Ringing out is a process in
audio engineering
Audio most commonly refers to sound, as it is transmitted in signal form. It may also refer to:
Sound
*Audio signal, an electrical representation of sound
* Audio frequency, a frequency in the audio spectrum
*Digital audio, representation of soun ...
technique used to prevent
audio feedback
Audio feedback (also known as acoustic feedback, simply as feedback) is a positive feedback situation that may occur when an acoustic path exists between an audio output (for example, a loudspeaker) and its audio input (for example, a microphon ...
between on-stage microphones and loudspeakers, and to maximize
gain before feedback. Depending on the acoustics of a venue, certain frequencies may be
resonant and thus will be more prone to feedback.
To ring out a room, a sound technician will raise the gain or fader controls on a mixing desk to induce an audio system to feedback. Once feedback occurs, the technician uses an equalizer, usually a
graphic equalizer
Equalization, or simply EQ, in sound recording and reproduction is the process of adjusting the volume of different frequency bands within an audio signal. The circuit or equipment used to achieve this is called an equalizer.
Most hi-fi eq ...
to reduce the gain at the
frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. Frequency is an important parameter used in science and engineering to specify the rate of oscillatory and vibratory phenomena, such as mechanical vibrations, audio ...
of the feedback. The frequency of the feedback can be identified using a
spectrum analyzer. This is repeated until feedback is sufficiently reduced without compromising the quality of the sound.
Ringing out is particularly important for the
stage monitor system. While the performer or musician is usually behind the main PA system, the monitors are so they can hear themselves. As such, a microphone is much more likely to feedback through the monitor loudspeakers than the main PA.
Ringing out can become quite complex when working with a large number of microphones and monitors. Indeed, with larger touring acts, one of the major advantages of using
in-ear monitors is the minimal ringing out that needs to be done.
Hardware exists that can perform many of the same functions that ringing out provides, such as
feedback suppression and
room optimization.
Audio engineering
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