OmniTop 12, T39, Wedgehorn Review

[jswingchun]

I busted out my full system for the first time this weekend. I have a pair of OmniTop 12's loaded with Deltalite 2512s, a pair of T39's at 20" width with 3012lfs and three of the old school Wedgehorns loaded with the cheapo Dayton 6 inch drivers. The mains are powered by a single Crown xti 2000. The venue could hold just under 200 people, probably had under 100 in there.



This was my first time doing sound in years. When I used to do sound in the old days everything was so huge and heavy, it was so nice hauling in and setting up such a lightweight system. The sound was fantastic too. Everything was clear and clean and punchy. The kick drum and bass guitar cut through the mix great. Vocals were amazing clean and clear. You could make out the words to songs, even with the screamo band that started the night out. Between song banter was understandable and there was no hum or buzz in the system at all. The overall sound and balance of the system was so good that I really didn't have to apply much EQ to any of the individual channels.

I had my doubts that the Wedgehorn 6's were going to cut it with the massive stage volume of the screamo band, but they raved about how well they could hear the monitors. I was at the limiter on the monitors the whole night, so I may still switch out the 6" Dayton drivers for the Beta 8's sometime soon.

It was a pain to mix the screamo band. They had four vocals and at any time one of them would walk up to their mic and make with the cookie monster thing or an all out death scream. I would maintain a gain level for a guy to "sing" then he would make with the scream and I would be clipping and you could hear it in the piezo array. If anyone has a suggestion to make it easier to deal with that, let me know.

The bands were very happy with the sound and people in the crowd mentioned how good the system sounded. Overall I was very happy with how it all went and how the system sounded. There were times with the screamy band that the system had a little bit of trouble keeping up with the stage volume level without clipping. Also, not that I wanted to but, I couldn't have brought the system to ear-bleeding levels without clipping. It would be fun to add another set of tops and subs...

I guess the main thing was the bar owner was happy. He gave us $50 more than our agreed upon price and booked us back for two more shows.

[BrentEvans]

It was a pain to mix the screamo band. They had four vocals and at any time one of them would walk up to their mic and make with the cookie monster thing or an all out death scream. I would maintain a gain level for a guy to "sing" then he would make with the scream and I would be clipping and you could hear it in the piezo array. If anyone has a suggestion to make it easier to deal with that, let me know.

Compressor on each channel with a moderately high ratio. I usually do 1.5:1 on vocals for smoothing, but you could set it up to not even touch the compressor until just above the normal volume range, then 4:1 above normal range or so to kill the screams. Make sure you get a compressor with makeup gain, so you can leave the trim down and get your gain from the compressor, otherwise you'll still clip.

[jswingchun]

Compressor on each channel with a moderately high ratio. I usually do 1.5:1 on vocals for smoothing, but you could set it up to not even touch the compressor until just above the normal volume range, then 4:1 above normal range or so to kill the screams. Make sure you get a compressor with makeup gain, so you can leave the trim down and get your gain from the compressor, otherwise you'll still clip.

This band had three scream guys, that would mean three separate channels of compression. Any suggestions on reasonably priced compressors that would do the job and be fairly easy to operate?

[BrentEvans]

Samson S-com 4. Sounds pretty good, price is right. I've used them before, they're pretty transparent and much better than the Behringer unit in the same price range. Talk to Cal Mazzara at FC (linked) for great pricing and service, tell him I referred you please.

[jswingchun]

Samson S-com 4. Sounds pretty good, price is right. I've used them before, they're pretty transparent and much better than the Behringer unit in the same price range. Talk to Cal Mazzara at FC (linked) for great pricing and service, tell him I referred you please.

Thanks, I will look into that one. If I end up getting it I will tell him of your referral.

[Gregory East]

If you've got a spare subgroup for vocals on your mixer then you might get away with a single unit?

If Brent wants to explain

Make sure you get a compressor with makeup gain, so you can leave the trim down and get your gain from the compressor, otherwise you'll still clip.

I'd appreciate it. I thought you were advising setting up the compressor like a limiter so it wouldn't clip but I don't know what "makeup gain" is The only one I've used is in my bass amp but it worked a real treat for recording vocals.

[jcmbowman]

First off - +1 on the compressor suggestion - Even if you don't go with the samson there are other 4-channel compressors out there, and a good set of compressors is an extremely useful addition to any analog sound rig.

I'd avoid compressing all the vocal together as a subgroup - especially when mixing screamers. You'll end up with whomever is screaming instantly washing out anyone else on that subgroup.

As far as makeup gain - that just means that the compressor has it's own post-compression gain knob - most decent compressors will have one. You can send a relatively low signal to the compressor, set the cutoff threshold at a sane level, and then "make up" the missing level with the gain on the way out of the compressor to bring it back up to a normal signal. That way if some idiot decides to swallow the mic while channeling Cthulu you won't be clipping the input on the compressor.

[BrentEvans]

If you've got a spare subgroup for vocals on your mixer then you might get away with a single unit?

If Brent wants to explain

Make sure you get a compressor with makeup gain, so you can leave the trim down and get your gain from the compressor, otherwise you'll still clip.

I'd appreciate it. I thought you were advising setting up the compressor like a limiter so it wouldn't clip but I don't know what "makeup gain" is The only one I've used is in my bass amp but it worked a real treat for recording vocals.

The compressor is inserted in the signal chain after the mic preamp, which will clip at a given input level regardless of anything inserted after it or channel strip settings. When you insert the compressor, you can control the dynamics of the signal after the preamp so it's more pleasant to listen to, but the preamp will still clip at the same level (the scream). To fix this, insert the compressor, and reduce the preamp to a level that will not clip at the loudest point (the scream). Set the compressor threshold and ratio accordingly to squash the scream, then use the makeup gain (most compressors call it output volume or something like that) to bring the signal back up to the level you would have had before you trimmed the preamp gain to prevent the clip. If you had to trim -10db, you can add back 10db on the compressor to make up for it, but you have no clipping during the scream, and the compressor keeps the volume in line.

I've never thought about how to explain it, I just do it. Hope that description makes some sense...

[Gregory East]

Thanks for that. I haven't been on the desk for ten years, it sure shows Amazing what you can forget. We used to run pretty good sound thanks to a wise old South African miking his little gat amp and him cajoling the screamer into exercising control and backing off the mic and me mixing.

[jswingchun]

I'm sure glad I posted that question in my review, this has been a very helpful discussion for me. I think a four channel compressor and some insert cables might be on my Christmas wish list...

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I'm sure glad I posted that question in my review, this has been a very helpful discussion for me. I think a four channel compressor and some insert cables might be on my Christmas wish list...

Now you're getting to where there's no substitute for digital, where you can have a separate compressor/limiter on every input and output, as well as signal processing and EQ, and with no patch cables at all. IMO analog is OK only until you get to the point of needing to do more than global compression.

[LelandCrooks]

+1 on compressors. I've mixed a bunch of screamo bands. Just about not possible without it. I run up to 8 channels. Cheapo behringers, but they do the job.

[BrentEvans]

Gotta say I'm curious what exactly is so musical about screaming, anyway. Am I missing something?

[Israel]

4 screamo singers Lord God!!!! they sing so low that you need to crank the gain to the point of feedback then they scream like B#^%*#$# you wanna hit them with a brick!!

yes you need to go digital to be fully protected.... but you can use a small submixer for vocals and compress the outs

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Am I missing something?

A stupid gene?