Setting Up for max volume

There's several good articles on setting up your gain structure here:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/studyhall/ab_index.php

The best way is to generally keep your line-level signals as high as possible (for the least noise), and turn your amps down so they don't clip (to avoid damaging the speakers - and ears). Alternately, if you have an in-line EQ or compressor-limiter, that is where you can bring the level down.

Using a limiter is helpful if someone tries to "push it to 11" from the mix board.

-Laz

It is also helpful to "ring out" your Mains and Monitors to achieve max volume without feedback.

People use different methods, but this is how I was taught.

1)Set your EQ's flat. This is right in the middle, neither boosted or cut.

2) Now use the channel EQs to get each voice or instrument where you like it. Also set your volume levels to get your mix.

3) Now very slowly turn up your amp until you hear the faint beginnings of feedback. Do not let the feedback grow into a loud howl. This could damage your speakers. Now find this particular frequency on your EQ and cut that frequency slightly until the feedback goes away.

4)Now once again turn your amp up a little more until you again hear the faint beginnings of feedback. Once again locate this frequency and cut it just enough to eliminate the feedback.

5) Repeat this step maybe 2 more times. You do not want to do this more than 3 or 4 times as you will end up cutting many frequencies and ruining your sound.

Do this for your Main speakers and Monitors seperately. You will probably find it much easier to get more volume out of the Mains than the Monitors. Monitors are probably the #1 source of feedback in a PA.

Also make sure all microphones are placed properly. The mouthpiece of a mic should never face a speaker. Place your Mains or FOH (front of house) speakers out in front of the band forward of all mics. Place monitors in front of mics. Have the rear end of the mic aimed at the monitors speaker.

By proper placement of mics and speakers, and ringing out your system with your EQs allows you to get maximum volume without feedback problems.

First of all, its best to turn your amps up full and keep the mains down on your board. this gives you the full efficiency of the amps in case of any louder "peaks" in the music.

To EQ your pa, you'll need a CD player and a vocal mic. Use a CD that you know really well and sounds like the music that you'll be working with on the event. Set the gain on the CD channel so that the loudest section of the CD is hitting 0db on the PFL meter. Set the graphics to flat. Now, turn the PA up as loud as you'll need it (but make sure the amps aren't clipping - if this is happening, set the loudest volume and use a bit of sparky's tape across the mains - that should stop any volume-hungry engineers) and play with the graphic eq (cutting rather than boosting where you can) so that it sounds like you know it should.

Once you've sorted that so the PA sounds nice and 'musical', get the vocal mic out. turn the gain up on that channel then turn it up in the pa until you hear it starting to feed back. pull it back a little, then start speaking into it. Use words such as "check" "one" "two" and "three".
This is not a cliche - what you're looking for is the Ooo Eee Aaa Kkkk Chhh sounds. This will further show you where the PA doesn't sound right, and where feedback is starting. Now turn it up so it starts to feed back (carefully!) and start pulling out little bits of frequency that are still causing problems.

Finally, go back to the CD and check to see if the PA still sounds good or not. chances are, it'll sound a bit weird, but as long as its not too bad, you should be ready to repeat the process with the monitors!

First of all, its best to turn your amps up full and keep the mains down on your board. this gives you the full efficiency of the amps in case of any louder "peaks" in the music.

Dr G;

For a handful of reasons, this is not the best way to arrange your gain plan. It is always best to keep your mix board running close to 0db. If this results in the sound being too loud, you can always turn down your amps. In a pro set up, all the amps are set to expect a certain sound level (either 0db or +10db, or whatever). Often, the EQ or limiter can be used to set the master level.

The rest of your suggestions are quite reasonable.

-Laz

depends on your amps i suppose. decent linear-response amps should be fine no matter what level of input you send to them, and it means that if you need extra volume, you don't have to run on-stage and turn up amps.

if you have a decent system controller, or even a compressor/limiter to reduce signal level at the amp rack, this is by far the easiest way to run your rig.

obviously, the pa won't sound as good at lower volumes but the input level to the amp shouldn't make the blindest bit of difference.

A spectrum analyzer can be a powerful tool for keeping your P.A or sound system tuned.

Joe

depends if you're going for flat response or a musical response tailored to the room and to the program.

also, they seem to be a bit pointless, as the quality of reading they give is determined by the positioning and quality of the RTA mic, and even then its not gonna tell you how the room's gonna sound with people in it.

but yeah, given unlimited funds a spectrum analyser is handy

well i've learned two ways to do this now......

ONE: I play a cd or check a mic. i put my level at 0db and raise my gain until it peaks then i turn it down a little and pull down my level to -5. This way its loud but I can push it up a little too.......

TWO: Leave the levels all the way down and turn up my gain until the peak lights occasionally. Then mix from there. This is what the directions to my board say??? I like this idea as u don't have to move much to get sound out and then if u need more u can push it until it peaks......

I guess there is no real way to do this perfectly