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Complete newby trying to set up basic PA for gym


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(I am technologically competent, but I know little about PA systems. I have done a fair amount of research prior to this post.)

 

I have (1) Crate PCM-8DP+ powered mixer and (2) Crate PS-1208H speakers.

 

Pic of Front of Mixer: https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images1/1/0716/08/crate-pro-audio-pcm-dp-channel_1_2d1b6c9755cf37a85983f033a2b46094.jpg

Pic of Rear of Mixer: Attached as rear1

 

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GOAL: I would like to set all this up in the gym where I exercise. I'll put the mixer in a closet and the speakers on the ceiling. I would like people to be able to easily connect their iPhones using Lightning cables or any other audio device using a 3.5mm wire. I would also like people to be able to easily adjust the volume.

 

1. SPEAKER CABLES

 

I believe I understand that I should connect the speakers to the back of the mixer using 12 gauge mono speaker cable 1/4" male to 1/4" male. I'm not completely sure about balanced/unbalanced or one vs. two core. Feel free to educate me and send a link of what to buy.

 

2. SETTING UP THE MIXER AND INPUTS

 

My goal would be that, when a person connects their audio device (which will almost always be an iPhone, iPod, or Android phone) that the sound will come out of the speakers in stereo. Y'all may tell me that my mixer doesn't know what stereo is, and that's fine to learn.

 

I would also like to install a volume knob on the wall (like this: https://www.qualitycaraudio.com//1000/PVC1_04.jpg) to dummy-proof the operation.

 

If I were doing this blind, I would split the RCA Tape In on the mixer then just run the 3.5mm cord to one using adapters and the Lightning cord to the other using adapters. That seems pretty messy.

 

I also could see buying a little external mixer for the two inputs I want and then going out of that mixer into my big Crate mixer, but that doesn't solve the volume knob desire.

 

Anyone want to give me some help on a good setup? I realize there is more than one way to skin a pig, but I'm looking for manageable and user-friendly in the end.

 

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I believe your mixer is "dual mono", having two amplifiers: Amp #1 is for "mains", and amp #2 is for monitors... therefore you could plug a mini-phone TRS (stereo) x left/right 1/4" TS break-out cable into your music source (smartphone), put your left output channel into ch. 1 and pot it up in the "main" and your right output channel into ch. 2 and pot it up in the monitor. Connect one speaker to the ch. 1 output on the back, and connect the other speaker to ch. 2 output on the back, which should result in stereo reproduction of the music in your speakers.

 

I'll suggest 14ga., or even 16ga. speaker cable will work fine... you don't need 12ga. speaker cable (pointless overkill).

 

I suspect the only thing involving "balanced cables" with your mixer are the XLR inputs, which are balanced... which you'll likely only use if connecting a microphone to the system.

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I actually used a Crate PCM8DP (not the + version) mixer with my wedding band in the 90's. That unit is very old at this point..but if it works, why not use it?

For an exercise room in a gym I would do the following:

Engage the button on the top right front for amp 2 to "Main"

Plug your source into "tape in" L/R

Plug one speaker into "Amp 1 Speakers" and the other into "Amp 2 Speakers on the back of the unit

Use the Tape and master volume adjustment knobs.

 

A wall-mount (volume control) would be a stretch...

 

BTW: My PCM8-DP still works!

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Engage the button on the top right front for amp 2 to "Main"

Plug your source into "tape in" L/R

Plug one speaker into "Amp 1 Speakers" and the other into "Amp 2 Speakers on the back of the unit

Use the Tape and master volume adjustment knobs.

 

That was my first thought as well, but I didn't see any pan knobs on the input strips... so I didn't know how "stereo" the stereo operation might be.

 

 

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You are making this all way too hard.

 

It's a mono mixer, so you will need to find out how the aux input works (most sum a stereo signal to mono), set the level for the maximum that you would want with the phone or tablet at maximum, then simply use the phone's volume buttons to control the level.

 

Use the main amp, use that aux to main volume control on the mixer to set the maximum level, and power both of the 8 ohm speakers off of the main amp output.

 

Simple... which is IMO the most important thing here given the level of knowledge.

 

Also, 16 gauge speaker cable will be PLENTY fine, even for 50 feet in this application. 18 would be fine as well IMO.

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You are making this all way too hard.

 

It's a mono mixer, so you will need to find out how the aux input works (most sum a stereo signal to mono), set the level for the maximum that you would want with the phone or tablet at maximum, then simply use the phone's volume buttons to control the level.

 

Use the main amp, use that aux to main volume control on the mixer to set the maximum level, and power both of the 8 ohm speakers off of the main amp output.

 

Simple... which is IMO the most important thing here given the level of knowledge.

 

Also, 16 gauge speaker cable will be PLENTY fine, even for 50 feet in this application. 18 would be fine as well IMO.

 

>>>@agedhorse: Does your solution produce stereo sound?

 

NEW QUESTION

 

My speakers have an "in" port and an "out" port. I am assuming this is to daisy-chain speakers. If I connect one speaker cable from amp to speaker 1... then my next wire from the "out" port on speaker 1 over to speaker 2, do I lose anything? I am asking if I lose anything specifically compared to connecting each speaker directly to the amp. I realize this arrangement definitely won't do stereo.

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NEW QUESTION

 

My speakers have an "in" port and an "out" port. I am assuming this is to daisy-chain speakers. If I connect one speaker cable from amp to speaker 1... then my next wire from the "out" port on speaker 1 over to speaker 2, do I lose anything? I am asking if I lose anything specifically compared to connecting each speaker directly to the amp. I realize this arrangement definitely won't do stereo.

The in's and out's are likely simple parallel jacks... the "in" and/or "out" designation per jack is likely functionally meaningless. As long as the jacks are in good condition, you likely won't loose anything by chaining the speakers vs. individual direct wiring to the box mixer... presuming you're driving the speakers with the same amplifier per the box mixer.

 

However, if you're driving one speaker with the box mixer's "main" amp, and the other speaker per the box mixer's "monitor" amp, there could be a difference vs. chaining both speakers via the "main" amp, in-that the "two amp" operation would likely be nominally 8 ohm loads on each amp, where-as chaining off-a one amp would likely be a nominal 4 ohm load on the one amp... you'll likely have more head-room with the two amp operation vs. the single amp operation. Or maybe not... Maybe depending partially if there's a single power supply for both amps or dual power supplies.

 

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GOAL: I would like to set all this up in the gym where I exercise. I'll put the mixer in a closet and the speakers on the ceiling.

 

FWIW those speakers are not designed to be flown. You would be better off placing them on a captive shelf that can handle their weight or wall mounted speaker stands if they have tree mounts in the bottom.

 

You could solve both your volume control issue and your interface issue by using a Bluetooth receiver. Almost any device with Bluetooth would be able to connect, your would use that devices volume control to adjust the volume and you can set the maximum desired volume on the amplifier in the closet. All without risking the liability (rightly or wrongly) of physically connecting to someone's several hundred dollar device.

 

There are more expensive and elegant solutions, but this one is cheap and will most likely suffice for your application: https://www.parts-express.com/in-wall-stereo-audio-and-bluetooth-receiver-wall-plate--183-339?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla . You could either find a way to plug up/disable the aux input or put a very obvious sign near the interface stating that "Use of the aux input is at the users own risk".

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