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[Ray Aberle]

You DID buy this new gear from a Sennheiser dealer here on the forums, right?!? ;-)

[Nathan Riddle]

You DID buy this new gear from a Sennheiser dealer here on the forums, right?!? ;-)

Haha, I wish then I'd go to them for halps!

All used, I couldn't beat the pricing! I was looking to do QLX-D and PSM900 but after researching Langston's posts the Sennheiser IEM's seemed better and I already had 2x SLX so it seemed natural to get the extra SLX for silly cheap for now until it makes more sense to own QLX-D

[Henry Cohen]

To sum this thread up, it's best NOT to use passive combination even in emergency.

Well, if it's an emergency situation, you use the best tools at hand and tactics for the given situation. Don't rule out anything (other than a truck load of brand new gear arriving in 5 minutes).

It would be better to space the transmitters antennas out greater than 1 wavelength (0.5m @ 600MHz) apart.

It would be better to put them near the stage.

Yes.

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Questions

Once I get a combiner & helical I can place at FOH?

If you have completely unobstructed line of sight to the performers, possibly. But the Evolution series does not have a great front end on the receiver. Try it.

Can I place units w/ active combiner @ FOH with 1/2 wave [indoors] < ~75ft?

Far better off with a directional antenna. Why send RF energy to the wall or lobby behind you?

[Nathan Riddle]

Well, if it's an emergency situation, you use the best tools at hand and tactics for the given situation. Don't rule out anything (other than a truck load of brand new gear arriving in 5 minutes).

If you have completely unobstructed line of sight to the performers, possibly. But the Evolution series does not have a great front end on the receiver. Try it.

Far better off with a directional antenna. Why send RF energy to the wall or lobby behind you?

Because I can has monies? 

Seriously, Thanks Henry, for your help with this stuff (and Keith, Pete, etc)

I think what I'm learning from y'all is that using ultra low loss you can move the antennas to where you want and leave the TX/RX somewhere else.

http://www.qsl.net/co8tw/Coax_Calculator.htm I've been playing around with this calculator to much success.

I know a lot more about the different cables types and which are better/worse [wish I knew about this a long time ago].

Sennheiser RG9913F-100 Antenna Cable, Low-Loss RF 100 $250 MAP ~3.35dB loss over 100ft @ 600MHz

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If you can't tell, I'm trying very hard to get away from my 'antenna farm' of TX & RX that I've had in the past gigs.

I have a combine4 coming for the IEM's.

I'll probably have to 'get-by' with my 1/2 wave antenna at FOH for now. I am going to mount the antenna high [6.5 + ft] though

[Nathan Riddle]

As an update.

Thanks for the help everyone!

I used the Combine4 and ran 100ft of Generic LMR-400 UltraFlex with the Shure UA8 (554-626MHz) to the stage on a stand so it was ~6ft high (furthest musician was 15ft away). No complaints from Band, worked flawlessly as far as I know

https://www.rushcables.com/BNC-Male-to-BNC-Male-400-UF-Coax-p/ars-28-421-003.htm

I am very curious as to the differences between generic and real LMR cable. I wish I had a measurement system like a OTDR for coax.

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I'm still a bit lost on the calculations involved for dB loss mainly from passive/active splitters and couplers. I get the free space vs cable loss calculators now.

I'll most likely start combining 6x units soon. So I'll need to start figuring out passive/active combining best practices.

[Justin Goodman]

I'm still a bit lost on the calculations involved for dB loss mainly from passive/active splitters and couplers. I get the free space vs cable loss calculators now.

I'll most likely start combining 6x units soon. So I'll need to start figuring out passive/active combining best practices.

I'm not the best person to answer this question fully, but with a passive split, you're halving the signal = -3db theoretically (really 3 and a decimal to account for real world stuff like extra cable length, connectors, etc).  You'd be "quartering" the signal if you split it 4 ways.  To split 6 ways you may be able to get away with an active 5-way distro (that is 4-way distro with a cascade output - intended to cascade to another active distro) ... but call the manufacturer and find out the output gains. The regular or cascade output may be hotter, and you'd want to passive split the hottest output. 

Still, I think the $50-100 you'd spend on a passive splitter is better put toward another active splitter.  Can you live with 5 channels of wireless then save up for the 6th channel + the second distro in the meantime?  Or just get the 6th channel of wireless now and put the un-racked receiver on the stage with stock whip antennas and run long mic cable to FOH until you buy the second distro. 

[Jerome Malsack]

Another consideration on the snake and returns is to use a second snake and just reverse the direction.  Use the fan out at the stage and use the female ends in the box at the mixer.  giving you the added returns you want.  This is of course if you have the second snake with the reach. 
 

[Sean Chen]

If I put them by the booth (~75ft away) (I'm running out of returns on the snake) do you think there will be dropouts? (indoors)

Do you have extra "inputs" on the snake? If so, use gender-changer on both ends to turn the inputs into return. Far better to put IEM transmitter by  the stage. Of course, it only works for a physical analog snake. If not, put at least run the antenna closer to the stage. The benefit of it for IEM is even more justified than doing so for handheld mic for the following reasons:

* Some users wear IEM receiver on the back, so putting IEM transmitter (or its antenna) on the side or rear of the stage gets a better line of sight.

* There is no benefit to placing IEM transmitter at FOH because it doesn't display useful info like reception quality or battery status. It is a transmitter not a receiver.

[ProSoundWeb Community]