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Setup Mono System

danberdanber Posts: 4
edited March 2008 in Configuration Wizard
Hello, I just purchased a driverack 260 and need some help using the wizard or the advanced settings. The manual for me is somewhat hard to follow and does not give an example of a mono setup. I have always used a conventional crossover so the digital options are somewhat confusing.

My current system is ran as a MONO configuration

Allen & Heath Mixwizard WZ3
Into a DBX 2231
Into the Driverack 260 as a mono signal (one input).

I have 2 Crown XTI4000 amps for subs (one amp for each sub cabinet) each ran @ 4 ohms/BRIDGE mode into a JBL SRX728s sub
I daisy chain the sub amps from one sub source.

I have 1 Crown XTI4000 amp for my top cabs (one amp for both cabs)
ran @ 4 ohms/Bridge mode into a pair of JBL SRX715's.

Problem 1: The wizard (step one-system setup) did not have the option to choose either Mono or Stereo input configuration like described in the manual. This option should have been before EQ Setup.

Problem 2: After selecting my Main Speakers (SRX715) as passive and my Sub Speakers (SRX728s) as mono, then selecting (xti4000) as my high amplifier \"it did not ask if my high amp was Normal or Bridged\" like the low amp selection does.

Result: Output Routing gives me two options (LH, RH, Mono SUB or Mono SUB, LH, RH). I just need one sub output and one Hi output.

In addition I am not sure what the routing section is setting up. How do I know which output channel to send to my sub amp and which output channel to send to my main amp? As mentioned above, conventional crossovers have the outputs labeled.

A few other things:
1. I can not find in the manual is what the Insert 1 and 2 is used for. The wizard says to set Insert 1 to compressor but does not give any threshold or ratio settings to choose from.

2. One insert option is WIRE, and I can not find in the manual what wire means anywhere.

3. Should I set my amp knobs to the level shown when I select my amps?

4. My driverack is running version 1.600, is this the latest version of software?

Please help me with my configuration because I would like to use the driverack for a show I have on Friday.

Comments

  • Fanman20Fanman20 Posts: 223
    Hi
    2 quick questions

    1
    Have you read the \"READ ME FIRST\" section. There is lots of info to help you there.

    May answer some of your questions. Also use the search button above, as some of your questions have been answered before in other posts

    2
    Why are you using a Dbx 2231 before the Dbx 260 when the 260 has a 1/3 octave graphic in it???

    Please then post back with any other unanswered questions and we will be glad to help.

    Mark

    PS
    The wizard says to set Insert 1 to compressor but does not give any threshold or ratio settings to choose from.


    Hope you have found the DriveWare® GUI

    http://www.dbxpro.com/Download/

    Double click on the \"C\" (ins) on the blue screen of the GUI
    that gives a lot of options to chose from.

    Looks like you have a lot more exploring to do :)
  • DraDra Posts: 3,777
    A couple of quickies...
    Wire means that no processor is inserted in that section and is \"straight wired\". I'd lose the compressor anyway. For my needs I use the AFS and the Notch Filter.
    As Fanman says, download the GUI (updated version), then you'll have on-screen GEQ control (I recommend using a mouse for ease of use, instead of the scratch pad) and lose the 2231 (insert on ind channels if needed).
    Download the 260 tutorial (very helpful).
    Amps knobs - again, read the READ ME FIRST section, especially the detailed Gain Structure and Limiter setting procedure.

    You may feel that you are in over your head, but that is usually the response, but in no time you'll be saying, WOW. (And sooner than you think.)

    DRA
  • danberdanber Posts: 4
    Thanks for both responces. MayI first start by saying that my system has achived unity gain and has been ran that way for years. I am a working sound guy and have been for years. I am very familiar with conventional setups and the reason I have the dbx 2231 graphic is because I have always just used a conventional crossover and needed the graphic to tune the room by ear. I also like having the eq at my fingertips (in my effects rack) to adjust the room as sound levels change or room capacity changes. I do understand that using the rta mic to set the room is nice but I have heard systems that use that function only that does not get the response that my system has. I have never had a problem getting my system to sound good. I just thought that adding a system processor such as the 260 would improve the performace of my system.

    As for the 260, when I spend almost $1,000.00 on a processor and the rta mic, I expect to read the manual and should be up to speed on setting up the unit. The wizard should make that process even easier with little or no guess work. As I say, I am a working sound guy two shows per week and also have a family, full time day job and two bands that I play in. I do not really have time to search the world wide web and spend hours and days of research just to use a product. That is why I came dirrectly to this forum and asked a few simple questions.

    I also might say that I am not new to menu driven devices, I am a systems analyst for a major corporation. I just feel that the manual for this device was poorly written, not giveng clear examples such as how to connect a simple mono system requiring only one input and two outputs, one sub and one tops.

    I currently want to use the 260 in my amp rack as just a xover and system processor to match the crossover setting to my specific cabs and amps. The RTA I thought would be nice just to check how my current setup is leveled but most clubs do not alow time to analize the room as typical setup time is from 7:00 to 8:00 with sound check at 8:30 the the band starting at 9:00 or 9:30. I don't think they would appriciate the pink noice anyways. This is more of something I would do in my garage just to check my manual settings. I am not concerned with all the other bells at this time. I am sure I will impliment other options as I become more familar with them.

    I also do not have a laptop that I can take to shows with me to hook up and use the GUI... I simply want to use the front panel and get quick results.

    Now back to a few questions. Like I discribe in problem 1, the manual states that during the setup wizard it will ask if my system is mono or stereo when in fact it did not. Is this a misprint?

    Can you tell me how to use the 260 to bypass all inserted funtions, I now understand that wire means bypass. I want to run from a mono signal and tell the 260 that both the main amp and sub amps are bridged. I also need someone to tell me which output to connect to my sub amp and which output to connect to my main amp.

    I do not turn my knobs up full board on my amps anyway so that question might have been off course. I do however run them a bit hotter than 56% as the wizard suggests but no more than 75%. I also run my sub amps controls higher than my main amps.

    Thanks for your comments and any help would be greatly appriciated.
  • GadgetGadget Posts: 4,915
    First off.. don't be too hard on the guys, there only trying to help and have NO idea what your expertise level is...we get mostly people here that know NOTHING...

    I would like to point out that it's NO DIFFERENT using a custom setup stereo using the #1 input as a mono input and using any of the outputs.. just set them up as you wish..for instance...

    in the wizard set up a stereo 3 way, select all the stuff you already have, and load that setup, then use the #1 input , the #1 output for the tops, and the # 3 output for the subs...no different than using one side of a stereo mixer with the pan controls centered...right?Otherwise there's a couple ways to do this.. I know the manual isn't complete but this thing has so much capability it would take a HUGE manual to do what you want it to do...
    I can send you the config if you give me your email address.. it would come as a .dwp file you would need to upload into your driverack.. OR

    You can select whatever the Driverack gives you that is close to what you have in the wizard ... load that preset, then (this would be MUCH MUCH easier to do with the GUI mind you.. and only needs to be done once AND then you can back that preset up with the computer in case of some type of failure...EVEN IF you don't use the GUI install it and it will make all this a lot easier to understand and follow...
    press the config button, Next you need to go through each and every module and unlink the modules.. except for the xover... there you want a 1x2 MONO (and this is where you set that up)(now, you wouldn't NEED to do this but you seem bound and determined to get a MONO signal path...
    select from the various mono and stereo configurations using the data wheel and the prev< & Next> buttons to select an unlinked status... you can also select WIRE as input modules if you don't want to have anything in them...the 1x2 will have then the #1 input as the input, and the #1 output as the tops and the #2 output as the subs.. you can even NAME them whatever you want... simply mute the other outputs..The config mode will allow you to change any number of things...just remember to store whatever you change...that requires

    All this isn't necessary though as I said...you could just use the preset and manipulate the xover to suit your need...

    Gadget
  • danberdanber Posts: 4
    Thanks Gadget, that helps, I would prefer to use the wizard to do my setup. I was just unsure if it would set up the crossover correctly since it was not asking what my signal was and I could not specify that my main amp was also bi-amped. Since the wizard ask for amp volume settings I am assuming that it is setting the levels of the crossover to what I put in so I thought it would be important for the unit to know that I had two amps on my subs and only one amp on my tops.

    One last question, if I use the wizard and use input one and outputs one and three, givin that I am entering my specific amps and speakers, will it set the crossover up corretly to match the cabs? This is really the whole reason I bought the 260 is to setup a crossover to the exact specs of my amps and cabs.

    I am sorry if I sounded hard on any of the users. I have already read a few posts and there seems to be alot of back and forth messages and they all seem to reference the Read First messages. I understand that most users do not have alot of experience and was just trying to get accross that I did'nt just get into the sound world, just new to the digital stuff.

    Thanks
  • GadgetGadget Posts: 4,915
    Ok, NO controller cares (or should for that matter) if the amp is Bridged mono... there isn't any reason for it to unless you are using the \"amp input sensitivity\" method which doesn't work unless you have matching amps and speaker (matching in output and sensitivity with amps that are matched as well..) with mix and match setups you can do it with the amp sensitivity settings by using the Driveracks input and output controls but ISN\"T for beginners...

    As I said you can set your 260 up EXACTLY how you want it.. you can even label all the things the way you want them... in short you can customize the setup to the nth degree using the config mode, you can even reallocate delay (there's thousands of feet of delay capability built in) No it's not intuitive, and no the manual doesn't do the unit justice, but as i said that thing has awesome capabilities and it would take a voluminous manual to even touch all the different capabilities this thing can do...

    \"I am assuming that it is setting the levels of the crossover to what I put in so I thought it would be important for the unit to know that I had two amps on my subs and only one amp on my tops.\"

    again it doesn't know what you have it hooked to and you can set the levels of everything or nothing...I like to get beginners to set the Xover levels to near -0-db. Then if bi-amping, and the horn is 10 db hotter than the mid, by all means go ahead and lower the gain of the hi xover by 10 db, and likewise if the sub is 3 db down from the mid then set the sub xover gain to +3db, but set the mid to 0db and further use the amp gain controls to balance the system in after the gain structure setup.. I know you have been doing sound for a while but at least look over the procedure I posted and see if anything there is divergent from your procedure.. especially since we ARE using a digital device and there are some important divergences form analog xovers...

    I don't have the latest version of the GUI installed, but JBL IS a Harmon international product, you could verify the setup with the published setups @ JBL professional 'tunings' SRX700 series...should be simple enough...You know, it really isn't that difficult.. I could set up the whole thing manually using only the JBL provided specs (at the above site) in about 10 minutes.. It's NOT hard...and fairly intuitive. I hate to rain on your parade but those SRX tops are kinda embarrassing... We have run across several in installs and they won't even come close to the published specs... I'm not saying yours won't.. but the SRX 722's we have experienced wouldn't even reproduce 12K... not in any way shape or form..and that was verified using SMAART, an FFT based measurement system.

    If you have trouble as I said let me know your email address and I'll set you up a DWP setup based on the JBL specs and you can import it into your 260.. no biggie...Actually I just checked and if you go to the tunings and select the SRX700 series you can get the DR260 .dwp setup for the SRX715 w sub for download so I would assume that the setup is in the latest version of the 260 software...

    P.S. the reason I have the helpers (I do it too) request that everyone read the \"before you post\" section is there is YEARS of secrets to getting the most out of the Driverack. I guarantee you if you biamp the tops and get the setup right you will get nearly 1/3 more output from your setup then you do now... and that ain't nothing to sneeze at...

    Gadget
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