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"Aux fed" subs using L and R channels


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I'm reading up on the aux fed subs concept and it makes lots of sense, but I don't have a free aux send.

 

Can I try it using the left and right channels of the mixer if I run in mono? Send the right output through a HPF and the Left channel LPF

 

Example:

Vox, guitars > Right channel > HPF > powered top speakers

 

Drum mics, bass, keys > Variable between Left and Right (essentially dialing in the amount of low end for each using the pan control > LPF > powered subs

 

It seems like this is too simple, and I'm missing something obvious. Can anyone find the flaw?

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That should work just fine. It does seem too easy doesn't it? I may try running mine the same way this weekend.

 

The only catch is that you can't turn up the bass or kick past center - that's your maximum for sending to the subs channel, anything more and you're only pulling them from the mains, so in some situations you may have to do a balancing act between adjusting the kick and bass faders and pans and the sub fader if you want to make changes to the bass & kick in the mix.

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The only catch is that you can't turn up the bass or kick past center - that's your maximum for sending to the subs channel, anything more and you're only pulling them from the mains
, so in some situations you may have to do a balancing act between adjusting the kick and bass faders and pans and the sub fader if you want to make changes to the bass & kick in the mix.

 

 

Good point...

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That should work just fine. It does seem too easy doesn't it? I may try running mine the same way this weekend.


The only catch is that you can't turn up the bass or kick past center - that's your maximum for sending to the subs channel, anything more and you're only pulling them from the mains, so in some situations you may have to do a balancing act between adjusting the kick and bass faders and pans and the sub fader if you want to make changes to the bass & kick in the mix.

 

 

That's not really true. As continue past center, you start pulling from the mains, which you can compensate for by bumping the channel fader.

 

Also, you need to check on your specific mixer. Some mixers will compensate for L/R panning by taking gain from one side and adding it to the other to keep an overall equal level. If this is the case, you'll always have to be riding the fader as you adjust the sub output (just by a little though).

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Not very convenient. I don't personally think the benefit is worth the potential struggle you may have with the mix overall.

 

How's your basic mix? How's your basic sound? Aux fed subs won't fix either. I ran aux fed subs only once all year and I do mostly A & B circuit national acts, guys who can do pretty much anything the want. How do you compare to this type of user?

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We run ours like this as well. We are using our aux feeds for other things and run our system in mono at the moment. So we send the subs out on the R fader. It works fine for us because we are using folded horn subs and sometimes use them in different cluster configurations which changes the output of them a bit so it's nice to be able to just pull the fader back a bit rather than dig in to the DSP. I have been on the fence on this subject for a long time though. I think Andy is right on this one, the end result is probably not worth the time and effort spent.

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Not very convenient. I don't personally think the benefit is worth the potential struggle you may have with the mix overall.


How's your basic mix? How's your basic sound? Aux fed subs won't fix either. I ran aux fed subs only once all year and I do mostly A & B circuit national acts, guys who can do pretty much anything the want. How do you compare to this type of user?

 

'Not very convenient' and 'potential struggle' is enough to make me reconsider... I'm actually not sure how our basic sound is since I haven't used the system yet. I'm preparing for the test run some time next month, and trying to configure everything 'on paper'... Looking for practical ways to get the best possible sound. The Aux fed subs sounds like a great idea, but it seems as though it's more trouble than it's worth for my situation.

 

I should probably start another thread for the following, but since it's related to practicality, I'll put it out there :p:

 

Is there any reason NOT to use the built-in crossover on my PRX518s to feed the PRX512Ms? I think it's preset at 110 Hz.

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Is there any reason NOT to use the built-in crossover on my PRX518s to feed the PRX512Ms? I think it's preset at 110 Hz.

 

 

This is the ideal way to configure the system, the PRX DSP has all of the necessary processing preprogrammed and is well executed. This alone is one reason not to worry about cobbling together aux fed subs. Try it as intended first, I think you will be surprised with the performance.

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This is the ideal way to configure the system, the PRX DSP has all of the necessary processing preprogrammed and is well executed. This alone is one reason not to worry about cobbling together aux fed subs. Try it as intended first, I think you will be surprised with the performance.

 

 

Ease-of-use and well executed? I'm sold.

 

I did get a chance to really crank the system last night using this configuration with some CDs. No EQ, no compression, no nothing, just the output from my PC straight into the subs > crossover engaged > tops

 

Sounds awesome, and was impressed that I could hear differences between higher sample rate mp3s and crappier ones... Super loud AND clear.

 

Thanks!

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