SLA Pro driver question

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kenkenni
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Re: SLA Pro driver question

#61 Post by kenkenni »

Thanks Tom. I was worried a bit, but after I turned the array over and applied the cement to the joints on
the opposite side and let set over night it is now a bit more stiffer and is holding up just fine.

kenkenni
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:34 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#62 Post by kenkenni »

I have been slow to update because I'm just getting over a summer cold, but I did manage
to attach one side, the back braces, and the main brace. Also I have some of the carpeting
installed. More pics coming soon.

As I sat here fighting this cold I went ahead and started wiring up the cross-overs and the SpeakOns
which brings me to my next question. I noticed some guys have 2 wires on the input side of the
cross-over and some have 4. Can someone tell me which is correct as the plans only show two
on the input side even in the SketchUp? I am still getting my head around passive cross-overs so
bear with me. Where would the extra wires connect?

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Tom Smit
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Re: SLA Pro driver question

#63 Post by Tom Smit »

It depends on whether or not they made the input jumpers at the input jacks or at the crossover. Also, they might have be jumping off the filter to go to the woofers.
TomS

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DJPhatman
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Re: SLA Pro driver question

#64 Post by DJPhatman »

Or they are parallel wiring the input jack...
I know money often seals the deal, but seriously, quality is an investment, not an expense... Grant Bunter
Accept the fact that airtight and well-braced are more important than pretty on the inside. Bill Fitzmaurice

kenkenni
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:34 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#65 Post by kenkenni »

Okay! That's what I was thinking at first but just wasn't sure. Thought I may have missed something.
Appreciate the info.

kenkenni
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:34 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#66 Post by kenkenni »

Okay! I am almost done with the first two (Tall) SLAs. It's been taking a bit longer
than I wanted because I keep making little petty mistakes cut-wise and having to go
back and fix them. Frustrating at times but I will persevere. I 100% completed one
and since I already had the tweeter array wired I decided to screw it to the cabinet
and also wire up the Mids. I just had to do a test run so upstairs I go with one SLA in
tow and proceed to connect it to my old QSC RMX850 amplifier which is running the
output signal from my MOTU 828 audio interface and to my surprise everything
works. No bad drivers no air leaks and it really does get loud. Just this one speaker
sounds really good and I'm no even pass 5 on the interface volume. I can't wait to
finish up the whole set.

There is one thing I need you guys help on. I have the dip switches on my amp set for stereo
and I also have the limiter switches set to on for a little peace of mind. I noticed that the
tweeters and the mids seem to be operating on independent channels and I'm pretty sure
I can operate them as one unit on one channel. Should I set my amp back to bridged mono?

These speakers sound very good by themselves and when I ran the second jack to my
ETX sub they sounded that extra special. I will post pics of my progress in the afternoon
as right now it is about 1:30am here in Georgia and I am still demoing this one SLA.

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Bill Fitzmaurice
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Re: SLA Pro driver question

#67 Post by Bill Fitzmaurice »

kenkenni wrote:Should I set my amp back to bridged mono?
http://billfitzmaurice.info/forum/viewt ... 10&t=19292

NukePooch
Posts: 371
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:07 pm
Location: Berea, Kentucky

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#68 Post by NukePooch »

kenkenni wrote: There is one thing I need you guys help on. I have the dip switches on my amp set for stereo
and I also have the limiter switches set to on for a little peace of mind. I noticed that the
tweeters and the mids seem to be operating on independent channels and I'm pretty sure
I can operate them as one unit on one channel. Should I set my amp back to bridged mono?

I'm confused on what you're saying here...It sounds like you're saying the piezo tweets and the mids in your SLA are operating independently? That's not possible if you have passive crossovers... You've got one side/channel of the amp running into the passive crossover, which then splits into highs to the tweets, and mids to the mids... Forgive me if I misread what you wrote, but your one SLA is running on one side of the amp... one attentuator on the front of the amp will control the SLA, and the other will (should) do nothing at all until you plug something into that channel.
Built:
4 Jack 112L- 3012HO, melded array
17.5 wide AutoTuba with Infinity 860w
6 Wedgehorn W6 w/ Panel Mount Piezos
2 T48 Slims (15" wide) with 3012LF
4 T48 Fattys (32" wide) with 3015LF

kenkenni
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:34 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#69 Post by kenkenni »

I have a 4-conductor SpeakOn cable coming from output 1 on the amp into the SLA. The stereo signal input is coming from my MOTU 828 audio interface.
When I adjust the volume on channel one the tweeters are only affected. When I adjust the volume on channel 2 I notice it seems to affect the mid
side of the speaker so I have to adjust the volume on both channels.

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DJPhatman
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Re: SLA Pro driver question

#70 Post by DJPhatman »

kenkenni wrote:I have a 4-conductor SpeakOn cable coming from output 1 on the amp into the SLA. The stereo signal input is coming from my MOTU 828 audio interface.
When I adjust the volume on channel one the tweeters are only affected. When I adjust the volume on channel 2 I notice it seems to affect the mid
side of the speaker so I have to adjust the volume on both channels.
Then something is FUBAR in your wiring, at the amp, the jack and/or the passive crossover. There should only be one pair of wires connected to your amp output, going to the input jack of the SLA, then into the passive crossover. From the crossover, there should be one pair of wires going to the mids and one pair to the tweeters. There should NOT be 4 wires running from the amp to the SLA, unless you are bi-amping the cab. In this case, you do not use the passive crossover components.
I know money often seals the deal, but seriously, quality is an investment, not an expense... Grant Bunter
Accept the fact that airtight and well-braced are more important than pretty on the inside. Bill Fitzmaurice

NukePooch
Posts: 371
Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:07 pm
Location: Berea, Kentucky

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#71 Post by NukePooch »

kenkenni wrote:I have a 4-conductor SpeakOn cable coming from output 1 on the amp into the SLA. The stereo signal input is coming from my MOTU 828 audio interface.
When I adjust the volume on channel one the tweeters are only affected. When I adjust the volume on channel 2 I notice it seems to affect the mid
side of the speaker so I have to adjust the volume on both channels.
Okay, 4-conductor speakon wiring can get a bit confusing until you get the hang of it...

IF you wired exactly according to the SLA Pro plans...
According to the amp manual and pictures, your QSC RMX850 amp is factory wired to push both amp channels through one 4-conductor speakon (plugged into amp Output 1)...so, yes, it's very likely that you have both amp channels arriving at your SLA... This is factory wired to run biamped...from a crossover (dbx Driverack, etc) subwoofer channel into amp channel 1, and crossover main channel into amp channel 2...then your amp will push low end down 1+ and 1- of your cable to a passive sub, and mid/highs down 2+ and 2- of the cable to your mains.

IF you wired exactly according to the SLA Pro plans...
Your SLA crossovers and drivers should only be hooked up to 2+ and 2- on the speakon jack mounted on the SLA...there should be no speaker wiring hooked to 1+ and 1- (other than jumper wires running between both back panel jacks, if you have them).

If you turn amp channel 2 completely down, and turn amp channel 1 up, you should not have any sound at your SLA. Likewise, if you plug the cable into amp output 2, you should not have any sound at all from your SLA. If you do, (as DJ Phatman wrote) something in your wiring is incorrect...

With this amp, you might need to be careful of your wiring if you're running 4-conductor plugs and cables... If your SLA's are wired to 2+ and 2-, then you will never get 'stereo' out of this amp by using the amp's back panel speakon connectors.
You would need to wire directly to the amp's binding posts or do some creative speakon wiring (which is why Bill's plans specify wiring an 'amp rack breakout panel')... Or, just realize that you're going to run the SLA's mono off of amp channel 2 (but plugged into amp output 1) and amp channel 1 will be unused (as I believe your sub is powered, correct?)...

Personally, I run only 2-conductor cables, and wire everything (against the plans... :roll: ) to 1+ and 1- to avoid any issues. If I did plug in a 4-conductor cable, then 2+ and 2- are not connected, but my system still works perfectly fine. I run a cable to the subs, and a cable to the mains...no biggie.
Built:
4 Jack 112L- 3012HO, melded array
17.5 wide AutoTuba with Infinity 860w
6 Wedgehorn W6 w/ Panel Mount Piezos
2 T48 Slims (15" wide) with 3012LF
4 T48 Fattys (32" wide) with 3015LF

kenkenni
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:34 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#72 Post by kenkenni »

I have removed the drivers to take another look at my wiring. The cross-over is fine ,however when I looked at my connection on the jack I saw
that I had the 1+/1- connected to cross-over and not the other way around. I have switched the wiring so that the 2+/2- is now connected properly
to the cross-over. The mids were already connected properly from 2+/2- of the second jack. Time to rewire and do another test. I will check back.

kenkenni
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:34 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#73 Post by kenkenni »

Success. I sorted out my wiring issues. Nuke was right. My amp works just as he described now that I
fixed the wiring. I had everything wired 1+/1-. I removed the drivers, took apart all the wires and re-read
the plans and studied the SketchUp. Now everything works as supposed to. Thanks again guys for that
education on 4-conductor wiring. 2 down, 2 more minis to go. Stay tuned!

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Tom Smit
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Re: SLA Pro driver question

#74 Post by Tom Smit »

:clap:
TomS

kenkenni
Posts: 203
Joined: Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:34 pm
Location: Atlanta, Ga

Re: SLA Pro driver question

#75 Post by kenkenni »

Here is a progress update. Here is the first two completed, but looking a bit rough.
Image

Just a different angle.

Image

Here they are sanded, bondo'd, and cleaned up.
Image

Here is a shot of the rear where I made yet another rookie mistake by cutting the SpeakOn Jack
at the wrong end and had to re-cut the jack into the bottom. I used the cut-out to patch up the mistake
using PLE and Bondo. I was very frustated at this point but I calmed down and continued to drive on.

Image



This is just a close-up of the patched area.
Image

Here is a shot of the top-hat cut-outs.
Image

I will be ordering Dura-Tex this week along with the drivers for the 2x6's. I have half the 2x6 parts cut already. I am hearing different views about whether Dura-Tex will stick to Bondo. What is true?
Should I pre-spray the cabinets with a black paint or primer? I was thinking of using some rubberized undercoat on them first as I have this stuff on my DIY amp rack and its still holding up.

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