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[Will Cash]

Very true! I do like mixing with my hands but our Soundcraft has this capability....

Somehow I got an Si3 for a lower price than an Si2.... will be great for larger possibilities but kind of wishing we didn't have to build something custom for travel....

So if I put the amps on stage, going NL4 straight from amp to each is advisable?

[Ray Aberle]

Very true! I do like mixing with my hands but our Soundcraft has this capability....

Somehow I got an Si3 for a lower price than an Si2.... will be great for larger possibilities but kind of wishing we didn't have to build something custom for travel....

So if I put the amps on stage, going NL4 straight from amp to each is advisable?

Well, I wouldn't keep the amps ON stage, but rather just off to the side.

But yes, running NL4 (or NL2 cable with NL4 ends if you're running passive rather then bi-amp) from amps to each speaker is advisable.

If you're running a biamp rig (tops have two amps powering it) then NL4 from the one amp into the speaker.

If you have a rig where you have a sub with a pin switch on it (like JBL subs like to have), and passive tops, you can run an NL4 to the sub, with lows on Pins 2 and Tops on Pin 1. Set the switch on the subs to +2/-2, and then run a single cable from the sub to the top. Pins 1 carry through that loop out jack, and would deliver the signal to your tops.

-Ray

[Jonathan Johnson]

Amps @ FOH seems convenient because this a mobile setup and if the board could stay with the road case containing the amps it'd just simplify everything (seemingly).

That's the way I used to run it. But then I realized that the weight of a single box with mixer, processors, and amps was an awful lot to handle, especially when I'm setting up and striking by myself.

Another reason for moving the amps closer to the speakers is that if you already have gear that you want near the stage (wireless receivers or IEM amps, for example), it's not a big deal to put the amps in the same case as that other gear.

As for simplicity, there's a tradeoff: you might need to make more line-level connections, but you have less cabling to lay if you're using a snake. I find that the reduced time neatly laying cables outweighs the increased time making connections. Fewer cables makes for fewer tripping hazards, too.

It will probably be a long time before I jump into the digital realm. At this time, it's not cost effective for me, and I don't have a real good reason to go digital.

TIP: For racked gear with hard-to-reach connectors, use a 3' XLR or 1/4" pigtail. Leave the pigtail connected to the gear and then use longer interconnects to patch the pigtails to instruments or snake boxes. Or put a patch panel on the back of the rack and connect everything via that.

[Steve M Smith]

Why do you want to keep the amps at FOH?

I have done it occasionally, but only for quite small gigs with about 30' of speaker cable.  The advantage is having everything you need in one rack.

In my case, 12 channel rack mount mixer, effects, EQ and a couple of amps.

For larger scale gigs, it makes no sense.


Steve.

[Lyle Williams]

If you are trying to be mobile, powered speakers, saimese power/xlr cables and digital mixers (smart stage boxes) make things very fast and clean.

[Jerome Malsack]

This is my setup

Behringer X32 Rack for the Mixer  S16 in another 4U rack not seen. 
two Crown XLS 2500 one for bridge mono on Subs, one in two channel for mids and horns.   Drive rack to crossover.
Behringer Inuke 4-6000 for monitors. 

two speakon 4  out to the monitors.  split to 2 out at monitors. 

one speakon 4 out to the tops  70 ft and 30 ft. 
one speakon 2 out to the subs.  70 ft and 30 ft.

4 cables out around stage.

S16 near drummer for drums and backline.
  50 ft  CAT 5e to mixer.

Amp rack sits well behind one of the speakers.

[Stephen Kirby]

I have 3 wires going to FOH.  Line level snake, power (running from the distro on common ground) and a DMX for the lighting controller (which I'm not comfortable running though the snake.  Eventually I hope to replace the multicore snake with CAT5 and a digital stagebox.

I have passive subs so there's a 6u rack I set back behind them on one side that has the sub amp, DSP, I/O panel and a poor man's distro for smaller gigs off Edison.  The location of the rack also lets me put the wireless receiver on top of it if I'm using that.  Power from whatever circuits I can find around the stage congregated at the PMD, power outlets for the active tops as well.  I run siamese cables to the tops.  Lately I've been running a power stringer across the front that I put the active frontline wedges into and just daisy chain the signal along them.  But I do have my siamese cables with Edisons on the end so I can either use short IEC stubs or these Hosa IEC stub things with an Edison on the back that I can daisy chain power from down the string of front line wedges.  I use siamese cables from the snake stage box and a nearby quad box for sidefills.  I also sometimes use a siamese cable to the drum monitor set up.  Although I also plug it into the backline stringer and either run a separate signal cable or use gender reversers to take it through the sub snake on the drum riser if there are lines available.
I have a variety of siamese cables from 50' to 15' and can usually work out an efficient way to hook things up.  It depends on how I've needed to run power around (everything is either off a PMD or proper distro so the ground is common).
But the only long speaker level run is across the stage from where the amp rack is to the other subs.  Which is seldom more than 50'.  If I ever get to the point of running 4 TH118s, I'll get another Pro9200 and put it on the other side.

[Jeff Bankston]

I keep my amps behind the speakers. Short cable runs have less power loss, cost a lot less and are easier to wind up and pack.

[Craig Hauber]

Was hoping to kill 2 birds with one stone and deliver power/audio via NL4MP through a snake. The only thing I see out there is Seismic for the most part - which I understand is shit.

Is there a reason that this is uncommon? Is there a more logical way to keep my power amps @ FOH than purchasing super-long speakon and bundling that with wherever I run the snake to?

I remember in the "good-ol' days" we used to use these with powered mixers or box-mixers to get the soundman out in front of the PA.

http://whirlwindusa.com/catalog/snakes-splitters-and-multiwiring-systems/snakes/medusa-power-series-audio-snakes-hand-made-rochest

Not ideal, but they worked far better than attempting to mix from stage or side-stage.

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