What features do you like to have access to on a DSP?

[gafftaper]

I'm getting a new DSP and my guy is redesigning the software interface. We have a PC next to the sound desk which allows you to manage lots of settings in the DSP using an operator interface. We are playing around with what features to add to that interface. We have lobby volume, lobby source, lobby chime, greenroom volume, intercom feed volume, Booth volume (with a mains mute so I can edit audio in the booth monitors without interrupting something in the house). Front Fill Volume and delay control, Backstage Wing fill volume and delay control, feedback filter and bypass, and a variety of meters. My designer is eager to do lots of cool stuff on the interface and keeps asking for more feedback, but to be honest my experience is limited in this area and I don't really know what features I should be asking for.

So, what features in the DSP would you want quick access to adjust?

 

[MNicolai]

I keep it pretty simple. I try to avoid giving anyone enough rope with which they can themselves.

Two modes of operation, one is "Quick Mix" that takes a few wireless inputs that are wyed with the mix console, a few wired inputs around the stage area, and program volume for any video presentation and one is "Mix Console" mode that returns the video program feed back to the mix console and gives all audio control to the mix console.

Zone selection and volume for stage manager paging zones. Volume control and mute of house mic feed to ALS/lobby/backstage.

Selection of booth monitor source (Phones output of console, extension of mains speakers using an L/R mix, the house mic feed if it's a largely acoustic event).

There's a lot more that you can do, but the more complexity you build into the DSP the more likely you'll send your board op into a tailspin fighting it. Generally nobody needs to touch delay timing (and shouldn't if you've phase aligned everything with Smaart/SIM) or EQ. In a properly tuned and designed system feedback eliminators are completely unnecessary.

Front fills are tuned to a gain level that's balanced with the L/R mix, but are fed from a mix buss of the main console that generally has vocals only. If the board op wants to adjust the overall volume, they can do it on this mix buss. Similarly, subwoofers default to being derived from the L/R console mix but there's an override option to use an aux feed from the console.

If there's a surround decoder I'll do a separate cinema tuning that emphasizes the center channel for intelligibility and brings the subs up higher than they would normally be.

There's an exception to every rule, but my opinion is that lots and lots of knobs on a DSP interface are a recipe for disaster, especially for any processing that is more appropriately done inside the mix console.

Edit: Forgot a word. Meant to clarify that I typically use "Program Volume" to refer to a feed from the video system. Thanks @RonHebbard

 

[gafftaper]

I keep it pretty simple. I try to avoid giving anyone enough rope with which they can themselves.

Two modes of operation, one is "Quick Mix" that takes a few wireless inputs that are wyed with the mix console, a few wired inputs around the stage area, and program volume for the and one is "Mix Console" mode that returns the video program feed back to the mix console and gives all audio control to the mix console.

Zone selection and volume for stage manager paging zones. Volume control and mute of house mic feed to ALS/lobby/backstage.

Selection of booth monitor source (Phones output of console, extension of mains speakers using an L/R mix, the house mic feed if it's a largely acoustic event).

There's a lot more that you can do, but the more complexity you build into the DSP the more likely you'll send your board op into a tailspin fighting it. Generally nobody needs to touch delay timing (and shouldn't if you've phase aligned everything with Smaart/SIM) or EQ. In a properly tuned and designed system feedback eliminators are completely unnecessary.

Front fills are tuned to a gain level that's balanced with the L/R mix, but are fed from a mix buss of the main console that generally has vocals only. If the board op wants to adjust the overall volume, they can do it on this mix buss. Similarly, subwoofers default to being derived from the L/R console mix but there's an override option to use an aux feed from the console.

If there's a surround decoder I'll do a separate cinema tuning that emphasizes the center channel for intelligibility and brings the subs up higher than they would normally be.

There's an exception to every rule, but my opinion is that lots and lots of knobs on a DSP interface are a recipe for disaster, especially for any processing that is more appropriately done inside the mix console.

Thanks Mike. That was a really thorough answer.

 

[Footer]

Man I hate everything about those boxes. Are you going to have anyone in there that actually knows what they are doing audio wise? Access to a parametric for each zone is necessary. Access to delays is also necessary, you never know when you are going to get a row of amps 30' upstage that you now need to align to. Easy switch to aux fed subs and front fills as Mike said. Connections for a guest console is also a thing if you do that type of a thing.

It might just be me and I'm in a totally different world but I really hate everything about those kind of systems. Every time I've been in a room with one it causes nothing but issues if you want to actually make any changes to how the room sounds.

 

[AlexDonkle]

Just to add to what Mike and Footer mentioned, we'll typically require 2 or 3 different "levels" of control screens so that different people have access to different features. The basic level is for typical novice users, and limited to very basic features / presets that anyone can understand. Next step up is for "power users" with more control features available to them, and finally is "engineering" access which gives full control over everything, usually limited to 1-2 people in the building or sometimes just the installer if they have a maintenance contract. Usually the more advanced modes are password protected.

 

[gafftaper]

Man I hate everything about those boxes. Are you going to have anyone in there that actually knows what they are doing audio wise?

Actually my main audio guy programs DSP' software for a major company for his day job. He occasionally comes over when no one is around and spends plays around with my system trying out new things in the real world and hear the results. My little house has been tuned with microscopic precision and sounds Amazing!

So yeah I only have access to some basic functions which is all I need. But I have a guy in house who can not only use pro mode, he can reprogram the software if he doesn't like the results... I'm VERY lucky! He's also an occasional CB lurker... Hey buddy thanks!

 

[NickVon]

If you have any kind of auto feed back eliminator in your DSP, the Ability to disable it when someone who knows what they are doing is in front of the console.
A selection of Room EQ's for Dance playback vs. Musical Theater vs presentation

 

[Colin Bishop]

On the topic of DSPs, has anyone seen DiGiCo's nee installed audio solution? Seems like a DSP type of setup bub significantly more powerful in certain uses. Any thoughts on it?

https://www.digico.biz/4rea4/

 

[MNicolai]

@Colin Bishop I'm aware of it but haven't seen it in the wild and am not aware of any installs. It's a repackaged Allen & Heath dLive product.

Looks like the kind of thing that could be more useful in in the HOW market where they like to throw extraneous faders and submix systems around like Oxy at a pain clinic, and they want a bunch of musician control of personal monitor mixes. The other market I could see it in is cruise ship systems which are an animal of their own. I wouldn't be shocked if there was one cruise ship line that said, "Your system would be great but we want it to..." and basically foot the bill for DiGiCo to spit out this product for a very narrow sub-market. This would explain why one of the major marketing graphics on their product page is a cruise ship.

Can't say I'm interested in it as an installation DSP. I'm sure the hardware comes at a premium and isn't as economically scalable as the other solutions out there like Q-Sys. If you have a digital wall plate heavy install, a lot of the wall spinner stations 4ARE4 has are like the Biamp's TEC1 product or some of the Symetrix wall spinners, Symetrix in particular being 1) dirt cheap, and 2) natively supports Dante.

IMO, it's a product for a very specific application and customer.