Sub snake stagebox

[ghance]

Hi,

 

What is your preferred sub-snake setup?

 

We've got a selection of satellite stage boxes: 4, 8, 12 & 16 ways in assorted lengths from 5 to 25m.. some captive.. some on veam connects... and a couple with pass-thru.

 

They all get used, but I'd like to settle on one standard setup... e.g. 8-way or 12-way boxes on 25 or 37 pin veams. can't decide between 12-way setup like the Whirlwind Patch Master & Mini-12 boxes, or go with something smaller as 8 lines is usually enough for any given section.. except drums, where you could run in 2 lines.

 

The Whirlwind system doesn't have loop thru, but I prefer loop thru's on 12 or 16 way boxes as it reduces cross patching between acts.. eg. channels 13-24 are replicated on both sides of stage.

 

Whats your setup & why?

 

thanks

 

.gh

[Simon Lewis]

Depends on the type and size of gigs you do the most of? Or you need to have the se;lection of boxes available, but standardise on the "large stage system".

 

I use the VDC stageboxes, but have (and don't like) the captive cable types - too much strain and weight on the gland and a pain to coil properly. I would certainly go for the multipinned type, and then you could join lengths of cable to give the length needed? The boxes can have a second multipin on them to link out or split the signal. I use 8 ways, but that fits my size of gig...

[smalljoshua]

I like the 12 way VDC boxes myself, a couple of companys down here (Notably Evosound in Cornwall and APR in Somerset) use the same system which makes for great inter-hire options.

 

Even nicer is when the last 4 ways (9-12) have XLR of both gender on them allowing for quick and neat returns or splits on stage (Local Drummer Monitoring anyone)

 

Terminated in 37 way VEAM connectors.

 

Josh

[ghance]

Thanks for replies.. Size of gig? I guess we're talking concert halls & outdoor gigs with well known acts.

 

Typical venues are 2,500 capacity concert halls and any of the second tier stages at major festivals (eg. anything except stages 1 & 2)

 

Last weekend we did 20 venues in Westminster in 1 day.. all 2-in-a-bar type setup with artists you've only seen on myspace.. Next week we've got 2 dates in 2,500 cap venues with an artist in the current hit parade..

 

So whatever we do has to be flexible.. thats why I quite like 8-ways.. can double up for smaller gigs as the main snake.. or for a top-table loom in a conference etc. that sid.. 12-ways seems to be the defacto..

 

anyone had bad experience with loop thru?.. e.g. a fault on CH 3 of a box could put noise on everything daisy-chained on that line.. be harder to find out where the the fault lies if there is more than one input socket. I've not had that problem myself.. but maybe you have?

 

anyone else with 2p?

 

cheers

[NeilW]

We stock both 12 Way and 16 Way sub boxes. The most important thing for us is that the sub snake lines are freely patchable to the main stage box channels. This gives a much more flexible system than sub box 1 being channels 1-12, 2 being 13-24 etc. I'd second what Simon mentioned regarding multipinned boxes. The only thing to watch out for with daisy chained boxes is that in the heat of the moment in a festival style change over you don't end up with two sources plugged into the same channel by mistake! It's common for us to have more sub box lines on stage, maybe up to six 12 Way boxes on a 48 channel system for maximum flexibility.

 

Neil

[ghance]

yes.. defo NOT fixed 1-12 / 13-24!! I've seen it done and yes, waaay to inflexible.

 

Thru.. yes.. know what u mean by two mics on same ch.. its a trade off between that and being able to get to a given ch on either side of stage without a re-patch.. eg. when the bass or keys swaps stage left - right.