Back in the olden days, when high-quality audio equipment wasn’t nearly as readily available as it is today, gain structure could make or break the sound quality of a show. Good gain structure was necessary to ensure that the audio signal voltage did not reach the console voltage rails and clip, while at the same time keeping it as high as possible above the noise floor, maximising the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and keeping it clean and free from distortion. Now that you can buy an off-the-shelf audio console on the high street with better than 100dB SNR, minimal THD+n and full-bandwidth frequency response, gain structure may not seem to be so important, but it can still ruin your day. (more…)