Ever Used This Board? Audioarts R55e

[FACTplayers]

Tonight I ventured over to the recording labs on my campus. I had a couple mics I needed to test and they have boards students can use. I hooked up the mic to the board and could only get sound to come of the monitor headphones when the cue button was depressed on the channel. The slider didn't do anything and there was no gain. The mic was so sensitive I had to give up and leave.

I've never used a broadcast board before; what am I missing here? This online article says it is simple to use... maybe too simple?

Field Report: Audioarts R55E

 

[Footer]

It does have gain, however they are trim pots that you can only get to with a screw driver. Odds are it is trimmed high for something like an RE20. This is not the console to test random mics on. It's just not made for changes. Broadcast boards are set it and forget it.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[FACTplayers]

It does have gain, however they are trim pots that you can only get to with a screw driver. Odds are it is trimmed high for something like an RE20. This is not the console to test random mics on. It's just not made for changes. Broadcast boards are set it and forget it.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

I wish one of the many broadcast majors I talked to would have known that...Thanks for the info. Why don't broadcast boards have a more accessible gain? It just seems to be a crucial part of any board.

 

[Footer]

I wish one of the many broadcast majors I talked to would have known that...Thanks for the info. Why don't broadcast boards have a more accessible gain? It just seems to be a crucial part of any board.

Studios are set up with the following that never changes: mics are put on a boom and hard wired, CART (now all digital) machines, ISDN lines for remotes, telephone for callers, and thats about it. Studios don't change their configuration at all. Some have a live studio that is capable of setting up a band and they have more traditional gear but in all, studios really don't ever change anything. Because they don't change, they don't need to access the gain. The input is set for a given level and thats it. You'll also notice that console does not have XLR inputs.... for the same exact reason. Studios usually have at least 5 teams of people working in them throughout the day. At a busy station that can be up to 20. Each producer wants to come in, quickly get their show up, and get out. Usually this change over happens during a 2 minute commercial break. You really want everything to be as simple as possible. Most the people that run the consoles in a broadcast situation are more trained in content then audio. Studio engineers make it sound good, but they are not on the clock 24/7... and they also maintain the transmitters, remote gear, recording gear... they can't be there constantly futzing. Instead, the person that probably spent college yelling "Jager Bomb!" at the top of his lungs on the bar at the frat house is actually running the board... do you really want that guy to have more control then he needs?

Its not like a stage where one night you could have a 4 piece Jazz band, next night you could have a comedian, and the next night you have an 8 piece rock band. Instead, its a few people talking and playing some tunes. Nothing that difficult about it. Flat response with good vocal quality is the name of the game, thats why the RE20 and the PR40 are staples.... and both of these mics tend to have pretty low output compared to something like a SM58 so they really get gained up high. So, your console was just not trimmed for such a hot mic.

Now, some broadcasters are going digital with something like this: iQ - the smart new IP-Audio console from Axia.

Broadcast boards are not live board and live boards are not broadcast.

 

[FACTplayers]

You'll also notice that console does not have XLR inputs.... for the same exact reason. Studios usually have at least 5 teams of people working in them throughout the day. At a busy station that can be up to 20. Each producer wants to come in, quickly get their show up, and get out. Usually this change over happens during a 2 minute commercial break. You really want everything to be as simple as possible. ... Instead, the person that probably spent college yelling "Jager Bomb!" at the top of his lungs on the bar at the frat house is actually running the board... do you really want that guy to have more control then he needs?

The back of the board was actually locked where all of the inputs were so I couldn't see how everything was wired... I sometimes forget running a board isn't as simple and second nature to everyone as it is to me...

 

[Footer]

The back of the board was actually locked where all of the inputs were so I couldn't see how everything was wired... I sometimes forget running a board isn't as simple and second nature to everyone as it is to me...

Ya, ask your broadcast friends sometime about how to do audio... their response will be "You push the fader up and sound comes out.

 

[FMEng]

Radio consoles are designed so that non-technical people can do production without screwing anything up with EQ, balance pots, gain structure, etc. Therefore, they have limited controls. Inputs and outputs are permanently connected using high density connectors like Molex or DB-25.

In order to hear a mic through that console:
1. Assign the mic fader to a buss, such as PGM. One of those busses is likely hardwired to feed recording devices in the room.
2. Turn on the fader with the big button just below the fader.
3. Turn up the fader until the proper level is shown on the VU meters.
4. Select the chosen bus with the headphone source selector.
5. Adjust the headphone volume as desired.

The monitor speakers will mute when a mic fader is turned on. The mic preamp is set specifically for the mic installed in the studio. Preamp gain is fixed and should not be messed with. In most radio studios, unplugging mics and fooling around is a no-no.

 

[pacman]

Studios are set up with the following that never changes: mics are put on a boom and hard wired, CART (now all digital) machines, ISDN lines for remotes, telephone for callers, and thats about it. Studios don't change their configuration at all. Some have a live studio that is capable of setting up a band and they have more traditional gear but in all, studios really don't ever change anything. Because they don't change, they don't need to access the gain. The input is set for a given level and thats it. You'll also notice that console does not have XLR inputs.... for the same exact reason. Studios usually have at least 5 teams of people working in them throughout the day. At a busy station that can be up to 20. Each producer wants to come in, quickly get their show up, and get out. Usually this change over happens during a 2 minute commercial break. You really want everything to be as simple as possible. Most the people that run the consoles in a broadcast situation are more trained in content then audio. Studio engineers make it sound good, but they are not on the clock 24/7... and they also maintain the transmitters, remote gear, recording gear... they can't be there constantly futzing. Instead, the person that probably spent college yelling "Jager Bomb!" at the top of his lungs on the bar at the frat house is actually running the board... do you really want that guy to have more control then he needs?

Its not like a stage where one night you could have a 4 piece Jazz band, next night you could have a comedian, and the next night you have an 8 piece rock band. Instead, its a few people talking and playing some tunes. Nothing that difficult about it. Flat response with good vocal quality is the name of the game, thats why the RE20 and the PR40 are staples.... and both of these mics tend to have pretty low output compared to something like a SM58 so they really get gained up high. So, your console was just not trimmed for such a hot mic.

Now, some broadcasters are going digital with something like this: iQ - the smart new IP-Audio console from Axia.

Broadcast boards are not live board and live boards are not broadcast.

Great answer! Having worked in broadcast & live sound, I never really thought about people not knowing the equipment/structure/process differences between the two and the reasons why. Even despite the obvious similarities, they are very different worlds.

 

[museav]

I was Head of Technical Staff and Chief Engineer in one of the campus residence network stations while in college (back in the days of turntables, reel-to-reel and carts) and I can say for a fact that many of the DJs were not exactly engineering, technology or science majors. I can also suggest that people having a good head cold or sinus infection can be a great time to have them to do some big, deep, resonant DJ voice production work.