So you’ve got passive speakers and need an external amplifier. Awesome. But it’s not as simple as just connecting the cables, turning the dials to 11 (see Spinal Tap) and walking away. There’s different modes to choose from and they all have different impacts; like how many speakers you can use, how much wattage of output power you get, how you need to run cables into and out of your amp, etc. For the sake of consistency, let’s assume for the rest of this post that we’re using a 2-channel Amplifier. Let’s start with Parallel Mode: Parallel mode allows you to run the amp in Mono. You send an output from your mixer to Input 1 (channel 1) on your amp and the amp internally routes the same signal to Channel 2 as well. Benefits of Parallel Mode: - Convenient Cabling: You don’t need a Y-cable or multiple outputs to send the same signal to both channels; the amp does this for you. - More Speakers: You can run more speakers in a chain. Because you’re running a single signal to both channels, you effectively double the total capacity for your speakers. Just make sure to do the impedance calculations for amp safety. - Fewer Amps Needed for One Output: When you have a lot of speakers in line with each other and you’re okay with only being able to control independent channel levels on your amplifier (I.e., not your mixer), this is a great option to cut down on the number of amplifiers you need. - Higher Volume: Reduces total impedance, allowing the amplifier to deliver more current and power. - Redundancy: Signal is not linear in the chain. If one speaker fails, the others continue to function. - Sound Quality: Better for speakers with internal crossovers (like 2-way Hi-Fi speakers) as it maintains correct frequency response. Cons of Parallel Mode: - Channel Loss: You can’t send different signals to each channel. - Too Few Amps for Many Outputs: If you have front fills, delay lines, and subs, you might not have enough amplifiers to afford to lose an entire differentiated channel. - Inconvenient Control: You don’t have independent control from the tech table/FOH position. You need to either walk over to the amp or have an A2 who can adjust levels for you. You do have independent amp channel control though, so you can adjust the level of one channel without affecting the other. - Potential Low Impedance: You have to be mindful of how low your impedance is getting: assuming speakers are all the same impedance, parallel mode calculations divide speaker impedance by the number of speakers in the chain (e.g., two 8 ohm speakers in a chain means impedance is 4 ohms - check the impedance rating of your amp and don’t go any lower than that. Most amps can only handle a minimum of 4 ohms (some can handle 2 ohms). - Higher Likelihood of Damage: If you fail to consider impedance implications in this mode, you can damage your amp/speakers. - Heat & Stress: The amplifier works much harder to provide more current, leading to increased heat.

Check it out here: https://www.skool.com/the-av-wizards-club-1325/classroom/34bcf7be

Hi Everyone, I've had a handful of people on-site ask if we can get together and talk more about Lighting Design. So I am hosting a weekly meet up. I will provide instruction on the weeks topic and then we would like to provide ample space for questions and discussion. These open workshops will be Wednesday's at 7pm. We expect them to run 60-90min as discussion & time permits. I was a High School Theatre Production Teacher and Technical Director for nearly a decade. My hope is that we can craft supportive resources for AVL Technicians wanting to grow in the live events industry. Let me know if there are topics you would like a workshop or tutorial on, and we will see what knowledge base we have available! Reoccurring meeting link below: Mark 778-899-0032 gaiusmhunt@gmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gaius Hunt is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Gaius - Training Stream Time: Feb 25, 2026 07:00 PM Vancouver Every week on Wed, until Apr 1, 2026, 6 occurrence(s) Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system. Weekly: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/tZcocOCvqjgjHdbuG29gxEybhM50_l0Q1jM2/ics?icsToken=DEMLEEp6wShJYl9edwAALAAAAKuAa8r_7itqXF0FfETumSfgO9EDyK1A-lTD3SqQ7cqtMAyJXIg1kO8e_FBOO-qZu45l9qmDiaqEv1WyszAwMDAwMQ&meetingMasterEventId=Bc-WqoTWRpCPrZ31F_C5tA Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83579743972?pwd=OfuCRUSTx9KHuX6XvLTqjAh4NBWO5C.1 View meeting insights with Zoom AI Companion https://us06web.zoom.us/launch/edl?muid=5bd32aed-db3b-46b2-b8b6-ffd8a0f3cc49

These terms are most commonly used in professional lighting consoles such as those from MA Lighting (e.g., grandMA3) and ETC (e.g., Eos). The exact terminology varies slightly by brand, but the core concepts are similar. Here’s a clear breakdown of each term and how they relate to each other: 1. Presets Building blocks (raw ingredients). A preset stores a specific value for one parameter (or a group of related parameters) that you can reuse. Examples: - A specific red color - A pan/tilt position called “Downstage Center” - A gobo selection - A beam look Instead of recreating values every time, you reference the preset. If you update the preset, every cue using it updates too (if stored by reference). Think of presets like: 🎨 Paint colors in a palette 2. Cues A snapshot of the stage at one moment in time. A cue stores the state of fixtures (intensity, color, position, etc.) plus timing information. Examples: - Cue 1: Stage wash at 50% - Cue 2: Spotlight on Actor A - Cue 3: Blue night look Cues typically include: - Fade times - Delay times - Follow times Think of a cue like: 📸 A photograph of the stage look 3. Cue Stack/List A list of cues that play in order. A cue stack (sometimes just called a “sequence” depending on console) is an ordered list of cues that you step through during a show. Example:Cue 1 → Cue 2 → Cue 3 → Cue 4 You can: - Go to next cue - Go back - Jump to a specific cue - Auto-follow cues Think of a cue stack like: 🎬 A scene list in a script 4. Sequence This term depends on the console. On consoles like grandMA: A sequence contains a cue stack. On consoles like ETC Eos: A cue list is similar to a sequence. The term “sequence” isn’t commonly used the same way. So in most modern systems: Sequence ≈ Cue stack 5. Executors The playback controls. An executor is a physical or virtual control (fader or button) that runs a sequence/cue stack. An executor can: - Play a cue stack - Control intensity via fader - Trigger effects - Run chases - Toggle sequences on/off

Here’s a quick video that explains how video switchers work!