Parametric EQ: 6 filter parametric EQ in the Crown Xti2000

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Tom · #1 Post by **Tom** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 1:19 pm

My "small gig" LIVE BAND mains rig is two Dr250s and one Titan 48, powered by a Crown Xti2000.

Mono PA out > Single Y Input into Crown DSP -> Sub on Ch. 1 / Tops on Ch. 2

The sub is bandpassed 38-100 Hz, -48 dB LR filters / -12 Limiter.
Tops are bandpassed 100-18 KHz, -48 dB LR filters / -12 Limiter.

(I'm still working with these new settings, Xti PEQ is not set yet in System Architect.)

I don't have RTA with this rig (I have it on the big-rig DRPA) but I think I can EQ this by hand by inverting the SPL chart and setting the Parametric graphic curve to look similar. Instead of 31 Third octave sliders, I have the PEQ with six variable gain and Q filters.

I would like to configure the PEQ and store it permanently, perhaps operating without another EQ in the Dr signal chain.

Does anyone see a problem with this practical/minimal approach? I need to get this rig up and going sooner than I can rig up RTA out in the woods somewhere.

I could see boosting the EQ a bit to keep the vocals brighter in the DRs - opinions?

DJPhatman · #2 Post by **DJPhatman** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:20 pm

Tom, EQ it till it sounds good. Trust your ears and quit worrying about charts and graphs!

Ron K · #3 Post by **Ron K** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:23 pm

Should work just fine just be careful when adjusting the Q of each filter. You will need to be sure to only take the widest Q necessary to do the job. With very peaky / dippy set-ups you may run out of enough filters to do the job correctly.

I've always liked PEQs as they are very useful in controlling that one bad node. They can be used as a system processing curve providing you don't need more than 6 filters.
Looks like you will use 4 on the Drs range and 2 on the T48s range with a highpass on the T48s..

Tom · #4 Post by **Tom** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:27 pm

DJPhatman wrote:Tom, EQ it till it sounds good. Trust your ears and quit worrying about charts and graphs!

I'm almost there, but my ears are old and broken and it still sounds a little sharp and raspy to me.

Tom · #5 Post by **Tom** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:44 pm

Ron K wrote:Looks like you will use 4 on the Drs range and 2 on the T48s range with a highpass on the T48s..

I appreciate the response, and I need to fully state the functionality of the DSP as I've learned it recently.

The crossovers and the EQ sections are totally seperate modules in the DSP.

Each EQ Channel has HPF and LPF shelving filters, plus six PEQ filters and a Subharmonic synth.

So I can shape Ch.1 as I need for the subs, and shape ch. 2 independently without using up filters from the other channel. I can also bandpass in the crossover without using up any filters in the EQ.

I can bypass EQ and crossovers to generate pink noise from the System Architect software. If I could measure it somehow, I could generate an SPL chart and work from there.

I have the RTA MIC(from the DRPA) and a small USB mixer that could bring the pink into a MAC application - but what application? (Free sounds good!)

I really like this Xti2000 amp, but we'll see how it holds up under pressure.

Ron K · #6 Post by **Ron K** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:05 pm

Thats pretty sweet setup for an amp.Sounds like you wont have any trouble dialing that right in.As far as MAC software for DSPs Smaart Live 6 is available for Macs.

Only free versions are of course from the Bit Torrents and thats kinda illegal.

As far as Crown holding up under pressure I've never had 1 fail and I have a whole bunch of them from Power Bases up to Macro 3600s! They've always been rock solid and you can pound them mercilessly.

gdougherty · #7 Post by **gdougherty** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:18 pm

If you've got a driverack or similar available, set it up once and get an EQ with the RTA on that, or just pink through and use an RTA to see what's going on until you've got it reasonably flat. 6 parametric should be enough to get pretty close. 1-3 should do most of the work then you've got a few more to take out the worst offending frequencies. Do it outdoors and from there, adjust to taste. Then all you probably need is a simple master EQ to tame room resonances.

If you don't trust your ears, you might want to consider picking up something like a DEQ if for no other reason than to use as an RTA. I have one I don't trust as an EQ anymore due to intermitent output issues, but the RTA still works perfectly well.

mloretitsch · #8 Post by **mloretitsch** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:50 pm

Tom wrote: I really like this Xti2000 amp, but we'll see how it holds up under pressure.

It'll be fine...check the manufacturing date...I think all the kinks were out by oct 07' at the very latest. All the new ones seem solid. I have an xti2000 as my electronic drum monitor downstairs...always great.

Don't go below 100 volts ac..the dsp freaks out! (stupid cleveland zoo power) Otherwise...super solid. The place I work has 14 of the xti4000's...work great really they do...and a LOT lighter than the macrotech racks for FOH.

They are awesome in monitor racks...4 amps, 4 biamped monitor channels. Crossover and limiting all built in...plug and play.

-Matt

DAVID_L_PERRY · #9 Post by **DAVID_L_PERRY** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:13 am

gdougherty wrote:If you've got a driverack or similar available....use an RTA to see what's going on until you've got it reasonably flat. 6 parametric should be enough to get pretty close..

+1

You only have to do this once and to me the difference has always been well worth the effort....

Dave

Tue Mar 11, 2008 7:47 am

DAVID_L_PERRY wrote:
gdougherty wrote:If you've got a driverack or similar available....use an RTA to see what's going on until you've got it reasonably flat. 6 parametric should be enough to get pretty close..
+1

You only have to do this once and to me the difference has always been well worth the effort....

Dave

+2. I dialed in my DR200s with only four parametric bands on my Yamaha 01v and they were perfect, but I never could have done it without an RTA to see how to set the frequency, Q and gain of each band.

jeffbabcock · #11 Post by **jeffbabcock** » Mon May 12, 2008 12:40 pm

You may want to open up your Xti amps and secure the ribbon cable to the board - that cable coming unseated is the #1 problem with those units. There is some info on this on the crown forums using simple zip ties to secure the connector. I have a big rack of Xti's for the B rig that I am going to do this with shortly.

I have never had an issue with Xti's. I think they have sorted out most of the initial issues that users were experiencing when those amps first came out. Make sure you have the latest firmware and you should be fine. System Architect / HiQnet works quite well too. I just wish they were easier to configure from the front panel. A couple more buttons on the front face could have made life easier there.

Mark Coward · #12 Post by **Mark Coward** » Mon May 12, 2008 1:51 pm

DJPhatman wrote:Tom, EQ it till it sounds good. Trust your ears and quit worrying about charts and graphs!

In the case of the DR250, I disagree. It's difficult to EQ by ear in my experience.

Alan Star · #13 Post by **Alan Star** » Mon May 12, 2008 9:34 pm

What is the ideal RTA mic placement position for a DR cabinet ?

Because I notice the response graph can vary quite a lot depending on mic placement.

Mon May 12, 2008 9:57 pm

Alan Star wrote:What is the ideal RTA mic placement position for a DR cabinet ?
.

In the FOH

Dave Non-Zero · #15 Post by **Dave Non-Zero** » Tue May 13, 2008 3:53 am

Im really interested in these xti amps, and im wonderin if an xti 1000 is enough to run 4 dr280s? (500wpc @4ohms) or do i need the larger xti2000? (800wpc @4ohms) I want to be able to get the max out of them because ill be doing a couple of outside gigs this summer. As for crowns not breaking. ive had a crown K2 fail on me.