Karaoke Forums

I have a Behringer Mixer, EP2500 amp, and two Cerwin Vega Prostax 15" 3-ways mains.

I had an EP1500 and I was clipping, so I supposed I needed more power into the mains.  They're rated at 600 peak and 350 program.  I hook each speaker into a separate channel on the amp.

I'm looking for the best positions on my amp, gain and slider to get the best output.  When I was clipping with my EP1500 my amp was turned all the way up, the gain twisty was at about 2 or 3 o'clock and my slider was about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up.

Could I have done something differently to get better results?  Don't seem to have the same problems with the EP2500.  What is the best configuration???

Thanks.

Amps wide open - you control the volume from your mixer.

Mixer - channel sliders as close to "unity" as possible after the gain is set up to not clip that channel - you didn't mention what model Behringer mixer, but it should have a clip light of some sort on each channel, you need to adjust it to where the clip light is just barely blinking, then back off a bit, then the channel fader goes up.

Master fader on the mixer adjusted how ever much volume you need.

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Thanks Lonman,

I have the master sliders at Unity.  I forgot to mention that too.  I thought I was right in turning the amp all the way up. but it is the channel slider and twisty I was having issues with.  Thanks for the advice.

Yeah the master slider shouldn't be at unity, the channel sliders should be as close as possible to unity.

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With the channel faders at or near unity, are you only using the channel gain knob to adjust volume?

No the gain should be set & left alone - this is one of the settings you CAN set for an average & leave it.  The faders are going to be adjusted for volume per channel but they should remain close to unity as possible.  Sometimes they will go up a little, sometimes they will go down a little - per singer.

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Yep, that's how I understand it too.  I think the whole idea of having the settings like this is to get the most dynamic range you can without going into distortion and to get the best sound-to-noise ratio.

Well you also have a little headroom per channel to work with as well.

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okay what is unity? Humour the stoopid witch

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My music settings are good once I set them.   But I have some very powerful singers that need to have major gain adjustments when they sing to keep them from red lining the channel.


One More Thing.    If we were working in a  studio setting and you were working with the same people all the time you could be closer to an ideal unity structural setting.    But with karaoke that will never happen.

Unity is the point on your mixer that is marked with a U (or 0 on some).

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Since we're on the subject.... I've heard in the past that you should set the "Master" fader at, or near, unity, and work from there. The reason, I was told, is that if you don't, it could "drive your other channels too hard" if the Master fader is set too low. Just wondering if this is true or not. Not disagreeing with the other posts... just curious.

My system sounds like crap if the masters are below a certain point.   It really perks up after that point.     Sometimes things don't sound right and then I notice the masters need to be pushed up more.     More power Scotty.

Funny, I have never had a problem with most singers.  On occasion I get one that actually redlines, a small turn of the compressor fixes that.  I have my gain structure set at 1 point & adjust from the channel faders.

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The crap sound is most likely caused because of incorrect eq settings & improper (or lack thereof) crossovers & amp for subs!

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Last night I introduced my EP2500 (upgrade from EP1500).  I attempted initially setting the channels near unity (which is nearly impossible to maintain with the vocals) and I wasn't getting the punch I wanted (and the vocal channel was clipping too).  I didn't mess with the gain twisties once I set them (except for a couple of the more powerful singers).  I raised the master faders to unity and controlled the volume with the channel sliders and got much better results from the independent channels.  It was probably my best show in a long while (My wit was in top form, chicks were all over me, got a $10 tip from one guy, and compliments on the system all around).  I asked for a raise.  

If the vocal channels are clipping, then yes you have to turn the gain down, clipping is bad.  If that clip light is lighting anywhere on the mixer (an occasional blinking is ok, a steady or more continual blinking is not), the channels that are lighting need to be turned down by the gain.  Yes all singers are different, however onve you get the gain set - for the loudest passage - then all volume adjustments will be done on the channel faders.
What happens when you have the master fader at unity & adjust from the channels, you actually get a higher signal to noise ratio as the channel faders aren't turned up high enough & there will be more 'hiss' in the system.

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It sounds crappy if the master faders are not pushed up enough.   Once they pass a certain level it sounds wonderful.    And the red lining microphones happens alot.    I have many very powerful singers.    If I didn't back off on the gain knob, all you would hear would be lots of major distortion.

Then you have the gains set too high to begin with!

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