DRPA Equipment Hook Up (not speakers); Mixer and DRPA

twinspindj

:oops: I disconnected the DRPA from my old system and neglected to write down the connection process.
I thought I had the Mixer and DRPA and Media Player set up properly, but had a lot of "white" noise coming from the speakers when I turned them on. Not sure where the problem lies.

Here are the elements of the system:

Driverack PA
Pioneer DJM-5000 Mixer
Denon DN-D4500MK2
ETA Model PD8L EMI/RFI Spike Surge Protection "Conditioned Power Distribution"
Monster Power Pro 1000

The ETA Power Distributor is plugged into the Monster Pro 1000.
Mixer, Media Player and DRPA are plugged into the ETA PD8L.
All speakers are Active and are plugged into the Monster Pro 1000.

How would you properly connect the above items to the DRPA?

I did the following and got the noise issue with the speakers:

Denon Media Player RCA Outputs to Pioneer Mixer Inputs
Pioneer Mixer:
L & R Master Output to DriveRack PA, L & R Inputs
DriveRack PA Outputs:
High - L & R to Speakers via XLR

The only thing I can think of is that the two tiny buttons (Attenuation) and (Ground Lift) might be the problem. I'm not sure what the proper setting is for those buttons, but at the moment they are both "Out" (not depressed).

Your help would be appreciated.

Dra

Make sure that the mixer is on 0db attenuation at the master output. The DRPA should be on +4db.
Make sure that the RTA button is not pushed on the DRPA.
You never said what gear was new, or if audio was passing and just noisy.

DRA

twinspindj

Dra wrote:

Make sure that the mixer is on 0db attenuation at the master output. The DRPA should be on +4db.
Make sure that the RTA button is not pushed on the DRPA.
You never said what gear was new, or if audio was passing and just noisy.

DRA

The Pioneer and Denon are New. The only old is the DRPA...and has been in use at every event in the past 9 years.

Mixer Master Output was at -12db...now switched to 0db.
DRPA is set at +4db (button out).

You didn't mention about the "other" button that relates to Ground pin...that button is Out (not pushed in).

Have not had chance this morning to check out the process, but will do so later today and report back.

Oh, the RTA button is "out"... not In.

Thanks for quick turnaround.

Dra

The ground lift button should be OUT. Pushing IN "Lifts" / disconnects the ground from the chassis. Do this only if you experience a ground loop hum (and it makes it better).

DRA

twinspindj

DRA ... thanks for the advice, but after following your instructions I still have "white" noise coming from the speaker. Just for kicks, I changed the mixer Output button back from 0db to -12db and there was "less" noise but still quite a lot of "white" noise.

I have connected my speaker to the DRPA High Output via XLR cable. The mixer Master Output are connected to the DRPA Input.

If I take the DRPA out of the chain everything sounds great; Mixer Master Output via XLR to Speaker. CD Media player directly to the Mixer.

Any other suggestions?

Dra

Are the x-over gains set high? Have you tried a new program set-up? Is the compressor on?

DRA

twinspindj

Dra wrote:

Are the x-over gains set high? Have you tried a new program set-up? Is the compressor on?

DRA

Nope. Nothing has changed since I was using the other setup, except I took out the BBE that was between the Driverack and the Mixer. I double checked the connections.

twinspindj

Alert! I reconfigured the OLD setup that had the BBD in the chain; except that the New Pioneer and New Denon CD player replaced the older mixer and player.

Played a CD and the same issue (white noise) coming from the Speaker. Speaker is an Active RCF. Scratched my head and set up the volume and channel sliders the way I had the setup before. Well, the "white" noise coming from the speaker was just barely noticeable.

I'm guessing the "white" noise was louder for two reasons: (1) New method: On mixer, set the Master Volume knob all the way up (from -00 to 0). Adjusted the CD Channel Trim and Fader so that it was at a comfortable listening level. Before...I would set the Master Output to maybe -7 or - 10, then increase the Channel Fader up to listening level. If I need more volume, I would increase the Master Volume to revised level desired.

Please set me straight. I do not use external amplifiers or crossover because the Active speakers are already set.
What is the preferred way to set the Master Output Gain on the Mixer? Thanks for your help thus far. It appears to me that all along it was user error. :oops: :roll:

I'm taking the BBE out of the chain (as Gadget has advocated many times). The Pioneer 5000 has it's own sound-maximize built in. I can see the value of it on those songs from the 50's and 60's that lacked low end and some MP3 recordings.

Thanks for the help in trouble shooting. Appreciated!

Dra

With no speakers connected, play a pink noise track if you have one. The channel output should be a -0-. Set the master fader to -0-. Turn the master gain until the meter reads -0-. The DRPA input meter should read -0- as well. See what that does for you.

DRA

twinspindj

Dra wrote:

With no speakers connected, play a pink noise track if you have one. The channel output should be a -0-. Set the master fader to -0-. Turn the master gain until the meter reads -0-. The DRPA input meter should read -0- as well. See what that does for you.

DRA

I don't have a "pink" noise CD.

Dra

Tones are available on line. 1K or really any other will do. Even a song with a steady constant beat and output is better than nothing.

DRA