Node ring

[Tim Padrick]

Feedback destroyers are find if used rightly: Ring the system out and then lock the filters. In which case one may as well use a manual parametric EQ (destroyers take too long to lock on to the feedback, which gets to be very irritating).

[pdc]

There is a reason you will not find the destroyer types in any reputable touring sound or installation contractor's installation. None of them have the S/N of an EQ, the gain of an EQ, the lower latency of an EQ, or the phase performance of a good EQ. The processing does nasty things to the signal, used or not. Try it for yourself. Listen to one in the circuit, with no filters moving vs. straight wire. There is a difference.

[Brad Weber]

Originally Posted by pdc

There is a reason you will not find the destroyer types in any reputable touring sound or installation contractor's installation.

I have used automatic feedback eliminators in small 'hands off' reinforcement systems. You know the kind of thing, multipurpose meeting rooms or classrooms with ceiling speakers, an automixer and wired/wireless mics that may be used anywhere in the room. Those were professional installations by AV and audio contracting firms. They're the kind of thing you do want to apply judiciously, but they do have their place.

The thread title made me think "Look, I got a node ring! Once I get used to it I should be able to talk normally.", but then I am a bit weird.

[Jay M]

Originally Posted by buggyboy

I'm hoping to audition an earset mic in the near future. although I doubt the pastor will much like the idea. I'd love to be able to eq for sound quality rather than gain!

I'll share a few stories with you...

Before we asked our pastor to use the Countryman E6 we asked the associate pastor to try it first. After preaching to a room of about 3000 his opinion was that he got the sense that people were paying better attention because they could hear him more clearly. Our pastor tried it the next week and has been using it ever since. It has been about 10 years now.

Shortly after that, the pastor in our Sunday school class needed a mew lapel mic. I suggested that he spend a bit more money on the Countryman E6 that our senior pastor uses. He agreed, and at lunch after his first day using the E6 my wife commented that the pastor was better than usual today. I'm convinced that it was because of the mic and that she could hear him better.

Not mic related, but quality related. A friend of mine collects old 8 and 16mm films. A few years ago we watched the old Luther movie. To be honest, I don't care for old B&W movies and I thought it was a little boring. A few months ago my friend had some people over again and showed the same film. Many of us there were the same who saw it there a few years ago. All of us agreed that the movie was better and the message was more powerful this time. I said, it's the same film, why do we all think it's better this time? The host then told us that he showed a better copy of the film that night. So the exact same movie was better when the quality was better. It's important to note, that we didn't notice a quality difference, we just thought the movie was better.

Why do you think your pastor would be opposed to an earset mic? I haven't tested all the copycats, but the Countryman is better than most. You trust him with the Word of God, maybe he can trust you with the PA.

~Jay

[buggyboy]

I imagine nasty things done to a signal by inserting almost any "budget" gear. My only firsthand experience with this is my rane 15 band eq. It chrunches up the signal noticeably, but even so I get more benefit from having it in and notching out the bad parts that leaving it out altogether.

Still, even with perfect speaker placement I expect I'll need to work on the room rather than play catchup with several eqs working on several frequencies.

@Brad: I'm not sure how you read the thread title, but your description made me grin.

@ Jim: thanks for the stories. I'd love to hear how the countryman sounds in actual use. the shure 839? lav I'm using now tends to be a little "lispy". I'll remember the moral of better sound equaling a better experience, I don't doubt it a bit.

Several reasons I'm worried about the pastor accepting an earset.

My pastor walks down the isle immediately after the closing prayer to greet people on their way out. This means he unhooks from the pa very quickly and ditches the mic as he leaves the stage. I'm not sure how quickly the earset will unhook.

Pastor wears reading glasses that he puts on and takes off several times in the course of a sermon. I'm not sure how well the earset will tolerate that.

My pastor tends to cough, the earset will need a mute (I'm working on building one for the lav now).

and last, but probably biggest, It would have to be comfortable, and invisible to keep him from feeling self conscious. I've heard good things from many pastors who wear them, but it will take an actual experience to convince him I think.

The answer to most of these issues is to find a mic to actually use one sunday. Haven't worked too much on this yet. Always putting out the largest fire.

Again, thanks friends,
David

[Tim Padrick]

Originally Posted by buggyboy

.... my rane 15 band eq. It chrunches up the signal noticeably, but even so I get more benefit from having it in and notching out the bad parts that leaving it out altogether.

David

A 15 band does not notch, it steam shovels. Having used them, I would not want to use them again (except in the sidechain of a compressor or gate). A 15 band EQ is like turning down two octaves on a piano because one note is hot - a lot of damage gets done in order to solve the problem.