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[Jack Spamer]

Hello,
I'm not too familiar with pro audio all that much, but I've been planning out a sound system recently, and need to know how I can connect a dbx 131s to a Yamaha MG06 mixer. Since I want to eq the entire mix (the new Mackie Thump 15a speakers don't have a flat eq preset built in), I was thinking that I would just take the main mix outs from the mixer, and then plug them into the 131s. The problem is, I've been hearing that you shouldn't connect mixer outputs into equalizers, and you should just use the insert or FX/AUX send connections instead (this mixer does not have any of those). Another issue is that the dbx 131s only has a TRS and XLR input, so if I wanted to connect the eq to the main mix out on the MG06, I would have to use an insert cable to combine the right and left outputs on the mixer to TRS, so I can have a stereo signal enter the eq. From there, I would have to find a way to split the outputs from the eq into right and left channels to that signal can be sent to the speakers.

So as a summary, here are my questions:

• Is it a good idea to connect main mix outs on mixers to graphic eqs?
• Is it possible to eq an entire stereo mix with a dbx 131s? What's the best way to do this

Thanks for all the help in advance,
Jack Spamer

[Paul G. OBrien]

I want to eq the entire mix (the new Mackie Thump 15a speakers don't have a flat eq preset built in),

The Live setting will be flat for all intents and purposes.

I was thinking that I would just take the main mix outs from the mixer, and then plug them into the 131s. The problem is, I've been hearing that you shouldn't connect mixer outputs into equalizers, and you should just use the insert or FX/AUX send connections instead (this mixer does not have any of those).

Main out into the EQ will be fine.

Another issue is that the dbx 131s only has a TRS and XLR input, so if I wanted to connect the eq to the main mix out on the MG06, I would have to use an insert cable to combine the right and left outputs on the mixer to TRS, so I can have a stereo signal enter the eq. From there, I would have to find a way to split the outputs from the eq into right and left channels to that signal can be sent to the speakers.

No, once you combine the inputs into mono you cannot extract a stereo signal from it anymore. But that begs the question what are you mixing? If it is live instruments and mics then all your inputs are mono anyway so there is no need to sum them together, just use the L mixer output to feed the EQ, take EQ out to the L speaker and then take the output from that speaker over the the other one.
If you do have stereo inputs(backing tracks, EFX, MP3, etc) then you either need another 131, a 2-ch EQ, or skip using an EQ altogether. If this is a recorded music playback system then I'd suggest deleting the EQ completely, it ruins the portability you have and isn't adding anything you can't get with the speaker presets.

[Jack Spamer]

The Live setting will be flat for all intents and purposes.

 Main out into the EQ will be fine.
 No, once you combine the inputs into mono you cannot extract a stereo signal from it anymore. But that begs the question what are you mixing? If it is live instruments and mics then all your inputs are mono anyway so there is no need to sum them together, just use the L mixer output to feed the EQ, take EQ out to the L speaker and then take the output from that speaker over the the other one.
If you do have stereo inputs(backing tracks, EFX, MP3, etc) then you either need another 131, a 2-ch EQ, or skip using an EQ altogether. If this is a recorded music playback system then I'd suggest deleting the EQ completely, it ruins the portability you have and isn't adding anything you can't get with the speaker presets.

Hi Paul,
After taking a look at the eq presets on the Thump 15a speakers I found that you were right, the Live setting will be antiquate enough for my mixing purposes. My original eq choice was the dbx 215s, which is a two channel eq, but I thought I would be able to pay the same price, achieve stereo eq output, and get 31 band control with the 131s which obviously isn't the case. I'm probably going to scratch the eq from my system, as carrying around an eq along with everything else is only making the system less portable.

Thanks for the quick reply,
Jack

[Paul G. OBrien]

The only dual channel single space 30 band graphic EQs I know about are the Rane MQ302 and the Alesis M-EQ230 which are both now out of production I believe. The Rane is unique in that there is only 1 set of sliders so both channels get the same adjustments but that is often the case anyway where this unit would get used.

[Mike Caldwell]

The only dual channel single space 30 band graphic EQs I know about are the Rane MQ302 and the Alesis M-EQ230 which are both now out of production I believe. The Rane is unique in that there is only 1 set of sliders so both channels get the same adjustments but that is often the case anyway where this unit would get used.

The Ashly MQX series had the 1301 single space 31 band the 2310 dual 31 band in a two space unit is still available.

They were good graphic 31 band EQ's in a small space I had a couple in racks were I was going for a as compact as possible  processing rack.
They had/have the longest throw fader in that size of eq package.

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