powered mixer set up

[stevew]

Hi everyone,just wanted an opinion on the set up of a dynacord powered mixer ie fader positions etc

ok I can do the gain ok seems to be about 2.30 position

now best way to get the best out is master faders at unity then ajust individual faders or

individual faders unity back off abit then ajust whole lot together

or mixture of both

hope someone can point me in the right direction. thanks

[Simon Lewis]

You will get responses from two different groups of people - those for whom faders must be at 0dB and they effectively mix with input gains, and those set input gains and mix with the faders. Neither group will concede ground to the other.

I would suggest you start with everything turned down, then turn up the channel gain to produce a workable signal on the meters, set channel fader to 0dB, master faders to 0dB and then turn up the power amp control until it's loud enough for the gig.

[timsabre]

I'm glad you could decode that question, I wasn't even sure what was being asked. What does "adjust whole lot together" refer to, master faders?

[GR1]

The question is : How do I set up a gain structure?

[stevew]

Ok then go for that,but that wasn't what I was asking.

I was after the position of channel faders,main faders,the first reply had the right idea.

[psychosoundman]

Steve, I think you've got the right "basic" idea, however this is usually how its done (as experienced through my many years of being a soundtech AND observing others doing the job) with a Dynacord Powered mixer:-

 

[presuming the band/DJ (or whatever signal is playing from source)]

 

#1 make sure BOTH master out (L/R faders) and ALL AUX outputs are DOWN!

 

#2 on channel 1 Gain pot turn clockwise to get your desired gain (on led PFL meter [in master output section of mixer] it should be just over green led's and maybe "blink" the FIRST amber led) [this you seem to have mastered]. This leaves you with enough "headroom" to adjust later should it be needed.

 

#3 bring up master L/R faders to unity (ie 0db)

 

#4 bring up channel 1 channel fader slowly to desired "audible sound output" (channel 1 is usually kick drum as an industry default) [ the channel fader may NOT reach unity from that source, depending on what the source is going into it, and what Mic you are using, it may only get to -10db for a Kick drum depending on placement and type of mic]

 

#5 leave Master L/R Master faders at unity and repeat process for all available channels.

NOTE: Be careful adjusting the gains on the channels you are using for guitars and vocals as the guitars may use pedals that "distort the sound" and "up the gain" from their end, as well as vocals going from soft "acapella" to a peaking "screaming/yelling", so at sound check, ask guitarist to use their pedals, and vocalists their loudest voice that they will use in the gig. This will give you a reference as to the gain structure you will need to use on those particular channels.

 

Please note this is the way most soundtechs I know (myself included) approach "setting up a basic mix" before we "refine" it, so it is a purely personal point of view by way of answering your question.

 

You may have the channel faders "up and down" which in itself isn't a problem, the mixer is just that, a "machine" to mix the input signals of a source to an output, to reproduce a "mixed" sound, from many sources.

 

The problem most novice soundtechs have is they think the channel faders should be all level, ie all at unity 0db (and you can acheive that as well) however you should be accomplished enough to be able to do that ( I am assuming you are starting out, and my apology's if I am wrong, so I am trying to describe it "basically")

 

The main thing you have got right is your "individual gain structures". Keep them within the acceptable parameters and you should be OK.

 

Hope this helps

[stevew]

Thanks for that reply psychosoundman.That is exactly how I set up,I have just heard conflicting opinion's that were starting to confuse me.

So I'm glad I am doing everything right.