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Author Topic: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service  (Read 8385 times)

Robert Weaver

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2018, 01:47:13 PM »

Hello all,

I'm seeking recommendations for a situation I have not found in the archives. All I'm really looking for is a small mixer with a wireless tablet (or better yet, phone-based) interface. Eight balanced inputs is plenty. The interface needs to be simple enough for a handful of non-pro users to rotate the duty. Budget is modest, but I don't think we're asking for much. Maybe it's as simple as just buying the Behringer XR16? But I'm here to ask those with far more experience.

I know you guys like to know the nuts and bolts. We have a medium-large, traditional style sanctuary. It's an older church with 30ft ceilings, it seats 300, and features a large pipe organ. So our sound system needs are modest in terms of inputs and processing. There is no praise band and only occasional need to mic a vocal soloist. The sanctuary is brilliant for unassisted choir, piano, and organ music. But the space is very challenging for distributing the spoken word throughout the space. We have a pulpit mic, a lectern, 2 handheld wireless mics, a wireless lavaliere, and a rarely used CD input.

We've gotten by for 25 years or so with a "best design for the time" system of amps and speakers, with wireless mics added along the way. The current "mixer" is a LectroSonic DM84 DSP. This was set up by the vendor as a turnkey operation. There's no mixing interface, physical or digital, other than a tiny gain knob for each channel. I figure we can just swap that unit with the X16 (or similar). There's plenty of rack space in our cabinet, but we have no mixing console space.

Of course the perfect-world option for sound geeks would be a state of the art overhaul with more/better speakers arrayed for optimal coverage of every seat in the sanctuary, and a new stack of processing gear to match. But this is no megachurch and definitely no mega budget. A live body out in the room with a pad who can merely adjust levels on the fly would be a huge improvement over what we have at present. Some of the modern auto-leveling features and maybe a little EQ would be better yet. Small is good and expandability is not a factor. If we are ever in a position to expand the system, we really will look at a more complete overhaul.

Thanks in advance,
Bill

I just installed the TF-Rack in our gym.  It's a very powerful system and can be controlled by wireless.   It also has the option to do a wired Ethernet with an iPad as well.  The one advantage this one has over the other units such as the X32 Rack is the ability to lock out functionality by password. The TF-Rack also has the Dan Dugan automix which works fantastic!  You can also record the main mix directly on a USB drive or plug in a computer and record each channel individually through USB.  Ours actually came with a copy of Nuendo Live.  It retails for $1799 but it's well worth the money. 
« Last Edit: May 01, 2018, 01:54:25 PM by Robert Weaver »
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Robert Weaver

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #11 on: May 01, 2018, 02:05:28 PM »

Hello all,

I'm seeking recommendations for a situation I have not found in the archives. All I'm really looking for is a small mixer with a wireless tablet (or better yet, phone-based) interface. Eight balanced inputs is plenty. The interface needs to be simple enough for a handful of non-pro users to rotate the duty. Budget is modest, but I don't think we're asking for much. Maybe it's as simple as just buying the Behringer XR16? But I'm here to ask those with far more experience.

I know you guys like to know the nuts and bolts. We have a medium-large, traditional style sanctuary. It's an older church with 30ft ceilings, it seats 300, and features a large pipe organ. So our sound system needs are modest in terms of inputs and processing. There is no praise band and only occasional need to mic a vocal soloist. The sanctuary is brilliant for unassisted choir, piano, and organ music. But the space is very challenging for distributing the spoken word throughout the space. We have a pulpit mic, a lectern, 2 handheld wireless mics, a wireless lavaliere, and a rarely used CD input.

We've gotten by for 25 years or so with a "best design for the time" system of amps and speakers, with wireless mics added along the way. The current "mixer" is a LectroSonic DM84 DSP. This was set up by the vendor as a turnkey operation. There's no mixing interface, physical or digital, other than a tiny gain knob for each channel. I figure we can just swap that unit with the X16 (or similar). There's plenty of rack space in our cabinet, but we have no mixing console space.

Of course the perfect-world option for sound geeks would be a state of the art overhaul with more/better speakers arrayed for optimal coverage of every seat in the sanctuary, and a new stack of processing gear to match. But this is no megachurch and definitely no mega budget. A live body out in the room with a pad who can merely adjust levels on the fly would be a huge improvement over what we have at present. Some of the modern auto-leveling features and maybe a little EQ would be better yet. Small is good and expandability is not a factor. If we are ever in a position to expand the system, we really will look at a more complete overhaul.

Thanks in advance,
Bill

I forgot to mention the touchscreen.  I believe that is one of the most important parts of this mixer along with the different user accounts.  What sets this rack mixer apart from the others as a live mixer is the touchscreen and interface.  The last thing you want during a service is not being able to quickly adjust or change something.  If your iPad flakes out on you have no control over the X-air.  Even with the X-32 rack mixer from Behringer everything is knob and button based.  With the TF-Rack you can quickly adjust from the unit itself.   
« Last Edit: May 01, 2018, 02:15:19 PM by Robert Weaver »
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Bill Collins

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #12 on: May 10, 2018, 01:42:15 PM »

I appreciate everyone's continued feedback on this.
We're making decisions now, for deployment over the summer. I'll check back for more and to let you know how we come out.

Thanks, Bill
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #13 on: May 10, 2018, 02:23:15 PM »

I'm curious what actual user experience with either the Mackie DL or Mackie ProDX series mini digital mixers will be.

Of course, it's Mackie, the brand that everyone would love to hate on if Behringer didn't exist.
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Lance Rectanus

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2018, 04:23:03 PM »

I'm curious what actual user experience with either the Mackie DL or Mackie ProDX series mini digital mixers will be.

Installed the 8 input ProDX at my church last Fall, feeding two Eon 612's. I'm feeding the headphone out of a PC and occasionally a couple of wireless mics. I use the Bluetooth connection for background music from my phone. I'm the only one that can remember how to use the Bluetooth function and I'm the only one that has installed the iPhone app to remotely control it. The max Bluetooth range that I have used it at is @ 60 feet. For the $250 or so it cost this little unit does a fine job.
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Bill Collins

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #15 on: June 11, 2018, 03:06:32 PM »

I'm curious what actual user experience with either the Mackie DL or Mackie ProDX series mini digital mixers will be.

Of course, it's Mackie, the brand that everyone would love to hate on if Behringer didn't exist.

iOS only?! 
I don't care about brand names, necessarily. But no Android capability, no sale.
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #16 on: June 11, 2018, 03:17:22 PM »

iOS only?! 
I don't care about brand names, necessarily. But no Android capability, no sale.

The DL series appears to require the Master Fader app, which appears to be iOS only.

The ProDX series use the MixerConnect app, which is available for iOS and Android. Of course, the ProDX is a far less capable mixer. I get the feeling the ProDX is marketed to small churches and clubs with very simple "set it and forget it" needs.
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Bill Collins

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #17 on: September 17, 2018, 05:00:35 PM »

Update:

We went live with the new set up this month. Ultimately we chose the XR16 and I'm running it with a 7" Samsung tablet. (Still working back and forth between the X-Air app and Mixing Station.)

It's not magic, and tuning our big sanctuary with 1 speaker is still a challenge, but the XR16 has done everything we wanted it to do. We've got it tuned at least a bit better than it was before, and still working out some improvements. I now have control to fix issues on the fly from anywhere in the room, without an expensive console. And the Automix feature is really nice to have.

All told, with some new cables and whatnots, we spent a little over $600. That's cheap for any improvement at all and we're happy.

Thanks everyone, for the time and input.
Bill


I appreciate everyone's continued feedback on this.
We're making decisions now, for deployment over the summer. I'll check back for more and to let you know how we come out.

Thanks, Bill
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brian maddox

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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2018, 01:05:57 PM »

Update:

We went live with the new set up this month. Ultimately we chose the XR16 and I'm running it with a 7" Samsung tablet. (Still working back and forth between the X-Air app and Mixing Station.)

It's not magic, and tuning our big sanctuary with 1 speaker is still a challenge, but the XR16 has done everything we wanted it to do. We've got it tuned at least a bit better than it was before, and still working out some improvements. I now have control to fix issues on the fly from anywhere in the room, without an expensive console. And the Automix feature is really nice to have.

All told, with some new cables and whatnots, we spent a little over $600. That's cheap for any improvement at all and we're happy.

Thanks everyone, for the time and input.
Bill

Very Happy to hear you've had success.  I know first hand how difficult it is to achieve that, especially in a church environment and ESPECIALLY for 600 bucks.  :)

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brian maddox
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Re: Wireless Mixing for "Simple" Traditional Church Service
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2018, 01:05:57 PM »


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