EQ for monitors

[SamG269]

Hey all.

Need a recommendation for an equalizer for our monitors. We have 2 sets of monitors. Different brands. One set are Yamaha's and the other set are Community's.

The Communitys have a higher tone than the Yamahas. The Yamas have a much lower tone. So all I need is a recommendation on a 2 channel EQ unit so I can adjust them to sound the same/better.

Thanks guys.

[cmchamp]

The "budget" EQ I continually go to is the ART EQ355 dual 31 band with sweepable high pass and low pass filters.
C.

[Brad Weber]

ART, dbx, Ashly, Rane, the list goes on. The dual 31 band and high/low pass filters Cory noted are important factors to the flexibility of the EQ and the adjustments that can be made. The high and low pass filters allow you to make general adjustments to the response at either end of the spectrum. The 31 bands, which are usually one-third octave bands, allow making more precise adjustments in terms of the frequencies affected as compared to say a 10 to 15 band, octave band equalizer.

I will add that in many cases the goal with monitors is to adjust them to the preferences of the individual performer(s) using the monitor and/or to improve gain before feedback for individual monitors rather than to try to make them all sound the same. For example, if a vocalist wants 'more me' but very little kick or bass in their monitor since they hear those directly, then while you may handle much of that in the monitor mix provided it may also make sense to EQ their monitor to cut out some of the low end and emphasize the frequencies of their vocals.

[SamG269]

Thanks guys. When u say sweepable how does that work? Would it more or less boost/cut the general frequencies? One thing I can see happening is the leader asking for more or less high/mid/low based on what he hears. Any adjusents the mixer does would affect everything. So would a good way to have this not affect everything I adjust his mix?

[cmchamp]

With regard to an EQ and a sweepable high pass or low pass filter, simply means that the frequency of the filter is sweepable. So, with a high pass on the ART EQ355 for instance, the sweep is from 10Hz through 250Hz. I set mine generally at 150Hz so that everything below 150Hz (or there abouts) is attenuated (cut) 12dB/octave. I don't generally use the low pass.
As for "warming" things up, generally, I try to get my monitors to sound as natural as possible with a little lift around 3500Hz so the singing voice cuts through better. If my monitors are too warm (250Hz - 400Hz) I find them difficult to sing on.

[SamG269]

Hm... So in general theres not much low end in the monitors. Its more in the high frequencies that you boost. What about the mids? We are feeding come of the drums into the monitors since we enclosed the drum set.

[cmchamp]

To taste, but just make sure the drums are in the monitor mix for reference only, mostly high hat/snare but just barely there. Monitor mixes should be for reference of pitch and time. If you've got a solid rhythm or acoustic guitar player, time and pitch can key off them as well without adding drums into the wedges.
LF punch should come from the house mix.

[SamG269]

I see. Our groups are mainly driven by piano. We have the whole set up. But drums and piano are what drive the songs. Except for solo's on the electric or acoustic of course. But you said high hat and snare. Bass drum would come through the house. No need for the toms and cymbals in the monitor mix then.

[cmchamp]

not really, especially if the worship leader leads from piano, or if the piano player drives tempi, you could just put an overhead pair of mics in the monitor mix to get the whole kit as necessary

[SamG269]

Already got the overheads. I just figured since we use them close on the cymbals that it would sound bad if we tried to pick up the whole set like that for monitors. How would putting in the whole set effect the EQ? A side question... What does your EQ line look like? Wavey with a few spikes? Some frequencies at zero with the one next to it at 6+? I know its specific to the monitors we have. But I ask to get an idea more than to copy what one has.

[cmchamp]

I start by finding the frequency response curve (manufacturer published) of the make/model monitor. Invert the curve and move the 1/3 band frequencies to approximate the curve to "flatten" them as best possible with a 31 band. From there, I'll cut regions gently, or add regions to get the response and cut I need.
In our band at The Gospel Barn, we have a drum set (open), piano, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, lead guitar, keyboard and 4 vocals with just vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboard and piano in the monitors.
I also run our monitor signal path through a channel on our board (mackie 32*8 ) to provide more flexible EQ options including a bit of a cut at 250Hz to reduce "mud" and a bit of a peak at 3500kHz to help vocals cut through the stage noise.
C.

[SamG269]

Ah. I'll need to look those up then. So whatever responses or boosts/cuts it comes with already from the manufacturer you flatten that and start out "fresh"...

You send the mix through a channel?? Whoa what? How do you do that? Using an actual channel?