The deadline to stop using wireless devices in the 700 MH frequency band is drawing closer. The distribution and sale of professional wireless microphone ceased officially about a year ago and on June 12th all unauthorized use in the 700 MH band is to cease. Click here for details.

Dear SoundMan, I read your review of the Big E ribbon mic, and had a question. How Does the Big E hold up in the aspect of durability? I know that ribbon mics are typically quite delicate and wanted to know if this was any different. Thanks - ZD

Dear ZD,
We have been getting lots of feedback (no pun intended) about the Big E and I thought this was a good one so I contacted the designer Rick Earl for an answer and this was his response;

Glad to hear you’re interested in the microphone, I’m also glad to see you wanting to pursue a career in the industry, we need more good people.

Ribbon mics in general have the reputation for being delicate, although some of it is exaggerated. The weakest part of the microphone is the ribbon itself. The Big E has a 4 micron thick ribbon, many have a 2 micron or less. A strong blast of air, say from a kick drum could possibly tear or break the ribbon. I know many people are touring with mics like Royer and in fact, they have a LIVE model that has a thicker (4 Micron) ribbon. As far as the Big E is concerned, I have beat on it to test the suspension and have used it in almost every situation except kick drum. I do not put a bag over it when I move it and sometimes just toss it in the back seat when I take it places. So far no damage.

This is JUST THE PROTOTYPE! Although the motor design is pretty final, I am still perfecting the ribbon manufacturing process. I do have a double grill design that does reduce “wind” directly on the element and that would continue in any future designs or modifications. When the ribbon process is perfected, hopefully I will be able to do a complete set of tests, including max SPL.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Rick

Tags: Big E, Ribbon Microphone

I think I have spent more time writing about and answering questions concerning wireless microphones than any other audio topic in the last 20 years. Not because I really want to mind you but because it always seems to be the cause of so much angst. A quick history of wireless microphones is in order.

History
Although several early references document the use of radio microphones beginning around 1948, it was an American electrical engineer by the name of Raymond Litke that invented and patented the first lavalier radio microphone in 1957 for use in classroom communication at San Jose State College. It was first brought to market by VEGA in 1960 and was used by the broadcast media that same year for the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Wireless microphones did not come into popular widespread use until the mid 1970’s until John Nady (who founded NADY Systems) pioneered their use in the music industry. He was also the first to add a compander circuit that offered audio performance and dynamic range that came close to that of a wired microphone. Their use then spread quickly through the entertainment and broadcast industries.

Those first NADY transmitters (as pictured above) broadcast on any clear area in the FM radio band. It was shipped without a microphone or a receiver. All you had to do to use the transmitter was remove the 3 pin connector in the bottom of a SHURE SM58 microphone and slide in the unit. The early versions of the SM58 came with an extra set screw located at the connector so you could lock a mic cable to the mic and this same set screw enabled the NADY transmitter to be securely fastened to the mic. The recommended receiver (pictured to the right) was the ADVENT Model 400 Mono FM receiver designed by the legendary inventor and home audio pioneer, Henry Kloss, because of it’s renowned sensitivity, stability, and extremely low distortion audio output with a precision vernier tuning dial. Tuning the system was accomplished by setting the tuner to an unused frequency between stations (there was a lot of room back then) and then turn a small tuning knob that protruded from the bottom of the transmitter until the audio from the microphone could be heard from the receiver. Not a particularly painless procedure, but the result was amazing for the time.

These FM radio based transmitters were quickly replaced by crystal controlled fixed frequency VHF units that used unused TV channels. It was really a challenge to travel with these radios because you had to take extra systems to ensure a clear signal. However the output of the transmitter was significantly stronger and more stable than the FM radios they replaced. Further improvements were made by adding a second antenna to the receiver to help prevent dropouts from phase cancelation. Current wirelesses operate in the UHF frequency band, again sharing the bandwidth with the local TV stations. They use a frequency synthesis circuit that allows the flexible selection of frequencies giving some units a couple of thousand channels to build a clear reliable wireless system. It is these systems that have precipitated the huge expansion in the use of wireless systems allowing many transmitters to be used in close proximity to each other.

So, what’s all the fuss about?
The latest issue trust upon us is courtesy of none other than our Federal government, who in their ultimate wisdom have decided that we can’t live without digital television. So what exactly does this have to do with my wireless mic you may ask? Well, those seemingly essential audio tools that so many of us have come to rely on have been sharing the same airways that TV stations use for over the air broadcast. And unless you’ve had your head in the sand you should have noticed all of hoopla surrounding the switch from analogue to digital TV. It is this transition to digital TV that has put wireless microphone use in the spotlight.

Licenses are required to use wireless microphones on vacant TV channels in the United States. This application of a wireless device falls under the Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) rules. Since their inception, wireless microphones have essentially operated as unlicensed pirate radio stations, except for less than 1,000 devices in the entire US that have applied for and been granted licenses. The tens of thousands of unlicensed transmitters in daily use have been largely overlooked by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) who is responsible for code enforcement and only rarely shutdown or prosecuted. In the shadow of the stealth growth of wireless microphone usage, the neglect of the FCC to make the rules clear and their lack of enforcement, the benign use of this unused bandwidth has grown from a novelty to a huge community of users that rely on their wireless microphones.

So here’s the first problem
The FCC has sold the rights to the unused frequency spectrum that will be abandoned when TV stations turn off their analogue signals. So hence forth, Broadcast Auxiliary Services, such as your wireless microphones, will not be allowed to use the 698 - 806 MHz portion of the spectrum due to their auction of the 700 MHz band to buyers with really deep pockets. (We are talking Billions here.) So if you have any wireless transmitters operating in that space they have been effectively EOL’d (end of life) by the FCC.

Problem #2
There is still some discussion among the players in this drama as to the fate of the remaining TV spectrum. The discussion revolves around who will be granted access to this “white space” (the area between active TV channels) under existing BAS rules. Among those fighting for access is the entertainment & broadcast industries and high speed internet access, the outcome of which has yet to be determined. Complicating this issue is a new requirement that these new transmitters employ, yet to be proven, new technology that includes GPS location, spectrum-sensing, and location database access.



So what’s a wireless microphone user to do?
These regulations represent a moving target as to when they will be implemented and what the new rules will actually be. Nothing has been finalized yet and remember that this is a political issue and is subject to the whims of our government.

• Go out and by bunch of new expensive gear?
• Stake-out your wireless territory and try to get licensed?
• Run up the pirate radio flag and continue with business as usual?
• Go back to using wire?

A successful wireless strategy requires the combination of all four.

1. For the immediate future go ahead and continue to run the pirate flag. Your current wirelesses have worked for the last 30 years and are not going to suddenly self-destruct. The FCC isn’t adding a platoon of new enforcement officers to jail offenders. It’s the same old “if no one complains, no foul” as it has been for the foreseeable future.
2. Ultimately if you are using you’re wireless in a fixed location you should probably put a claim in to protect your airwaves by applying for a license. This will insure that if it does come down to a fight you are on the right side.
3. See if any of your current wireless mics operate in the 700 MHz band. I would not replace them yet if they are still in good shape and working but I would start a fund to replace them when they break. You will no longer be able to get them fixed.
4. This is a good time to seriously evaluate if you really need a wireless solution. Wired microphones still deliver superior performance to their wireless counterparts and they cost much less.
5. If you decide that you need to purchase new equipment this is no time to buy a cheep wireless microphone. It’s becoming a crowded field and only high end wirelesses have the flexibility and performance to have the best chance of survival.
6. And definitely seek the advice of a trusted professional wireless provider.

Tags: White Space, Wireless Microphones, FCC

Dear SoundMan - Hope things are well.  I’m looking for a pair of EV MTL-4A\'s subs. Any suggestions? Thanks - Michael

Dear Michael -

It figures since I finally got rid of all of my remaining manifold inventory. You are the third call in the last two weeks for MT boxes. It's time to move on to the NEW EV manifold sub the Phoenix. More output with half the drivers. It’s 2008 for goodness sake.. MT4’s are so 80’s. Time to move on.

Sincerely -SoundMan

Tags: EV Phoenix

Ask The SoundMan

Dear SoundMan - I am looking for a sound design idea for a concert next Sunday.  We are a typical college a cappella group of 12 guys.  I\'m really open to hearing what you think we need because we typically perform at concerts and festivals and in our own theatre where we don\'t have to worry about sound design.  We have four parts, a basic TTBB group, and typically one soloist, though a few songs involve a soloist and a backup or a trio for certain harmonies such as that in Toto\'s Africa.  Obviously, being an a cappella group, we need nothing more than some speakers and mics and maybe a mixer.  This performance is an outside performance in a courtyard like setting by the street for a champagne breakfast.  We have tech theatre majors in our group that could handle the mixing and set-up in my opinion.  It\'s just the equipment that I need to worry about.  A couple scenario suggestions and prices would be great based on your expert opinion. Thanks so much! - Harris

Harris -
What you need is a small basic sound system like our Entertainer System Package with 5 mics from our rental department and the following tech tips.

• Pick 5 matching dynamic microphones with a simple cardioid pickup pattern. They should all be matching to make tuning the system less complex and a cardioid pickup pattern will let three people use one mic between them with an extra one out front for any solos.

• Maintain the 3 to 1 Rule which is - maintain 3 units of seperation between microphones for every 1 unit of distance that mic is away from the sound source. You can find more details on this technique white paper called Choir Miking in our Download Section under Tech Files.

• Place the loudspeakers about 3 to 6 feet to the side and in front of the group. Outdoors this arrangement should give you the most gain.

-SoundMan

It is possible to buy the right sound system for your church the first time. Rick Earl just made me aware of the following article written by Jim Brown of Audio Systems Group. Mr. Brown is an acoustic consultant who is also is a member of the Technical Committee of the Audio Engineering Society for Architectural Acoustics and Sound Reinforcement and the AES Standards Committee. He has graciously consented to let us republish this article that perfectly articulates the concept that making the right decisions early on can save you big in the long run. This is required reading if a new PA System is your churches future.

Why Churches Buy Three Sound Systems, and How You Can Buy Only One

Copyright 1996 Jim Brown

There's a saying among the better sound contractors that they want to sell a church their
LAST sound system. That's because, strange as it seems, most churches are so afraid of
buying sound systems that they do it three or four times before they finally end up with
one that works well enough to meet their needs!

The first is purchased when they build the church, and the architect says he'll design it.
What really happens is that he passes the work along to a sound contractor, usually the
new kid on the block who's trying to get his foot in the door by doing the designs for free.
He prints up a list of whatever equipment he has the best deals on (and which his
competitors aren't franchised for), and sends it along as a specification.

The system goes out to bid. Often our hero is the low bidder, but nearly as often someone
who knows as little about things as he does proposes a different system that's cheaper.
And since there's no knowledgeable authority to decide which is the better deal, the lower
cost system often wins. No matter -- neither system is likely to meet the church's needs
anyway, and most are replaced in a year or two.

Why are these first systems replaced? Some of the most common problems are feedback
(howling), poor speech intelligibility and muddy music caused by too much reverberation,
the system can't be heard on the platform, dead spots, hot spots, and just plain unpleasant
sound quality. And so we move on to system number two.

There are several variations on system number two. Often, members of the praise and
worship team make exploratory visits to their friendly musical instrument and recording
equipment store, where everyone either is, has been, or knows someone who is or has
been a roadie for a band. And all of those folks know how to put together a sound system
-- after all, they did it every night for their bar band, and got paid for it! Add to that the
fact that they're on commission, selling all kinds of sound equipment designed to be used
in bar bands. And gee whiz, isn't a church system just like a bigger bar band system? So
we have another designer who doesn't know much of anything about sound systems for
churches, but he's selling his equipment.

A second common variation on system number two starts out with someone in the
congregation who is either a sound contractor or knows someone who is a sound
contractor. And because he's a friend, or a friend of a friend, he's asked to design the next
system. Maybe he's actually qualified to do it, but more often his specialty is paging
systems for offices and factories, or touring systems for rock bands. So here's another
designer who doesn't know enough to get the design right.

Other common variations on the theme are electronics engineers from industry who head
down to the local Radio Shack or music store, and stereo enthusiasts who think everything
will be fine if they just install the latest monster cables, and super exotic amplifiers,
loudspeakers, and microphones.

So this second time around, the designer is chosen because he's someone's friend, but still
not because of any proven ability to put together a good church sound system. System
number two is purchased and installed, and rarely works any better than the first. But it's
now a couple of years later, twice as much money was spent as planned, and attendance is
sagging because of the poor sound. The pastor still has poor communication with the
congregation, and the praise and worship team sounds more like noise than inspiration.
Desperate measures are called for. If they're lucky, the church comes to the realization at
this point that they'd better find someone who really knows what they're doing, a proven
expert with a track record. That someone is an acoustic consultant who specializes in
sound system design for churches and performance spaces. Someone who understands
how loudspeaker systems interact with large rooms, why feedback happens and how to
prevent it, how to get good sound and equal loudness to everyone in the congregation and
on the platform, how to prevent music from turning to mush, how to prevent hums and
buzzes from happening, and all of the myriad other things which can go wrong in a big
room. Someone who insists on coming in to meet with the pastor, leaders of the praise
and worship and technical teams, study the worship space, and measure its acoustics.
Someone who will have to be paid to design the system because they don't work on a
commission or markup from the sale of the system.

To read more, the whole article in titled 3Times.pdf can be downloaded from the Tech Files page of our Download section.

This is a very short lesson on trouble shooting your gear before you call for repairs. Lest you think the following three examples trivial or obvious, they account for around 90% of all service calls and are totally preventable. Just in the last week we answered three such calls. causing unnecessary service fees.

1 - Are all of the pieces of the system turned on?

2 - Is everything plugged-in securely?


3 - If something requires a battery (i.e. a wireless microphone transmitter) is the battery good and fully charged?

Of the remaining 10% of service calls at least half of those relate to faulty cables. Bonus tip - Keep all of those cables neat, organized and labeled AND don't cheap out when buying cables spending thousands on the gear and pennies on the wire (unless you are a masochist).

Wireless audio solutions are being used in ever increasing numbers. They have become an indispensable tool in most modern sound systems but finding usable clear radio frequencies has become increasingly difficult. The future is becoming even more uncertain as we transition into a digital world and demand for air space increases exponentially.

Sennheiser has recognized the need for up to minute frequency allocation data and has provided an easy to use web based service that continually mines the FCC databases for changes and presents the data in an easy to understand interactive graphical user interface. They are offering the use of this new tool free of charge and you can find it by clicking here. You can also find a link in our Downloads/Tech Files section.

Who you going to call?

SoundMan

After several hours of frustrated searching on all of Bosch's websites, I came to the conclusion that the EV UCC1 must be a product that EV didn't want anyone to know about. Every tech geek has to have some secrets, otherwise just any old nerd could join in the fun. This, after all, is an expensive piece of hardware that is the key to connecting the Elgar shell and NetMax software to a computer which in turn unlocks all of the power of the EV RL and TourGrade amlifiers and NetMax digital audio system controller not to mention the Dynacord amplifiers with remote capabilities.. Cant give just anybody those kind of powers. Or can we?

After hours of research, my personal Bosch audio resource, the V2 man himself, Craig Bess came to rescue and gave me the secret locations to the collection of files I was looking for. It also came to my attention that our very own Tommy Martin who just returned from his intensive week long training session under the tutelage of the wizard Ethan at EV also knew where the files were buried. As Kurt Vonnegut so aptly put it - so it goes.

Not wanting you to have to go to the same consternation as I did to find the files I have made them available to all of you in one easy to find zip file at the top of our Software section under our Download Menu or by clicking here.

Successfully rigging a line array is much more complicated than pointing a loudspeaker box somewhere. There is plenty of bad audio at concerts to prove it. Just because you can afford to buy a line array system does not guarantee successful deployment.

Not only does Electro-Voice build the most sophisticated concert hardware in the audio industry, they also offer the most comprehensive software tools available to ensure successful setup and supervision. They have just released version 2.0 of their line array prediction software that combines the different separate packages for each of their line array offerings into one program, adds a new polished interface and many new functions making the already powerful program even more useful and easy to use. There really is no excuse for all of the bad sound at concerts with the tools available from Electro-Voice. If you still have problems using the new software CareySound will be more than happy to teach you how to use it.

An Overview of this newest version

Applicability
LAPS 2.0 may be used to predict array behavior of the following Electro-Voice product lines:
• X-Line® large-format line array systems
• XLC® compact line array systems
• XLVC® very compact line array systems, including both XLD® and XLE® systems.

Capabilities
Based on user input, LAPS 2.0 predicts the following parameters:
• SPL in audience areas.
• Polar response.
• Equalization required to achieve flat frequency response at the front of house mix position or
any other chosen position in the venue.
• Mechanical rigging configuration and suspension requirements.

Predictions may be done for any combination of the following scenarios:
• Main floor plus up to two balconies.
• Optional secondary loudspeaker cluster located separately from main loudspeaker cluster.
• With or without flown subwoofers.

Acoustic predictions are performed simultaneously for up to three frequency bands. Frequencies and
bandwidths are supplied by default, but may be freely changed by the user.

User Interface
LAPS 2.0 accepts input and displays results on a formatted multipage worksheet. All worksheet pages
are printer-friendly.

Both English and Metric units of measure are supported.

Unlike other spreadsheet-based array prediction programs, LAPS 2.0 saves and restores its array and
venue specification data in compact text files, not in full spreadsheet files. This results in a 1000-fold
reduction in file space requirements.

LAPS 2.0 includes an in-place HELP system and a comprehensive set of error checks and messages.

You can find the new software (LAPS 2.0) in the Downloads section under Software or by clicking here.

The newest addition to the Electro-Voice PA Bible EVPABible21.pdf has just been posted in the Tech Download section of the we site. It has some very insightful information on line array's and when their use is appropriate. You will also find an excellent file on line arrays in the same section called EVPABible21.pdf.

If you need further explanation just click the Ask the SoundMan logo in the sidebar.

In 1979 Electro-Voice published a tech paper called The PA Bible that was followed by nineteen yearly additions. EV was born a tech company and what could be more perfect for a tech company to create demand for tech products than to educate their dealers and customers on the technology.

Although the publication ended with the last addition in 1997, demand for reprints continue to this day and EV has officially republished them on their website. For those of you that might be new to CareySound, we have built our reputation on providing our customers answers to their technical questions, so in that tradition we have mirrored the entire series on our site for easy reference. You will find them in the Download Section under Tech Files.

One final note - even though this series began in 1979 and the references to specific equipment are dated, it would be a mistake to write these publications off as nothing more than a historical curiosity. The science contained in these pages and the clarity of their presentation is not dated. There is a good reason that the PA Bible is still legendary. Read them and improve your audio skills.

Dear SoundMan - I 'm curious about the output levels on the DSP 244 in the Cobra System. Should they be set at the detent { -6 db} or should they be all the way up? Will the system run safely if they are all the way up? - Thanks, Snake Charmer

Dear Snake Charmer,

That's a great question that brings up a very important topic when running a sound system. Here is the response that Hans Bürger, who is the product manager for Dynacord in Germany, gave to that question a while back:

"It's a question of setting the gain structure and how that effects the limiters inside the DSP. In comparison with other manufacturers - without passive safety-circuits inside the speaker - the limiter setting is not so critical for Cobra due to the internal voice coil tracking protection. However it is critical considering the headroom and limiting of the DSP. One example... Consider a 4 way system. If you have all the DSP outputs set at full and would like more of one particular band pass, you would then have to turn down the other 3 bands."

"You can safely run with the output levels set full. However, you then are in danger of limiting for the amp and the speaker. Generally, it would be wise to leave the outputs at -6, depending on the application, operator etc... If you are confident in the operator, you can run full open. However, if the operator is not capable of understanding the system, they could run into limit and not realize it. This can make for bad sound and possible failure!

"In all my demo-systems I open the output levels of my DSP´s without limiter changing. I never have problems. In our amplifier is a internal "analog" limiter and this only allows an output signal with max 1% distortion. The max input in the amplifier before clipping of the pre-amps is 21 dBu !!!"

That's great advice for sound systems in general. If you ever go to the audio for operators seminar given by Pat Brown of Synaudcom (and you should if you aspire to be all that you can be), that's the first topic he discusses. You hardly ever hear the local sound guru discussing such things when he's rappin' db's to impress the locals where head room is the empty space underneath his hat and gain structure is his game plan for getting rich in sound biz. That insight should help to explain why there is still so much bad audio even though we have so many cool new tools.

-SoundMan-

Dear SoundMan - Rick Earl from PSW thinks you might have replacement foam for an old EV PL10. Do you have any or perhaps know of a source? - Thanks Hanno -

Dear Hanno,
EV has long stopped manufacturing parts for the PL 10 but I certianly can understand wanting to refurbish one I have several in my mic drawer. Nothing makes a microphone more popular than being discontinued. To answer your question, I do not have any parts for the mic. 

The material that they used, not only for the pop filter but for the suspension as well, is Acoustifoam™. The closest you can get to this is made by a company called WindTech which is a division of Olsen Audio Group. They do not sell direct but it can be gotten from MCM Electronics (800-543-4300). Their model 5700 windscreen would be about the right size. Not all foam is the same and this foam is very high quality and should replace the original.

-SoundMan-

For owners of EV DX-38 and Dynacord DSP-244 system processors. If you have installed the optional RS-485 port and you need to install a firmware update then you need to reinstall the original RS-232 serial card that came with the processor first. The current production documents state that you can successfully install a firmware update with the RS-485 card if you have firmware version 2.1 or later, however we have bricked three successive processors trying to update firmware with the RS-485 port even though our versions we 2.1 and higher. We strongly recommend that you use the RS-232 card for firmware upgrades until this problem is addressed by the manufacturer.

We have been successful bringing our bricked processors back to life with the following procedure and is worth a try before sending it in for repair:
This will only work if you processor has a lit blank display indicating that it is in boot load mode.

1 - Power down the unit.
2 - Remove the 485 card and replace it with the original 232 card, if you don't have the card we have on that you can borrow.
3 - Restart the unit.
4 - Launch the controller software on your computer (either RACE for the EV version or CrossMax for the Dynacord version.
5 - Use the menu command to install firmware and select RS-232.
6 - You will get a dialogue informing you that it can find no compatible hardware attached and will ask if you want to send the file anyway. Click yes.
If successful (so far it has worked for us) your processor should be back to normal, If not it will take a trip back to the dealer to repair.

Dear Soundman - Hi! I'm a local soundguy from Norway, and I've been searching internet for some info about Dynacord systems. I can see from the Harmony Central forums that your company operates the Xa2 system. About a year ago, I had a demo on a singel Xa system with the 2 Xa amps, but I was not convinced about the sonic quality of the system. I therfore wonder if it sounds better with the 244 conroller and different amps. - Yours Bjørn

Dear Bjørn -
The short answer is yes. You can tame the Xa System with a alternative system configuration. We sell a different Dynacord amplifier package because like you we wanted a little more control over the system than you get with the Xa 4000's that normaly comes prepackaged. The Xa 4000's have nothing more than a simple active crossover. We sell the system with the following rack package:

COBRA System Rack Model CSR 2LX - Item #D112978 - includes: CSF12 flight case; DSP 244 digital controller; 2 LX2200 amplifiers; CP 48 connector panel (prewired)

The speakers out of the box are very close to a neutral responce needing only a little overall component balancing and a few spikes attentions like the one at about 6.5 KHz. These can easily be controlled with the DSP 244 system controller and add the comp/limiting of the 244 and you get a simple to set up rig that is almost impossible to screw up at an amazing price.


eXtreemaudioII Package Setup

Step One - Stack right side.

Step Two - Stack left side.

Step Three - Chain speaker cables from cabinet to cabinet starting from the top, then...

Step Four - ...plug each stack into amp rack.

Step Five - Plug in power to the rack and turn on.

One final note - rent the system for a gig. You'll never know what the system is capable of with a salesman hanging over your shoulder at a "demo". Take it out and crank it up.

Dear SoundMan - So I bought this new EV DX 38 system processor and got the optional RS485 card installed but how do I connect it to my computer. - What Am I Missing -

Dear Missing Something -
So you have invested in Electro-Voice Dx 38 System processor, an excellent choice by the way (or a Dynacord DSP 244 which is identical), and you would like to take advantage of the ability to control it remotely with a laptop computer utilizing the optional RS-485 interface card. You have the 485 card installed in your processor and a mic cable running from it to you computer but how in the world do you get that signal into the computer?

Well you can stop looking for the instructions in the user manuel because it's not there, as a matter of fact EV doesn't even sell an interface, so once again it's SoundMan to the rescue. We have added a step by step guide on how to make your own with a link to where you can get the part you need. You will find it in the Tech Download section to the right titled USB to RS485.

CareySound will be giving a free class on audio tools and sound system equalization on Tuesday afternoon at 2 PM at the CareySound Commplex and you are invited to attend. We will be focussing on the use of the Smaart Live audio software for system tuning. We hope to see you there. Click here for directions to CareySound.

The Apple iPod has defined how a new generation listens to music and it would be hard to find a sound guy without one in his personal gig bag. If you don't already own one, CareySound is giving you the perfect excuse to go out and buy one.

We have been using them for the last couple of years as a valuable audio diagnostic tool. We developed the set of audio files that we call Check One Two that we are now making available for free download in our Tech Downloads section. Enjoy!

It's a rare event that SoundMan gets to attend a concert as a patron and one such event was just a little over a week ago. To celebrate the occasion he has consented to giving us the following review.

Johnny Winter - Cyril Lance - The Flying Anvil - Greensboro, NC

Writing a review feels strange to me. I'm asked all the time what my favorite band is and my response is always the same - all of the ones that pay me. After all I am a SoundMan by profession and it's bad business to tick-off your clients. It's best to keep your opinions to yourself and work with the artist to make them sound like the stars that they are. Not that I don't have any opinions. Just hang around with me on my down time and you'll discover that I have an opinion on EVERYTHING and I'm more than willing to share them. But what the heck - it's gloves off time.

First a couple of disclaimers. The electric guitar is not SoundMan's favorite instrument (personally I liked Edgar Winter better) and I was there as a representative of the Eastern Music Festival but was not the sound-dude for the show.

I like geezer shows if they haven't lost their chops (after all SoundMan is getting to be a bit of a geezer himself some say) and Johnny Winter has not lost his chops - hearing definitely - but not his chops. Unfortunately a lot of geezers need to steep aside and let the new generation have their turn. I would rather shake their hand and get an autograph than witness another humiliating performance of a once great artist, but like I said, Johnny was on his game that night.

Unfortunately, I can best sum up the show with the following picture of the sound preasure level as measured on the night of the show for Johnny Winter's set.

It's one of the SoundMan's worst nightmares, dueling guitars fighting a death mach for dominance in a small cement room and both of those guitar amps were for the same Legendary guitarist.

Now don't get me wrong, SoundMan likes his sound BIG, but there is big and then there is painful and 113 db SPL of screaming guitar for over an hour was more big than the SoundMan could stand. I would have given anything to have borrowed the 'cone of silence' from the TV show Get Smart for the night (OK -so I'm giving away my age with that reference). Now just in case you were one of those that blamed the house sound-guy for the carnage to your ears, think again. The only channels turned on in the PA during Johnny's set was his and the drummers vocal microphone when they sang or spoke. The only name on the nuisance complaint should read JOHNNY WINTER. Believe me, the PA in that club is not able to compete with that much guitar. You could have just left. There was no one blocking your exit.

As for the opening act - I'm sure they were good - I just can't remember much about them after Johnny performed. Dain bramage I'm afraid.

Now for the morel to the story - I saw no one leave until after the concert but that does not mean it wasn't painfully loud, it just means that the audience was willing to be assaulted with sound to SEE Johnny Winter perform. There were plenty of complaints to go around AFTER the show. If your band is not Johnny Winter and you want anybody to stay to see you play other than a few deaf friends and family members then keep the level on that guitar rig turned down. When you are playing a small room use a small amp or put it outside with a mic on it and if you are lucky enough to play the coliseum I'm sure Johnny will let you borrow his rig.


The Flying Anvil - You were great hosts, really, and the SoundMan applaudes your vision, but even though you did not have control of Johnny's guitar level, the News and Record is already calling you the Boom Boom Room or something like that. If the rumors are true and the big corporate entertainment machine, RX International, swoops in and takes over the N Club and Sky Bar you might want to squash the noise NOW and fix the room acoustics.

Dear SoundMan, Just exactly what is the secret to your SoundMan powers? - Batman -

Dear Batman,
Read, ask, look, listen, practice and share. And of course the secret SoundMan fuel - mexican food. Now the SoundMan is no culinary snob. He enjoys the SoundMan staples found in truck stops and motel vending machines lubricated with Red Bull, but when nothing but the best will do you can find the SoundMan at his favorite local mexican restaurant in Greensboro the Taqueria El Azteca Mexican Grill on Spring Garden Street. This is no pedestrian Speedy Gonzalez eatery, this is an authentic, made form scratch, 'No Can in Our Mexican, mexican grill. If I may be so bold as to recommend, try the Mole De Pollo - their mole sauce is pure mexican heaven. SoundMan gives Taqueria El Azteca his highest five SoundMan rating.
Happy Eating - SoundMan -

Brandon correctly answered the May SoundMan quiz - Let's See If Anybody Is Paying Attention

Comment Successfully Posted

Please, your captive audience wants to know where leg #1 goes. Also where does the neutral really come from, if not from the, er, neutral? Brandon | 05.11.06 - 9:44 pm | #

Now that wasn't so hard was it. My neutral is indead connected to the first hot leg in this three phase pannel. fortunately all of my Dynacord amplifiers survived with just two internal blown fuses. For the record you can use the amps with 220V if you configure it ahead of time. Any one know of a possible advantage to running the amps with 220V? And by the way - to all of those who gave me the wrong answer - you are not allowed to tie my power in. SoundMan- SoundMan | Homepage | 06.23.06 - 2:24 am | #
Brandon - Call to collect your Prize.

What's wrong with this picture?

I've got a special prize for the first person to help this electrician out
and tell him where he went wrong.

We were putting things back in order after last week's rentals and discovered this odd EQ setting that was left on the first of four Sx 300 monitor mixes (we have blurred out the name to protect the guilty). The other three were left flat. Hmmmmm, I'm not sure this was a good EQ setting for monitors which brings up the following helpful hint. We REALLY want your rental to be the best it can be. We will be glad to give you help if you get lost. All you have to do is ask. We assume that when someone rents something that if they do not ask any questions that they must know what they are doing. If it's too embarrassing to ask, you can find help in our Tech Downloads section or The Help File archive that you can find in the links to the right.

Dear SoundMan, What is in your mic drawer?

We've all thought about it at one time or another. If your house were on fire or a tornado was headed toward it or it was about to be flooded or whatever (you get the idea) and you only had the ability to save one thing, what would it be? I realize it's the kind of cheesy question they might ask a beauty queen during a pageant, but go along with me for the moment if you will.

Considering that my kids are all grown up and my wife still has the use of her arms and legs, after all they would be dragging out their own keepsakes, and somehow if that would relieve me from any moral dilemmas in my dash to save what I could, then I would definitely save my microphones. Food? No. I could stand to loose a few pounds. Water? No. I could collect rain water or something. Cash? Well I don't have any (hmmmmm... guess I must have spent it all on microphones - sad, I know). Yes, I realize that tells maybe too much about me. But there, I've said it. Yep, absolutely my microphones.

Now don't jump to any extreme conclusions at this point. I don't go to Star Trek conventions dressed as a Borg. Yes, I have seen all of the TV episodes and movies including the crappy final season, but I couldn't even tell you any of the numbers of any of the Enterprises. I don't stay up at night wearing a tinfoil hat worrying that aliens are trying to read my mind. I'm not stark raving obsessed. Let's just say I hold my microphones to only the esteem and respect they deserve and nothing more. I might have bought a mic or two (or maybe even three) on Ebay, but I NEVER paid more than it was worth.

Now with that out of the way, let me get back to the question at hand. What is in my microphone drawer?

One might say I have a reasonably large collection to choose from and I am always experimenting, so the following list may very from time to time. This is what I am taking out at the moment to do shows, demo's, and clinic's with - in other words, live audio. Also, this is my personal mic package so I'm not concerned what the neighbors might think. These are all about my personal choices. It's a collection that makes me happy. That said - on with the list.

Download the rest of the article by clicking here or select 'whatsinyourmicdrawer.pdf' in the Tech Download section to the right.

Dear Soundman - Both when testing on the floor and with the one now hanging in the gallery, I’m noticing a pretty hot little 10 or 15 degree zone in more or less the center of the horn that seems to have a significant 1-2K peak. Is this typical of the QRX horns? Having a hard time getting those frequencies out to the seats around the center of the coverage area without killing the people in the center with 1-2K. Any tricks? -B-

Dear B,

I ran the following polars on your boxes in passive mode and they do exhibit some lobbing in the 1.25k to 2k region and then smoothes out again. This issue is not coming from the horn. The horn, by itself, does not have any beaming problems particularly at such a low frequency. What you are experiencing is, at the crossover point of the loudspeaker system the output from the horn is interacting with the output from the woofer and is causing comb filtering.

Using an active crossover, instead of the passive one built into the box, should do a better job of controling this behavior and reduce it to a minimum. I believe the specifications quote a crossover frequency of around 1.8k although the polars suggest suggest something a little lower. I doubt that the passive filter in the crossover is anything greater than a 2nd order (12db/oct) filter which would explain the lobbing as the horn and the woofer overlap in frequency response. The boxes are designed to be switchable to bi-amp mode by way of a switch on the back connector panel. Using an active system controller (crossover) with a 4th order LW filter (24db/oct) and time alignment (delay) should help smooth the polar response in the crossover region.

Sincerely - SoundMan -

Dear SoundMan, Here's the issue: should we buy a dedicated CD burning recording system or could this be handled with existing equipment and electronics and recorded using a networked PC? - Neale -

Dear Neale,

There is no less expensive, extremely uncomplicated and easy to use, faster to finished recording, system available than a stand-alone CD recorder such as the MicroBoard CopyWriterLive. Using this recording system will not require any additional skills or any adjustment to the routine that has already been established by mimicking the current cassette tape based system you have been using up to this point and will give you all the advantages (very high quality audio, low cost of expendables, flexibility of formating for any need, complete compatibility with current and future technology) that digital recording offers. No PC based system is this easy and inexpensive to use.

It is set up so that when turned on you only have to push one button to record. At the end of the service you will have a complete digital recording that you can 1- use immediately in any CD and most new DVD players 2 - make high speed copies with the same machine with the same one button ease 3 - use the CD to post the audio file to the internet or portable iPod.

I showed the assistant pastor, in less than five minutes, how to (using the computer already in her office) edit the audio from the service and create a new CD with just the extracted sermon on it and burn it to a disk using the free iTunes software already installed on her machine. That same software just as easily can create a file for podcasting and web broadcast.

Sincerely - SoundMan -

Dear SoundMan, Our sound system was in a foul mood Sunday. Remote mikes were malfunctioning causing great loud static sounds. Help please. - Dave -

Dear Dave,

The loud hissing noise you heard, that sounds like the noise you get in between AM radio stations, was comming from one of the wireless receivers in the rack who's corresponding transmitter was turned off. To put this as simply as I can, the receiver thought that it heard its transmitter and mistakenly turned off its squelch and the sound you heard of dead air was released through the system. This issue of sudden bursts of noise happens in all wireless systems and can be avoided in one of the following ways:

You should NEVER have a wireless receiver turned on and turned up in the system without its corresponding transmitter turned on. So...

1 - Keep all receivers who's transmitter is not turned on OFF
or
2 - At the mixer, turn the volume on the channel that is controlling the level of the
receiver who's transmitter is not turned on ALL THE WAY DOWN
or
3 - Keep all of the transmitters who's corresponding receiver is turn on and up ON
and use the Audio MUTE switch located on each transmitter to mute the signal
instead of turning the transmitter on and off.

The automated squelch keeps this from happening almost always, however it can be fooled, so the above methods are the only way to insure that this problem will not occur.

Sincerely - SoundMan -

P.S. You can find more information in the Tech Download section in a new addition called Wireless Microphone Basics.