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I'm doing a benefit Saturday. I was asked to be there from 2pm-
2am. This is a big event. They're having 5 or 6 bands, raffels, food, games etc..
They have asked me to be there all day to make announcements, sing and
do karaoke. I am concerned about having my powered mixer on all day. Do
you think it will be a problem? (The bands will be using their own equipment, not mine.)

It is a Mackie 808M powered mixer. http://www.mackie.com/products/808m/index.html

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Babs, you could turn it off between bands.   Get a fan to blow on it.

You mixer is rated at 100% duty cycle. That means it can not only be left turned on forever, but can also be used continuosly while turned on.......It is designed to be left on full time without harming it.

If however, you overload it, it will "thermal out" on the amp side......Then once it has cooled off it will be usable again.

That said, here is where you need to be careful......Seeing as how it is a huge event, then do not attempt to make it try to fill too large an area with high SPL's....It can only supply so much power to your speakers. Do not ask it to do more or you can harm your speakers and cause the amp to thermal down on a protection/limiting device.

First get your gain structure at unity, then watch your master output meters and make sure they never go above 0dB.....if your strip sliders are at 0(unity) and so is your masters and you still don't have nuff volume, then back off and accept you don't have nuff power in the built-in amp.

Dial it in this way first with the speakers disconnected......first place the masters at unity(0)....Then start the player with a hot song playing.....ease the player strip slider up till the master meters are hitting 0dB, then do the same with the mic strips, then place a piece of tape next to each strip slider to mark where the master meter hits unity for each strip.....then drop all sliders to bottom and reconnect speakers....After that never raise a strip slider past the tape pieces.......Then never raise the master sliders above 0/unity while playing....use masters to control loudness.

Oh, and don't let them feed you off a too long n thin extension cord....that will shut you down fersure once you crank it.

Don't be skeerd!...This is a great chance for you to really open that baby up and hear what it can do...Just keep it tween the guardrails and everything will be fine.

There will be no problem leaving it on all day but like stated, if you feel there is, then turn it off between bands!

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Is there a possibility for you to hook up your system to the PA of the venue? Your amp out put may be too small for the event.

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Good suggestion.....There should be outputs on your mixer that bypass the builtin mixer amp.....Those outputs will be labled "Line Out L/R"....

If the venue will be using the same main mixer, sound guy and PA for all bands, they may allow you to patch into their main mixer from yours...it is done all the time in pro venues.

You would have to chat a moment with their sound guy and he would need to peek at your mixer, and see if he can patch you in thru an unused path on his mixer, then brief you on on simple stuff like how high to set your master outs......From there, their sound guy simply mutes you in and out of his board as required-when required.

If you go that route, you can leave your speakers in the truck, cause you are going to sound as good as they do.

BUT, if each band uses their own setup, forget it.

Some PA (public address) and intercom amps are left on 24/7. Amps are biased to a very low idle current and the only time they are working s wth signal present. (That is one of the basic tests for amps is to run them for extended periods hooked up to the speakers and monitor the temp of the heat sinks, then not hooked to the speakers) I have seen 808's run outdoors all day... If the ambient temp stays at normal room temp you have no worries Keep the heat sink on the back in the open where it can dissipate heat.  If you are concerned hold the back of your hand next to the heat sink. Get used to how warm it should be then you can tell if it is getting hotter than normal....

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Speaking of Mackie Mixer:  Lonman, this question probably is more up your alley, but appreciate anybody's input.  I've used the CFx12 for over six years now.  Have an older model that I keep at home and use one of the newer cfx12 MKII's at my show.

Question is this:  Over the past six years I have had something occur, maybe 6 or 7 times.  And it has happened on both my old one and the new one.  It happened last night:  everything is going along good; just the right amount of effects and then all of a sudden no effects.  Everything sounds flat.  If you want any effects you really have to over adjust.  

I have found that as soon as the singer is through.  I cut the mixer off; pause about 5 secs. and cut it back on and all is well.  It's almost as if it has to rest it self.  

As I said though, it's only happened once in a blue moon.  Just curious if you or anyone has had this occur with the Mackie or for that matter any mixer.

Thanks,

Kelly

The Fx is a piggyback circuit board and the same one is used in the 808 and dfx12.  On a dfx12 I had the plug to the main board come loose and was intermittent.  Another possilbility could be the selector switch but that could be tested by turning to another postion.

The bottom plate can be removed and the FX plug can be checked It is about 3 or 4" square...

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I ain't Lonman, but until he comes along..........You can try to recreate the problem at home and maybe prevent it while working.

The mixer might have an internal protection circuit on the FX......Try cranking both the FX sends and returns with masters down....do it while cd is playing and using the FX on the player strip with masters at bottom and the strip slider up...let it play that way for awhile and see if it does it again....Make sure to send a full signal thru the FX...Max it out.

You can also contact Mackie tech support and see if they have any suggestions or record of the problem...Mackie might even have a user support forum.

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Yep, just as a I thought....Go here:

http://forums.mackie.com/scripts/forum/ ... 4;t=001603

It certainly sounds like you are clipping thru the FX and it is cutting out on a protection device in the circuit......Do the test I described above and see it you can recreate the problem.

Thanks guys.  I'll try all the above.

Kelly

Good luck.......

BTW, you should always be able to run your strip FX send at 2-3 oclock on the twisty with no problems....It is a must because it helps prevent hiss and noise...You will always pick up lots of noise if you don't crank the send high enuff and try to make up for it by increasing the return......If however you are only running one or two strips with FX and the sends are no higher than 3 oclock when it cuts out, then you might have an actual fault in the board.

Next question -
I'm sure once I get there and test sound this will be obvious, but
I thought I'd ask anyway. This is my first time outside with this setup.
From all my readings it is suggested to flat line my EQs.
Do you guys agree or disagree?

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Definitely flatline to do initial settings.  When you go to adjust, cut, rather than boost.  You want to keep the eq as flat as possible, but some frequencies may sound harsh or feedback prone, cut those frequencies little at a time until sound is right.

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Thank you all so much!

I'm partially really excited I was able to interprit everything you all said.  LMAO

I am slightly worried about having enough power. I have done outside with less.
Again - everyone there is using their own equipment. I will be making announcements, doing raffles, singing and later doing karaoke. This is taking place in a medium sized parking lot next to the bar that is my regular gig.

I guess for the most part I am the filler entertainment while bands are coming and going. I'll be there all day. Can you tell I'm excited. I'm such a girl.

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OUTDOORS?!

Yikes!........Hon, Sweetcheeks, Sugar Dumplin......I'm thinking there is gonna be a problem.

Outside events require several times the amp power and speakers you need indoors....Especially bass notes.

Yeah, do not boost EQ on bass cause you will only rob even more power from your amp.....Leave the EQ fat lined fersure to spare all the amp headroom possible.....

I sure hope your speakers are properly mated to your mixer amp cause you will be pushing their limits outside.......If your speakers can handle it, then you will need to run close to the ragged edge of clipping everything on the board and in the power amp....If you clip anywhere in the chain you can quickly fry your horns or even your crossovers.

Yes speakers are properly matched. I had help from you all.
I have 3 JBL passive Eons.
The powered mixer has a clipping light
on it that I have never seen light up yet.

Any other suggestions are welcome, keep'um coming.

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Just an added note. The volume of the music has never been a challenge, but
vocals at times can be.

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