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Author Topic: What do I need for my PA system next?  (Read 7894 times)

Sam Wade

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2018, 10:51:20 PM »

One of reasons everyone is suggesting a small digital mixer (Ui24) is that you can get by without the driverack because of the on-board eq on the outputs.
You get a lot of extras; PEQ, GEQ, mobility, FX, . . . 
Phenomenal value and quality for the $.

Yeah, I’m gathering that. And to be honest, I can probably unload the WZ3 on Craigslist, add the money it would take to buy the driverack (even B stock eBay), and buy the Ui24 (or something around that 1k mark). I’d have to pick up an iPad or talk my wife into letting me use her MacBook :o
I just haven’t been sold on the iPad based mixers yet. My buddy has a XR18 and loves it, but I’ve always been a fader and knob guy. Maybe it’s time to get with the program?
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2018, 10:56:30 PM »

Yeah, I’m gathering that. And to be honest, I can probably unload the WZ3 on Craigslist, add the money it would take to buy the driverack (even B stock eBay), and buy the Ui24 (or something around that 1k mark). I’d have to pick up an iPad or talk my wife into letting me use her MacBook :o
I just haven’t been sold on the iPad based mixers yet. My buddy has a XR18 and loves it, but I’ve always been a fader and knob guy. Maybe it’s time to get with the program?

I like the tablet/pad/phone approach for everything except mixing a show.  Setup, sound checks, EQing monitor mixes... fabulous and time saving.  But I'm an Olde Skool Analogue guy at heart and I like physical faders for mixing the show.

I recently got a B stock Behringer Touch Mix to give me some knobs and faders for my X32Rack.  Now I have physical controls, a wired network laptop and wireless Android tablet.  Flexibility and redundancy on the control side for sure.
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Mike Caldwell

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #12 on: April 02, 2018, 07:56:55 AM »


Unfortunately the XLS2500 doesn’t have a band EQ. In bridge mono it can only do hi or lo pass filters on it. I’ve been wanting to stick a hi-pass on the sub around 35-40hz (someone else mentioned that could help with the resonance that I was getting). But had no way to do it. Which is one of the main reasons for looking at the driverack line.
Thanks again!

Your right, it's the newer XLX 02 series that have the option for a band pass filter.

Mike Caldwell

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #13 on: April 02, 2018, 08:00:55 AM »

One of reasons everyone is suggesting a small digital mixer (Ui24) is that you can get by without the driverack because of the on-board eq on the outputs.
You get a lot of extras; PEQ, GEQ, mobility, FX, . . . 
Phenomenal value and quality for the $.

The UI24 is a nice box mixer and the Ui series browser interface is really good.

I would suggest still suggest using an outboard crossover/DSP.

Mike Monte

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #14 on: April 02, 2018, 08:42:27 AM »

Hey all! Been a long time reader on here, love the info, now I need some help.
I recently started playing worship music with some guys again, been playing for many years, and have done some studio work, but am now diving a little into the live sound setup. I got tired of using cheap old sound systems in the church sanctuaries and youth rooms ran by volunteers. So I’ve been buying some gear. So far I have:
Allen & Heath MixWizard WZ3
JBL PRX710 pair
JBL SRX718S (ran with a Crown XLS2500) Front center of stage.

This system has been sounding awesome for what we’ve been doing (Elevation Worship, Jesus Culture type stuff). I’ve been running the sub aux fed and pre-EQ and fader, running into the crown bridge mono and I have an 83 htz low pass filter it. Only putting kick and bass through (haven’t played anywhere large enough to mic toms). I like a big deep bass sound, punchy, feel in your chest, with some high end click in the mains.
Been running the mains with full range (since there is no EQ on the back panel), but high passing every channel and EQ-ing all lowend out of each channel (that description was clear as mud).
Anyways, we played a youth room this past Wednesday that was very ‘lively’. Concrete walls, high ceiling, NO acoustic panels. Needless to say the mix was pretty muddy. My biggest problem was my sub was ‘ringing out’ when hitting the kick (long decaying resonance), it wasnt a punchy sharp hit that it has been the other places we’ve played. Also the bass guitar would do this when he hit and A note.

So... my question, what do I need to fix these problem rooms since we’ll be encountering it again. I’ve been looking at the driverack PA2. I figured I needed some type of EQ for my sub( besides low pass on the crown) and mains in a room like that, but I had absolutely none.
I’m on a pretty tight budget, but could swing the driverack if it would do the job for me. I also kicked around the idea of ditching the A&H and getting a digital mixer (StudioLive, XR18) but I love the WZ3!

Sorry for the long post, trying to give all the info!
Thanks!

As an analog guy I used Mixwixards for years...love'em...still do, however, in an attempt to keep up with current tech, I added an QU-16 in place of my Mixwiz.  After using it for a couple of years I added a QU-24...

No separate rack mounted compressors/gates/EQ's....

The QU series was a fairly easy transition from the Mizwiz (almost like a digi Mixwiz).

The biggest deal: no snake!!!  I set the mixer up on the side of the stage (or outdoor church alter), get a rough mix, and then tweak things using an iPad mini.

Once you get used to working with pages on the pad you'll be all set.

I for one cannot totally put my faith in a digi mixer with no faders...

Look on your local craigslist as QU's are being sold 2nd hand as people have been moving from the QU to the newest A&H offering.....or go for A&H's latest'n greatest.
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Mike Caldwell

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #15 on: April 02, 2018, 08:53:34 AM »


I for one cannot totally put my faith in a digi mixer with no faders...



I can kind of get that, though I do use a Ui16 for small events where for what it does is all I need!

I use an Allen Heath QU-Pac for most everything else, if I need for than 16 channels I use either the AB168 and or the AR2412 stage box.
With the QU-Pac you can operate the mixer using the front panel touch screen.

Stephen Kirby

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #16 on: April 02, 2018, 04:51:26 PM »

OP said his biggest problem was a ringing kick drum.  Put a gate on it.  Which either means buying an outboard one and using it in an insert on the MW, or getting a modern digital mixer where it and all kinds of other toys are built in.  But in a very live room, gate any low end drum, kick, floor tom, even large rack toms.  The overhang in the room will provide the sustain.
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Simon_Barrett

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What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #17 on: May 15, 2018, 05:29:37 PM »

No one here has veered away from talking about what “gear” will fix a lively room, unless I have missed something.

What I would invest in would be a whole load of heavy drapes and equipment to hang them from. Hung drapes will help to deaden the room not only at high frequencies but by them being loosely hung, they will help to control the lows by acting as a panel absorber. You would need to hang them a bit away from the walls and around the back of the staging area too. Get it in black and it will look good too. You could even turn some of it in to starcloth!

EQ is all well and good but it is something that operates in the time dimension so it’s not always correct to use it.

Just my 2p

P.s you could always hire it and see if it improves matters. I remember going to gigs in sports centres where this had been done even back in the 90s at Noel Richards concerts.


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« Last Edit: May 15, 2018, 05:31:48 PM by Simon_Barrett »
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Mark Cadwallader

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #18 on: May 15, 2018, 11:47:30 PM »

No one here has veered away from talking about what “gear” will fix a lively room, unless I have missed something.

What I would invest in would be a whole load of heavy drapes and equipment to hang them from. Hung drapes will help to deaden the room not only at high frequencies but by them being loosely hung, they will help to control the lows by acting as a panel absorber. You would need to hang them a bit away from the walls and around the back of the staging area too. Get it in black and it will look good too. You could even turn some of it in to starcloth!

EQ is all well and good but it is something that operates in the time dimension so it’s not always correct to use it.

Just my 2p

P.s you could always hire it and see if it improves matters. I remember going to gigs in sports centres where this had been done even back in the 90s at Noel Richards concerts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Unless I have misunderstood the OP's circumstances, he doesn't have a fixed venue in which he performs. While acoustic treatment of a room is the best solution, I suspect that it isn't very practical to travel from place to place with enough pipe and heavy drape to help treat whatever venue he finds himself in. 
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Stephen Kirby

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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #19 on: May 16, 2018, 12:39:11 AM »

Coming from a MixWiz I would get a Qu16 or Expression 1.  Folks here love mixing on iPads but the transition from an analog control surface to poking though menus on a tablet can be daunting.  Both will have ready gate controls that can be put on anything like a kick drum that's got too much overhang in a room.  You can't kill all of it like you could with a ton of pipe and drape, but it will help immensely.  And it is the same form factor as the OP is used to.  Although I now walk around with my iPad once I have a basic mix down, I still like having the quick access of a control surface to get there.  The iPad is great for ringing out monitors and line checks in a one man operation.  And it allows you to tweak while walking the venue to optimize things.  A rack size Qu or Expression would be the best of both worlds for the OP.

I keep thinking of getting a Ui or similar.  Only most of the time such a thing would be useful to me would be in small bars when I'm also playing.  And for tactical reaction mixing I prefer one knob to grab.  I sold my MixWiz awhile back so I have 6 and 16 channel Yamaha MXs which are smaller and lighter.  I give up all the extra goodies but I have that 'one knob to grab' when I need it.
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Re: What do I need for my PA system next?
« Reply #19 on: May 16, 2018, 12:39:11 AM »


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