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Author Topic: New to live sound. Need help setting up.  (Read 16997 times)

Isaac South

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #20 on: May 16, 2014, 08:17:34 AM »

Josh Millward, Ray Aberle, Cosmo:  Thank you for the information on cables.  I understand the TS and TRS now.  It may take some time, but I will try and get as many TRS as I can in system.  I will definitely be using audiopile.net to purchase some cables.  I also like their snakes on a reel.  I could really use something like that for traveling.  My snake is in a tote and is a pain to get in and out.

Last night, I hooked my system up according to the diagram that Bill Schnake was so kind to send me.  I had a couple of hi-cups, but once I got up and running it sounded wonderful.  My mixer only has 1/4 insert for the aux, so I will need to purchase a patch cable from my snake C and D to change them from xlr to 1/4".  Also, I plugged my CD player into the cd/tape input via RCA, but couldn't get any sound.  I then plugged it in channel 16, via 1/4" patch cable, and it worked fine.  Additionally, I learned a lot about the crossover last night.  I learned that there is a gain on each channel of the crossover.  And I found this interesting button called "summed", which made my sub go from crappy to amazing with just the push of that button. ha.  I'm going to keep playing with this and experimenting.  Thanks for everyone's help.
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Isaac South

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #21 on: May 16, 2014, 08:19:47 AM »


We thank you for trying to learn. This seems to be in short supply these days and it is nice to see someone with a desire to learn something new.

I like to do this sound thing because it is fun! Hopefully you will find the fun in it too.

Josh,

I love to learn.  And I'm having a blast with pro audio so far.  It was so frustrating when I was trying it by myself.  I was on a road trip with no map.  Now that I've found you guys on this forum, I feel so much more equipped and confident. I even feel like I can talk about live sound with other people and make sense.  I'm excited to continue learning as much as possible.
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Jerome Malsack

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #22 on: May 16, 2014, 09:39:57 AM »

The Aux 1 and 2  sends are 1/4  TS  unbalanced.  If you want to send this down a snake you should convert to balanced.
The best way is to use a line level transformer like   http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/HD400.aspx

There are other companies that make better boxes and charge more for the better Transformers and better specks. 

You will need a short line level and not speaker cable  1/4 TS to 1/4 TS.  Then you plug into Aux 1 and 2 into each input on the HD400.
The outputs from the HD400 you will use 1/4 TRS to XLR Male.  Plug XLR into snake.   The HD400 converts the unbalanced to Balanced for the long cable run to the stage and amplifier.   
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Ray Aberle

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #23 on: May 16, 2014, 11:27:29 AM »

Also, I plugged my CD player into the cd/tape input via RCA, but couldn't get any sound.  I then plugged it in channel 16, via 1/4" patch cable, and it worked fine.
Did you raise the "To Main" knob on the mixer?

to wit:



Josh,

I love to learn.  And I'm having a blast with pro audio so far.  It was so frustrating when I was trying it by myself.  I was on a road trip with no map.  Now that I've found you guys on this forum, I feel so much more equipped and confident. I even feel like I can talk about live sound with other people and make sense.  I'm excited to continue learning as much as possible.

Absolutely awesome to hear this! You're experimenting, but more importantly, when something didn't work right, you figured out how to patch around it. Being able to troubleshoot and think on your feet is an important skill to have.

-Ray
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Isaac South

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #24 on: May 19, 2014, 08:44:55 AM »

Thank you Jerome.  I found one of those on Amazon and I'm going to order it asap.

Ray:  Thanks! This is really fun.  Regarding the cd player, I think I raised the "to main" knob, but I'm not so sure that I pushed the "standby" button.  But I'll try it all again this week to make sure I'm doing it correctly.
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Jerome Malsack

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #25 on: May 19, 2014, 12:22:25 PM »

Sorry but it seems my brain was off a little the 1/4 TRS to XLRM is incorrect.  It should be XLRF.  To Send from the mixer to the Monitor Amp. 
 

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Russ Davis

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XLR Male = Output, Female = Input
« Reply #26 on: May 19, 2014, 02:59:22 PM »

Sorry but it seems my brain was off a little the 1/4 TRS to XLRM is incorrect.  It should be XLRF.  To Send from the mixer to the Monitor Amp.

I believe you were correct the first time.  With very rare exceptions, if it's an output - as in this case where the signal is going into the snake and on to the amp(s) - it should be XLR-M.  The snake's return (going back to the stage) channels will have XLR-F jacks (unless the snake uses balanced ¼" TRS returns).

Reminds me of a discussion at my old day job...  Some of the engineers were offended by the whole "sexist" concept of malefemale connectors.
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Isaac South

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #27 on: May 20, 2014, 02:38:18 PM »

Jerome has helped me get my monitors going.  As soon as my hum destroyer comes in, I will get those going. (mixer has unbalanced aux sends)

That leads me to another question.  Do you all recommend putting my EQ in the monitor chain, or on the mains?  If so, where does it go in the chain?  More importantly, how do I know which is the best option?

I'm willing to do some reading if anyone has any good links to info.

Thank you.
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #28 on: May 20, 2014, 02:52:49 PM »

Jerome has helped me get my monitors going.  As soon as my hum destroyer comes in, I will get those going. (mixer has unbalanced aux sends)

That leads me to another question.  Do you all recommend putting my EQ in the monitor chain, or on the mains?  If so, where does it go in the chain?  More importantly, how do I know which is the best option?

I'm willing to do some reading if anyone has any good links to info.

Thank you.

Is your graphic EQ single or 2 channel?  How many monitor sends are you using?

If you have a 2 channel EQ and only use 1 monitor send, you can use one EQ channel for mains (in mono) and the other for monitors.  If you do this, you can probably eliminate the "hum destroyer" as the EQ likely has balanced outputs.

Also, try monitors without the hum destroyer first, you may not need it.  Many "big dog" systems were driven by a well-regarded EQ's outputs... that were XLR, but unbalanced.  I can't guarantee you'll have no problems, but give it a try and see what happens; if it works in one space it may not be hum-free if you move the system to a different room, venue or location (electrical service).  This is one of those "no cost" educational exercises. :)

Congratulations on your progress so far, Isaac.
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Isaac South

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Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #29 on: May 28, 2014, 09:21:22 AM »

Thank you, Tim.  I hadn't thought about that.  I do believe my EQ has two channels on it.  I tried the monitors with the hum destroyer and they worked great.  I couldn't even tell they were on until I played music through them.  But once I hookup the EQ, I will try it without the hum destroyer.  Maybe I can use that somewhere else.

Good news, Ray Aberle.  I tried my cd player again via the "cd player" control on my mixer and I got it to work.  I think the trick was pushing the "standby" button.  Once I did that (and made sure I had it all hooked up correctly), it worked and sounded great.  I was so excited.  We have been unable to get that going for a while now.

My next step, after hooking up the EQ, is to begin playing with all the controls on my compressor, crossover, and EQ.  I want to learn what every button does and what it's for.  I recently learned NOT to push the +10 button my crossover.  I was playing a cd through the system and I pushed that button and I thought my hearing was gone forever.  haha.  Not really, but it was a really really bad squeal sound.

After that, I'm going to plug in some instruments and begin mixing my sound.  The last time we hooked this up, we had a channel that would never fully mute.  Even if you muted it on the mixer, you could always hear it through the monitors.  I want to tackle that.

Thanks for everyone's help again.  I'll keep you posted.
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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: New to live sound. Need help setting up.
« Reply #29 on: May 28, 2014, 09:21:22 AM »


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