mono fullrange center

lazymary

Hello... I've been using the pa+ for year. I have a venue that requires a mono full range center.
Whats best way to set up a pa+ for this? I've seen reference to setting for 6 full range out
but it is eluding me. or setting a mono sub to full range? Again its more navigation, thanks.

Gadget

Hi,
One thing I wish is that dbx wouldn't have dummied the DRPA/+ down. That is to say adding the High, mid, and Low to the back for the outputs. The DR260 outputs are labeled 1-2,3-4,5-6...

Now, that said, look at the outputs on the PA+ as just that, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 and understand that each output set can be fullrange, or some part of fullrange. So, if you consider that even though the LOW outs say "Low", they can reproduce fullrange or any part of the frequency spectrum. AND the low outs are the only ones that have a "sum" feature.

Now, the other gripe about labeling and the DRPA has is that when you go to set up in the Wizard instead of saying "2x3" it's fullrange tops and mono subs, or 2x5 as "bi-amp tops and mono subs... If you can get past that and just think in terms of a stereo fullrange tops being 2x2, stereo fullrange tops and subs as being 2x3 and stereo bi-amp tops and stereo subs as a 2x6... then you can put your summed center channel on the "5" summed low output. You can then set the "bandpass" for the output at whatever you like, and if you have a LCR setup you could set the L/R on the hi outs...or if it's a stereo L/R with subs AND a mono center channel you would set up a bi-amp tops, and mono subs setup, put the CTR channel on the "left low" out the L/R on the "high" outs and the subs on the "mid" outs...

Counter intuitive but that's what I'd do...

Gadget

lazymary

Appreciate the response, my driverack gets used as a bandaid in multiple venues to get a
handle on the variety of gear, some good... some not so good, and get a fairly consistent
FOH presentation from place to place, most are 2x2, you balance and flatten what ever is
down stream regardless of what it is, Its too much of a battle convincing presenters to
make efforts towards system improvement.

I think the set up wizard leads to confusion when you think that it does it all, but not really

Ok... I do understand the out puts. So hook it in, run the set up wiz to balance, pink, etc
And THEN go into the crossover and set the bandpass for the mono "sub" and adjust vol. at
the crossover?

Gadget

Ok... I do understand the out puts. So hook it in, run the set up wiz to balance, pink, etc
And THEN go into the crossover and set the bandpass for the mono "sub" and adjust vol. at
the crossover?

I'll never understand why they put the balance before the crossover setup... :? No, you need to setup wizard, then set crossovers, THEN balance (especially when the setup isn't in the menu...and isn't correct .. which I have found is often the case) the system, then Auto eq.. They added the auto balance so that people that didn't understand component balance would auto eq and find that (for example) everything above 100 hz was boosted drastically because they didn't take into consideration that the sub amp was 5000 watts and the tops amp was only 550 watts per channel...or more often they have the exact same amp for tops and subs and the subs are 92dB efficient and the tops are 98dB efficient... that means that the subs frequencies would be boosted but the indoor standing waves would screw up the balance ... you get the idea...

So to re-cap...

Wizard setup
crossover setup
balance/gain structure
auto eq.

and if the auto eq is skewed ... repeat...

Be well
Gadget
Always here for questions

lazymary

hello again, on to navigation...

ok.... wizard setup, (mono sub) to where it wants the rta... then preset

xover.... adjust the range of the sub as a full range... then preset

then get back into the wizard and then rta to proceed as usual, auto eq etc..

correct? any issues with the rta/pink and 3 fullrange spk.?
Any gain structure issues that typically pop up?

thanks..

Gadget

First, a question...are all 3 speakers the same model?
Here is what I would do:
Set up a 2x5 dual mono in the wizard using all custom settings(now you can set up most any system the DRPA can handle) and you can eq the individual channels separately)

Set up a second 2x5 in stereo (not dual mono) This way you have a setup for systems that have similar L/R speakers

Save these with some identifiable labeling

If there are tops and subs, or a Bi-amp setup set the crossover, I usually suggest BW18 @about the 3dB down point of the sub as an HPF, generally I suggest a point around 100hz LR24 for 15" mains, and 120hz for 12" mains this offers better midrange because the 15" isn't working so hard...

Do a gain structure to get the system all talking the same language, set the balance (rough in the sound by turning the louder component down with respect to the other component. This doesn't compromise the gain structure because we already determined the amps clip point and were not going past it)

If there is no crossover and the speakers are L/R stacks then auto eq one stack only, or if the room is really odd shaped choose the dual mono setup and auto eq each side separately and try and average the 2 if possible

If you have an LCR setup and the speakers are all the same you could auto EQ the center channel in the stereo setup and let that work for the three.

If they are dis-similar then ... boy if you must go stereo I'd say choose the dual mono setup and auto eq the center and one of the outside channels separately and perhaps see if you can't use the three Peq's on the Hi outs to to approximate any major trends of the auto eq.

At any rate place the measurement mic on the floor on a towel or other soft non reflective surface (carpet is fine) about 25 feet or more (if possible) but make sure it's in the direct field of the horn in the speaker your working with.

Save the setups if you wish.
Gadget