These oscillators are used primarily to line up the output of the desk to a tape, DAT, or ADAT machine, ensuring that at one extreme you don't overload any unit's input (causing distortion) and at the other that you don't waste the large dynamic range of the mixer by having background noise levels unnecessarily high. Even some budget desks, such as the Spirit Folio range, have a basic 1kHz oscillator built in. Most upmarket mixing desks contain oscillators for line‑up purposes, which provide a sine‑wave tone at 1kHz, as well as at a number of other frequencies, such as 100Hz and 10kHz. For examining overall mixes, the lower resolution bar display on the left is easier to interpret, while the trace display, on the right, shows a lot more detail, which is often more useful when looking for problem areas. With a spectrum analyser plug‑in you can not only see exactly your mix's frequency content, but also examine how it compares to those of your favourite CDs. So, if you want your studio to have lower noise levels, less distortion, reduced hum, and better acoustics then read on. The controls may be unfamiliar, and the options initially daunting, but with a little knowledge you can get a long way.
We've nearly all got oscilloscope and spectrum analyser plug‑ins, or the equivalent functions in our audio editors, and these can be used, along with what labs call signal generators (but we can simply call oscillators) to set up and optimise other equipment in the studio. These facilities can be used to improve the sound of your mixes, and to sort out audio problems in the rest of your studio.
Many musicians probably don't realise that their PCs already contain enough audio test tools to rival a small electronics lab. Most PC users, however, may already have all the necessary tools and, as Martin Walker explains, they are easy to use when you know how. In order to get the most out of your audio equipment, you need to be able to line it up correctly.
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