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[kel mcguire]

Thanks Bob! excellent information. much appreciated

[Matt Vivlamore]

I was looking at buying a PS15-R2, LS18 & NXAMP4x4... but I went a different route and picked up the Fulcrum's.

I've worked with Nexo on a few events; my couple years I had an GeoS8 rig with the TD-Controller/DSP & QSC PL380s on everything and I thought the limiters would engage rather quickly.  The last few years, they switched to the NXAMP4x4 amps and they system came alive and became a whole different animal.

[kel mcguire]

Have used the Nexo PS10's almost exclusively for about 10 years now (mainly musical theatre with the occasional live band set-up) and found them to be excellent.   Having said that, these results are only achievable provided you use the boxes with the appropriate controller and/or amp combination.  (I personally use them with the Nexo branded, but Camco built, combined controller/amp).  As has been previously said DO NOT try and use them without the approved Nexo/Yamaha control system as the results will be really disappointing!

Bob, if you had the Ps10 processors, can you use any power amps at that point?  I understand the mains signals go into the processor and a speaker out as well...but the speaker does not "thru" on the processor

[Bob Main]

Bob, if you had the Ps10 processors, can you use any power amps at that point?  I understand the mains signals go into the processor and a speaker out as well...but the speaker does not "thru" on the processor

Hi Kel

As I said in my earlier reply, I currently use the combined PS10 controller/amp built by Camco for Nexo and it makes life really simple.  Plug the main L and R output from the desk into their respective inputs on the controller/amp and take 4-core cable with NL4 connectors from the L and R output into the LS500 sub and then thru to the PS10 tops.  Switch on and sit back!  The combined controller/amp does all the necessary processing without any involvement from me! 

Here [url]http://nexo-sa.com/attachments/products/46/ps-series-manual.pdf/url]is a link to the relevant documentation from Nexo about the original PS10 series - it's very comprehensive and covers both the use of stand alone control units and also the combined controller/amp - which, unfortunately never seemed to make it to the US market (which I presume is where you are based).  As you will see from the documentation, Nexo's preference is for the use of higher end amps (their documentation for the PS10R2 series suggests 500 to 1250 watts into 8 ohms).  Pages 18 to 23 of the document relates specifically to deployment of the PS10 stand alone controller and it seems fairly simple.  Outputs from the desk go into the main L and R XLR inputs on the back, then from the main L and R XLR outs to your L and R amp inputs.  There is a third XLR output on the controller which provides a summed mono signal and this gets connected to the input of your sub amp (if you are running one that is).  The only other connection you need, AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, is the sense lines connected to the output channels of the amplifier driving one cabinet of each of the channels in use.  In terms of amps being used, I think it comes down to a bit of a personal choice (given what I've already said about the need to look towards higher spec'd range) but I know that Camco have had a long-term and very productive relationship with Nexo so that might be a good starting point.

Here [url]http://www.fuzion.co.uk/Support/Tech_Articles/NexoTDControllers.aspx?Title=Nexo%20TD%20Controllers/url]is also a very good tech article about why it is essential to use the proper controller set-up with these boxes.  It was written by the company who distributed the Nexo range here in the U.K.  They appear to have written it on the back of similar questions to those raised by yourself.  Well worth a read and will hopefully clarify matters for you.

Regards.

[Tim McCulloch]

Bob, if you had the Ps10 processors, can you use any power amps at that point?  I understand the mains signals go into the processor and a speaker out as well...but the speaker does not "thru" on the processor

Bob Main's comments are spot on, and I will add that you cannot use amplifiers with processing latency.  No I-Tech, etc.  The latency messes with the Nexo controller's protection (excursion limiting, peak voltage limiters, etc).

Also don't overlook the sensing connections; the controller must have these connected or it will not work correctly.

Using Yamaha's NX series amps is your best bet, particularly if you don't already have the controller/processor.  If you're using the PS10s as monitors, you'll need 1 controller channel per mix, so you'll need to consider that as well.

[Matt Vivlamore]

from my understanding pretty much "any" amp will work.  The amp/power going into the processer is there to monitor the power levels going into the speaker, when you are trying to overdrive the system, it'll reduce the signal (XLR) going into the amp.  Yorkville uses this concept on their TX processors.

Amps  I've worked with driving Nexo:
Lab Gruppen FP/FP+
QSC PL
Camco

[Tim McCulloch]

from my understanding pretty much "any" amp will work.  The amp/power going into the processer is there to monitor the power levels going into the speaker, when you are trying to overdrive the system, it'll reduce the signal (XLR) going into the amp.  Yorkville uses this concept on their TX processors.

Amps  I've worked with driving Nexo:
Lab Gruppen FP/FP+
QSC PL
Camco

When the processor is looking at the signal for protection and "look ahead" functions, any latency will throw it off, and the typical >1.2ms latency of the ITech disqualifies it and any other amp that doesn't have "speed of electricity" through-put. 

Our Nexo tech contacts specifically gave us this info.  RMX whatever, no problem.  Original MacroTech, no problem.  ITech, problem.

The Nexo racks used Camco until Yamaha took over distribution, and I rather liked the Geo8 rigs with them.  We had a demo rig with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the audio was stunningly neutral.  It was like moving the 800 folks in the audience to the front row.  I wish I could remember the mixerperson's name, he did a great job.  He delayed the PA back to the vocal mic line (hey, its a bunch of guys singing and their acoustic contribution has to be accounted for) to bring the image together.

Would we have had that result without the Nexo processing?  Absolutely not.  Would we have had that result with messed up sensing due to latency?  I can't guarantee "no", but I can guarantee it can sound like that if the *system* is deployed with the necessary processors, vetted amps, and proper alignment.

Sorry to keep harping on this, but it IS important.  Without the right amps and processing, Nexo or Meyer or, or, or... are just speakers in a plywood or plastic box, not a *system*.

[kel mcguire]

When the processor is looking at the signal for protection and "look ahead" functions, any latency will throw it off, and the typical >1.2ms latency of the ITech disqualifies it and any other amp that doesn't have "speed of electricity" through-put. 

Our Nexo tech contacts specifically gave us this info.  RMX whatever, no problem.  Original MacroTech, no problem.  ITech, problem.

The Nexo racks used Camco until Yamaha took over distribution, and I rather liked the Geo8 rigs with them.  We had a demo rig with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the audio was stunningly neutral.  It was like moving the 800 folks in the audience to the front row.  I wish I could remember the mixerperson's name, he did a great job.  He delayed the PA back to the vocal mic line (hey, its a bunch of guys singing and their acoustic contribution has to be accounted for) to bring the image together.

Would we have had that result without the Nexo processing?  Absolutely.  Would we have had that result with messed up sensing due to latency?  I can't guarantee "no", but I can guarantee it can sound like that if the *system* is deployed with the necessary processors, vetted amps, and proper alignment.

Sorry to keep harping on this, but it IS important.  Without the right amps and processing, Nexo or Meyer or, or, or... are just speakers in a plywood or plastic box, not a *system*.

So, is it safe to say the processor is not doing EQ but system limiting? Or are there loudness compensations (active fletcher munson curves if you will) going on as well? No dsp amps with latency then. Check.

[John Penkala]

When the processor is looking at the signal for protection and "look ahead" functions, any latency will throw it off, and the typical >1.2ms latency of the ITech disqualifies it and any other amp that doesn't have "speed of electricity" through-put. 

Our Nexo tech contacts specifically gave us this info.  RMX whatever, no problem.  Original MacroTech, no problem.  ITech, problem.

The Nexo racks used Camco until Yamaha took over distribution, and I rather liked the Geo8 rigs with them.  We had a demo rig with Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the audio was stunningly neutral.  It was like moving the 800 folks in the audience to the front row.  I wish I could remember the mixerperson's name, he did a great job.  He delayed the PA back to the vocal mic line (hey, its a bunch of guys singing and their acoustic contribution has to be accounted for) to bring the image together.

Would we have had that result without the Nexo processing?  Absolutely.  Would we have had that result with messed up sensing due to latency?  I can't guarantee "no", but I can guarantee it can sound like that if the *system* is deployed with the necessary processors, vetted amps, and proper alignment.

Sorry to keep harping on this, but it IS important.  Without the right amps and processing, Nexo or Meyer or, or, or... are just speakers in a plywood or plastic box, not a *system*.

+1
 
I have used iTech's with S8's and can tell you first hand that Tim is correct. The difference is most noticeable when approaching the system's limits or on transients. At low volumes the performance is still very good.  However, the difference was very noticeable when changing sub amps from iTech's to MacroTech i's running at any volume.

-JP

[Kevin McDonough]

hey

While I haven't used PS10's specifically, I have used version 1 PS15's and 8's extensively and can echo what everyone says.

Controllers, or controller/amps are a must, they provide high pass, EQ (some of which is dynamic, i.e. changes as you push the boxes) and limiting and the speakers really sound pretty rubbish without it. The sense lines need to be connected as said, so they can measure whats happening and process appropriately. With it they are very good sounding boxes and very rentable and recognised across industry sectors.

The nexo NXAMP's are ideal if you can get them as you don't have to worry about the processor and sense lines etc, it all happens in the box and they do sound very good, usually better than running a processor through a separate amp. And ideal if you want to use them as wedges on occasion, as one amp provides 4 channels of processing as well as 4 channels of amp, saving you a lot of rack space and complications.

The matching LS series subs are usable and sound OK, but don't really keep up with the tops for high volume live music.

k

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