A Question, Moved from the Guide for Goobers Thread

[basjoosten]

Hello, i'm building an all purpose rack with all kinds of stuff in it, but i'm wondering if there is a right way of connecting the chain of limiters, crossovers and eq's after one another to prevent noise and distortion in the final output to the amps.

I'd like to use it for two or three purposes;

1. hook up my mixer with two turntables, an mp3 player and cd player,

2. hook up my 24-channel mixer for studio applications / home recording,

3. hook up for small band support with main outs on my 24-channel mixer and two monitors.

i have four qsc amps, two crossovers,  eq,  limiter/compresser, enhancer.

In which order should i hook them up?

 

Thx Bas.

 

[Craig Vecchione]

This was a post I found in the Guide for Goobers thread, and I created a new topic for it here and spell-corrected it, as Bas appears to be from Netherlands with English not his primary language. I PM'd him to let him know where the post went.

[Craig Vecchione]

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basjoosten wrote:

 

Hello, i'm building an all purpose rack with all kinds of stuff in it, but i'm wondering if there is a right way of connecting the chain of limiters, crossovers and eq's after one another to prevent noise and distortion in the final output to the amps.

 

I'd like to use it for two or three purposes;

 

1. hook up my mixer with two turntables, an mp3 player and cd player,

 

2. hook up my 24-channel mixer for studio applications / home recording,

 

3. hook up for small band support with main outs on my 24-channel mixer and two monitors.

 

i have four qsc amps, two crossovers,  eq,  limiter/compresser, enhancer.

 

In which order should i hook them up?

 

 

 

Thx Bas.

 

 

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1. The turntables need to have RIAA equalization to sound right. Assuming it's either built in to the turntables, or you have an external RIAA EQ, it's output would go to a stereo line input channel, or to the line inputs of two mono channels.

The MP3 and CD outputs would be the same as for turntables, to a single stereo channel or two mono channels.

2. The mixer can be patched to the rack with a short snake. You can make one with the individual cables, or buy a ready-made patch snake and use what's needed.

Here's an example link to such patch snakes: http://www.audiopile.net/products/Patch_snakes/Patch_snakes.shtml

3. To support a band, the main output should go to the crossover, then to the amps from the hi and low frequency outputs, then to subs (LF) and midhighs (MF/HF). The monitor outputs are the pre-fader auxiliary outputs, and these should go to the EQ's (monitors generally are more of a challenge to eliminate feedback, so when there's limited EQ, use it on them) and then to the amps and speakers.

The comp/lim(s) should be used as needed on individual channels. The channel insert is a good place for this, and the link above also shows insert cables that you would use to make the connection.

The enhancer is in my opinion an effects unit, and I'd put it on a guitar channel via an insert.

[agedhorse]

There are rack mount (professional level) that are suitable for managing signals like this, plus an input/output connection panel. It depends on what you need to use at the same time as to what the solution will consist of exactly.