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Myths about Pro Live Audio?


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Let's post all the wise teachings in Pro Audio so that newbies will no longer get kiddish and useless advice. Please feel free copy and paste...and add your points as you go along.

 

I will start:

 

1) CABLES: Cables do not have its own 'sound'. It is merely a 'signal conductor'. All those overhyped Monster and overpriced cables are myths.

 

2) MICS: There is no 1 Mic that can 'do it all'. Every Mic responds differently. Some sound bright...some in the midle...some dark. Certain Mics work better with some particular Singers and instruments.

 

3) ?

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1) CABLES: Cables do not have its own 'sound'. It is merely a 'signal conductor'. All those overhyped Monster and overpriced cables are myths.

 

 

It depends on the application. 1/4" instrument cables can have a big effect of the sound of a guitar plugged into an amp.

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It depends on the application. 1/4" instrument cables can have a big effect of the sound of a guitar plugged into an amp.

 

 

The only difference I could think of would be quality of shielding, copper, and size of conductors. After a certain point I would imagine a diminishing return on your purchase.

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It depends on the application. 1/4" instrument cables can have a big effect of the sound of a guitar plugged into an amp.

 

 

I agree with this to a point. My experience has shown that cables do make a difference , but more like a decent cable will sound as good as a rediculously over hyped & overpriced cable, but a cheap cable can wreck the sound because of crappy materials like inconsistent dielectric and shield wrapping. Capacitance is the enemy in Hi Z land.

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But Duracell batteries definitely sound better than energizer.

 

 

 

I'm not all that sure this one is a myth. My AX Synth runs fine on Duracell AA's .... but is flakey as can be when loaded with a set of Energizer AA's. I don't know enough about the technical differences between the Duracells and the Engergizers - but there's no question in my mind that there IS a difference in how they function. .... I've proven this to myself on two seperate occasions when Energizers were the only thing available to me (and no, it wasn't that I had a bad (i.e., "dead") battery in the bunch - all of them reported full 1.5v charges when checked with a digital Multimeter!

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1) The heavier the gauge of the cable, the better and 16ga. wire is bigger than 12ga.

 

2) Gear condenses moisture when taken out of a warm room to freezing temperatures outside.

 

3) Digital is pure and perfect.

 

4) Horizontal arrays spread the sound wider.

 

5) Differences in types of connectors is just a marketing scheme.

 

6) TRS jacks and plugs are stereo.

 

7) Cupping a microphone makes your vocals louder.

 

8) Running amplifiers in bridge-mono is the best bang for the buck.

 

9) Technology (more gadgets) and fixing it in the mix is the solution to any sound problem.

 

10) A 4-10 guitar amp sounds better than a single 12 guitar amp.

 

11) If a microphone is feeding back, cup your hand over the windscreen.

 

12) Gaff tape, duct tape... just different names for the same stuff.

 

13) All electrical outlets at commercial venues are inspected and are "fine", and: "Bands play here all the time" is assurance enough that the power is a-ok. And: "Bands play there all the time, so there's gotta be plenty of power in the vacinity of the stage, and load-in should be easy."

 

14) Louder is better. Also: If the crowd seems lackadaisical, it's obviously not loud enough.

 

15) Leo Fender invented the electric guitar, and got his start building electric guitars, and then branched out into other products.

 

16) The black wire is negative, the white wire is positive.

 

17) Drums should be tuned relative to how it sounds on the drummer's throne (admittedly... this myth is seldom if-ever verbalized, and even more rarely challenged).

 

18) "Soundchecks."

 

19) Transporting "band gear" is exempt from DOT regulations.

 

20) "It's portable because it's got handles on it."

 

21) Gold is the best electrical conductor.

 

22) Cables (especially speaker cables) should be the same length... it's a time alignment thing.

 

23) Amplifiers make power. Also: Amplifier "RMS rating". Also: The maximum amplifier wattage output capability is that which is listed in the specifications.

 

24) Xmax relates to the maximum cone travel of a speaker based on the speaker's suspension properties.

 

25) "Borrowing" gaff tape.

 

26) "It's probably just a bad fuse".

 

27) "Speakon wiring standard". Also: "Those Speakon cord ends are male gender".

 

28) "We'll have plenty of capable helpers at the venue to help with your load-in and load-out." And: "Parking won't be a problem, we'll have a permit for you".

 

29) There's no need for weather contingencies because there's no rain in the forecast.

 

30) "Sound engineer".

 

31) "You'll be able to reach me on my cell phone."

 

32) "It looks like it will be an easy gig". And the first corollary is: "It's an easy gig, honey... I should be home by 2:00 am."

 

33) "That was an easy fix. (I can't imagine why the repairman's quote was so high... a dousing of contact cleaner fixed those slide pots just fine.)"

 

34) "Speakers need to be properly broken in."

 

35) "They (this band) will keep me as a full share partner in the band when they're signed."

 

36) "Nobody will be back here (where the cable slong-pile is)."

 

37) "I've worked with these acts before... they'll all share the same backline gear... change-overs will be easy."

 

38) "This is their current stage-plot and input list."

 

39) Directional cables.

 

40) I can design and build speaker cabinets cheaper and better than off the shelf models made by big maufactures.

 

41) "ATA certified."

 

42) The best place to mix is up on a riser in the middle of the room. And: The best place (acoustic wise) to put the band is in the corner of the room.

 

43) "I always mix better after I've had a few."

 

44) "Nobody will drive here... this is a good location to run the snake."

 

45) "Surely they'll cancel the gig... nobody would go forward with a show in this weather."

 

46) "I can make-up for the lost time on the road when I get to the gig."

 

47) P=E/R

 

48) "I don't need directions to the venue, I have GPS."

 

49) "The stage will be in-place by noon." And: "The port-a-potties will be there first thing in the morning." And: "We'll have a suitable festival generator (as per your specifications) at the venue." And: "That's all the RV's that will be arriving and plugging in." And: "Our people will be on-site by 6:00am."

 

50) "Ok... I know you required 1/2 up front, in cash... but here's a check for the 1/2... it's good, you can call my bank... the other half shouldn't be a problem based on advance ticket sales."

 

51) "You can hang a banner from the stage (in-lew of actual pay)... that should be great advertising for your company. We're expecting a huge turn-out."

 

52) "I'll put in a good word for your company."

 

53) "The bid will go to the lowest bidder that meets the bid specifications and has a proven track record."

 

54) "You lost the bid due to some situations beyond my control... I don't know how to explain, except there was some back room stuff going on... you understand, right?"

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