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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.
Q
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