Scores of PowerPro Volume Controls
12th article in a series about PA gear, their features, and how to use them
One thing we deal with on a daily basis is volume. We turn the volume up and down on our car and home stereos, on our computer’s speakers and we even curb the volume level of our own voices when in a movie or at a concert. Our hearing ability is sensitive which is why adjusting volume is so critical.
Luckily, the Califone PowerPro™ PA919 and PA919SD wireless, portable speakers offer a variety of different volume controls tailored to your specific needs. Both come equipped with two wireless microphone receivers and each has its respective volume control. If you happen to be using a wireless handheld mic and someone else has a beltpack transmitter with hands-free mic for the same speaker, having individual volume controls provides convenience so you can control the volume at each other’s preferred sound level. Not to be outdone, each of the two wired microphone inputs (MIC1 & MIC2 shown below right) has its own, separate volume controls for the same purpose (along with a speech/music switch for each mic).
The volume adjustment on the two wireless mic receivers on the PA919SD shown left, and on the right for the line input, and the master volume control.
Notice on the speaker’s panel that there are line input jacks for both RCA, where you would connect an external media player such as a boombox, personal CD or MP3 player as well as XLR jacks for connection of any additional outboard gear such as an external mixer or for daisy-chaining other Califone portable PA systems such as additional PA919 units. (This is also true with an installed system) Each of these functions also has separate volume controls. Now, what is the knob for that is located directly above the line input volume control knob? You guessed it. It is an additional volume control knob specifically dedicated to the speaker’s on-board media players, whether it is cassette, CD or MP3 player – labeled as such depending upon which PowerPro portable speaker you are using.
While all of these aforementioned volume controls are meant to be adjusted explicitly for their individual tasks, the “master” or “main” volume control (the up and down arrows beneath the ‘treble’ control located near the bottom right of each speaker) is the principal control for the entire speaker’s volume level. All of the others feed into this chief control so you can gauge which level the subordinated controls should be at to achieve the best sound quality.
Continue on to the next article, or read the previous article, or return to the beginning of the series.
