BACDS Sound Committee

This page contains useful information for folks who run the BACDS sound equipment.

Sound Primers and Mixing Guides

All Mixed Up and Son of All Mixed Up

Bob Mills's brief booklet on the operation of sound systems for contra dances. If you like the online version, consider purchasing a hardcopy edition from the CDSS Store.

Soundcraft's Guide To Mixing

A relatively brief guide to mixing. Aimed at users of Soundcraft equipment, but useful for understanding other mixing equipment, as well. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

JBL Professional Sound System Design Reference Manual

A very detailed intro to sound work. Part one starts with wave theory and works up to room acoustics; part two addresses sound system behaviors and system architectures. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Basic Acoustics and Signal Processing

A good tutorial having far more to do with how the physics and physiology of sound and acoustics than with computer methods of encoding sound. Warning: Contains some math.

Equipment Used By BACDS

Spirit Folio User's Guide

The user's guide to the Spirit Folio mixer in use at St. Paul's in San Francisco. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

dbx 266XL Compressor/Gate Owner/Operator Manual

The manual for the compressor in use at St. Paul's in San Francisco. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Mackie PPM1012 Manual

The manual for the mixer used in Palo Alto. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

And here's the one-page quick information guide for Palo Alto: PPM1012-annotated.pdf

EV Tapco Entertainer 100M Information

Assorted information on the EV Tapco Entertainer 100M powered mixers that for many years formed the heart of the East Bay and Palo Alto PA systems:

• EV Tapco Entertainer 100M Signal Flow Diagram
• Circuit Diagrams: Input printed circuit board, Output printed circuit boards 1 and 2, Output printed circuit board 5 and display printed circuit board, Graphic equalizer, Power amplifier module, and Power supply printed circuit board

Email Lists

Contra Sound Forum

A mailing list dedicated to discussions of sound for dances, equipment, and its use.