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Author Topic: Powered Speakers and linking power?  (Read 5275 times)

Matt Vivlamore

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Powered Speakers and linking power?
« on: June 07, 2019, 11:52:23 AM »

One of my biggest gripes of powered speakers is daisy chaining power.  Say you have a 3-4 PRX812W* down for monitors AND/OR a SRX812P* over a SRX818SP* for Main/Subs. *replace model with another IEC input only box.

Typically I am running a 4x4 (or 8x4) drop snake to the front of the stage.

How are you running power to the speakers?

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Debbie Dunkley

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2019, 12:49:47 PM »

One of my biggest gripes of powered speakers is daisy chaining power.  Say you have a 3-4 PRX812W* down for monitors AND/OR a SRX812P* over a SRX818SP* for Main/Subs. *replace model with another IEC input only box.

Typically I am running a 4x4 (or 8x4) drop snake to the front of the stage.

How are you running power to the speakers?

I always run a couple of 4 way extensions to each front corner of the stage behind the front stacks.
I connect FOH speakers to the extensions and I have a few 15 ft IEC cables I can use for wedges if need be. However, I mainly use iems so I don't have to do this a lot. I agree it was nice not to have to find power outlets for passive speakers but at the same time my speakon cables were so heavy that I'd rather run IEC's and XLR's to be honest.
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Scott Holtzman

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2019, 12:57:24 PM »

One of my biggest gripes of powered speakers is daisy chaining power.  Say you have a 3-4 PRX812W* down for monitors AND/OR a SRX812P* over a SRX818SP* for Main/Subs. *replace model with another IEC input only box.

Typically I am running a 4x4 (or 8x4) drop snake to the front of the stage.

How are you running power to the speakers?

I too prefer passive monitors,  it gives a cleaner stage.

To that end, you have to have a power plan.  For small SOS systems minimum is 3 circuits with light backline so each stack gets a quad box drop then the stage gets a stringer.  If you don't have a stringer, you need one, much easier than any of the makeshift solutions. There is a company https://www.oawindsor.com/ that makes the best boxes at a decent price.
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Nate Zifra

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2019, 12:59:46 PM »

I built my own Siamese cables with an XLR, IEC power cable, and TechFlex that home run to a rack mount snake (DL32) and power strip. However, on occasion I've also used the Hosa PWD-401 for daisy chaining.  Nice tool to have in the toolbox.  If you get an IEC male to edison adapter, you can even use an existing iec cable with the Hosa.

One of my biggest gripes of powered speakers is daisy chaining power.  Say you have a 3-4 PRX812W* down for monitors AND/OR a SRX812P* over a SRX818SP* for Main/Subs. *replace model with another IEC input only box.

Typically I am running a 4x4 (or 8x4) drop snake to the front of the stage.

How are you running power to the speakers?
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Kevin_Tisdall

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2019, 01:19:13 PM »

Very small operator,  I work for a few different bands usually in places without a proper stage.  So I did what Debbie does when I had wedges with IEC power inputs.  Now that I have wedges with powercon thru connectors it's a little neater.

I thought about a stringer but it would rarely have been right  for every situation.    The long IEC cables  in from the nearest Quad Box at the side of the 'stage' was as neat as I could get.   

--Kevin
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Luke Geis

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2019, 01:25:58 PM »

Before I got power-con stage boxes and speakers, I always just used an extension cord with outlets that were built into it. One of those cords that has 3-4 outlets like every 5' or so. That has always worked out perfectly as most monitors are right around 5' from one another. I would then place a power strip on the outlet that could feed each position with power fro a band member and the monitor.

I have now since gone with a power-con setup that allows me to have a single source of power for 4 monitors and then each monitor has a thru-outlet that I connect a power-con dropbox too. So each monitor has a home run of power that goes to a box that has 4 power-con connectors on it. This allows me to use custom lengths of cable for each monitor. I then have short jumpers to go to my drop boxes that are power-con in and through with Edison receptacles.

The rest of the system is Edison plugs and I found small 3 outlet receptacles that are rated for 13 amps ( more than enough for any two speakers I own to plug into ). These are used to feed subs and mains or anything else. I had thought about making power-con power strips where you basically cut off the Edison plug and replace it with a power-con connector.

As mentioned, it is all about having a plan. Knowing what you will do and how you will do it long before you arrive at the gig really helps. I use powered monitors and while it is cumbersome to run two connectors and have that stuff on the stage, it really cleans up the side stage and reduces the number of packed items on the truck. Instead of an amp rack for mains L & R, subs and monitors, I can roll in and have ZERO amp racks. The only rack I have has my stage box, power distro, and a power amp for my passive stuff with room to spare for wireless if need be and makes that one rack multi-purpose. My entire PA is self-powered now and it really is nice to not have to lift, store and transport racks of amplifiers. You just have to plan accordingly for the downsides of owning powered gear.
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Dave Garoutte

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2019, 02:36:41 PM »

My powered RCF NX SMA floor monitors have a powercon in and out, so I always daisy chain the power.
Really de-clutters the front of the stage.  I also made a jumper that has a couple of edison tails for pedal board power.
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Scott Holtzman

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2019, 03:35:35 PM »

Before I got power-con stage boxes and speakers, I always just used an extension cord with outlets that were built into it. One of those cords that has 3-4 outlets like every 5' or so. That has always worked out perfectly as most monitors are right around 5' from one another. I would then place a power strip on the outlet that could feed each position with power fro a band member and the monitor.

I have now since gone with a power-con setup that allows me to have a single source of power for 4 monitors and then each monitor has a thru-outlet that I connect a power-con dropbox too. So each monitor has a home run of power that goes to a box that has 4 power-con connectors on it. This allows me to use custom lengths of cable for each monitor. I then have short jumpers to go to my drop boxes that are power-con in and through with Edison receptacles.

The rest of the system is Edison plugs and I found small 3 outlet receptacles that are rated for 13 amps ( more than enough for any two speakers I own to plug into ). These are used to feed subs and mains or anything else. I had thought about making power-con power strips where you basically cut off the Edison plug and replace it with a power-con connector.

As mentioned, it is all about having a plan. Knowing what you will do and how you will do it long before you arrive at the gig really helps. I use powered monitors and while it is cumbersome to run two connectors and have that stuff on the stage, it really cleans up the side stage and reduces the number of packed items on the truck. Instead of an amp rack for mains L & R, subs and monitors, I can roll in and have ZERO amp racks. The only rack I have has my stage box, power distro, and a power amp for my passive stuff with room to spare for wireless if need be and makes that one rack multi-purpose. My entire PA is self-powered now and it really is nice to not have to lift, store and transport racks of amplifiers. You just have to plan accordingly for the downsides of owning powered gear.

Agree on the plan.  We take out what makes most sense.  If it's a straight roll in then I could care less about an extra cabinet.  Thanks to some great roadies I even know how to handle a full pack 300+lb road case up a folding ramp from the van.  I can strap monitors to that, mains on subs and push in with 3 trips max.  That is the real time saver for me.  If passive speakers I have one more push.

As far as the power.  The powercon sounds interesting, don't have any monitors of that spec but my first thought is it's another cable type (powercon jumpers).  We have lots of lights with Powercon so it's not a big leap.  The line array has true 1's so that's yet another SKU.  Everthing is about simplifying the load.

Anyway, back to power.  I find that while a 60' stringer may seem like overkill it's far easier to simply coil excess where you want the drops.  It's neat and quick on a small stage and then you can handle the inevitable relocation request (try getting someone to stand on the spikes so you can use the solo spot focuses you did to try and make a cool show then they stand 2' to the side arrrrrrr)

If you are a 1 or 2 man operator it's no big deal.  As soon as you start working with a bunch of different guys, and have guys prepping it gets so much harder because you have to document as process.  Makes you really study your workflows. 

I enjoy optimizing workflows!
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Brian Adams

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2019, 04:54:15 PM »

I use combo cables, with 2 XLR and power. I terminated the speaker end (only a short 6" fan) with female Edison connectors, then I use a short jumper, either IEC or Powercon. Or sometimes I'll be plugging in another combo cable, or something with an Edison input. The far end of the cable has a 2' fan with a male Edison, and there's a male and female XLR on each end. I find that this configuration gives me a lot of flexibility.

It's a lot easier to move monitors on stage (between bands or whatever) when each speaker has just one cable, and not plugged into a stringer. With the 2 XLR lines in my cables, I can plug the input and output of a speaker into the cable and daisy chain them from the side of the stage. Or if I'm not daisy chaining, I can use the return for a mic or DI.
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Dave Pluke

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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2019, 08:39:41 PM »

How are you running power to the speakers?

I bought some of these, so I can create stringers to fit the event (with Powercon jumpers of varying lengths):

https://www.amazon.com/Virtue-Industries-PowerCon-Edison-Quad/dp/B07BQMRCHN/ref=sr_1_19?

Then, I bought some of these, so I could build my own 20A versions:

https://www.amazon.com/Steel-Project-Punched-Duplex-PB1E-2X2DUP-BK/dp/B07FPRTZXN/ref=sr_1_51?

I typically only used powered speakers for smaller Corporate gigs, but these boxes still provide flexibility whether I'm pushing amp racks or not.

Dave


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Re: Powered Speakers and linking power?
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2019, 08:39:41 PM »


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