Posted by Bob on June 13th, 2010
Here’s what’s happening this week in sound. We’re doing a new sound system install in one of the most popular restaurants in Gettysburg, PA, yes, the home of the Gettysburg Address. We’re installing this system in their conference room. The speakers I’m using are the QSC ADS52s. They come in black and white. At first I was a little hesitant about these because I thought they should go with the larger size, because for me, bigger is always better. But the client decided to go with the smaller size because of budget issues. Let me tell you something, when we got these in and I hooked them up to a Soundcraft gig rack 600 powered mixer. It’s 300 Watts per channel and the speakers are 60 Watts with a 5 inch low driver and a 1 inch horn. Let me tell you, these things ROCK! They sound crystal clear, no distortion. I was able to EQ and hear frequencies on these things. I’ve since found out that they use these speakers in Airports for paging systems. The system I put in was just for a little conference room where mostly one mic is going to be used and the sound will need to cover around 100 – 150 people. They will be PERFECT for that!
I am just totally blown away by these speakers and highly recommend them. I’m sure I will be using them a lot on future installs. That’s it for this week in sound!
Posted by Bob on June 1st, 2010
This week in Sound – May 16, 2010
I did a multi-band show this week that had a national act in it and a couple opening bands. The one opening band in particular just did not sound all that great. No matter what I tried I just couldn’t get the drums to punch. I couldn’t get certain sounds and it just sounded kind of loud and not all that good, very disjointed. Now the other two bands sounded great, they sounded tight and I was actually able to bring the volume level down in their mixes. I had been getting complaints and comments from people about that one band like why does it sound so loud and the sound isn’t good. We’ll there were a couple of issues happening. Number one, you’ve got to remember stage volume. Bands have to be able to mix themselves on stage, get proper amplifier levels in relation to how the drums are playing. Number two, the band has got to play tight. When a band isn’t playing tight, the cones in the speakers don’t move together along with the band. So if you have a bass player and a drummer that aren’t locked in and hitting beats together, the cones in the sound system will be out of sync as well and it will affect your ears. So even if the volume level of the system isn’t excessively high, there is a perceived loudness that people will experience because things are syncing up. That’s what was going on during this particular gig. On the other hand when you have a band playing really tight, bass drum hitting good, bass hitting good, guitar player right in sync, right in time, drums tuned well and all of their amplifier volumes blended on stage, then all those cones in the speakers are moving in sync with each other. So even when there’s a nice dynamic “boom” part that all the air just moves at once, it’s easier on your body and your ear drums. Your ear drums react with the cones and sync up with them. So that’s just a little tip into understanding why things don’t sound quite right sometimes and although you’re struggling to get the volume level to even out, there may not be much you can do to fix it at the sound board. Try working with the band in sound check to get their amp volume levels blended and if you have the time, make sure the drums are tuned well. You can’t help the band play any tighter of course, which is why it’s so nice when you get to run sound for really well rehearsed bands, but you can work on those other areas to get the best sound you can and get the perceived loudness factor more in line with the true volume level. That’s it for Bob the sound guy this week. I’m sure we’ll have more crazy things happen next week and I’ll have some good insights to share with you.
Posted by Bob on February 10th, 2010
I’m Going to dedicate the next few week’s top 5 to outboard gear. There’s alot of good stuff out there ( also alot of bad stuff too). We’ll just concentrate on the good. This week is compressors and leveling amps.
1. Summit TLA 100 A tube leveling amplifier
2. DBX 160 A compressor 
3. Empircal Labs Distressor
4. DBX 160 SL
5. DBX 1066 Dual compressor/gate
Posted by Bob on February 10th, 2010
So……you got good ears…you’ve been working with a band as thier F.O.H. guy for a while, and your band just got a tour opening for a national act , for say about…..2 months. You haven’t got much experience on any other console except the one the band bought used from another guy who used it for the opener of the opener for another regional act, that broke up because the singer’s girlfriend started to like the bass player, and that caused the opener for the opener’s band to break up because now the main club they used to play at is now a DJ club………..
Sound familiar? Anyway, do some research on some of the higher end consoles out there. You can even download owners manuals for them as well. Talk to the headliner’s F.O.H. guy and see what they are using and see if you can use the un-used channels of thier console. You may be using “console du-jur” on tour, so get yourself an assortment of different insert cables and adaptors for your effects. Number one thing to remember is don’t step on anyones toes and make big demands. Just remember who invited who and know your place. You’ll step up the ladder soon enough with a good attitude and preparedness.
Posted by Bob on February 10th, 2010
Calling all you vintage geeks and audiophiles!!!!! This is one of my favorite peices of gear in the world. I’ve had the pleasure of using a pair of these time and time again for live sound and studio for years and have never been let down or disappointed. The Summit Audio TLA 100A is a classic leveling amplifier that has been heard on thousands of hit records on vocals and bass in particular, and has been used at thousands of shows with some of the top rated artists in the world. (Anybody heard of Michael Jackson?)
What I like best about it is it has two knobs….Gain and Gain Reduction. One toggle switch for fast or slow attack, one toggle for fast or slow release, and one for linking two together, on, and off. Real simple. The sound is amazing. It puts what I like to call “heat” on whatever you use it on. It smooths out rough edges on vocals and bass, but can really put the grind on electric guitar and especially keys. Try it on the high side of a Lesilie cab and be prepared! My favorite setting I use, I call the 7 & 7. Turn the gain on 7, the Gain reduction on 7, slow attack, fast release, and oh man….electric guitars… BAM!..Electric bass….BAM!….A pair on a Lesile cab..KABLOOM!!!….and of course, vocals ….silk with a little bit ‘o’ grit. This setting gets the tubes real hot so the harmonics can add a little color to the sound. If you like a smoother cleaner tone, then a setting of 5 & 3, or 3 & 2 is good. It depends on how hot the incoming signal is.
These units do have to be taken care of as they are high end units. If they go on the road, use a good shock rack case and if in the studio where they’re on for 24 hrs. a day, then get them maitenenced regularly.
These guys are expensive, but what the heck…..life is too short for bad tone.
Posted by Bob on January 31st, 2010
1. Midas Heritage 3000
2. Yamaha pm5d
3.Yamaha m7 CL 48
4. Yamaha LS9 32
5. Allen & Heath ML4000 40 ch.
Midas Heritage 3000
Posted by Bob on January 31st, 2010
Staying in the vein of the Yamaha LS9 32 channel console, here’s a couple of tips that will get monitor mixes and effects going quick.
Say you have a show with left and right F.O.H., 4 monitor mixes, and 2 effect sends. To get to the monitors you will see 16 buttons labled 1-16 next to the screen. Just double click on the particular mix you want and viola!….Your sends are operated by the faders instead of knobs! Much easier to deal with. You also get the full eq and effects on each channel.
To get effects, push the RACK 5-8 button, choose an effect, select what send you want it to go to and treat it just like the monitor sends.
Posted by Bob on January 31st, 2010
Here’s a little jewel…..The Yamaha LS9 32 channel digital console. Now, I’m an old analog guy and it took me some time to get used to the feeling of being naked. Not having to haul a 500lb. console (for the eq, matrix, and 16 sends), a 100lb. outboard power supply, and racks and racks of compressors, gates, reverb and delay units, (add another 200-300lbs. of racks), and oh…if I’m doing monitors from front of house, 2 racks of eq’s. Actually, the amount of outboard gear I would have to bring to do what this 45lb. console can do would be 32 comps., 32 gates, 8 effects units, and 7 dual 31 band eq’s. Oh…and the 2 miles of cable spaghetti at front of house is gone as well. Makes it nice at the end of the night for quick and easy breakdown. By the way this makes an excellent monitor console for bigger shows that require a monitor board. 16 monitor mixes is no issue for this little beastie especially since up to 300 scenes can be saved and named. This really helps in monitor world especially in a fixed installation where different acts come through and some are returning acts. All you have to do is recall thier particular setting and you have a good start in about a half a second.
Go to Yamaha’s website for more tips and suggestions on this wonderful little board!
Posted by Bob on January 25th, 2010
1. QSC Wideline 8
2. JBL Vertec 4888
3. JBL VRX 900 series
4. Bag End T5000 B
5. Meyer CQ1
Meyer CQ-1
Posted by Bob on January 24th, 2010
So…..you’re doing a new P.A. installation? It’s not just a business transaction. Guess what? If you try to sell the client only the gear you can get, it may not be in the best interest of the client. Do your homework and research and pick the best gear to suit their budjet and needs. If the client sees you actually care about them, and are passionate about their vision, then guess what? 9 times outa 10 you’ll get the gig, have a repeat client who just might tell other people (uhhh that’s called word of mouth), and the one time you didn’t get a gig…..you probably didn’t want that one anyway (beleive me, I know!!!!!!!!!!).
