Another DBX Driverack px setup questions

[bcampbell]

I'm back for more information.

I picked up a Mackie DL1608 and driverack px to run my T39s BP102 and OT12s. I know I should have more subs, but we really only play small venues. Even with our old setup, we had plenty of low end. I'm running the stereo outs from the mixer to the px, but only running the left main output into one channel of my amp (Carvin DCM1000) and the left sub into the other. Hope that works out okay. We don't do anything with stereo, everything is mono.

I've followed the input gain structure on the DBX forums and limited the subs and tops to ~35 V using a 70hz and 1000 hz sine wave. I doubt I'll need that much.

Now I'm getting around to setting the system to a flat eq. I've read the DBX forum posts. It seems that initially the recommendation was to set up subs and tops outdoors away from everything and place the mic in the middle. Now there seems to be a shift in that I'm seeing information about just setting up one side and placing the mic on the ground on a towel about 20 feet away or some indoor method.

Here are my questions,
Do I setup two T39s and one OT12 per the placement thread here (in a corner, against a wall, etc) or do I go against what i've read here and place one sub and one top together? Do I V-plate and then run the pink noise? Any advice would be helpful.

In the outdoor method, I lack the required 'empty field' What I have is a driveway that goes out into a street. The garage would be behind the correct speaker configuration and the mic would be 20 feet out. Nothing would be within 40 feet of the mic besides the garage. Not much in the way of traffic or background noise. Would that suffice? I can snap a photo if that helps.

Once I get the flat reading and store that. I should plan to eq to taste at specific venues instead of running the auto eq on the drive rack. Do I use the mixer eq or the less accessible driverack eq?

Also, in reading the forums here, there is an awful lot of questions about setting up a drive rack or 2496 system using BFM stuff, a general sticky with the info would probably be a great addition. I'd be willing to help edit if anyone is interested.

Thanks in advance.
Brian

[Grant Bunter]

Hi Brian,
Moreso since you're running mono only, you can "tune" with one T39 and one Otop.
Outdoors is best, with a minimum of 30 feet/10 metres of clear space all around from the cabs.

20-30 feet should be fine for your reference mike...

[racertomtom]

I've followed the input gain structure on the DBX forums and limited the subs and tops to ~35 V using a 70hz and 1000 hz sine wave. I doubt I'll need that much.

Make sure you set your limiters first as in this forum; DBX forum uses limiters for clipping not speaker protection.

Once I get the flat reading and store that. I should plan to eq to taste at specific venues instead of running the auto eq on the drive rack. Do I use the mixer eq or the less accessible driverack eq?

That’s what I do, it’s not very practical or possible to pink every venue at war volume. I used the DBX forum sticky to set Driverack eq. The towel in the floor is eqing a full range radiator. I set a sub upside down with a top on it and used a mic distance of only 10 feet on a boom stand(was actually outside). It works very well but keep in mind you will only eq the cabs, not the system, but it gives me a very good starting point right out of the box. At venues, I might use 1 or 2 subs, V plate, wall load, 2 tops 4 tops blah blah blah. I use the amp attenuators to control balance between subs and tops. I use board channel eq to set vocals and probably spend as much time on vocal reverb and delay, then on to kick and snare. Everything else is pretty flat as I concentrate on balance between instruments/back wall.