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DJ-Versatile View Drop Down
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    Posted: 22 April 2025 at 7:12pm
Hi all!
I'm going to be providing the sound for a small local outdoor event. They are expecting 450-500 people per day over a weekend in July. The idea is ambient chill-out house music during the day with some demonstrations on the stage they'll be providing. I'll be playing out into what is effectively a small football pitch sized open space from the "halfway line"  (I'm awaiting maps from the client), with the main building behind me. My position will be slightly elevated from the main area.

Rig will be as follows:
FOH
4x Logic Systems LS215
2 x Logic Systems LS152 (horn will be rotated for horizontal coverage)

Last year they literally had a pair of active speakers so I'm sure what I have will be fine. 
What I don't want is to have this rig screaming to reach the back of the festival. 

In fill is an option, it may be slight overkill but any advice from you gurus would be great!

TIA
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Jan-2T View Drop Down
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Points: 137 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jan-2T Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 April 2025 at 7:11am
The subs most certainly will do for the party,
For the demonstrations (I guess a host speaching) if you need to reach the whole area, get the tops up high enough.
Music!
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DJ-Versatile View Drop Down
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Points: 409 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DJ-Versatile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 April 2025 at 10:45am
Ok that's great, thank you! It's a Pilates instructor getting the crowd involved (not me!) so I've invested in a decent headset microphone for them.

I think I should be able to get a decent amount of height, the venue have been kind enough to allow a test set up day next month when the weather picks up, I'll let you know how it goes!
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Points: 5837 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jacethebase Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 April 2025 at 1:15pm
What headset microphone have you invested in? Do you have a digital console with parametric EQ? Small capsule microphones can be tricky especially if your spanking the ass out of the PA to try and get it to the back of the venue.
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subs in a central block, mid highs as far apart and as high as possible, pair of infills left and right onstage.   
DMZ. "The bass was intense. Girls were literally running up to stand next to the subs"
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DJ-Versatile View Drop Down
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The console I'll be using is an A&H Zed14 so only tri band eq. If the rest of this year goes as I hope it will, I'll be looking into a digital desk with some form of iPad connectivity(Any recommendations welcome).

And the mic I've ordered is a Sennheiser XSW 1-ME3 in the UK bandwidth.
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DJ-Versatile View Drop Down
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That sounds like great advice! I'm going to try and pick up some Logic 10/12" for on stage infill duties. I have some powered Alto's which could also do the trick, however I'm hoping to do more of this thing going forward and it'll bee nice to have some uniformity
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Points: 5837 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jacethebase Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 April 2025 at 5:49pm
Originally posted by DJ-Versatile DJ-Versatile wrote:

The console I'll be using is an A&H Zed14 so only tri band eq. If the rest of this year goes as I hope it will, I'll be looking into a digital desk with some form of iPad connectivity(Any recommendations welcome).

And the mic I've ordered is a Sennheiser XSW 1-ME3 in the UK bandwidth.

You will want to get some more powerful EQ than that. Pick up a cheap graphic EQ of ebay and insert it on the channel with the ME3. Being totally honest the ME3’s aren't my favourite headsets and can be quite lively.
Youtube how to ring out lav’s you will want to notch out all the problem frequency's. 
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As above, the secret of getting a headset mic to work is feedback prevention. Ring the mic out in situ at a soundcheck before the event starts.

A graphic (or, better, a 4 or 5 way parametric) EQ inserted in the channel should allow you to take out the first 4 or 5 feedback frequencies and get plenty of level. Do this *after* EQing the mic on the desk for preferred sound.
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Originally posted by DJ-Versatile DJ-Versatile wrote:

If the rest of this year goes as I hope it will, I'll be looking into a digital desk with some form of iPad connectivity(Any recommendations welcome). 
A&H CQ series. I recently acquired a CQ-20b and have to say overall it works quite well. One of the last events I did was a Pakistani folk group with 20 players on stage all with mics playing various hand instruments and 1 or 2 vocalists. Once I had everything appropriately gained, EQ'd, and gated the built-in feedback control system was able to keep the sound system stable even while running at full output. There is simply no way I would have got anywhere near that result with a basic analog console, it just doesn't have the tools. Note.. this mixer has separate processing.. EQ, Limiting, FBQ system for each of the 8 outputs. 
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Points: 409 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DJ-Versatile Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 April 2025 at 8:58am
Originally posted by jacethebase jacethebase wrote:

Originally posted by DJ-Versatile DJ-Versatile wrote:

The console I'll be using is an A&H Zed14 so only tri band eq. If the rest of this year goes as I hope it will, I'll be looking into a digital desk with some form of iPad connectivity(Any recommendations welcome).

And the mic I've ordered is a Sennheiser XSW 1-ME3 in the UK bandwidth.

You will want to get some more powerful EQ than that. Pick up a cheap graphic EQ of ebay and insert it on the channel with the ME3. Being totally honest the ME3’s aren't my favourite headsets and can be quite lively.
Youtube how to ring out lav’s you will want to notch out all the problem frequency's. 

This sent me down a rabbit hole and a half! Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely going to look into a different mic, I've got time to return this one and pick something more appropriate


Edited by DJ-Versatile - 24 April 2025 at 9:05am
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Originally posted by Conanski Conanski wrote:

Originally posted by DJ-Versatile DJ-Versatile wrote:

If the rest of this year goes as I hope it will, I'll be looking into a digital desk with some form of iPad connectivity(Any recommendations welcome). 
A&H CQ series. I recently acquired a CQ-20b and have to say overall it works quite well. One of the last events I did was a Pakistani folk group with 20 players on stage all with mics playing various hand instruments and 1 or 2 vocalists. Once I had everything appropriately gained, EQ'd, and gated the built-in feedback control system was able to keep the sound system stable even while running at full output. There is simply no way I would have got anywhere near that result with a basic analog console, it just doesn't have the tools. Note.. this mixer has separate processing.. EQ, Limiting, FBQ system for each of the 8 outputs. 

I've been having a look at the CQ12T vs X32 rack. Looking at the features I think the A&H will do just what I need going forward, I'm not planning on getting into any band mixing for the time being. Will mostly be DJ's, host's and spoken demonstrations for the foreseeable.
I'll let you know how I get on!
Thanks Big smile


Edited by DJ-Versatile - 24 April 2025 at 9:06am
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