inSync reader Abner A. asks how he can measure the noise floor of his equipment, and how to minimize noise floor. Unfortunately, there is no easy way for an end user to measure the noise floor of his gear. You pretty much have to rely on manufacturer’s specs, and on your ears. Most pro and semi-pro modern gear is really quite quiet.
Minimizing the noise floor of a given piece of gear is also impossible, the noise floor is inherent background noise produced by the device’s electronics, and can’t be changed without changing the actual circuits. What you CAN do is maximize the device’s signal to noise level by optimizing your signal levels. This effectively keeps the noise floor to its minimum.
In a system of devices, noise floor can be controlled by removing unused pieces of gear from the chain, whether with a patchbay, mixer faders, or by physically unplugging. And again, proper audio levels will do more to keep background noise to a minimum than almost anything else.
Finally, if you have a REALLY noisy piece of equipment, a noise gate or an expander might be required to quiet things down.
Ed. note: inSync 5/13/97 (in the inSync archives) contained a discussion of "noise floor."