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spin mobile disco
26-10-2010, 09:47 PM
Ok I have a Denon mixer but ifeel this question may cover most 3 band eq mixers.

My denon Mixer DN_500 has three rotary knobs for high mid and low control. As have most of my previous mixers. As I am now running 3 different speaker brands at different times I am finding that it is becoming increasingly difficult to remember the best setting for each speaker in differing enviroments.

Now the question is this. Do the 3 band eq's cover a narrow band width or are they contoured across multiple frequencies.
Now it has been my belief that they are contoured rather than one specific frequeny hence why recently i have been struggling to adapt the settings to such differing cabs.

Now if this is so then the only way to fix this would be to install a full equiliser in the signal chain and fix it that way, maybe one with memory. Downside of this is extra weight and another thing to carry.

But if the eq's are not contoured then it may be a design limitation of the cabs to replicate certain frequencie to my satisfaction.

A little explination of why this is bugging me is that my Db speakers sound amazng with a sub as do my new rcf and my passive mackies.

My old peavey st speakers sounded the same but without a sub. However they could not manage the volume I required by some of my gigs.

The Db can replicate bass very well without subs for certain songs and others it seems that bass is lacking. It doesnt even seem to be particulaly low in the frequency im talking anything from 50 - 90hz.

The rcf are the same however they seem to have problems between 50 - 120 hz

The Mackie seem to follow the curve of the DB so the same problem.

Now for a long time I have run the mackie or the DB's with a sub and when I thought the bass was low I would change the volume from the sub itself rather than via the mixer.
But when I ran them by themselves I was unsure if I should tweak the mixer low volume up to compensate or leave it at the usual 12 oclock postion I normally do.

I am aware that bass makes us deaf very quickly and we adapt as the bass is higher in volume behind the speakers than infront. So I am afraid of increasing the bass in fear that the clients out the front may think the sound has become 'muddy' when to me it may sound right but I have gone 'bass deaf' from behind.

The strange thing is that the sound when listened from a long way away i.e outside room or from outside building. Its sounds perfect.

I think I may be going deaf from using subs to much but would prefer a second opinon on my dilemma,

Dynamic Entertainment
26-10-2010, 09:55 PM
Ive the RCF ART 312A's and never have to equalise with the DN-X500 at all (unless the track is badly mastered...like Mr Brightside).

According to the DN-X500 manual:

Channel equalizer:
Hi, +10 dB, –35 dB (16 kHz)
Mid, +10 dB, –35 dB (1 kHz)
Low, +6 dB, –35 dB (60 Hz)

Do these figures help at all?

BeerFunk
26-10-2010, 10:30 PM
It might not be feasible, but how about looking into a separate equaliser with memory capability?

CRAZY K
27-10-2010, 08:51 AM
(unless the track is badly mastered...like Mr Brightside).



Not directly related but might be--Mr Brightside sounds terrible to me for a modern track ( as I have reported before) whatever settings I use --punters dont seem too bothered though.:confused:

I was amused to hear Matts Peaveys getting a postive report.

Peavey knockers please note.;)

Generally I think Matt one of the problems with our business of being Mobile is that there are so many different premises and Halls to play that not only do we get different acoustics all the time but also there can be further problems caused by different size audiences within the SAME venue, people constantly moving in and out of rooms and even weather conditions.

My experience is that I have to carefully eq the mike at every venue--and then change it again if there is a changing number in the audience---like empty room fills up for example.

Music is a bit easier, although of course modern MP3s dont have the wildly differing levels of tone some of the 50s and 60s music recordings had--I noticed during a Wedding First Dance whilst playing the downloaded version of Herb Alpert This Guys in Love with you ( inspired choice) the treble and bass seemed to keep changing as well as the volume so I was constantly twiddling with the eq:eek:

I always watch out for speaker wrecking bass on Lets Twist again--:mad:
or alternatively little or no bass on Hollies/ Kinks originals music not that you probably play any of that stuff;)

I bought the Peavey UL15s to overcome the power limitations of the Pro 15s--a need to go louder but not take four speakers.:D

I hope you dont have a deafness problem --check it out with the GP.


regards

spin mobile disco
27-10-2010, 09:02 AM
Actually Allen I do a lot of the older stuff so lack of bass on beetles etc does not bother me as I consider that normal. Maybe it is just me getting deaf to bass frequencies.
Plus I think the clarity of modern systems is so clear that it can sound less fuzzy and that fuzziness can be mistaken for bass but does add warmth. I think im missing the warmth.

abracadabradisco
27-10-2010, 09:04 AM
I agree that eq should be adjusted to suit the venue. I use Tannoy or RCF with/without subs and change the hi, mid and low pots at every gig however I do not always change the main eq settings.

spin mobile disco
27-10-2010, 09:09 AM
Forgot to say Dynamic I have the new mkii model and they have no tone control switch on the back so that may be one of the reasons. I know the tone frequencies of the mixer but was unsure as to how wide they are I.e how many octaves they cover when raised.