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DRPX Questions - Help?
Sharkdog
Posts: 4
First post after lurking this (and other sites suggested in the Start Here) for a few weeks now and I have what are sure to be dumb questions. Yes I've searched this forum for answers and after reading things a few million times have most of my answers. That being said, I still have a few more that I'd like to be sure of before proceeding. For all I know this post may be better answered in other sound forums, but I like this one.
A brief background (which is probably more than anyone cares about but for the sake of garbage in...
I'm the guitar player in a 4 piece rock band (nothing dreadfully heavy) guitar, drums, bass and singer with 3 vox mics up front. I am the "PA" guy in the band and have been slowly building what I think is a nice little system for our use over the past few years with PLENTY of trial and error (mostly error). We mainly play small odd-shaped rooms (bars & restaurants). I have NO desire to be the loudest band on the planet as there's no need for it and excess volume is, and has been a recipe for bad results. It's portable using my Chevy Traverse and easy to set up (about an hour or less). No person dedicated out front when we play other than maybe my brother dialing faders only - most of the result in any night is dependent on me hoping it's all good which is a challenge to say the least. On the noob to pro scale of 1-10 I consider myself a 3. Fortunately, we practice in a space that allows me to set up and use the entire system when we practice - the rest of the band practices the music part while I walk around listening to things with a "who farted" look on my face while I screw up all my parts, but that's another story. Point being that It's really the only opportunity I get to HEAR what goes on - some things are good and others not so much, but I'm always working on making it the best it can be within its limiations. Anyhoo...
System:
2 QSC KW152 (Mains) 47Hz-18kHz @ -6 db
2 QSC KW181 (Subs) 38Hz-124Hz @ -6 db
DBX DRPX running stereo (all outs used)
Studiolive 16.4.2 (VSL w/ the "dumber" Smaart version that comes with it which I'm just starting to use a bit more)
Kick & OH only for the drums
Only 1 open stage monitor for the non-in-ear neanderthal that our bass player is - the rest of us are more refined and use in-ear for monitors
My guitar rig is an Axe FX running direct to the FOH and to 2 QSC K-12's on stage - mostly for a bit of fill for people too far up front to pick up the FOH (both of them). Otherwise I'd leave them out of the equation and monitor it. I do not run them loud at all.
I purchased the DRPX back in November and it has helped tremendously to say the least. I have been using the auto Wizard for the most part, but after reading up on all this have been playing with presets in the EQ and filter sections to apply what I've read about over the past few months directly.
Here are my questions (please be gentle):
1.Playing with the filters and applying different points to cross (although there's really only one between sub and main) it shows OUT/SUB on top left and I can switch between 2 SUB screens and 1 OUT screen. I'm assuming that OUT is the mains. I want to be sure as there is an unrelated OUT which I think deals directly with the HPF/LPF in that when for example the SUB says out it means no attenuation at the low end freq - it's as low as it can be (as the KW181 built in filter will let it be), Correct? Opposingly, the main (only one screen to deal with) is "out" in the opposite direction to the highest freq. While I can make adjustments hi & lo on the sub, I can only adjust the cross point of the lo on the mains? Yes? No? Maybe?
2. The type and slope of filters are next - no problems there (I get it) and have been sticking to less complicated types for now. I am not sure about the db setting in that, if it shows 3.8db for SUB is it attenuating up 3.8 db the entire range from low to high that I've set for the SUB or does this only deal with db level of the crossover point itself? I'm confused here. I ask because I would think that to attenuate the entire sub or main I would use the level knob/attenuator provided on the back of each of those. Anything I've read about the db level in a filter/xover appears to infer that this level is not applicable to the entire range of the sub or main but the adjustment for the slope points that are crossed to adjust the acoustic doubling that occurs when similar frequencies are coming from two sources?
3. Can someone please explain 2x3, 2x4 etc. configurations? 2x3 = Stereo (2) X two mains and one sub (3)?
4. I found out last night that the DRPX operating level switch was set (from the factory I assume) at -10db. I switched it to +4 - BIG difference. I was proud that before switched it I remembered to have nothing playing and backed the master down so nobody got hurt. Other than the overall level to the front does this make substantial changes to my set-up otherwise? Obviously I can level down (more headroom?) and it's a bit cleaner sound for sure - anything else to pay attention to with this switch?
5. With the use of EQ in the DRPX considered, should I start with the EQ (which is a PEQ) on my SL board flat (zeroed) and let the EQ in the PX set the broader system EQ and just tweak the board EQ to taste? I did have my main EQ on the board set up to where I usually had it before I got the DRPX. I have been slowly gravitating towards flattening it the more I listen and the results are much improved. Am I on the right track here? I also have the 31-band EQ on the SL but have left that alone (-0-).
Well hopefully this makes some sense. Any help with these questions is mucho appreciado in advancerito!
Mark
A brief background (which is probably more than anyone cares about but for the sake of garbage in...
I'm the guitar player in a 4 piece rock band (nothing dreadfully heavy) guitar, drums, bass and singer with 3 vox mics up front. I am the "PA" guy in the band and have been slowly building what I think is a nice little system for our use over the past few years with PLENTY of trial and error (mostly error). We mainly play small odd-shaped rooms (bars & restaurants). I have NO desire to be the loudest band on the planet as there's no need for it and excess volume is, and has been a recipe for bad results. It's portable using my Chevy Traverse and easy to set up (about an hour or less). No person dedicated out front when we play other than maybe my brother dialing faders only - most of the result in any night is dependent on me hoping it's all good which is a challenge to say the least. On the noob to pro scale of 1-10 I consider myself a 3. Fortunately, we practice in a space that allows me to set up and use the entire system when we practice - the rest of the band practices the music part while I walk around listening to things with a "who farted" look on my face while I screw up all my parts, but that's another story. Point being that It's really the only opportunity I get to HEAR what goes on - some things are good and others not so much, but I'm always working on making it the best it can be within its limiations. Anyhoo...
System:
2 QSC KW152 (Mains) 47Hz-18kHz @ -6 db
2 QSC KW181 (Subs) 38Hz-124Hz @ -6 db
DBX DRPX running stereo (all outs used)
Studiolive 16.4.2 (VSL w/ the "dumber" Smaart version that comes with it which I'm just starting to use a bit more)
Kick & OH only for the drums
Only 1 open stage monitor for the non-in-ear neanderthal that our bass player is - the rest of us are more refined and use in-ear for monitors
My guitar rig is an Axe FX running direct to the FOH and to 2 QSC K-12's on stage - mostly for a bit of fill for people too far up front to pick up the FOH (both of them). Otherwise I'd leave them out of the equation and monitor it. I do not run them loud at all.
I purchased the DRPX back in November and it has helped tremendously to say the least. I have been using the auto Wizard for the most part, but after reading up on all this have been playing with presets in the EQ and filter sections to apply what I've read about over the past few months directly.
Here are my questions (please be gentle):
1.Playing with the filters and applying different points to cross (although there's really only one between sub and main) it shows OUT/SUB on top left and I can switch between 2 SUB screens and 1 OUT screen. I'm assuming that OUT is the mains. I want to be sure as there is an unrelated OUT which I think deals directly with the HPF/LPF in that when for example the SUB says out it means no attenuation at the low end freq - it's as low as it can be (as the KW181 built in filter will let it be), Correct? Opposingly, the main (only one screen to deal with) is "out" in the opposite direction to the highest freq. While I can make adjustments hi & lo on the sub, I can only adjust the cross point of the lo on the mains? Yes? No? Maybe?
2. The type and slope of filters are next - no problems there (I get it) and have been sticking to less complicated types for now. I am not sure about the db setting in that, if it shows 3.8db for SUB is it attenuating up 3.8 db the entire range from low to high that I've set for the SUB or does this only deal with db level of the crossover point itself? I'm confused here. I ask because I would think that to attenuate the entire sub or main I would use the level knob/attenuator provided on the back of each of those. Anything I've read about the db level in a filter/xover appears to infer that this level is not applicable to the entire range of the sub or main but the adjustment for the slope points that are crossed to adjust the acoustic doubling that occurs when similar frequencies are coming from two sources?
3. Can someone please explain 2x3, 2x4 etc. configurations? 2x3 = Stereo (2) X two mains and one sub (3)?
4. I found out last night that the DRPX operating level switch was set (from the factory I assume) at -10db. I switched it to +4 - BIG difference. I was proud that before switched it I remembered to have nothing playing and backed the master down so nobody got hurt. Other than the overall level to the front does this make substantial changes to my set-up otherwise? Obviously I can level down (more headroom?) and it's a bit cleaner sound for sure - anything else to pay attention to with this switch?
5. With the use of EQ in the DRPX considered, should I start with the EQ (which is a PEQ) on my SL board flat (zeroed) and let the EQ in the PX set the broader system EQ and just tweak the board EQ to taste? I did have my main EQ on the board set up to where I usually had it before I got the DRPX. I have been slowly gravitating towards flattening it the more I listen and the results are much improved. Am I on the right track here? I also have the 31-band EQ on the SL but have left that alone (-0-).
Well hopefully this makes some sense. Any help with these questions is mucho appreciado in advancerito!
Mark
0
Comments
#1 - Yes
#2 - There are no "x-over points", just bands with filters. The gain level is for the entire band (same effect as turning up or down the amp that it is feeding).
#3 - Correct, but I don't think the PX has a 2X3 capability (can't mono the sub).
#4 - +4 always in your application.
#5 - My opinion. Use the PEQ on the board and the GEQ in the PX, with emphasis on the PEQ (if you feel qualified). I am no experience with the board, but I am assuming that there is a multi-band PEQ AND a 31 band GEQ on the main outputs? If so, then maybe use the GEQ on the SL also.
DRA
Coordinating the levels for gain structure? Every time you adjust the gain of any devise ahead of the amp it screws with the gain structure. Once you set the structure as to avoid clipping, you can ONLY turn DOWN the hotter output / amp to balance the sound.
#5 - Yes. zero and bypass the GEQ n the PX.
DRA