Mixer and configuration suggestions. Please Help!!!!

[jjhall5150]

I am a mobile DJ who is very familiar with different "DJ" related mixer board and have some fair amount of knowledge in other types of sound reinforcement.

A few years back I was asked to provide sound for a comedy show. All I needed to provide was a mic, speakers, and intro music.

Since then I have been the "sound technician" for all of these events, but now the comedy show has swelled in attendance from 100 to 450 and I feel that my "DJ" mixer and "mic/line" rackmount mixer is not professional enough for this purpose. Also, I have increased the speakers (Bose L1, Model 1) to 4 units instead of 2, positioned in the front and middle of the house.

My normal chain has been as follows
Mic Mixer > DJ Mixer (Pioneer DJM-800) > BOSE L1 (1) > Bose L1 (2) > Bose L1 (3) > Bose L1 (4) all daisy chained together via XLR cables.

I usually have 3 mics on the mic mixer.

Is there a more professional way of doing this. I seem to be experiencing limiter problems (Bose cutting out, then sound returning) so I am not sure this configuration is the right way of doing things.

Suggestions?

 

[Aman121]

Seems ok to me. Your cutting out may be due to a bad cable somewhere in the signal chain.
What model is this "mic mixer"? You may be able to do away with the pioneer and run everything into one mixer and then out to the speakers if it really bothers you.

 

[museav]

My normal chain has been as follows
Mic Mixer > DJ Mixer (Pioneer DJM-800) > BOSE L1 (1) > Bose L1 (2) > Bose L1 (3) > Bose L1 (4) all daisy chained together via XLR cables.

According to Bose the output on a L1 that one would use for linking multiple units is a 1/4" line level output and the line level input is also 1/4", the XLR input on a L1 is for microphones. So the connection from the mixer to the first L1 and then the connections between multiple linked L1s would all seem to be 1/4" TRS rather than XLR connections.

You didn't mention the size of the room or where the speakers are in it but you might also want to think about whether having four speakers all reproducing any microphone input and having speakers halfway back without any delay is possibly affecting intelligibility and localization.

 

[jjhall5150]

According to Bose the output on a L1 that one would use for linking multiple units is a 1/4" line level output and the line level input is also 1/4", the XLR input on a L1 is for microphones. So the connection from the mixer to the first L1 and then the connections between multiple linked L1s would all seem to be 1/4" TRS rather than XLR connections.

You didn't mention the size of the room or where the speakers are in it but you might also want to think about whether having four speakers all reproducing any microphone input and having speakers halfway back without any delay is possibly affecting intelligibility and localization.

I haven't been noticing any delay issues with the configuration, the sound seems pretty clear and consistent

The room is fairly large, not sure of the exact dimensions but picture a ballroom that hold about 400+ people. The distance from my mixer and sound board location to the stage is about 70 to 75 ft. I have to run a Shure SM-58 from the mixer to the stage via XLR cable (75'). Wireless is NOT an option in this room due to drop-outs (I can explain that if you like)

I have been placing a Bose L1 Model 1 in each front corner (about 25' from the stage on each side)
The other two Bose are set in the middle of the ballroom (Approximately 30 - 40 ft from the front monitors (Bose))

I'll have to look at the model of the mic mixer, but it's an inexpensive one that I purchased a long time ago.
Due to "Dirty Power" in the electrical system, I also have a DBX compressor/limiter in the chain to "dial" out any line hum or hiss

So what I've been doing is the following from the stage back

(1) 2 SM-58 microphones (one for backup) via 75' XLR cable directly to the mic mixer in channels 1 & 2, third SM-58 at the booth with 6' XLR into channel 3

(2) Mic Mixer out via 3' XLR into DBX Compressor / Limiter In (one channel)

(3) DBX Compressor Limiter out via 3' XLR into Mic Channel 1 on Pioneer DJM-800

(4) Pioneer DJM-800 Main out (L) to closest Mid room Bose L1 (Direct from output to Speaker) via 25' XLR

(5) Pioneer DJM-800 Main out (R) to Front Right Stage Bose L1 (Direct from output to Speaker) via 75' XLR or several linked together 10' XLR cables

(6) Right Stage Bose L1 Channel 1 Output to Left Stage Bose L1 Channel 1 Input via 75' XLR or several linked together 10' XLR cables

(7) Left Stage Bose L1 Channel 1 Output to Left Middle Bose L1 Channel 1 Input via 75' XLR or several linked together XLR cables

Everything run in "mono" since this is a comedy show and stereo is not needed

To me this seems like a very "jury rigged" configuration, which is why I am wondering if I should invest in a small band mixer like a Yamaha or Allen & Heath Zed model and lose the mic mixer, limiter, and DJM-800 mixer altogether and just plug everything into one mixer. It would also be nice to control each Bose L1 independently from the booth without having to walk directly to the speaker to make changes

I also have no way of controlling any delay or reverb in my current confirguration and another issue is that each Bose in the chain is increased by 3db automatically due to the XLR connection with no way to control that.

Any thoughts on how to do this better?

Thanks for the assistance

 

[museav]

(1) 2 SM-58 microphones (one for backup) via 75' XLR cable directly to the mic mixer in channels 1 & 2, third SM-58 at the booth with 6' XLR into channel 3

(2) Mic Mixer out via 3' XLR into DBX Compressor / Limiter In (one channel)

(3) DBX Compressor Limiter out via 3' XLR into Mic Channel 1 on Pioneer DJM-800

Okay, that may be problem number one as while I don't know if the "mic mixer" is line level or mic level out but the dbx is almost certainly line level in and out and you are apparently then running that into what is a mic only input, so you are very likely sending the dbx to little signal and/or sending the Pioneer too much signal.

(4) Pioneer DJM-800 Main out (L) to closest Mid room Bose L1 (Direct from output to Speaker) via 25' XLR

(5) Pioneer DJM-800 Main out (R) to Front Right Stage Bose L1 (Direct from output to Speaker) via 75' XLR or several linked together 10' XLR cables

It took a bit of research but I think I figured out that you have the original and discontinued L1 Model I version of the L1 system. Apparently that has a combo XLR/1/4" input that is wired internally such that the XLR is for microphone inputs and the 1/4" for unbalanced line level inputs. According to the related manuals, the XLR output on the DJM-800 is +2dBu nominal, +22dBu maximum balanced line level, so you again appear to be running a line level output into a microphone input.

(6) Right Stage Bose L1 Channel 1 Output to Left Stage Bose L1 Channel 1 Input via 75' XLR or several linked together 10' XLR cables

(7) Left Stage Bose L1 Channel 1 Output to Left Middle Bose L1 Channel 1 Input via 75' XLR or several linked together XLR cables

The L1 Model I version of the L1 system also has a XLR output that is balanced, nominal +4dBu line level. If you are running that into the XLR input of another L1, which as noted above is apparently mic level, then that could be a third instance of a line level output run into a microphone input.

You probably need to revise your wiring such that from the mic mixer on is line level and avoid the multiple line level into microphone input conditions that seem to exist.

Due to "Dirty Power" in the electrical system, I also have a DBX compressor/limiter in the chain to "dial" out any line hum or hiss

A compressor/limiter operates on high signal levels and wouldn't help with eliminating low level hum or hiss. Maybe the dbx compressor/limiter model you have has some other processing like a gate and/or downward expander and that is what you are actually using.