How To Go Direct Into Church PA

[Scott Peterson]

Did they pad ur signal at the board or it wasn't needed? Our board doesn't have a pad but it does have mic or line inputs. Also our snake has chan 1-24 xlr, 25-28 1/4.

I know this is noobish just trying to set it up prior to the launch.

I did not ask; but I will next week.

 

[Fro]

So I've just been running XLR from Output 1 to the snake, and nobody has yelled at me yet. My guess is they've been doing whatever they needed to at the board. I haven't been putting any thought in to it until now. Should I keep a few things on hand from this point on just in case I need to pad it or whatever? It seems like what I'm hearing is that if the board only takes an actual mic level, you really can't just bring the output volume down as low as it goes, on the front panel or globally?

 

[javajunkie]

So I've just been running XLR from Output 1 to the snake, and nobody has yelled at me yet. My guess is they've been doing whatever they needed to at the board. I haven't been putting any thought in to it until now. Should I keep a few things on hand from this point on just in case I need to pad it or whatever? It seems like what I'm hearing is that if the board only takes an actual mic level, you really can't just bring the output volume down as low as it goes, on the front panel or globally?

If the board doesn't have a pad they can just turn the gain down low (that is what padding is doing anyway).

 

[@danserrano]

Scott, Sean thanks for help. Sounds good

 

[Greg Harms]

It is not good to turn the gain way down on the board instead of using a pad. It would be just barely cracked open. This makes for a real muddy signal & improper gain structure. Since we know that the AxeFx11 XLR & 1/4" outs are line level we have two choices. If we go out with XLR a pad will need to be engaged on the mixing board. Second would be to go out of the AxeFx 1/4" into a DI which knocks the signal down to mic level & then a pad is not needed on the board. I will always have a DI with me in case whatever board I am going into does not have a pad.

 

[Tone Seeker]

It is not good to turn the gain way down on the board instead of using a pad. It would be just barely cracked open. This makes for a real muddy signal & improper gain structure.

I can't honestly see why either of these scenarios would be any better or worse. If you're concerned about the signal level reaching the first stage of the mixer being hot enough, does it matter if you inject a hot signal and turn down the gain, or send a weaker signal and turn up the gain? The signal level immediately after the gain control is the same, and it's this signal that you want at the proper level for gain staging.

Terry.

 

[pneil2]

I always have the sound man pad the Axe input at the board. If they turn the gain down, or have me turn the output below my usual levels the gain structure is "off". The relative levels of my patches (which is typically pretty even) can vary more. The relative levels of my lead and rhythm patches can be... um, unexpected. It's just the sort of thing I try to avoid. The XLR outputs of the Axe are pretty hot and I would advise a pad.

As for setup, mine is similar to others here. Output 1 Left XLR out to the main board. Output 2 left out to one input on my QSC K10. At times I will run the Aviom output (line level monitor mixer) into the other K10 input. This works great because I have my Aviom input to build my mix and hear what's in the house, but I can still check the raw Axe-fx send to ensure that the soundman isn't getting too "creative" .

 

[javajunkie]

It is not good to turn the gain way down on the board instead of using a pad. It would be just barely cracked open. This makes for a real muddy signal & improper gain structure. Since we know that the AxeFx11 XLR & 1/4" outs are line level we have two choices. If we go out with XLR a pad will need to be engaged on the mixing board. Second would be to go out of the AxeFx 1/4" into a DI which knocks the signal down to mic level & then a pad is not needed on the board. I will always have a DI with me in case whatever board I am going into does not have a pad.

not really, there is an output level knob on the axe-fx. If you are sending way too hot of a signal you can turn it down. Unless you send it a really hot signal it will be more than cracked. That being said I always go in line in when possible.

 

[jakel]

Isn't the real issue impedance? I mean, we're talking about a difference in levels here that can easily be corrected by lowering the Output 1 level. As long as you are running a fairly hot signal through the snake into the board all should be good, yes? But if you try driving a high impedance input with the low impedance output of the Axe, wouldn't that screw things up? Maybe not as bad as a high impedance source into a low impedance load. I dunno.

Whether I'm right or wrong here, I have no problems running Output 1 of my Ultra directly into a snake that goes to a mic input on our Mackie board. You just have to be careful not to turn up Output 1 past 10:00 or so.

 

[s0c9]

Did they pad ur signal at the board or it wasn't needed? Our board doesn't have a pad but it does have mic or line inputs. Also our snake has chan 1-24 xlr, 25-28 1/4.

I know this is noobish just trying to set it up prior to the launch.

If you have the typical 24x4 snake, those 1/4" jacks (25-28) as usually returns. To be sure, they can be used as extra inputs (being 1/4"), but you should check with sound folks before assuming they are available as such, or buying anything you might need to hook into them. Return channels on a snake are usually premium use and not available as extra inputs to console.

 

[@danserrano]

If you have the typical 24x4 snake, those 1/4" jacks (25-28) as usually returns. To be sure, they can be used as extra inputs (being 1/4"), but you should check with sound folks before assuming they are available as such, or buying anything you might need to hook into them. Return channels on a snake are usually premium use and not available as extra inputs to console.

Good to knw. Thx!!

 

[Spoons]

I have been using the XLR outputs direct to the board since I got my Ultra last August. I works GREAT!!!

 

[s0c9]

If they turn the gain down, or have me turn the output below my usual levels the gain structure is "off".

That is not accurate. The gain structure is not "off", tho' it may appear that way to you. Signal level - properly gain staged, which occurs when the input signal on the average "desk" - is (like the Axe) in the yellow, but not flicking red (tho' that is OK on some consoles)! Red is generally not good to see on a channel strip/PFL level. Like the Axe clip levels, it indicates clipping. If you have a hot signal coming in, turning the trim all the way down is perfectly OK, as long as its not in the "red" after that, and you have enough headroom in the mix.

The relative levels of my patches (which is typically pretty even) can vary more. The relative levels of my lead and rhythm patches can be... um, unexpected.

That may be the perception, but AFAIK its got nothing to do with gain/trim on the console set a very low level - assuming no change in input levels. It may be that the difference in your patch levels is more noticeable. Signal level is signal level if the system has been gain staged correctly.

 

[Darryl Ramm]

Isn't the real issue impedance? ... SNIP... But if you try driving a high impedance input with the low impedance output of the Axe, wouldn't that screw things up? Maybe not as bad as a high impedance source into a low impedance load. I dunno. ...SNIP...

Nope. The lower the output impedance and the higher the input impedance you are driving just means the output is affected less by the input. That is (usually) what you want.

 

[jakel]

Nope. The lower the output impedance and the higher the input impedance you are driving just means the output is affected less by the input. That is (usually) what you want.

Ah. Thanks. Gotcha, I think. So, plugging an Axe into a high impedance input is no problem, but, say, plugging an electric guitar into a low impedance input would be bad? Sorry, I know this is a bit off topic.