The PX... first use, some thoughts
Well, after a few minutes to familiarize myself with the interface (it ISN'T actually a re-branded DRPA after all) I found it fairly easy to navigate the interface (with some cheater glasses... it SUX to get old...) note here that there isn't a \"xover\" button any longer but a section to the right side from top to bottom, that is associated with the \"Wizard\" and 'Setup'.
The EQ, AFS... and the <PG> and encoder button are used to navigate the \"filter\", \"Auto Eq\", \"AFS Wizard\" \"GEQ\", and \"PEQ's\". The 'inserts' still have a button for each as does the \"store\" and \"utility\" sections..
As for the sound quality, very good... no appreciable turn off/on thump, and very quiet sonically (at least for the crappy mixer I was using...)
1. Selection and setup of a completely \"custom\" setup, and a \"similar\" configuration to mine (2X3 with mono subs) was simple and strait forward using the Wizard, and the preset menu's. Navigating the xover/filter section was easy enough.
I set up a system using all passive speakers, with subs. WAYYY too little power to the tops and WAYYY too much power to the subs 8) 8) 8) 8) using it as a monitor system for a garage jam... (my friend the drummer wanted the kick drum to be SMOKIN! You know what... it WAS!!!) I set a gain structure (reasonable for the overbalance in power) and a filter set that had the subs HPF'd @ 45 hz BW18 and crossed @ 118 hz (I believe) with the tops running 120 hz... up both with a LR 24 filters. I did an Auto EQ @ about 4 feet with a top sitting on twin subs stacked ( on axis between the horn and lo-mid on a mic stand) I was only able to get about -18 db (I wish I could have gotten more level) before the \"turn system down\" shifted to a \"set system level\" curious... one more click and the thing reverts to a \"Turn system down\"... I believe I could have gotten a better result if I was allowed to use more level... even close field ... but, even so it was a good sounding system that I had to mash the mains volume to even get three bands of filters to set on the AFS wizard...(this with a system I ran @ -12~ on the masters with a typical unity gain on the channel fader and an average -0- (read no gain or cut on the input volume/gain control, of a Behringer UB 1622 FX pro mixer (that gets increasingly noisy the closer you get to -0- db on the master fader. I suspect the same is true for MANY of the lesser mixers..including Mackie)
Now, I didn't have time to use any of the PEQ's to replace the GEQ treatment of the Auto EQ, even so the results (note As I suspected the bands below 100 hz were pretty much eliminated (cut fully) indicating standing waves in a small garage had tricked the RTA-M included in the package into believing that there was too much bass...) and a fully boosted 3k \"ish\" (reflection) band and a fully boosted final (highest) 2 bands, which would indicate reflections, or a horn incapable of producing those frequencies...
Either way I EQ'ed the questionable channels by ear and put the AFS system into play.
I had 4 mics, all dynamic, one a wireless in play up to concert volume and anything but set up like they are supposed to be... picture a rectangular garage 20X15' with one 15X2 (Sp2) behind the drummer...and a stack with 2x15\" subs with another 15\"2way (Sp2) on top(half way along a wall)...aimed across the garage short axis, with the mics pretty much aimed so that they were facing the drummer ( so, 90 degrees off axis on a stick about 6 feet high, and strait away on axis) LOUD band( uufda ...drunken party ensued... but I digress)... worked great!
All in all a good piece (PX) that I wish had:
1. DELAY ( and 10 ms would be barely usable...)
2. The ability to have MORE gain on the Auto EQ sequence...(let ME be the judge of what is too high a level...!)
Other than that, for an entry level processor, and a \"powered\" speaker processor, again, all in all a good bet to make the system sound far better than it can in and of itself...
G
The EQ, AFS... and the <PG> and encoder button are used to navigate the \"filter\", \"Auto Eq\", \"AFS Wizard\" \"GEQ\", and \"PEQ's\". The 'inserts' still have a button for each as does the \"store\" and \"utility\" sections..
As for the sound quality, very good... no appreciable turn off/on thump, and very quiet sonically (at least for the crappy mixer I was using...)
1. Selection and setup of a completely \"custom\" setup, and a \"similar\" configuration to mine (2X3 with mono subs) was simple and strait forward using the Wizard, and the preset menu's. Navigating the xover/filter section was easy enough.
I set up a system using all passive speakers, with subs. WAYYY too little power to the tops and WAYYY too much power to the subs 8) 8) 8) 8) using it as a monitor system for a garage jam... (my friend the drummer wanted the kick drum to be SMOKIN! You know what... it WAS!!!) I set a gain structure (reasonable for the overbalance in power) and a filter set that had the subs HPF'd @ 45 hz BW18 and crossed @ 118 hz (I believe) with the tops running 120 hz... up both with a LR 24 filters. I did an Auto EQ @ about 4 feet with a top sitting on twin subs stacked ( on axis between the horn and lo-mid on a mic stand) I was only able to get about -18 db (I wish I could have gotten more level) before the \"turn system down\" shifted to a \"set system level\" curious... one more click and the thing reverts to a \"Turn system down\"... I believe I could have gotten a better result if I was allowed to use more level... even close field ... but, even so it was a good sounding system that I had to mash the mains volume to even get three bands of filters to set on the AFS wizard...(this with a system I ran @ -12~ on the masters with a typical unity gain on the channel fader and an average -0- (read no gain or cut on the input volume/gain control, of a Behringer UB 1622 FX pro mixer (that gets increasingly noisy the closer you get to -0- db on the master fader. I suspect the same is true for MANY of the lesser mixers..including Mackie)
Now, I didn't have time to use any of the PEQ's to replace the GEQ treatment of the Auto EQ, even so the results (note As I suspected the bands below 100 hz were pretty much eliminated (cut fully) indicating standing waves in a small garage had tricked the RTA-M included in the package into believing that there was too much bass...) and a fully boosted 3k \"ish\" (reflection) band and a fully boosted final (highest) 2 bands, which would indicate reflections, or a horn incapable of producing those frequencies...
Either way I EQ'ed the questionable channels by ear and put the AFS system into play.
I had 4 mics, all dynamic, one a wireless in play up to concert volume and anything but set up like they are supposed to be... picture a rectangular garage 20X15' with one 15X2 (Sp2) behind the drummer...and a stack with 2x15\" subs with another 15\"2way (Sp2) on top(half way along a wall)...aimed across the garage short axis, with the mics pretty much aimed so that they were facing the drummer ( so, 90 degrees off axis on a stick about 6 feet high, and strait away on axis) LOUD band( uufda ...drunken party ensued... but I digress)... worked great!
All in all a good piece (PX) that I wish had:
1. DELAY ( and 10 ms would be barely usable...)
2. The ability to have MORE gain on the Auto EQ sequence...(let ME be the judge of what is too high a level...!)
Other than that, for an entry level processor, and a \"powered\" speaker processor, again, all in all a good bet to make the system sound far better than it can in and of itself...
G