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Topic: Live Sound Reinforcement |
Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
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Posted 31 Jul 2006 7:50 am |
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What is the professional configuration used in getting a good live sound?
My band's system is:
Mics-->MixBoard-->PowerAmp-->Speakers
I'm thinking about inserting a 31 band "PostEQ" between the Board and Power Amp.
Mics-->MixBoard-->PostEQ-->PowerAmp-->Speakers
This way, I should be able to set a "studio mix" on the board with the MixBoard EQ controls, and then use the PostEQ to adapt to different venue resonances.
It would be ideal to have a pink noise (or is it white noise) generator so the board can "auto-levelize" for room acoustics.
I'm not a PA wizard, and am simply scratching around to try and improve our live sound.
Please give me feedback, and equipment suggestions.
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Jim Peters
From:
St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 31 Jul 2006 12:43 pm
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Hey TG, there are lots of variables we need to know;
Do you mike the instruments?
What type speakers?
How big the room?
How big the audience?
How loud?
What instruments?
My experience is doing my band's(and others) sound for the last 20 yrs in many different situations. Hope we cam\n help! JP |
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Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
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Posted 31 Jul 2006 10:35 pm
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Drums: Mic'd all around, + 2 overheads
Bass: Direct input from amp
Electric1: Amp mic'd
Electric2: Amp mic'd
ElecAcoustic: Direct from onboard preamp.
Steel Guitar: Not integrated into our sets yet....
Vocals: Direct input...Joking...4 vocal mics.
Board is a 24 channel Mackie w/4 band eq per channel. Will get model #.
Can't recall power amp and spkrs brand, but will find out. Seems to me we're in the 1000W power amp range. Crossover amp w/subs and mains. Don't know if the crossover is matched, will look into.
I went to a music store today, and the live sound guru strongly recommended 1/3octave Post MixBoard EQ to adjust the mix to new room types.
We play all sorts of gigs - usually in "community center" facilities ranging from 200-700 people. There are no 2 community centers alike. Last week, in a large room (eg. 110'x70'x18' est.) all concrete block construction. Some bass notes would reverberate for 7 seconds...Brutal.
Loudness: I think we target 90 db in the "visiting areas"....Can't recall exactly. One of our volunteer roadies brings an SPL meter, and he ensures we meet occupational health and safety limits...whatever those are.[This message was edited by Tom Gorr on 31 July 2006 at 11:42 PM.] |
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Michael Hartz
From:
Decorah, Iowa, USA
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Posted 1 Aug 2006 7:17 am
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| If you are using a 2 or 3 way speaker system then the best thing you can add is digital loudspeaker management system . DBX makes one called "Driverack PA" which you can pick up for around $450. This thing is amazing,it will eq your room (pink noise rta), has feedback eliminators, digital crossover, subharmonic synth, plus many other features. This Is the most important piece of our pa system. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 1 Aug 2006 7:44 am
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| IMHO, keep it as simple as possible...resist the temptation to mike everything in a small venue. I've seen 6-piece bands do 27 mikes in a 175-seat club, and that's just plain dopey. |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 1 Aug 2006 7:58 am
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| Quote: |
| occupational health and safety limits...whatever those are |
Continuous exposure at or above 85 dB needs hearing protection. |
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Tom Gorr
From:
Three Hills, Alberta
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Posted 1 Aug 2006 1:06 pm
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Hey Mike, your comment on the DBX unit confirms what I heard in a music store yesterday. I think it may "the cure".
Thanks for helping to confirm this.
Donny - we try to do all our gigs with standard gear / setup - but I know, I know....I hate micing 120W guitar amps in a small room...kind of makes you want to go by a 20W amp.... |
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T. C. Furlong
From:
Lake County, Illinois, USA
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Posted 5 Aug 2006 8:27 am
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Tom,
Be careful about using an automated "cure" to correct room resonances. The dbx unit is a tool that must be used with knowledge. I have an audio company and we have never found auto EQ to be useful, (except with Genelec's newest DSP studio monitors and that works for one seat only). I agree with Donny. Keep it simple. A good quality 1/3 octave graphic EQ is probably what will do the most for you. I like the Ashly GQX3102. You must learn how to use it though. The best advice I can give you is only cut frequencies that are sounding like they are too loud, no boosting of any frequencies. Allow time to learn how to use your ears to identify problem frequencies. You may want to ask your local sound guru guy to train you on how to do this. You should also make sure that your main loudspeaker system is optimized with respect to the crossover settings, driver polarity etc. Again, ask the guru to help you. The more you learn about all of this, the better you will sound.
TC
PS The only way to equalize a highly reverberent concrete block room like you describe is with a bulldozer. I'm not kidding. |
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