Members JUDAH Posted October 13, 2007 Members Share Posted October 13, 2007 I have just inherited a sound system, woot. But looking to make my low end better. My EV T18 subs are not quite achieving the sound I am looking for. I am want to have a punchy sound, not a boomy sound. Basically help me get the best sound I can from these subs. Signal is sent out the Main left channel with what looks like a boost knob on the back of a Mackie 1604. That signal is sent to a rane crossover and I am not quite sure where it should be set at on the low of the corssover. Currently that is all that is sent to the crossover. The house speakers are sent out of the right channel of the board to a alesis 3630 dual EQ. I am assuming I need a compressor/limiter to help enhance/shape the sound of my subs, so that I can get the sound I want. Obviously, I have amps but models escape me atm. I know that I took them in to be cleaned recently and I was told that they were big powerful amps. The one for the subs is a QSC. I play in a worship band and I am wanting to get the best sound I can get out of this system. I am looking to buy more equipment and make this system the best it can be. So please help me with new equip suggestions and even suggetions on compressors/limiters(clueless to these) settings. I mic my drums and run everything through the system. (B Guitar, E GUItar , A Guitar, keyboards, vocals. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JaredMTFD Posted October 13, 2007 Members Share Posted October 13, 2007 The boost knob you speak of on the 1604 is actually just a gain attenuator on the MONO output. I'm not sure why your tops are being fed a full-range signal and your crossover used only for the subs. You need to set it up so the signal is split between the subs and tops. /--High passed signal - power amp - topsMono out - crossover --Low passed signal - power amp - subs I don't know the specs on your amps or your speakers, so I can not suggest the perfect frequency to cross them over at. However, 120hz or so is a good starting point. Once you get the frequencies divided properly, you should see a noticeable difference in your sound, and you just may get the punchy sound that you are lacking now. Oh, take that 3630 compressor out of the main signal chain. That's just asking for problems. If you must use it, insert it in a vocal channel or for kick/snare using the built in gates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JUDAH Posted October 13, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 13, 2007 Oh dang, my bad. It is not the 3630 compressor. it is the Meq 30 eq. I am not with the equipment at this time and have not spent much time with it. The whole setup using the crossover for sub only is the way the last guys had it setup. The amps are in a box with wheels and plugs on the side for fast connection and disconnection, gonna have to redo it prob, so that I can use the whole crossover as intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted October 13, 2007 Members Share Posted October 13, 2007 Maybe it would be worth finding yourself a local pro audio shop who coule walk you through reconfiguring your system and sorting things out. It will cost you some money but could be money very well spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boomerweps Posted October 14, 2007 Members Share Posted October 14, 2007 I suspect the previous operator may have tried setting up the system using a form of Aux Fed Subs, maybe using the channel PANs to seperate the signals going to the subs and tops. hence, the crossover was just used for the subs. The EQ may have been used to cut the lows out of the mains but with no further info this is all a big guess. Of course a better path of seperate sub signal would have been to use the system in mono with the crossover in stereo and each crossover side performing a single high or subs function. Boomerweps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BeatMasterPhil Posted October 14, 2007 Members Share Posted October 14, 2007 A very musical and punchy sounding sub that also is very efficient is the EAW LA400 horn loaded sub. It works excellent in groups of 2 or 4 so based on what you are doing! (You want to center cluster then though, b/c they don't work as great at 1 per side setup!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted October 14, 2007 Members Share Posted October 14, 2007 A very musical and punchy sounding sub that also is very efficient is the EAW LA400 horn loaded sub. It works excellent in groups of 2 or 4 so based on what you are doing!(You want to center cluster then though, b/c they don't work as great at 1 per side setup!) Maybe once he gets the basics sorted out first. Given the rest of the system, I doubt that several $1000 subs would be a reasonable option for him. There are plenty of sub options out there for less than $1000 that may be a better choice PROVIDED the problem he is experiencing isn't due to a configuration problem with his existing equipment or just user error/inexperience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JUDAH Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 Ok so I have been tinking a bit with my system. This is what I have done so far. I have set up in stereo using the left and rights out of my mackie 1604. I got both left and right going out of my Alesis eq and then goin into my 2 channel crossover for house in stereo. I have noticed though that my crossover is only got low volume, a low/mid frequency adjustment a high volume knob. I noticed that some other crossovers have low/mid and mid/high frequency adjustments. Possibly this crossover was purchased for this setup cause the house 15" speakers only run in full range and are not bi-amp capability as stock. I have a qsc amp for my subs and then a qsc amp for my house 15" 2-ways. Gonna tinker some more throughout the week and I am purchasing some furman conditioners for the amp rack and the soundboard rack. I do have some buzz/noise and hoping this might help take some out , if it doesnt the furmans are needed anyways. Might be looking into a ebtech hum eliminator if buz persists. Before I start lookn at upgrading some more for this system, I seem to have 2 dead channels on my mackie board and snake is beat up pretty bad. One think I am wondering is the low/mid freq adjustment on the crossover about what frequency should I set it to , to get a great sound from my subs. I do run kick drum and bass guitar through this sound so pls keep that in mind. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 STOP, you are headed down the road of spending money because you don't know what you are doing and just guessing a solution. 1. Your crossover doesn't have low/mid and high/mid adjustments because I an "guessing" it's a stereo 2 WAY crossover which is correct for your application. 2. The Furman "power conditioners" will not solve you noise problem. 3. You need to get some real help, you don't know enough to get this solved on your own and are likely to end up with a pile of smoldering and worthless gear. Exactly which crossover is this? I'll bet your problems with noise is wiring conventions. An incorrect or poor choices in how the balanced (and unbalanced) wiring interfaces your existing gear. I'm not sure you are equipped to even begin to work through this without some on-site help. Please consider it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JUDAH Posted October 16, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 I am aware of the furman not geting rid of the noise, but I like having all my gear racked and not just having surge protectors on the ground. I am working with one of the main guys in the local music stores and getting this sound system back to the way it was. Found the original purchase receipt and it just looks like the last guy who had this equipment just never replaced equipment/cables as it went out or needed repair/cleaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted October 16, 2007 Members Share Posted October 16, 2007 A few stereo 2 way crossovers are also capable or 3 way mono crossover. Please list your equipment (make and model) in the signal order of connection. (Mikes would be first, speakers last, everything else in between in order.) Also, the manual has some suggested hookup configuration. (Not as good on the mackie as some of the other manufacturers.) I'm interested. (Too high a frequency running through speakers make for a different range will sound muddy or distorted.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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