Members ned911 Posted September 2, 2006 Members Share Posted September 2, 2006 In my other thread the band whose system we are using as an example states they run their rig at 40% (RMX2450's). Does this mean they are running the power amp volume at 40% or are they running the power amp wide open and keeping the system volume on the board at 40%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted September 2, 2006 Members Share Posted September 2, 2006 Probably means they don't really know what they're talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted September 3, 2006 CMS Author Share Posted September 3, 2006 Further to GCDEF's comment, the attenuators on a power amp will give no indication of the amount of available power being used....because this depends entirely on the input signal level. Even with the attenuators just off infinity, a really hot signal can fully drive the amp. Similarly there's no 0-100% indication on a mixer (or really any audio gear). Setting the main faders at 40% of their travel means nothing....it's all relative to what's going into the mixer, and where all the channel gains and faders are set, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassred Posted September 3, 2006 Members Share Posted September 3, 2006 Sounds to me like they aren't turning everything all the way up, but that's not to say you can judge how much of your system is working.... it probably means they have plenty of headroom, so that's always a good thing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dboomer Posted September 3, 2006 Members Share Posted September 3, 2006 Originally posted by Craigv Further to GCDEF's comment, the attenuators on a power amp will give no indication of the amount of available power being used....because this depends entirely on the input signal level. Even with the attenuators just off infinity, a really hot signal can fully drive the amp.Similarly there's no 0-100% indication on a mixer (or really any audio gear). Setting the main faders at 40% of their travel means nothing....it's all relative to what's going into the mixer, and where all the channel gains and faders are set, etc. I think we're back to the thread where someone was advised to buy a huge amp and run it at half. But the attenuators DO give an indication to the amount of power available IN A CALIBRATED SYSTEM. With the attenuators just off infinity ... where are you gonna get a signal to drive the amp to full? Not from your mixer! It has a maximum out. The attenuators do tell you how many dB you've changed the sensitivity. So if you've set they system so that the max from your mixer (whose 100% indication is the clip light and how far into clipping is acceptable to you) you can tell how much of your system is being used. The other day I couldn't convince a caller who was concerned that the limiter in a VSX only went to 20:1 and another manufacturer's unit went to infinity:1. I told him it was the same thing. He just couldn't understand that when you set the threshold to anywhere above +4 there simply isn't enough drive to ever get any more real output from a 20:1 limiter. To get 3dB more out you'd have to get 60dB more out from your mixer ... it's just not there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kevinnem Posted September 3, 2006 Members Share Posted September 3, 2006 Originally posted by dboomer I think we're back to the thread where someone was advised to buy a huge amp and run it at half.But the attenuators DO give an indication to the amount of power available IN A CALIBRATED SYSTEM. With the attenuators just off infinity ... where are you gonna get a signal to drive the amp to full? Not from your mixer! It has a maximum out. The attenuators do tell you how many dB you've changed the sensitivity. So if you've set they system so that the max from your mixer (whose 100% indication is the clip light and how far into clipping is acceptable to you) you can tell how much of your system is being used.The other day I couldn't convince a caller who was concerned that the limiter in a VSX only went to 20:1 and another manufacturer's unit went to infinity:1. I told him it was the same thing. He just couldn't understand that when you set the threshold to anywhere above +4 there simply isn't enough drive to ever get any more real output from a 20:1 limiter. To get 3dB more out you'd have to get 60dB more out from your mixer ... it's just not there. I can see has point, I refuse to use l limiters that have less then a 21.8456 : 1 ratio --- Some people just can't see the big picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted September 3, 2006 Members Share Posted September 3, 2006 Originally posted by kevinnem I can see has point, I refuse to use l limiters that have less then a 21.8456 : 1 ratio --- Some people just can't see the big picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted September 3, 2006 Members Share Posted September 3, 2006 Originally posted by dboomer To get 3dB more out you'd have to get 60dB more out from your mixer ... it's just not there. You could put a BAD MONKEY between the mixer and crossover!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted September 3, 2006 Members Share Posted September 3, 2006 And spank that bad monkey really hard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted September 4, 2006 CMS Author Share Posted September 4, 2006 Originally posted by dboomer I think we're back to the thread where someone was advised to buy a huge amp and run it at half.But the attenuators DO give an indication to the amount of power available IN A CALIBRATED SYSTEM. With the attenuators just off infinity ... where are you gonna get a signal to drive the amp to full? Not from your mixer! It has a maximum out. The attenuators do tell you how many dB you've changed the sensitivity. So if you've set they system so that the max from your mixer (whose 100% indication is the clip light and how far into clipping is acceptable to you) you can tell how much of your system is being used.The other day I couldn't convince a caller who was concerned that the limiter in a VSX only went to 20:1 and another manufacturer's unit went to infinity:1. I told him it was the same thing. He just couldn't understand that when you set the threshold to anywhere above +4 there simply isn't enough drive to ever get any more real output from a 20:1 limiter. To get 3dB more out you'd have to get 60dB more out from your mixer ... it's just not there. I did say "really hot signal" was needed with attenuators just off infinity. The point is not whether such a signal can be provided by normal operation, but merely to illustrate how attenuators work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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