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[Jerry Dycus]

Scenario: simple sound system for small band using two 15" 2-way powered FOH speakers. My mixer has a left and right main outputs. Should I run a cable from L out to left speaker and R out to right speaker, or can I run 1 cable from mixer L out to left speaker and a cable from left speaker out to right speaker in (both speakers have ins and outs.) Then set all channel pan controls hard left. Which is preferred and why? Thank you.

[Ivan Beaver]

Scenario: simple sound system for small band using two 15" 2-way powered FOH speakers. My mixer has a left and right main outputs. Should I run a cable from L out to left speaker and R out to right speaker, or can I run 1 cable from mixer L out to left speaker and a cable from left speaker out to right speaker in (both speakers have ins and outs.) Then set all channel pan controls hard left. Which is preferred and why? Thank you.

I would do whatever is easiest for you.  Your first way would allow for stereo (if you want it).

But if everything is panned center, it won't matter sonically.

The only advantage to running from the L/R is that if you have a problem anywhere in the chain on one channel (console, snake, mic cable etc), at least the other speaker would still be working while you patch around the problem.

[Dave Pluke]

The only advantage to running from the L/R is that if you have a problem anywhere in the chain on one channel (console, snake, mic cable etc), at least the other speaker would still be working while you patch around the problem.

Another advantage might be in the case of an asymmetrical room or audience layout, where L & R could be at different SPLs.

Dave

[Paul G. OBrien]

Do you have any stereo inputs to the mixer? Do you play stereo break music? If yes to either of those then definitely use L and R outputs, but even if you don't have anything stereo in the mix you may as well do it anyway. Accoustically on a completely mono system it makes no difference if you use both L and R outputs or just one because the signal is the same on both outputs anyway, so no need to pan everything hard to one side either unless you are trying to use the other main output for something else.

Oh.. something I feel that should be mentioned based on things I have seen recently, you must use the line outputs of the mixer not amplified speaker outputs if your mixer is so equipped. That may be obvious to you but you might be surprised how many wonder why a speakon to XLR cable is so hard to find.

[Jerome Malsack]

With powered speakers you may have ground loop hum problems.  Recommend having at least one to one connections for each powered speaker into a transformer isolation.  ebtech he-2-xlr  This two channel unit should cover two monitor sends or two FOH sends. 

[Tim McCulloch]

With powered speakers you may have ground loop hum problems.  Recommend having at least one to one connections for each powered speaker into a transformer isolation.  ebtech he-2-xlr  This two channel unit should cover two monitor sends or two FOH sends.

I'm not an EbTech fan.  Cheaper and simpler would be a short XLR cable (a foot long?) with no connection to Pin 1 at either end.  Ground lifted.  The only reason you'd have a ground loop is if the speakers were powered from different subpanels or otherwise were at differing ground potentials.  This is an electrical service issue that is less common these days but is the reason we run our own power to each location needing electricity.  Almost never do we just plug into the wall.

Also inexpensive in the grand scheme of things - a Rapco IsoBlox or similar inline transformer.  Not enough iron in the core for line level 20Hz but will let you know if transformer isolation will solve your noise problem.

[Mal Brown]

Personally I wire L&R on separate cables.  Our keys are stereo and so are some of the EfX in our board.  I do not go crazy panning anything beyond the keys which get a slight bias.

[Steve Garris]

Another advantage might be in the case of an asymmetrical room or audience layout, where L & R could be at different SPLs.

Dave

Additionally if the guitar player on SR is loud, you can Pan him to SL only, for a more balanced guitar in the mix.

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