Feedback

[Shaun]

Anyone else get really annoyed by guests that stand too close to the speakers when making speeches.?

I try to advise people on where to stand to avoid feedback back do they listen?...do they heck..lol. You'ld think that having the ability to roam the room with the shure wireless would stop the need for them to stand next to the speakers when making speeches, but the speakers seem to attract "best men" like flies around shi....well you get the picture :D

I tend to reduce the treble on the EQ's whenever I see them getting close to the speakers, but it has the obvious negative effect on the sound.

Does anyone have a sure-fire method of reducing feedback?. I've seen several brands of feedback destroyer and eliminators on the market but never had any experience with them.

[A1DL]

Anyone else get really annoyed by guests that stand too close to the speakers when making speeches.?

I try to advise people on where to stand to avoid feedback back do they listen?...do they heck..lol. You'ld think that having the ability to roam the room with the shure wireless would stop the need for them to stand next to the speakers when making speeches, but the speakers seem to attract "best men" like flies around shi....well you get the picture :D

I tend to reduce the treble on the EQ's whenever I see them getting close to the speakers, but it has the obvious negative effect on the sound.

Does anyone have a sure-fire method of reducing feedback?. I've seen several brands of feedback destroyer and eliminators on the market but never had any experience with them.


If you've politely asked the inexperienced mic user not to stand in front of the stacks and they insist on wandering in front of them, hitting channel mute on the desk always has the desired effect :teeth:

[Corabar Steve]

Cattle prod & a sharp stick, keeps 'em away from the spakers

[A1DL]

that's a bit harsh on customers Steve, don't you think!:embarasse

I'd save that for redlining DJs, as like a first warning before the cricket bat :omg:

[Shaun]

If you've politely asked the inexperienced mic user not to stand in front of the stacks and they insist on wandering in front of them, hitting channel mute on the desk always has the desired effect :teeth:

I've thought about that but if the sound dies, the best man turns to look at me (as does the rest of the guests). I don't want the guests thinking there's a problem with the mic or equipment when in reality theres just a problem with the dude on the mic :D :D

[Shaun]

Cattle prod & a sharp stick, keeps 'em away from the spakers


If only we could eh !! :D

[Corabar Steve]

If only we could eh !! :D
Waddaya mean if only???? :teeth:

[Shaun]

There has to be a more subtle way.

Knock Out gas in the haze or something similar. :)

[Corabar Steve]

Not exactly the same effect, but what about nitrous oxide in the fogger?

They'd be too busy laughing to go near the speakers.

[Shaun]

LOL...now you're talking.

[colinm345]

Cattle prod & a sharp stick, keeps 'em away from the spakers

I prefer a baseball bat,better still a hammer:)

[Wolfie]

2 tricks i use..

1) short mic lead

2) kill the volume when they wander close to the speakers & then say "it has a safety cut out to stop feedback, if you move back a bit it will work perfectly" when they turn & say "the mic isn't on".

[colinm345]

2 tricks i use..

1) short mic lead

2) kill the volume when they wander close to the speakers & then say "it has a safety cut out to stop feedback, if you move back a bit it will work perfectly" when they turn & say "the mic isn't on".

SOME GOOD IDEAS:teeth:

[Corabar Steve]

2 tricks i use..

1) short mic lead

2) kill the volume when they wander close to the speakers & then say "it has a safety cut out to stop feedback, if you move back a bit it will work perfectly" when they turn & say "the mic isn't on".
Surely a short mic lead would bring them closer to the speakers? Unless it's so short that it keeps them bang in the middle

[Wolfie]

Surely a short mic lead would bring them closer to the speakers? Unless it's so short that it keeps them bang in the middle


how would it... they would be 3ft from the mixer / console & nowhere near the speakers as the speakers are usually about 10ft either side.

[colinm345]

Surely a short mic lead would bring them closer to the speakers? Unless it's so short that it keeps them bang in the middle

Hmm,now thats a thought to ponder on:)

[colinm345]

how would it... they would be 3ft from the mixer / console & nowhere near the speakers as the speakers are usually about 10ft either side.

Hmm,close enough to spill their beer into the mixer

Do you remember that show we did together when the guy threatened to pour beer into my mixer

[Wolfie]

Hmm,close enough to spill their beer into the mixer

Do you remember that show we did together when the guy threatened to pour beer into my mixer

do i.....

but that wasn't because of a speech, simply because he wanted to sing a song & came up to ask halfway through the last karaoke song when we were already over-running & we said "no" as well as getting daggers from the landlord because we were running over

[colinm345]

do i.....

but that wasn't because of a speech, simply because he wanted to sing a song & came up to ask halfway through the last karaoke song when we were already over-running & we said "no" as well as getting daggers from the landlord because we were running over

lol

I still think that this is your best yet

2) kill the volume when they wander close to the speakers & then say "it has a safety cut out to stop feedback

[Corabar Steve]

how would it... they would be 3ft from the mixer / console & nowhere near the speakers as the speakers are usually about 10ft either side.
OMG! That light screen must be huge if the speakers are 10 feet away from your mixer!! :teeth: & How big are those speakers!!!!! :teeth: :teeth: :teeth:

[Corabar Steve]

how would it... they would be 3ft from the mixer / console & nowhere near the speakers as the speakers are usually about 10ft either side.
Seriously though did you mean you keep them behind your cnsole with the short lead, therefore being unable to wander infront of the speakers?

[Wolfie]

Seriously though did you mean you keep them behind your console with the short lead, therefore being unable to wander infront of the speakers?

got it in one.. or if they stand in front they can't move very far away from the front.

in fact in that picture (god that is years old!! Good job i'm taking some more when i can get some free time in a venue for a couple of hours) you can't really see the speakers... one was positioned on the left of the rig & the other was on the right but was about 6ft in front

Where that picture was taken, it was a very narrow area that was used as a dancefloor by night / weekends & a darts area by day & all other times with about 6 dartboards all on the wall.. the "oche" was on the right of the picture & the boards are mounted on the wall on the left side just off the picture, just to give you some idea how small an area that was.... hence the mini-moon on the floor & the single tripod.

[Shaun]

2) kill the volume when they wander close to the speakers & then say "it has a safety cut out to stop feedback, if you move back a bit it will work perfectly" when they turn & say "the mic isn't on".


Good advice Wolfie.


Up till now I've tried to mentionb casually about the feedback problem. From now on I'll use your method but inform them that this WILL happen if they get too close to the speaker.

[Wolfie]

Be warned, in the wrong circumstances it can backfire... I once had a karaoke singer who was a really dodgy old geezer who couldn't read (which was his excuse not to write a request slip out, yet he could see lyrics on a karaoke TV & read that!!) & loved to go walking around with a mic.

He used to blatantly stand in front of the speakers as that seemed to be his favourite point so i did the old "it's perfectly OK if you stand back here" routine & killed the mic, but he claimed i was being funny with him & I had killed his mic deliberately (OK i did to a point because if i had it switched on i would of got feedback squeal) because i didn't like his singing. He went & complained to the manager in the bar & despite my explaination that i was merely trying to avoid feedback & prevent everyone from hearing damage from the feedback & not his rendition of the Mavericks, he just wouldn't have it....i soon lost that resident gig under the excuse that "I was just being funny with him" & he was one of the pubs best customers.

[Shaun]

Sounds like a harsh situation that couldn't be avoided Wolfie.



Anyone ever used a feedback destroyer/eliminator?. Just wondering if they're maybe worth investing in.

[Shaun]

Alterntively I could provide one of these for speeches..lol.

http://www.mgelectronics.com/productimages/Thumbnails/megaphone.jpg

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Sounds like a harsh situation that couldn't be avoided Wolfie.



Anyone ever used a feedback destroyer/eliminator?. Just wondering if they're maybe worth investing in.

I saw one working years ago, but don't they just cut certain frequencies?

[Shaun]

I think so Darren. That's why I've been reluctant to buy one as yet...i'm not really sure how effective they really are.

[Wolfie]

Sounds like a harsh situation that couldn't be avoided Wolfie.

seems that way, however a lesson on why sometimes that trick can backfire.



Anyone ever used a feedback destroyer/eliminator?. Just wondering if they're maybe worth investing in.

when i was working at the DJ shop, loads of people who did karaoke & Disco's used to come along & ask about them... to be honest they are not what people expect.

A feedback destroyer is often percieved that you can pretty much just plonk your speakers anywhere & not get feedback.. which is wrong.... they don't "destroy" more like "soften" They are more useful for feedback from guitar pick-ups than microphones used by daft old codgers who are karaoke singing while being stood smack bang in front of the speakers. Even with a feedback destroyer on it's maximum setting if you waft a microphone in front of a speaker driver it will squeal.

the actual thing a feedback destroyer SHOULD be used for is a tool to improve the sound. Daft as it sounds, set your system up as though you won't get feedback & once you have "eliminated" feedback the old fashioned way, then you can switch on & use the destroyer, just in case a bit of feedback starts to creep in when the room starts to get full, someone comes along & plonks a buffet bar or hog roast in front of you so the sound is bounced straight off the metal or the air in the room gets a bit thin because of temperature changes & you start picking up feedback from stage monitor speakers (if you use them), which does somethimes happen.

[Shaun]

That's the kinda advice I was looking for. Thank you wolfie.