Portable "FOH" Rack

sdauditorium

sdauditorium

Active Member
I'm looking to create a portable FOH rack that could be utilized within the school district I'm the TD at. The purpose would be to support a variety of events in a variety of settings, such as sporting events in the main gym/field house, meetings in other spaces, potentially even outdoor events. Keep in mind, this is only processing/inputs. Then, the system could be easily connected to either already installed sound systems (such as in the main gym) OR plugged in to portable speakers which would be powered.

Here's what I'm looking at including in the rack, but let me know if there's anything else that would be useful. Please remember, this is not including any speaker cabinets.

  • Digital mixer - anywhere from 8-16 inputs that is rack mounted and could be controlled via app
  • EQ
  • 2-3 Sennheiser wireless systems
  • CD player
  • Power Sequencer
  • The rack itself, obviously
With most people utilizing phones or iPads, I'm not sure if it even pays to put in a CD player, but it's probably a good stand by. I'd also likely have a panel-mounted insert with 1/8" jack for portable device playback. Is there anything I'm missing or would be a good addition?
 
- The EQ will be included in the digital mixer ... Behringer X32rack should do you nicely.
- CD player ... what's that? Most digital mixers can do playback off of a USB flash drive, and if you use an Airport Express for wifi you can use Airplay ... but probably a good idea to have a CD player in there for the cases when someone hands you a CD at the last minute.
- wireless ... why not make it an even 4 channels ... two rack spaces with two units side by side in each.
- do you really need a power sequencer with this little equipment? Most of the time you won't be using the CD player, and will likely not use all of the pics all the time, so maybe easier to just have people power on what they need. I would add a power conditioner to the rack though.
 
I agree about not needing a seperate EQ and the power sequencer. Perhaps instead of the sequencer a power conditioner?

I always like having a 2 space rack drawer for securing mic transmitters, patch cables, extra batteries, tape, sharpies, etc.

~Dave
 
If you are powering your speakers from the rack then you might want the sequential power up, but you may not really need it and it's an expensive unit. I definitely would get a power conditioner with utility lights though.

I have a Denon player that has CD/USB/Bluetooth capability along with FM tuner. In an educational facility you never know what people will show up with. As silly as it seems, I see cassette decks on occasion.

I also have a pull out shelf that I find very handy when using another device such as I-phone or computer.

I also have a wireless mic drawer. Has spaces for HH and lapel mics and belt packs as well as batteries.
 
Either go X32 Producer which will fit into the top of a rack or if you are into doing the iPad mix thing go with an X-AIR 18. And yes, you do need a CD player. Playback off of a USB drive is too difficult to always trust to be right. I have yet to meet a hardware playback machine that you can use to play stuff off a USB drive that is as cue-able as a good CD player.

One of these...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/X32Producer

With this....
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MP103USB

and this...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PL8C

and this...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EW135G3-A

and these...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/DRWDF3

and one of these...
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GigRig1406

Personally I'm not a fan of the all in one racks. I would rather have a console and a small processing rack all on a table and run a hose between the two. To each their own though.
 
Last edited:
sdauditorium said:
  • Digital mixer - anywhere from 8-16 inputs that is rack mounted and could be controlled via app
  • EQ
  • 2-3 Sennheiser wireless systems
  • CD player
  • Power Sequencer
  • The rack itself, obviously
Click to expand...

I would ditch the outboard EQ, bump up the wireless to 2x Dual Channel Receivers, and throw out the Power Sequencers. In a few hundred pro theater installs I have never once had a use for a power sequencer. If you are worried about blowing your circuit breaker at "burst" on powerup, I would get an American DJ PC-100A as your "fake" power sequencer. Otherwise, just get a few rackmounted power strips.

I would add to this a battery backup.

Instead of the EQ an outboard DSP may be worthwhile if you have a bunch of fixed systems you will be tying in to, you can save all of their preferences in the DSP and then change over as needed through the memory. This way your bus structure in the desk can stay static between that and the outputs. I would also get a bunch of either punch out panels or Middle Atlantic panels and create custom rack rails on the outside so you are never mucking about with interconnecting wires on the inside of the rack. Label the thing up really nice and call it a show.
 
As others have said, you can likely leave off the outboard EQ, CD player, and Power Sequencer (a rack mounted surge protector alone is likely fine). I would rack mount a Mac Mini w/ LCD monitor on an arm + keyboard. Connect this to the audio console via USB, and you can pre-load audio tracks on iTunes, Qlab, etc. Alternatively you can get a rolling rack with space for a laptop to be set down, but make sure the USB jack on the audio console is easy to access.

Rack mountable consoles other than the X32 Producer already mentioned include Allen & Heath QU-16, Soundcraft Expression, and Yamaha TF.
 
I betcha that Fullcompass might make you a better deal, just tell them you don't really want to deal with that "S-word" company.;)
That SKB case is certainly "interesting". Personally, I like the classic road case style cases. Take a look at Audiopile.net
http://www.audiopile.net/C12U-P
That's the basic model, and for not much more money there is the unit where the front and back covers become tables, might be very useful in some situations.
http://www.audiopile.net/CUDJ-P
They also have great prices on drawers, mic cases and mic stand cases. Shipping would be high but they are very good at palletizing and shipping LTL freight.
 
JohnD said:
I betcha that Fullcompass might make you a better deal, just tell them you don't really want to deal with that "S-word" company.;)
That SKB case is certainly "interesting". Personally, I like the classic road case style cases. Take a look at Audiopile.net
http://www.audiopile.net/C12U-P
That's the basic model, and for not much more money there is the unit where the front and back covers become tables, might be very useful in some situations.
http://www.audiopile.net/CUDJ-P
They also have great prices on drawers, mic cases and mic stand cases. Shipping would be high but they are very good at palletizing and shipping LTL freight.
Click to expand...
I don't buy from either of those companies ever... Good for reference though. Only issue with those cases is the x32 needs a 14 space rack and that's hard to find in this format.
 
The X32 family has a couple of limitations in playing audio files from a USB stick:
1. It plays only wav files, no MP3 or other format.
2. The file sample rate has to match the console's internal sample rate. The console runs at 44.1 or 48 kHz.
3. There is no time readout.
 
JohnD said:
I betcha that Fullcompass might make you a better deal, just tell them you don't really want to deal with that "S-word" company.;)
That SKB case is certainly "interesting". Personally, I like the classic road case style cases. Take a look at Audiopile.net
http://www.audiopile.net/C12U-P
That's the basic model, and for not much more money there is the unit where the front and back covers become tables, might be very useful in some situations.
http://www.audiopile.net/CUDJ-P
They also have great prices on drawers, mic cases and mic stand cases. Shipping would be high but they are very good at palletizing and shipping LTL freight.
Click to expand...
These are actually pretty good cases for the price, and a good working height while standing or sitting in a stool. Way better than the SKB.
 
Just my 2 cents worth, if you want to save a few cents worth:

I wouldn't bother with the power sequencer. Just have your technicians manually sequence the start-up and shut-down.

On systems I've set up requiring specific sequences, I've placed small label tapes on each "critical" device beside the power buttons, with 2 lines of text such as:
ON: 1st
OFF: 4th​

System operators then only need to follow the trail of label tapes (in their enumerated sequence), as indicated on either their first line or second line of text, depending if they're starting-up or shutting-down.

It's cheap. It's one less device in the rack. And it subliminally teaches operators the audio signal chain, and which devices produce start-up or shut-down "thumps", and which devices have huge inrush currents. (Or it at least gets some of them to ponder the rationale behind the sequence and then eventually figure it out.)
 
I think that's a great solution to a (non-existant, IMO) problem @TCJ. As long as the power amplifier(s) (not included in an FOH rack) are the Last ON and First OFF, what difference does it make in which order processing/drive/console are powered?

So @sdauditorium, as everyone else has said, skip the Power Sequencer, and replace it with a power conditioner (and even that is questionable), but every rack wants minimally a Furman PL-8 just for the rack lights and power strip.
 
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On the subject of power order, I have yet to see any issues with flipping power off in any situation. Sure you hear a pop once in a while, but flipping the board off before the amplifiers, or the processor before amps. I've yet to see problems in 8 years of working in this industry.
 
DuckJordan said:
On the subject of power order, I have yet to see any issues with flipping power off in any situation. Sure you hear a pop once in a while, but flipping the board off before the amplifiers, or the processor before amps. I've yet to see problems in 8 years of working in this industry.
Click to expand...

Really? I have... plenty of time. Mostly in the form of blown cones.
 
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I'm just the lighting guy my boss is the audio guy so I've never done it myself

Sent from my XT1060 using Tapatalk
 
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