What is a pad? What is it used for?
In which situations would you use the -10 dB or the -20 dB pad? Recording live music?
The word 'pad' in audio is derived from Passive Attenuation Device. 'Passive' refers to an electronic circuit that requires no power to operate. 'Attenuation' means making the level of the signal smaller.
'Device' means that it was invented by someone who was extremely clever!
You will commonly find a switchable pad in a capacitor microphone, and also in a microphone preamplifier. There isn't a lot of use for pads anywhere else in the audio signal chain but you never know when one might come in handy. A pad built into a female-to-male inline XLR is something that's nice to have in your audio toolkit. You'll need two for stereo.
The value of a pad is in its passive nature. This means that it can accept any signal level without distortion, right up to the point where the circuit components burn out (which would be a very high level indeed).
A capacitor microphone contains an internal amplifier, which is an active (not passive) device. All active circuits have an upper limit on the level of the signal they can handle correctly. If the signal attempts to go above this level, it will be clipped at peak level until it drops back down again. This causes very serious distortion.
So if a capacitor microphone is exposed to sound of very high level, the internal amplifier might clip. To prevent this, a pad can be switched in that comes before the amplifier, lowering the signal level before it can cause clipping.
The same can happen in a microphone preamplifier. If the input signal is very high in level, the very first input stage can clip. Once again, if a pad is switched in before the first active stage, clipping can be prevented.
So if the sound level is very high, the pad in the microphone should be switched in. If this is switched in, then the pad in the preamp will probably not be necessary, but it's there just in case.
Pads can be used in both studio and live recording.
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David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
@djohnjimmy: Short and to the point. Thank you very much
@RadekPilich: Whats the point of PAD on a DI box? Looking at my mixer, I see the preamps going from +10 to +60, so if I had to guess, the PAD on a DI is there to attenuate a signal so strong, that even minimum +10 gain of the mixer would make it clip. Otherwise I don't see a reason for it, as I would think, that it's ideal to transmit the signal over cables as hot as possible to maximize the SNR and attenuating the signal will only make the SNR worse. Is my guess work correct?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @RadekPilich: You are correct. Use the pad if you have to but otherwise leave it out.
@paulsarodh5460: Thq brob🎶🎶🙋♂️🙋♂️✌
@rollandjoeseph: Thx, just the clear explanation I was looking for. Knowledge increased !new subscriber🙂
@jongriffin2608: Hi, I hope this video is not so old it won’t get a reply! Helpful video - but, I’m confused about what I want to achieve.
I have a Summit Audio 200B valve preamp, very nice too! But, I cannot get much clean gain, especially on vocals that are very dynamic and might feature a vocal belt in the finale chorus.
A U87 into the 200B - requires that the input is set very low perhaps only 1.5-2.0 The output can be set to 10, but the signal to ‘tape’ is very low. You can adjust using clip gain after its recording, but tracking can be underwhelming or else a struggle against the backing track.
I doubt very much that the mic is the issue as its not the same problem when used with a super clean SSL pre. So, I pad the preamp of the 200B.
This may reduce the input before the amplification in the 200B by -15 or 20db, but we do then need to raise the input by the same amount to get back on track and to a level I want.
Fundamentally, by the time I do this, I’ve basically recreated the same input overload.
The actual goal, is that the input is clean, but the output is loud enough to be useful for tracking with.
Unless I am missing something, using a pad on the pre seems to not actually solve anything?
Please correct my ignorance.
@RocknRollkat: Hello D.M.
My mother was a lyric soprano.
My ears are still ringing....
Best regards,
Bill P.
@BunnySwords: Best explanation. Thanks!
@fridafeline: Great video!
@Velociraptarus: Is a -20 PAD on the mic preamp enough to handle line level signals from an audio interface (DAW), or do I need a separate attenuator? Thanks
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Velociraptarus: This can work, but maybe not at full line level. You would need to listen carefully for clipping. Make sure to turn phantom power off. DM
@ThatCrowGuy: I'm new to audio stuff, and this was the clearest most concise video about this :) Thanks!
@Bexgotthebounce: great video. thanks for sharing. quick question. Im using the u87 ai, warm 73 pre/eq, warm wa2a. Would the warm audio wa76 be an ideal piece to add to my chain?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Bexgotthebounce: An 1176 is always nice to have, either in software, hardware, or hardware emulation. We couldn't give you reliable advice without testing a range of 1176 clones - our business is in techniques rather than individual products. But this... https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/warm-audio-wa76 ...might help you decide. DM
@endert9030: I found this while searching for the purpose of the pad button on my own microphone.
I have one question. The mic Audio-Technica bp4025 I own also has a PAD (-10dB) button.
If the button is operated while the phantom power is connected while testing the microphone, a momentary high level of clipping occurs.
Do I have to turn the power off to use the buttons on the microphone itself?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @endert9030: My guess would be that you're hearing a click rather than clipping. It would depend how loud it is whether it's a problem but if it's loud then you probably should pull the fader down before switching. I don't see that turning the phantom off would help. My advice would be to contact Audio Technica and see what they say.
@tortillaman2491: Professor, doesn't the PAD kill tone?
@Kontaineroz: I have the feature built into my interface. I tried it and it seems to be useful as a pop filter. Is that a valid example of what they can be for?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @Kontaineroz: Popping occurs in the microphone's capsule so there's nothing downstream of that that can properly fix it. Having said that, popping can sometimes be mild and only in the low frequencies, so if your interface has a high-pass filter, that can help, but it's best for the mic not to pop at all. I'm having trouble though imagining how a pad could possibly help at all. It's probably just making the popping quieter, along with everything else. As I said, it's best for the mic not to pop at all. A fabric pop filter is one answer. Angling the mic so that it points towards the mouth but is not in the direct line of fire of the breath is another. For best results, do both. One more thing... I've seen in BBC radio studios both a foam windscreen and a pop filter used at the same time. That's also worth a try. DM
@ceonach: Thanks. Exactly what I needed to know. Thinking of buying Zoom H5 (-20db PAD on inputs) and using lavalier mics.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @ceonach: You probably wouldn't expect to need a pad for a lavalier mic, but it's a good thing to have if you need it for any other purpose. DM
@Barry_Mmm: Thank you! I will use the PAD button for one of my mics now. It clips very easily even with the Gain barely on.
@m.o.n.d.e.g.r.e.e.n: thanks
@AudioMasterclass replies to @m.o.n.d.e.g.r.e.e.n: You're welcome. DM
@petedoukas3351: Thank you for this. I was trying to understand PAD controls on an external mic for my 4K camcorder. Your knowledge was well appreciated.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @petedoukas3351: You're welcome.
@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios: Is there any way, in which you would do a walk-through on the controls of the UA "LA-610"? for what the controls are, and what they do?
@AudioMasterclass replies to @sekritskworl-sekrit_studios: Thank you for your comment, but this isn't something I can provide in the short term. Meanwhile, there is a useful review at https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/universal-audio-la610 One thing I would say though is that a tube preamp with both gain and level controls is very versatile in the way you can control warmth. It's a good feature to have in your studio. DM
@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios replies to @sekritskworl-sekrit_studios: @@AudioMasterclass thank you SO VERY MUCH for your consideration and lending resources. :-)
@mr.p3666: Sir question, when recording guitar or bass guitar should i activate the pad on my interface? I'm using behringer 204hd
@AudioMasterclass replies to @mr.p3666: If your interface has a pad on the instrument input then it's there to be used if you need it. You would only need to use it if you hear distortion, so if the signal you hear is clean then you can leave it switched out.
@kuznetsovmishamusic: Thank you!
@AudioMasterclass replies to @kuznetsovmishamusic: You're welcome!
@johnnybrit804: You have won another subscriber. Your materials are sensational and you have excellent teaching skills. It will be an honor if you can visit and subscribe to my channel where you can see my small home studio (out of the box). I´m from Brazil. The best thing is to exchange experiences. Success and long life.
@BogdanWeiss: Is this the "audiomaster" channel for trolls & bots? You're presenting elementary fundamentals that I would classify as "audio 101 for dummies" where is the "master's" knowledge? Not here....
@AudioMasterclass replies to @BogdanWeiss: Thank you for your message. Clearly you were born with this knowledge and never had to learn it from anywhere. Good luck to you - Audio Masterclass can help you no further.
@BogdanWeiss replies to @BogdanWeiss: @@AudioMasterclass My "smart arse" remark was un-necessary - I know... I would include attenuation & gain/amplification & Ohm's law in a single video. Recording art/quality has taken a serious nose-dive in the last 2 decades & I think a lack of fundamental education has a lot to do with it. With a name like "Masterclass" I was anticipating information on a different "level" - I think you may know what I mean
@primee5730 replies to @BogdanWeiss: @@BogdanWeiss you must be the life of the party
@rowanb4395 replies to @BogdanWeiss: @@primee5730 You are assuming the guests don't want to get bogdan in the details :)
@EgoShredder: So you can use a pad on a female soprano, but what about a tena lady? ...................... I'll get me coat!
@AudioMasterclass replies to @EgoShredder: Hoho.