect the loudspeaker is considerably reduced using test signals.
Take certain precautions to avoid loudspeaker damage when using test signals. Never use power inputs that exceed 50%
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