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When the Squid Talks, Better Listen

Small Clubs Go Big

The Beatles reportedly used a few Shure Vocal Masters at Shea Stadium back in 1965. They were hardly enough to fill the Mets' cavernous venue, though even the old honeycomb horn PA system that used to mangle Ron Swoboda's name wasn't much help against the roar of 55,000 hysterical adolescents. But it does remind us that while large concert PAs have quite an evolutionary history, from Bob Heil and his Grateful Dead stacks to the modern flying line array, small clubs have had a more spotty time of it, making do with what have been for decades essentially cast-offs from an earlier era. Line arrays are the technology heroes of the new century, but try getting one of those into a grungy club with a 12-foot ceiling.

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Gain Structure: A Lesson in Audio “Plumbing”

One of the few things in audio that remains constant in spite of technological change is the concept of gain structure. Gain structure refers to the manner in which signal levels are set in (and between) various components of any audio system. Poor gain structure can cause noise of the hissing type (as opposed to hum or buzzes), distortion, lack of headroom and grossly mismatched meter readings between different devices. You might also find that your PA system does not play as loud as it should. Let's examine this in detail.

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Inviting a Pro

As I was pondering on what to write about for this month's Sound Sanctuary, I couldn't help thinking about how many really interesting e-mails I have received over the years. They have not only been interesting but I have picked up a lot of useful information as a result of the e-mails and the sound techs who write them. I just want to say that many of you out there who read this column appear to have more knowledge, experience and greater understanding of mixing worship sound than myself. One of these months, I will list all of the amazing people who have written to me over the years.

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What do YOU Make Per Hour?

One century ago, 146 immigrant workers died in a horrific fire at the Triangle Waist Company in New York City. It was a tragedy that brought to light the exploitive nature of sweatshops and the disparity between workers and owners in a country where a good portion of the workforce was made up of immigrants from around the world. Instead of coming to an idyllic new world, they found themselves struggling to overcome a language and cultural barrier that left most of them enduring atrocious working conditions and a life of paucity.

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Penn Elcom, Fane Announce Global Partnership

From left, Thomas Mostert (Penn Elcom Europe), Arthur Barnes (Fane chairman), Roger Willems (Penn Elcom chairman).

LONDON – Penn Elcom and Fane Acoustics – both of whom have manufacturing facilities in the U.K. and Asia – announced a global partnership where each will have access to the other's international distribution networks. The agreement is expected to increase the global availability of both companies' products, including loudspeaker components and casing hardware. Both companies have served their respective markets for more than 30 years.

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