Getting the best signal to FOH?

We use AES (singe 50 ft. cable-both channels) into an inexpensive M-Audio interface and then (2) balanced XLR into Mic input of the console.
 
The keyboards are going into DI boxes then into mic level inputs. The mixer is a Roland V-Mixer (M-400) at one campus (not sure what we have at the other campus but it is being upgraded soon anyway).

Zwiebelchen said:
Just tell the soundguy to treat you like a keyboard and plug the XLRs into the stage box and you should be fine. If he doesn't know how to treat a keyboard, then it doesn't really matter, 'cause he will make you sound like shit anyway. ;)
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cander328 said:
The keyboards are going into DI boxes then into mic level inputs. The mixer is a Roland V-Mixer (M-400) at one campus (not sure what we have at the other campus but it is being upgraded soon anyway).
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Not the ideal solution, but if it works, why not?

Just saying; do you have any noise issues? If not, then there's no problem with that solution.
 
Quote Originally Posted by carloszeke View Post
We use AES (singe 50 ft. cable-both channels) into an inexpensive M-Audio interface and then (2) balanced XLR into Mic input of the console.



GiRa said:
Can you please explain this method more in detail? Thanks.
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My description needs a minor correction; we use S/PDIF 35Ft. max length. Here is a simple schematic;

AxeFX S/PDIF out>>single 35 foot 75 ohm cable>>M-Audio Fast-Track Pro (S/PDIF in)>> (2)TRS balanced OUT (Fast Track)>> (2)XLR balanced IN (FOH Behringer Eurodesk)

This works, however, the plan is to change to AES/EBU (do away with the Fast-Track, and run a longer cable length (110 ohm twisted pair)when our console upgrades to digital. (the console will have an AES/EBU input-)


…..I forgot to mention, sending a digital signal to FOH is not necessarily the best way. We tried it because we had all the hardware and wanted to see how well it worked…It worked, so we stuck with it.
 
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I went direct to FOH without the DI box at both church services today (different campuses and different rigs) and there was significantly less noise and once padded and the gain adjusted on the board the signal was perfect. The FOH sound was also much closer to what I was hearing from my CLR (gives me FOH on input 1 and the Axe on input 2 allowing me to adjust how much of me I hear).

Question: what would happen if the sound person accidentally turned on phantom power to my axe? Unlikely, since nothing else is requiring phantom power but hey anything could happen I guess.


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cander328 said:
I went direct to FOH without the DI box at both church services today (different campuses and different rigs) and there was significantly less noise and once padded and the gain adjusted on the board the signal was perfect. The FOH sound was also much closer to what I was hearing from my CLR (gives me FOH on input 1 and the Axe on input 2 allowing me to adjust how much of me I hear).

Question: what would happen if the sound person accidentally turned on phantom power to my axe? Unlikely, since nothing else is requiring phantom power but hey anything could happen I guess.


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The Axe has a protection against phantom power, so no worries.
 
This is an interesting topic as I have had several issues lately with different sound guys.
I run Out 1 FOH (no DI box, just XLR) and Out 2 is my stage setup, Matrix and Cab.

Most sound guys that I have used lately are compressing or limiting my signal causing me to phase in and out of the mix.
I am running my level at about 9 o'clock on OUT 1 (I know it's relative to my patch level).

The last guy was using a new PreSonus board and had the same issue. I kept telling him that I was running a hotter line level but it wasn't making sense to him,,,,,,,frustrating.

Next gig I am considering just micing my cab the traditional way....we will see.

Maybe the DI box is a good work around.....especially if the sound guy isn't familiar.
Do DI boxes cause and tonal changes?
 
Finnster said:
Most sound guys that I have used lately are compressing or limiting my signal causing me to phase in and out of the mix.
I am running my level at about 9 o'clock on OUT 1 (I know it's relative to my patch level).

The last guy was using a new PreSonus board and had the same issue. I kept telling him that I was running a hotter line level but it wasn't making sense to him,,,,,,,frustrating.
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Global -> Output1 -> Last slider all the way down. That will give you the output of a passive mic.
 
DI boxes are not created the same. I tried a couple when I was using them and the most transparent was the Radial JDI. I even tried their model that was a step below that and again the difference was noticeable (less mids and low end yielding an overall thinner sound). I don't think I ever got the gain structure right however because it was much noisier than running straight from the Axe.


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A sound engineer should be able to work out what to do with a line level signal....

All the gigs I've played in London I just plug into the mic box on stage and pad the input into the mixer.

It's not ideal as you're at the mercy of the quality for the mic pre-amp but thems the breaks.
 
This is what I did but I actually padded and trimmed the inputs and set the fader to unity on the boards myself! I then went to the axe and went back and forth to the board while playing wirelessly until I got a good signal at the board. I will refine this next week as I had my axe to about 2 o'clock and could adjust the input trim to get this to about noon so I have some more headroom. I will also adjust the EQ to compensate for the poor mic pre-amps next week. Given that I am playing at the same 2 locations every Sunday and my Axe rigs are hard wired, I should be able to set it and leave it although I will make explicit notes for the sound people.

Andrew Male said:
A sound engineer should be able to work out what to do with a line level signal....

All the gigs I've played in London I just plug into the mic box on stage and pad the input into the mixer.

It's not ideal as you're at the mercy of the quality for the mic pre-amp but thems the breaks.
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The global output configuration is in the manual, and lowering the output fader as much as possible let you run your axe in a mic input without overloading it.

It isn't rocket science :)
 
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