Alto TS115a Peaking into red

[JSideFx]

Hi I recently bought a pair of these speakers and on testing they are peaking into the red not constant red but slight flashes with heavy bass, It is probably something i'm doing wrong but I dont have much faith in them yet?
The Speaker volume is at 11 oclock
I'm using a behringer xyenth mixer with the chanel fader at 12 oclock and master on mixer at 1 ocklock

Are these set up wrong?

Thanks

[paulg]

Depends how hard you are pushing them really. When you say heavy bass, do you mean that you are cranking up the bass on your mixer. If you are, the Alto's aren't that good at low frequencies so you might just be driving them too hard

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Are you running XLRs or 1/4 inch into them?

I run my laptop at full volume, mixer at unity, xlr's into the Alto's and usually have it set to between 10 and 12 o clock and it's never clipped once...

[Excalibur]

Hi I recently bought a pair of these speakers and on testing they are peaking into the red not constant red but slight flashes with heavy bass, It is probably something i'm doing wrong but I dont have much faith in them yet?
The Speaker volume is at 11 oclock
I'm using a behringer xyenth mixer with the chanel fader at 12 oclock and master on mixer at 1 ocklock

Are these set up wrong?

Thanks

I had this problem with my QTX running into the clip lights too early, and blamed it on them being cheap units, as the Titans I used formerly never lit them. They were always amply loud enough, so I simply assumed they were just way better than the QTX.

It did occur to me that I was not following my own teachings, as with the actives I was setting volume at around twelve o'clock, and bringing the line control to a similar setting. ( The QTX basically have a full mixer on the back. Two mic inputs and a line, all with gain controls. )
So, one night, I had time to have a play, and started with master gains at max. The line gains were obviously now a lot lower, and the difference was amazing. Far more headroom, and the clip lights came on much later, and only flickered. Result.

So, it's worth turning the speaker gains right up, and see if it helps. Re your mixer settings, just keep it out of the red, and you're fine.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

I had this problem with my QTX running into the clip lights too early, and blamed it on them being cheap units, as the Titans I used formerly never lit them. They were always amply loud enough, so I simply assumed they were just way better than the QTX.

It did occur to me that I was not following my own teachings, as with the actives I was setting volume at around twelve o'clock, and bringing the line control to a similar setting. ( The QTX basically have a full mixer on the back. Two mic inputs and a line, all with gain controls. )
So, one night, I had time to have a play, and started with master gains at max. The line gains were obviously now a lot lower, and the difference was amazing. Far more headroom, and the clip lights came on much later, and only flickered. Result.

So, it's worth turning the speaker gains right up, and see if it helps. Re your mixer settings, just keep it out of the red, and you're fine.

I might be wrong here but the Alto's gain knob has 2 "stages" shall we say - Up until noon = your line and after noon = a mic direct in. I've not tried it to find out but the shop I bought them from said to make sure I don't go past noon on them.

http://drupal.soundonsound.com/sites/default/files/styles/news_large/public/imagelibrary/L/LS_Alto_Truesound_115A_03.jpg?itok=p2Ln6MAl

I don't know much of the technical side of power speakers but if you set it higher than 12 but it isn't clipping, is it likely to do any damage?

[Excalibur]

I might be wrong here but the Alto's gain knob has 2 "stages" shall we say - Up until noon = your line and after noon = a mic direct in. I've not tried it to find out but the shop I bought them from said to make sure I don't go past noon on them.

Oh crap, the Mackie solution again.

Jim, you and the shop are absolutely correct. Do not go past 12 for a line input. I was looking at a drawing in the manual, and didn't see the detail. Well done that man, thanks.

In my very humble opinion, that's a poor method of controlling the output.
Contrast it with my QTX. Two mic inputs with gain controls on each channel, one line with gain, a master gain, and tone controls. I know which one I prefer.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Jim, you and the shop are absolutely correct. Do not go past 12 for a line input. I was looking at a drawing in the manual, and didn't see the detail. Well done that man, thanks.


Even if it's not clipping?

[Excalibur]

Even if it's not clipping?

I honestly don't know. :confused: You'd think it would be alright, but I can envisage possible problems. Possible.

[DazzyD]

I haven't got active speakers but do have a powered mixer (mixer and amp combined) and the manual states that when setting the output to turn the gains and EQ until the red light starts to flicker. Then you have maximum output/gain for that channel. I would've assumed the red light flickering on the speaker is fine so long as it doesn't stay on solid. I've got a separate clip (Peak) light on each channel and when the mixer is set up properly then the clip light very very rarely even comes in to play. Is this not the case for active speakers?

[dalzeah]

I'm using these as well and have to say I was disappointed at them clipping on red on what I would consider to be not overly loud volumes. I concur with the poster who said to stick your master on the mixer on unity and pull the individual channel back. Certainly gave me a bit more to play with and yes, don't stray over 12.0'clock on the speaker gain. I love them otherwise.

[JSideFx]

Depends how hard you are pushing them really. When you say heavy bass, do you mean that you are cranking up the bass on your mixer. If you are, the Alto's aren't that good at low frequencies so you might just be driving them too hard

Hi no all eq is set to flat and i've not used the contour switch yet, I think they sound great just a bit put off with the flickering peak light.

[JSideFx]

Are you running XLRs or 1/4 inch into them?

I run my laptop at full volume, mixer at unity, xlr's into the Alto's and usually have it set to between 10 and 12 o clock and it's never clipped once...

For now I need to use 1/4 inch jacks as my mixer doesn't have xlr out

[Totally Plucked]

Pete,
What QTX's do you have the QRC15a's ?

[Excalibur]

Pete,
What QTX's do you have the QRC15a's ?

No. mine are smaller, ( ooh er missus!!! :D ) and different. QTX QS12a, allegedly the more expensive range. Curiously, by the specs they're fractionally heavier and quieter than the QRC's. :confused:
Two mic inputs, one line input, one line out, no echo on the mics, which the QRC apparently have. With the controls on the back of them, you could plug an ipod and a mic into one, slave across to the second, and have a basic working rig. I'm happy with them for what I use them for. I respect their limits.

I did have some Wharfedale Titans, which I grew to love, but they were the older model, which have an inherent weakness in the amps. Shame, cos they were :Censored: loud, and I really liked them. They beat the QTX out of sight.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

For now I need to use 1/4 inch jacks as my mixer doesn't have xlr out

Try some 1/4" to XLR cables.

I'm running RCA to XLR (my mixer doesn't even have a 1/4" out never mind XLR) and as I said, I've never had a problem.

[Totally Plucked]

No. mine are smaller, ( ooh er missus!!! :D ) and different. QTX QS12a, allegedly the more expensive range. Curiously, by the specs they're fractionally heavier and quieter than the QRC's. :confused:
Two mic inputs, one line input, one line out, no echo on the mics, which the QRC apparently have. With the controls on the back of them, you could plug an ipod and a mic into one, slave across to the second, and have a basic working rig. I'm happy with them for what I use them for. I respect their limits.

I did have some Wharfedale Titans, which I grew to love, but they were the older model, which have an inherent weakness in the amps. Shame, cos they were :Censored: loud, and I really liked them. They beat the QTX out of sight.

I have been using 6 pairs of the QTX QRC 15a's on hire stock over the last 2 years and have been faultless to be honest, and I have said in a previous thread they urinated all over the active 'Thumps' we used to have. They will always get a slating because of the brand. But based on experience with the product, they get a BIG thumbs up from me !! :approve:

[Excalibur]

I say this, because a well respected member happened to acquire a pair of the 12" version of these in exchange for some " cosmetically challenged " RCF 310A cabs. In view of everything we've seen written about them, he didn't expect to keep them for long. A fortnight ago, he ventured down here with them to put them up against my QTX twelves. I know exactly what the QTX are capable of, and fully expected them to hold their own easily against the Altos, with the reports of early clipping that have been, and still are surfacing.
My esteemed colleague had however tested his Altos thoroughly prior to bringing them here, and had a fair inkling of what would happen, the smug git. :D They blew the QTX out of the water completely. ( Mind you, the Altos have much bigger amps inside, and a bigger price tag, so I'm not heartbroken ) The only way we could get the clip lights to flash was to wind my VMS up a long way, and at that point, we were making a lot of ( very sweet sounding ) noise. Far more than you's expect to get out of a pair of budget cabs that size. I'd say that they were not far behind the Titans I used to have. I was so impressed that I'm currently hoping to get a pair for myself.


Now the Curious bit. The ones we tested are not the ones shown in the previous picture. I attach a picture below. Ours had one line input, one link out, and one gain control. There may even be two versions of this model, as ours have fans fitted, but there may be some with heatsinks instead. As I said, Curiouser and Curiouser. :confused::confused:

[djdj]

Two versions of the same speaker!!
I loved the idea of the Alto when I bought them, But they were vey unreliable
The same speaker had a Pro version which looked exactly the same but only one input as per last post!
New design is now available so will see how they fair!

[itydntk]

Excalibur, the speaker you are referring to is the TS115A MK1 with the single line input. The MK2 has two inputs as per the picture you've posted.

I've purchased a pair of the TS115A MK2. I've seen lots of complaints about the speakers having problems but to be honest I think it is poor understanding about the line/mic control and the fact that Alto haven't split it into two controls. As a result many people are damaging their speakers by turning the gain up too high.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Excalibur, the speaker you are referring to is the TS115A MK1 with the single line input. The MK2 has two inputs as per the picture you've posted.

I've purchased a pair of the TS115A MK2. I've seen lots of complaints about the speakers having problems but to be honest I think it is poor understanding about the line/mic control and the fact that Alto haven't split it into two controls. As a result many people are damaging their speakers by turning the gain up too high.

I think you might be right.

I've read a lot about people blowing them or them clipping but I've got the 2 input version and I've only seen it clip once and that was because I was pushing way too much on mic gain through the desk.


As an aside, for anyone with a bit more tech savvy than myself - is there any particular reason why you can't have the same signal (say from a XLR Y cable or both of your mixer outs) running into both of the inputs on each speaker? I'm thinking it would definitely fatten out the sound and no doubt increase the volume a bit.

Just wondering if there's some sort of crossing of the streams type dealie that I'm unaware of that would blow the thing up and unleash Viga the Carpathian on sunny Glasgow,

[Excalibur]

Excalibur, the speaker you are referring to is the TS115A MK1 with the single line input. The MK2 has two inputs as per the picture you've posted.

I've purchased a pair of the TS115A MK2. I've seen lots of complaints about the speakers having problems but to be honest I think it is poor understanding about the line/mic control and the fact that Alto haven't split it into two controls. As a result many people are damaging their speakers by turning the gain up too high.

Thanks for that info, it ties in with what we'd sort of guessed. Next step is to get hold of some mk2s and se how they go. Re understanding gain controls, it's hard to comprehend why when you've got a foolproof and effective system, you replace it with one fraught with confusion and possible damage. :daft:


I think you might be right.

I've read a lot about people blowing them or them clipping but I've got the 2 input version and I've only seen it clip once and that was because I was pushing way too much on mic gain through the desk.


As an aside, for anyone with a bit more tech savvy than myself - is there any particular reason why you can't have the same signal (say from a XLR Y cable or both of your mixer outs) running into both of the inputs on each speaker? I'm thinking it would definitely fatten out the sound and no doubt increase the volume a bit.

Just wondering if there's some sort of crossing of the streams type dealie that I'm unaware of that would blow the thing up and unleash Viga the Carpathian on sunny Glasgow,

Jim, don't cross the streams. Simples. Detailed explanation later

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Thanks for that info, it ties in with what we'd sort of guessed. Next step is to get hold of some mk2s and se how they go. Re understanding gain controls, it's hard to comprehend why when you've got a foolproof and effective system, you replace it with one fraught with confusion and possible damage. :daft:



Jim, don't cross the streams. Simples. Detailed explanation later

That would be great. Preferably in laymans and / or 80s movie similes.