Home dbx User Forum dbx Archive Threads DriverRack PA & DriveRack PA+ PA General Discussion

A question was posted...

GadgetGadget Posts: 4,915
edited May 2008 in PA General Discussion
This was posted to my PM, I thought everyone could benefit from this discussion.

Im a ignorant new user of the DRPA and I have no idea how to set it up for my powered speakers. Even after reading several threads I do not find any specific answers to the question.

I am using an Mackie onyx 1640 board with 4 SRM450 by Mackie and 2 SRS 1500 active Subwoofers. Im looking to use the DRPA in a live sounds situation for a six piece country/rock band.

How can I set up the DRPA for this speaker configuration etc.

Thanks,
SHagar
Select the wizard, answer the questions for stereo (linked... not dual mono) 2x6 setup using all custom entries. This will allow for one output for each speaker. This way you will also be able to do power shading of the tops if necessary. (You could select the Mackie presets 300 and NONE but they are essentially the same)

next hit the Program button. This will load the preset we are building.
Now hit the XOVER button. Using the data wheel and next><prev PG buttons select the LO outs xover on the HPF set it @ BW18 @ 30hz. Set the LPF @ 96.4 hz LR24hz.

Now select the MID outs xover and set the HPF at 102.1 hz @ LR24

Now select the HI outs xover and set the HPF @ 102.1 hz @ LR24

Both LPF's will be allowed to go to \"OUT\" which means that the speakers will be allowed to reproduce all that they can in the HF area. This means set the LPF on the mid to out, the HF doesn't have an LPF...

Now hook up the center top pair to the hi outs, and the outside pair to the Mid outs. The subs will be hooked to the LO outs.

Now why did I do this? if you want you can run everything out of any one of the two outs, say the hi left and daisy chain all the speakers, and do the same to the subs out of the L mono lo out. Or, you can use any pair of the hi or mid outs and daisy chain two for stereo operation, or you can have individual control of each speaker bay hooking them all up the way I suggested.

What you have then is 4 bandpass filters that allow the SRM 450's to get from 102.1hz on up, and the 2 lo outs to get from 96.4 hz down. The reason for the split is that we can minimize the xover interaction that way.

Now do a gain structure... with powered speakers it can be challenging, but start the SRM 450's @ 12oclock on the gain control, crank the sub frequency control all the way UP. Play some good full range music through the system and balance the sub output with the tops using the gain control on the subs. If you can't get the subs loud enough with the gain control, turn the SRM's down a little and try again. Once you get that do a gain structure as per the read me first section with the speakers unplugged. This will make sure everything pre speakers is talking the same language. Plug the speakers back in and see if you can determine a clip point for the speakers ( that point at which the clip lights just start to winkle.. on any of the speakers, it doesn't matter which starts first). Mark the mixer or put this point in your head as the max the faders will ever be allowed to go ( and slightly less would be better). You can set the limiter up at this point to keep the system from getting to that point...

NOTE that speakers HAVE limiters, and if you see the limit light thats TOO DARN HIGH... you will have trouble if you continue @ that level...

Gadget
Sign In or Register to comment.