crossovers

gleet

OK - I'm new, I'm NOT a sound person, I have just had the "pleasure" of purchasing sound equipment for our band - classic rock and beyond - bunch of older musicians trying to "relive the dream" - ANYWAY - we have most of our stuff but need a good crossover - we have a pair of Peavey SP2 over EAW sb250 subs, with a pair of Peavey SP15m and a pair of Peavey SP112m. We have 2 - Crest CC4000 amps, a Peavey CS4080 amp, a QSC plx2402 amp, a dual 31 band EQ, a power conditioner, a stero sonic maximizer and a Mackie sr32-4 vlz mixer. QUESTION - would the dbx driverack pa+ be the best thing to get or is it overkill and another crossover would be better?? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Dra

Is any of this new gear that could be returned if needed? Specifically the Sonic Maximizer? Maybe the EQ's?

What is your desire set-up? # Monitor mixes? FOH - stereo or mono? etc...

I would always recommend a Driverack (in some variety or another), but what would you say you budget is, or willing to spend for your wildest dreams to come true?

DRA

Dennis

The DRPA+ would be a great fit with your system but the question is, is it a great fit with you? There is a learning curve involved and if you embrace new technology and enjoy learning new stuff, go for it but if I have made it sound like a PITA to you, and you are already having second thoughts, maybe you will be happier with an analog crossover. Learning aside, the DRPA+ is light years beyond an analog crossover.

Dennis

gleet

Dennis, appreciate the quick response. First of all, "I" won't be doing sound, I just got the duty of buying stuff because I had the most time, so, LEARNING how to use it will be someone else's FUN!!
We, like most, have been trying to save wherever possible, so budget is a concern but I found a new dbx Driverack PA+ for $397, which would be pretty much at our top end. I have been confused a little as far as the difference in what the driverack does vs an EQ?? that is why I questioned, since we have an EQ whether a "regular" crossover would be better than the driverack - but again - I know so little about this stuff that it is hard for me to ask the right questions and answer correctly.

Dennis

The DRPA+ has a 3 way crossover, multiple EQ functions, limited amount of time alignment, limiters on output channels and also some less useful stuff. A soundguy that has his chops down can take a sound system to places that you just can't without a digital processor.

Gadget

The Driverack is SOOO much more than a crossover.. The Outboard EQ will allow whomever does the sound to make quick surgical moves that the DRPA+ doesn't offer (quick that is... the EQ will SOUND better) But the BBE is a bad choice for a system processor.. (we would recommend it only be used as an effect)

The driverack will offer:
System EQ
System crossover
Auto eq to flatten your system for best sound(but you would need the measurement mic for that)
Auto feedback elimination
Alignment delay
Parametric eq's for sound tailoring
limiters
compressors (if needed)
and more
http://www.dbxpro.com/PA+/index.php
and the system WILL sound much much better with a driverack.There is (as Dennis said) a huge difference between analog and digital crossovers...
Gadget

Dennis

Gadget wrote:

The Driverack is SOOO much more than a crossover.. The Outboard EQ will allow whomever does the sound to make quick surgical moves that the DRPA+ doesn't offer (quick that is... the EQ will SOUND better) But the BBE is a bad choice for a system processor.. (we would recommend it only be used as an effect)

The driverack will offer:
System EQ
System crossover
Auto eq to flatten your system for best sound(but you would need the measurement mic for that)
Auto feedback elimination
Alignment delay
Parametric eq's for sound tailoring
limiters
compressors (if needed)
and more
http://www.dbxpro.com/PA+/index.php
and the system WILL sound much much better with a driverack.There is (as Dennis said) a huge difference between analog and digital crossovers...
Gadget

Since I never use automatic stuff, I forget it's there...the wording of my previous post sounded like I was bashing the auto features and that wasn't my intention.

Dennis

Gadget

I knew that my brother...you just beat me to the post be a short while...

For those that do not know... Dennis is well beyond the level of the Auto Eq sequence and does the job correctly using FFT measurement techniques that take things like time and phase and other factors that the simple loudness based RTA measurement does not take into consideration.

Thanks Dennis!
G