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Need help how to hook up my new system
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Author:  no12be [ Mon Nov 01, 2010 12:48 am ]
Post subject:  Need help how to hook up my new system
Hi Room,

I'm newbie. I try to built a karaoke system for my family to use and I want it to have a good sound, no feedback and last for a while . So I did purchased all equipments based on reading on this room and someone recommendation, here what i have so far:

Mackie Mixer 1202 vlz3
Lexicon Reverb MX200
Alesis Compressor 3630
Alesis EQ DEQ230
Mackie speakers SRM450V2
Shure Wireless Microphone PG288/PG58
Home computer.

I am very confuse how to hook everything up, so I really need your help to clear my mind.

Mic to Mixer . (2 XLR cables)
Lexicon Reverb to Mixer thru Aux Send/ Stereo Return. (3 TRS to TRS cables)
Mixer main out --> EQ --> Compressor ---> Speakers. ( 2 XLR to TRS, 2 TRS to TRS, 2 TRS to XLR)
Computer to Mixer channel 5. (1/8 to TR cable)


Is this right connection?
How to adjust Mixer, Reverb, EQ and compressor?

Sorry for a newbie question.
Thanks for all your helping and suggestion.
Vu
:roll:
Author:  letitrip [ Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
no12be @ Mon Nov 01, 2010 2:48 am wrote:
Hi Room,

I'm newbie. I try to built a karaoke system for my family to use and I want it to have a good sound, no feedback and last for a while . So I did purchased all equipments based on reading on this room and someone recommendation, here what i have so far:

Mackie Mixer 1202 vlz3
Lexicon Reverb MX200
Alesis Compressor 3630
Alesis EQ DEQ230
Mackie speakers SRM450V2
Shure Wireless Microphone PG288/PG58
Home computer.

I am very confuse how to hook everything up, so I really need your help to clear my mind.

Mic to Mixer . (2 XLR cables)
Lexicon Reverb to Mixer thru Aux Send/ Stereo Return. (3 TRS to TRS cables)
Mixer main out --> EQ --> Compressor ---> Speakers. ( 2 XLR to TRS, 2 TRS to TRS, 2 TRS to XLR)
Computer to Mixer channel 5. (1/8 to TR cable)


Is this right connection?
How to adjust Mixer, Reverb, EQ and compressor?

Sorry for a newbie question.
Thanks for all your helping and suggestion.
Vu
:roll:


Vu, you've asked a lot of questions, each of which could be answered through their own dedicated thread. Here's a few thoughts. First, your patching for the Lexicon will work fine. Alternatively you could use one of your stereo channels instead of a stereo return to bring the reverb back in, but that's a preference not a necessity. Your output routing is fine, however I'd question why you'd want a compressor on the final mix rather than on the vocals. I'd recommend using the compressor on your vocal channels by connecting each channel of the compressor to one of your two vocal channel inserts (on the back of the mixer) using an insert (Y - TRS to dual TR) cable. That would be far more effective and the results would be more pleasing.

As far as your connection of the computer to the mixer, I'm assuming that the cable you're using is a single 1/8" TRS to dual 1/4" TR?? If so that's fine too.

Adjusting the mixer, follow the manual from Mackie. They give you what is actually a really good basic run through to get your gain structure setup. Too much to go through right here. Reverb - find a good small to medium Hall reverb and go with that. The advantage of bringing in the reverb on a stereo channel versus the return (as I mentioned before) is that you can tweak the input level as well as the EQ. On the EQ I'd recommend taking the low EQ control 3/4 of the way out and the high turn it to about 10 o'clock.

On your compressor, first adjust the levels on the mics with the compressor disconnected or in bypass mode. Once those are set per the Mackie manual, enable the compressor. Start with your threshold at 0 (on the compressor side), your ratio to 4:1, attack at .1ms, release at what would be about 250ms, and your output at 0. Make sure the gate is disabled by turning it's threshold to "off". Set the buttons on each channel to select "Peak" and "Soft Knee". Now have someone sing or speak into the microphone, make sure that they give you some peaks (their loudest volume). Adjust the threshold on the compressor down until you see a few "Gain reduction" LED's light up only on their peaks. There should be no gain reduction when they're singing at they normal levels. Now your comp is ready to roll. As your show continues, just adjust the threshold for each singer so you get the same behavior as I discussed above.

Finally for your EQ, there isn't much I can tell you hear without listening to your PA. For most PA's I'd say take the 25 and 31.5 bands and bring them down all the way (-12 dB). You can do the same with the 20k band as well. Most of the time you'll probably want a small dip at 250Hz. Take it down to maybe -3 dB and the neighboring bands (200Hz and 315Hz) down about -1.5 dB. Beyond that, all I can say is listen to a track of music that has a good clear mix of various instruments. Identify the tones that sound offensive or too prominent and experiment with the EQ to try and find those tones and reduce them. The easiest way is to pick one band at at time, drop it down completely (-12 dB) and see if the offensive tone disappears. If not bring it back and try the next frequency until you get the right one. Then adjust it to a level when you can again hear that tone but it no longer stands out as annoying.

Hope that helps.
Author:  eben [ Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
Vu, where are you located? It may be simpler for someone to show you then answer in writing.
Author:  kjbob [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 1:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
Wow, Vu has better equipment for his home use than some KJ's I know, lol!
Author:  no12be [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
The reason I hookup compressor last because I want to protect speakers from loud music and screaming. I will buy more cables and try your method.
Thanks
Vu
Author:  no12be [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
eben @ Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:27 am wrote:
Vu, where are you located? It may be simpler for someone to show you then answer in writing.


I'm living in Bay area ( Fremont).
Thanks
Vu
Author:  no12be [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
kjbob @ Tue Nov 02, 2010 1:01 am wrote:
Wow, Vu has better equipment for his home use than some KJ's I know, lol!


I used to have vocopro speakers and api karaoke mixer but I daughters screaming and drop microphone and alots of feedback so it make my speakers went bad. That’s a reason why I want to built this so it can last and handle my daughters screaming
Author:  letitrip [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 10:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
no12be @ Tue Nov 02, 2010 10:43 am wrote:
The reason I hookup compressor last because I want to protect speakers from loud music and screaming. I will buy more cables and try your method.
Thanks
Vu


Well getting the comp on the two vocal channels will help you with vocal peaks (screaming, yelling, etc). On the music side you shouldn't have to worry because you control the levels. As long as you keep your overall level under control you shouldn't have any issues. When I think about a limited PA system that I'm going to use somewhere, I'm going to compress the vocals before I add any limiter on the main mix. The dynamics of the vocals are out of my control, I have complete control over the levels I send out of the console.
Author:  Lonman [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 10:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
letitrip @ Tue Nov 02, 2010 11:19 am wrote:
no12be @ Tue Nov 02, 2010 10:43 am wrote:
The reason I hookup compressor last because I want to protect speakers from loud music and screaming. I will buy more cables and try your method.
Thanks
Vu


Well getting the comp on the two vocal channels will help you with vocal peaks (screaming, yelling, etc). On the music side you shouldn't have to worry because you control the levels. As long as you keep your overall level under control you shouldn't have any issues. When I think about a limited PA system that I'm going to use somewhere, I'm going to compress the vocals before I add any limiter on the main mix. The dynamics of the vocals are out of my control, I have complete control over the levels I send out of the console.

That and the fact that most karaoke music is already mastered & compressed already.
Author:  eben [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 4:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
no12be @ Tue Nov 02, 2010 8:44 am wrote:
eben @ Mon Nov 01, 2010 11:27 am wrote:
Vu, where are you located? It may be simpler for someone to show you then answer in writing.


I'm living in Bay area ( Fremont).
Thanks
Vu


Vu, IM me with your phone number. I live in San Jose and probably can help you set everything up.
Author:  chrism1 [ Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Need help how to hook up my new system
Yes,should be no reason to comp music...vocals only IMHO
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