help on powered speaker setting

[salford1986]

hello

iv just purchased the EV ELX115P, I love em! just one question though what will the ideal settings be on the back?
they have a ''input 1 volume knob'' which ranges from 0db to +6db and a loudspeaker volume level and that's the same 0db to +6db....what do I set these two volume at?

should I do what I did with my passive speakers just turn them full on and use mixer to control volume or do I set the input 1 volume to 0db and turn the loudspeaker volume full on?

thanks

[SC Events]

I'd suggest doing a search of this forum first, as i'm sure this question, if not very similar ones, have been asked quite a lot recently.

My advice, set the mixer to output at 0dB, then adjust your speakers to suit the room.

[Excalibur]

Well here's my two pennorth of empirical findings. With passives, I've always set the gains on the amp to max, and controlled the level going into it with the mixer. All my recent mixers have a gain control per channel, as well as the master, so I could just nudge them up as the need arose. When I've used the actives, I just started with volume at 12o'clock, and lifted the channel volume as required. At a function recently, the clip lights came on far sooner than I'd hoped, and I was disappointed.
Well, last night, I was set up early, and had an empty venue, and time on my hands. I did what I normally do with passive speakers, volume to maximum, and lowered the input level on the active cabs to suit. I then ran the mixer up to the maximum level I use, and turned the speaker inputs up. What a difference! No red lights, although I admit I didn't take everything to the absolute maximum. So much more headroom, it was amazing. It's something I've seen before with separate amps, and it seems that the same things apply to powered cabs.

I'm not saying it's the only way to do it, I'm not saying it's the right way, but from now on, the master volumes are going up to the top, and I'll adjust the signal to achieve the desired volume.