Lack of processing

[Fusiondude]

The portable system I use has been run with the mix outs from a mackie board to a DoD EQ and from those outputs, they are run through a snake to the powered speakers. Since I began using it last year, I've noticed a lack of processing and/or control in the system, especially when a soloist hits those high notes and it can sound a little harsh. What would you recommend I should add to the system to keep the sound clean?

[Eboy87]

Personal opinion: You should toss the DoD and get some DBX eq's and compressors, nothing beats DBX in my opinion.

Actual reality: What do you mean by "harsh," too much highs, or just real loud and muddy, the latter can be fixed by putting a comprerssor on the vocal channel(s)'s insert. As for too much high, you'll have to use the channel Eq for it.

On the graphic EQ, are you running it flat, and pulling down offending frequencies, or are you running it as a smilie face? Try running it flat and pulling down the high end.

Hope some of this helps

[Soundguybs]

How is the Eq set, did you pink nosie it or anything like that? The DOD should be. What all everything you have like what Kind of mackie or amps is it?

[wolf825]

Can you define "harsh" please? Does your sound "pop" to life when you suddenly have a strong signal, or is it certain frequencies that are annoying? Or does it pop into distortion and break up on certian high notes.. what is soudning uncontrolled??

You may need a compressor to catch some of those peaks (an Alesis 3630 works very well and is inexpensive--but DBX and Drawmer are much nicer quality)--or your gain structure may need some tweeking.. You can use the Dead On Demand EQ to cut some of the harsh frequencies--typically 2k-5k dipped. As what others said--how is your EQ set? Please--there are no smiliey or frowny face EQ curves in Live Audio... Should be at -0-db ref FLAT with a few slight cuts in some frequencies only as needed...

-w

[mbenonis]

But the smiley faces look so cool in the rack, especially when each fader has an LED in it! :-P

Seriously though, you might want to play with the EQ and see what you can do with it. Also, you didn't mention what type of mic you were using.

[Fusiondude]

I run two wireless shures and a couple SM81's and the EQ is flat. What I mean by "harsh" is the sound can sometimes sound too loud and muddy. This usually happens when a soloist sings in higher octaves or when the choir sings a really dynamic song (soft and then really loud). I know DoD isn't the best thing but this is how they've run it since they built the system. How would you set compressors to a choir type setting? And also, do you have any ideas on adding effects?

[Soundguybs]

I don’t think you need compressors or any other stuff to try to make it better. Compressors are really nice and I like using then a lot, but in this case (for the harsh noise/muddy noise) the compressor wont make not muddy. What you have is fine. The DoD will work fine. You don’t need bigger name company’s stuff to make it sound better. For the harsh noise you need to just work on the eq. No speak is perfect. I use to have that problem but i worked on the eq and fix that. People did say that it sounded better. When you fix the eq (pink noise it or something) when it is loud it wont sound as loud so I think that will help the to loud part unless if it is out of control loud.

[soundman1024]

What kind of amp and speakers do you have?

[Fusiondude]

We're running original JBL Eons, which are going to be upgraded to the G2s soon.