What's a -20dB pad for, anyway?

[rucarlso]

I'm borrowing a CAD Equitek E-100 mic from a friend and it has this switch for a -20dB pad. I've read stuff about pads, but I'm yet to get a solid description of what they do.

Does the pad just drop the output of the mic by 20dB? I remember reading in TapeOp about how the engineer on the Stones' "Brown Sugar" was happy as hell to have a pad. The band was playing loud.

What's all this pad jank about?

 

[cominginsecond]

Does the pad just drop the output of the mic by 20dB?

Right!

 

[nwsoundman]

Another use

Hi,

Even if the mic can handle the source SPL without a pad it still can be applied so the gain of the mic pre can be turned up more. This is usefull only if your pre has a tone you want that comes from haveing it's gain cranked.