driverack pa+; how to use compressor to improve kick drum

renaissancemannc

My pa config is:
2 ev elx 115p tops
2 ev elx 118p subs
mackie pro fx22

driverack pa+

My kick drum is barely audible. Can I use the the driverack compressor to bring the kick drum up ? What else can I do ?

Thanks

Dra

That is a trick question. Can you use the DRPA as an insert on the kick channel and use the compressor? Sure. Can you use the DRPA as a system controller and use the compressor to augment the kick? No.

What are you x-over settings? What does the kick sound like on pre-recorded material when played through the system? Preferably a live recording.

DRA

Gadget

How much power do you have for those subs?

renaissancemannc

The subs are 700 watts and the tops are 1000 watts.

renaissancemannc

I used the x-over settings from the stereo 2-way template.

Dra

Can you open the x-over module up and tell us what the x-over point are. An awful lot of the fatory set-ups are not very good.

DRA

Gadget

That is NOT what I asked.. what are you powering the subs with....

Dra

They are self powered.

renaissancemannc

Both tops and subs are self powered.

If I press the xover button, the HML displays and the H is highlighted; the info for H is : 100 Hz LR 12 14.0 db. If I press xover once more, the L is highlighted. The info is: 5.5 Hz BW 6 -14.0 db and if I press xover again, the L remains highlighted and the info is: 100 Hz LR 12.

Gadget

See that's what I get for using a bing (YUCK) search...

Put both subs together to get 3dB of free sound, lower distortion and lower LF response,

Cross the tops/subs @ 90-118 hz LR24

Set the gain for the LF xover @ +5 to +8 dB and the tops xover gain @ -0- (you might need to work with this a little)

on the kick channel, set the mid sweep to 200hz and cut it fully...

Set the Low EQ on that channel to 80hz and add 3dB

Select the 1-2 submaster sends on the kick channel, Set submasters 1/2 to main (press the L/R above the fader) this is now the drum "gas" and you have assigned the kick to it, you could add other drum elements to the sub as well for a pseudo VCA/matrix.

The other 3/4 could be a VOX gas as well...

Gadget

Ya, that LR12 will cause a lot of interaction in the crossover region, bump it up to LR24...

The sub LPF should be out... or no slope, let the subs set their own LPF

renaissancemannc

Gentlemen,

Your suggestions brought big results. Just pressing the L/R button made the kick more audible. I'm not sure I did everything just right b/c the bass is dominating the system's sound. Do I need to pink the room again and re-do the auto eq?

Thanks

Gadget

Try a PEQ, on the LF Q=~5 set the gain to -6 or so to start. Sweep it from 100+ hz down until the BOOM goes away or gets less.. (I'm guessing 60 hz) you can further fine tune using the gain and Q to get it to the way you like it.

Next do the same thing but see what happens in the 100hz area, same process...

These are typical high efficiency points that also set up standing waves indoors.

Other typical points are 170, 200-500 hz room buildup

Make sure to use a Hipass on the low end on stage if possible, I like 150-180hz

renaissancemannc

Gadget,

I can't get the sound I want.

My pa config is:
2 ev elx 115p tops 1000 watts
2 ev elx 118p subs 700 watts
mackie pro fx22

driverack pa+

Connectivity: I come out of my mixer into the drpa; out of drpa to tops and out of drpa to subs.

I have experimented with your info and I'm not where I want to be.
1 - presets. I chose user 23 (stereo 2 way) custom high and custom low; went thru the rta/auto balancing. The end result sounds like the middle of the music is missing. I tried to use custom bi-amp parameter because the speaker specs state bi-amp design. The rta function would not complete because it could not not balance the missing mid outputs.
2 - presets. I chose factory 48 and went thru the rta/auto balancing and I can hear the mids.

Do I have the components connected correctly?

One more thing. When I view the the parameters for the xover, I don't understand what I'm seeing. I see HML. The H and the L can be highlighted and changed whereas the M cannot. Also, the L has more parameters than the H.
Which parameters control the tops and which ones control the subs?

Thanks

Dra

Well, there's your problem.

You have powered speakers that are internally bi-amped. You only need to send them one signal.... in this case the high output, the send the low output to the subs. In the Driverack, just open the Wizard and set up a custom passive with custom sub (you can go stereo or mono on the sub, depending on what you want). The connection outputs will be the Highs and Low(s).

When you selected Bi-amp, you told the Driverack that you had a bi-amp speaker (a horn / tweeter that needed its own signal, and a mid speaker than needed a separate signal) the driverack then divide the High output between the High and Mid outputs (probably about 1500 for 2K). When you connect the powered speakers to the high output and the subs to the low output, you effectively eliminated 100hz - 2Khz by sending it to NO speaker at all (mid output). By the way don't worry about using the "user slots", just use the #1 and save over it. Name it whatever you want.

HML
High / Mid / Low

HL
High / Low

You want HL. Actually I believe that it is LMH and LH, if I remember right. It doesn't matter, select (block) the output you want and then make changes as you wish.

DRA