Input & gain
Plug a mic into XLR or a line source into the jack. Set gain so a normal performance gives a healthy signal without lighting the peak warning.
DESK NOTES / 02
Sound that
reaches
everyone.
A straightforward guide to the Allen & Heath ZED-428 and building a clear, controlled mix.
Meet the controls ↓ALLEN & HEATHZED-4284 BUS MIXER
GAINEQAUXPANFADER
THEN MAKE A MOVE
24MONO MIC / LINE INPUTS
02STEREO CHANNELS
06AUX SENDS
04SUBGROUPS
01 / GET TO KNOW IT
Follow the
signal path.
Each strip is a channel. A signal enters at the top, gets shaped and routed, then reaches the master mix or another output.
48V phantom
Phantom power is for equipment that needs it, such as some condenser microphones. Confirm the mic and routing first; ask the teacher before switching it.
High-pass filter
The 100 Hz filter can reduce handling noise and low rumble on a mic channel. Listen before using it, especially on sources with useful low frequencies.
EQ & pan
EQ changes tone; pan places a mono channel left or right in the stereo mix. Start with EQ flat and pan speech centrally unless the show plan says otherwise.
Aux sends
Auxes send a separate amount of a channel to monitors or other destinations. Whether a send is pre- or post-fader depends on its setup.
Mute, PFL & fader
Mute removes a channel from its routed mix; PFL lets you listen/check a channel in headphones. Use PFL before bringing an uncertain mic into the room.
02 / OPERATOR HABIT
“Set the gain.
Then ride the fader.”
Ask someone to speak at performance volume. Set the input gain while listening, keep the channel fader around its marked unity area, then bring up the main mix carefully.
03 / TOP TIPS FOR A CLEAN MIX
Clear beats
complicated.
Keep the room comfortable, the words easy to understand and the controls easy to recover.
01 Start with speaker and channel levels low; bring them up gradually to avoid a sudden blast.
02 Check mic position: close enough to speak naturally, pointed away from speakers where possible.
03 Raise one mic at a time and listen for feedback. Reduce the offending level and move the mic or speaker if needed.
04 Keep unused microphones muted and unmute them before their cue.
05 Make small EQ changes. Big boosts can add noise or make feedback more likely.
06 Know what the master, groups and auxes feed before touching their faders.
ZED-428 features and operating concepts: Allen & Heath ZED Max and ZED-4 BUS user guide. Follow the school’s own sound system and safety instructions.