Also, you don't have to use the $125 dbx microphone for your PA2. You can use an inexpensive $35 Behringer ECM8000. Much more palatable.
You can also find the used dbx mic pretty cheap. I seem to always get one with the used driveracks I've bought...I think I have 3 or 4 of 'em now.....
If I'm doing a one-off show, I just use music to set it by ear. For something that's going to be ongoing and I can get in to RTA the room, I will.
Of course, my system has been RTAed flat (my curve) outdoors, so I'm starting at a good place - then just using the EQ on the mixer to EQ the room. That's preferable to trying to EQ the system and the room.
"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."
Seth wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 10:24 am
Also, you don't have to use the $125 dbx microphone for your PA2. You can use an inexpensive $35 Behringer ECM8000. Much more palatable.
You can also find the used dbx mic pretty cheap. I seem to always get one with the used driveracks I've bought...I think I have 3 or 4 of 'em now.....
Hey guys, what's for some isn't for others.
Averaging around $70AU for ECM 8000 here (new).
New DBX mi is around $270AU, used, doesn't happen.
PA2 new is more like $1100AU
And the other day I saw a private listing for a DBX PA asking $600. I bet that's more than what they bought it new for.
Someone's making a killing. It's not like $US to AU is 1:2...
Built:
DR 250: x 2 melded array, 2x CD horn, March 2012 plans.
T39's: 4 x 20" KL3010LF , 2 x 28" 3012LF.
WH8: x 6 with melded array wired series/parallel. Bunter's Audio and Lighting "like"s would be most appreciated...
Seth wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 10:24 am
Also, you don't have to use the $125 dbx microphone for your PA2. You can use an inexpensive $35 Behringer ECM8000. Much more palatable.
You can also find the used dbx mic pretty cheap. I seem to always get one with the used driveracks I've bought...I think I have 3 or 4 of 'em now.....
Hey guys, what's for some isn't for others.
Averaging around $70AU for ECM 8000 here (new).
New DBX mi is around $270AU, used, doesn't happen.
PA2 new is more like $1100AU
And the other day I saw a private listing for a DBX PA asking $600. I bet that's more than what they bought it new for.
Someone's making a killing. It's not like $US to AU is 1:2...
"A system with a few knobs set up by someone who knows what they are doing is always better than one with a lot of knobs set up by someone who doesn't."
Grant Bunter wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 3:47 pm
Hey guys, what's for some isn't for others.
Averaging around $70AU for ECM 8000 here (new).
New DBX mi is around $270AU, used, doesn't happen.
PA2 new is more like $1100AU
And the other day I saw a private listing for a DBX PA asking $600. I bet that's more than what they bought it new for.
Someone's making a killing. It's not like $US to AU is 1:2...
Haha well said mate! Australia unfortunate suffers from stupid prices especially when it comes to audio equipment. I managed to get my driverack from Amazon UK for just $750 aud in a flash sale! I've found an app I can use on my phone for now instead of an rta mic. I'm well aware that's it's not really gonna be all too accurate but I'll give it a go. The omnitops are already sounding marvelous thanks to you lot!!
Bigrob1234 wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 10:23 pm
I've found an app I can use on my phone for now instead of an rta mic. I'm well aware that's it's not really gonna be all too accurate but I'll give it a go.
As long as your phone doesn't auto compress too much, you'll be able to see areas in the response when playing pink noise that are too low or high. They'll stick out, even without an actual calibrated microphone. But still, since the microphone isn't calibrated, trust your ears and take the info you gain from the app as a informational guide. I think you'll like it.
Sorry. I forgot you were in AU. Still, $70AU isn't bad for the Behringer mic. Matter of fact, I wanna say that's what I paid for mine years ago here in the USA. I was a bit surprised to see the price that low. Actually, I think I can look up what I paid, hang on a minute... I paid $60 USD in 2018.
Build in process - 2 WH6, one Alpha 6a loaded, one PRV Audio 6MB250-NDY loaded
Seth wrote: ↑Fri May 05, 2023 10:41 pm
As long as your phone doesn't auto compress too much, you'll be able to see areas in the response when playing pink noise that are too low or high. They'll stick out, even without an actual calibrated microphone. But still, since the microphone isn't calibrated, trust your ears and take the info you gain from the app as a informational guide. I think you'll like it.
Sorry. I forgot you were in AU. Still, $70AU isn't bad for the Behringer mic. Matter of fact, I wanna say that's what I paid for mine years ago here in the USA. I was a bit surprised to see the price that low. Actually, I think I can look up what I paid, hang on a minute... I paid $60 USD in 2018.
Getting any parts here in AU really sucks... I remember trying to source the LAB 12's for my Tuba 30's, I couldn't find any real good equivalents here and ended up paying nearly $1000 aud for them including the $400 in shipping
Even plywood seems to cost more here. I spent atleast a grand sourcing wood for the tubas and omni tops, if not more even.
These are the results from the app using phone mic. There's a small drop at 2.2 kHz and then a very steep drop at around 16.5khz. Is it safe to assume the steep drop is due to limitations of phone mic?
Nice. It very well could be the phone mic. I wouldn't worry about the response up there at all. 95% of the people listening can't hear over 16kHz anyway, unless they're teenagers.
Does that app offer 1/3 octave resolution? Makes the data a quite a bit more manageable/useable.
Build in process - 2 WH6, one Alpha 6a loaded, one PRV Audio 6MB250-NDY loaded
1/6 octave is the best you can hear, so there's no point in using any more resolution than that. The 2.2kHz drop could be polarity, so you need to switch it on the tweeters and see what happens.
Bill Fitzmaurice wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 7:21 am
1/6 octave is the best you can hear, so there's no point in using any more resolution than that. The 2.2kHz drop could be polarity, so you need to switch it on the tweeters and see what happens.
By switch it do you mean the polarity of the entire array?
I'll also try and get the app figured out and send a better screen shot tommorow. Is the gradual decline between 1khz and 10khz anything to worry about?
The entire array. From the plans: The HF section must be polarity matched to the woofer. Connect the woofer to the LP filter output. Using a tone generator or test CD play a test tone at the crossover frequency. Place a sound meter a few feet in front of the cab, or have another person stand there. Play the signal with the woofer only. Touch the leads going to the HF section to the HP filter output. Then reverse wire the HF leads. Which ever way measures or sounds louder to your assistant is the correct polarity.
I've tested the polarity, it seems that the way they were wired originally was correct. I had my brother be my ears and he said that the original was louder. However using the app on my phone, it claims that both wiring variants are equal in response which is odd. It may just be the inaccuracy of my phone I'm assuming. Which could also be responsible for the dip present at 2.2 kHz. Here's the final response with a different app...
