Neve 5045 Primary Source Enhancer

The 5045 Primary Source Enhancer is exceptionally useful at reducing feedback without negatively impacting the sonic integrity of the source signal, effectively increasing the level a microphone can be raised before feedback occurs in a live sound environment by up to 20dB. With controls that are very simply laid out and generally require minimal adjustment, the 5045 is an invaluable tool for churches, stadiums, performance halls, or any venue where feedback is problematic.

The 5045 shares some traits with conventional “noise gates”, but operates on a different principle. One common aspect is that both reduce the gain during the absence of signal – or more specifically, both begin to attenuate when the level of a signal falls below a certain user-defined threshold. The 5045 senses when someone is speaking or singing into the mic and allows the signal to pass through, and senses when the person has stopped talking or singing and reduces the gain appropriately, which helps reduce the system’s tendency to feed back. Most importantly, the 5045 does not require filtering and digital processing to achieve significant benefits.

The Depth Control

The “DEPTH” knob sets how much attenuation is applied after the signal falls below where the “THRESHOLD” is set. “0” implies zero attenuation and the 5045 won’t be doing anything. “-10 dB” is moderate attenuation and reasonably safe from accidentally chopping off a word or part of a word. “-20 dB” attenuates deeper but might be a bit choppy. Setting the “DEPTH” control so that it does not chop off bits of quietly spoken words while fighting a difficult feedback problem is the goal, especially with singers that sing quietly one moment and loudly the next while demanding loud monitors.