Electric guitars, bass guitars, and acoustic guitars with piezo pickups are at the instrument level. There are two types of line level: consumer line level is at -10dBV professional line level is at +4dBu (or dBm) RCA (phono) connectors are usually -10dBV. In a microphone, there is a transducer that converts sound vibrations into electrical energy. -20 dBu is roughly in the neighborhood of a typical instrument's output. These line level signals are then further amplified to drive speakers and headphones for playback. Skip to main content. Close. . Learn more in Understanding Signal Levels in Audio Gear Mic […] Line outputs usually present a source impedance of 100 to 600 ohms. Speaker Level Speaker level signals are post-amplification. Usually "instrument" level is below -10dB line level. Audio Solutions Question of the Week: What is "Line" Level and What is "Mic" Level? Release the footswitch and turn the LEVEL knob to adjust the Level Trim. ×. ×. For example, if a device is meant to accept a mic level signal or an instrument level signal, but you feed it a line level signal, you'll overdrive the device, which can result in heavy distortion. The first difference is the voltage level The first difference between line, microphone and instrument are the voltage levels. This is in contrast to " instrument level " which is what typically comes direct from a guitar or bass, and " mic level " which is the typical output of a microphone or DI box. Take a look below to learn about these different signal levels. XLR connectors are usually +4dBu (Mic Level). Line level is the standard signal strength at which most audio equipment is designed to operate. The line-level signal is about one volt, or about 1,000 times as strong as a mic-level signal. These standards are self-imposed. In pro audio, you'll generally be dealing with four types of audio signals: Mic Level, Instrument Level, Line Level, and Speaker Level Microphone Level You need to connect your microphone to a mixing console or pre-amp and take your audio from the line level out on those devices. Line level refers to the voltage which an audio signal must have. Both are much lower than line level. TRS quarter inch jack plugs can be either -10dBV or +4dBu Instrument Level You might get a louder signal with -10db but it will lack headroom and clip easily. It's stronger than the mic level, but still not strong enough for the line level input. Yes, Line level is -10db instrument is +4db. In a microphone levels; the output voltage is not the same as the line level voltage or instrument level voltages. As such, they require a preamp to boost them to line level. This signal travels from your pre-amp to the amplifier. Hey, it can even be higher than the line level. which puts it 34dB below a +4 line level signal. The instrument level is what we're interested in the most here. There are two standard line levels: -10 dBV for consumer equipment (like MP3 and DVD players) +4 dBu for professional equipment (mixing desks and signal processing gear) The other two types of audio signals you'll run into are instrument and speaker levels. Blu-Ray players, CD players, and most home stereo systems operate on the -10 dBV consumer standard. There are actually two common types of line voltage levels, which include -10 dBV and +4 dBu. Microphone Level (Mic Level) Microphones are transducers, which means they convert pressure to electrical signals. Mic level refers to the level of the signal which is produced by a microphone. Compared to line level, mic level is really low at about -60 dBu (or -62.2 dBv), so it's a much weaker signal. Professional Line Level Audio (+4 dBu) Line level comes in two flavors: professional and consumer. Mic Level: the lowest of the three signals is mic level. The two signal types do not ordinarily use the same input. The voltage can reach 2 volts peak-to-peak with levels referenced to −10 dBV (300 mV) at 10 kΩ. The status will be shown on the FAV LED . +4 dBu is "professional" line level, common in modern pro recording gear, and it is about 1.25 V. 0 dBv is an average line level, typical output from rackmount guitar/bass preamps. Line Level is the highest signal level that travels through a TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve) jack connection. Lower-level microphone and instrument signals must be brought up to line level with a preamp before interfacing with most equipment. Press and hold down the ON footswitch until both LEDs start blinking while the pedal is already connected to power. -10 dBV is 10 decibels lower than 1 volt, which is .316 volts. Quote brue58ski Members 2.5k Registered Products:13 Posted November 19, 2013 Microphones produce a relatively weak signal. -10 dBv is "consumer" line level, common with older and cheaper recording gear. Typical guitar signal might be -30 or so. In the audio world, there are four signal levels that we deal with: mic, instrument, line, and speaker. You have an RCA, quarter-inch jack, or 3.5 mm jack for a line level input. Mic level audio signals aren't powerful enough to plug directly in to a line level input. That discrepancy is due to the differences between the measurement standards dBu for +4 and dBv for -10. Set HD to instrument. -10dB to -10dB = GREEN +/- 0dB = RED Up to +3dB = AMBER Connecting a microphone to a line-level input will result in almost no sound at all because the mic signal is so faint that the line input cannot hear it. Speaker Level: The higher amplitude range is called "line level", and the lower range is called "instrument level". 0 dBV is equal to 1 volt. The frequency response of most modern equipment is advertised as at least 20 Hz to 20 kHz, which corresponds to the conventional range of human hearing. Instrument Level: sitting between mic level and line level is instrument level. Microphones and instruments output very low signal voltages, while +4dBu is the line level is the standard voltage level for professional audio equipment. -20 dBu is roughly in the neighborhood of a typical instrument's output. At even lower amplitude there's " mic level ", which is the expected output of a typical microphone or a DI box, both of which are intended to plug into a mic preamp with a large amount of gain. You typically use a female XLR connector for the mic-level input. The signals are weak, which is another way of saying their voltage levels are lower than the line level (Sometimes -60 dBV). This should be used when connecting any non-instrument devices to your interface (i.e., an outboard preamp or processor) or instruments that output line level (synths, keyboards, drum machines etc). Use +4 db. This signal travels from your pre-amp to the amplifier that powers your speakers. A line-level signal is approximately one volt, or about 1,000 times greater than a mic-level signal. Professional line level is rated around +4 dBu and can be found in equipment like mixing desks, preamplifiers, and signal processing equipment. These levels all have different meanings, so it is important to know the differences between them. Line level is in the region of 0 dBV (1.000 volt). Consumer line level is rated around -10dBV and is what you'll find in products like a CD player. -10 dBv is "consumer" line level, common with older and cheaper recording gear. The 47 best 'Line Level Vs Instrument Level' images and discussions of March 2022. Generally speaking if you send an instrument-level signal into a device that needs line-level input, you will get weak sound . +4 dBu is "professional" line level, common in modern pro recording gear, and it is about 1.25 V. 0 dBv is an average line level, typical output from rackmount guitar/bass preamps. Well, the actual difference between the +4 dBu professional level and the -10 dBv consumer level is 11.78dB. As mentioned, the standards differ for professional and consumer equipment, but consumer voltages are set at -10dBV (decibel volts), and professional voltages are set at +4dBu (decibel unloaded). Consumer Line Level Audio (-10 dBV) The standard operating level for consumer audio equipment is -10 dBV. But instrument level's usually somewhere between mic and line level, and to go true line level you usually need an active direct box of some kind. 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