Headphone monitoring

[tegger]

The church I attend has a A&H ZED-436 and I'm getting back into the sound environment at the request of our pastor. (I did it for years and got away.. but that's a different story...)

The problem is that the sound system is a little bit of a mess and needs to be tweaked up. The problem I am running into is being able to tap in and listen to a specific mic so it can be tweaked up during the service. Unfortunately, when the ZED was setup, no one took this ability to consideration. I believe AUX 1-4 is being used, so I was thinking of using AUX 5 as the monitoring channel and to teach other sound people how to listen to the mics to see whats going on so they make the sound experience better for those in the congregation.

Any ideas if I'm heading down the right path??

[Arlin]

If possible, you should use the PFL/AFL bus.
Headphone monitoring is exactly what the PFL/AFL is intended for.
And this is how it is done on just about any other console.

Just connect a pair of headphones to the phone jack (right above the main level meters).
Manual page: http://www.allen-heath.com/uk/Produc...oductId=ZED436

[tegger]

I got the impression from the documentation that the PFL/AFL bus is everything that is on and won't let me listen to a specific mic.

[Arlin]

To be blunt, use the phones output & PFL/AFL buttons.
It is exactly what you want.
It the easiest to use.
And it will not confuse a more experienced sound tech if they happen to come or visit.

To answer you question more precisely:
The PFL/AFL is for exactly what you want here, and just about any sound console has this feature.

Each input channel has a PFL button.
Each output channel has an AFL button.
Use the PFL buttons to listen to a specific mic (or group of specific mics).
Use the AFL buttons to listen to a specific output mix (or a group of specific output mixes).


If no PFL or AFL buttons are pressed, the headphone output will monitor the main outs (LR or M, depending on the position of the LR/M selector button near the phones level knob).
If any PFL or AFL buttons are pressed, the headphone output will monitor only what you have selected with the PFL/AFL buttons.

NOTE: The led main meters monitor whatever signal is active on the phones (but before the phones volume knob). This is a really good way to SEE the incoming level of your microphone inputs and make sure gain is well set.

P.S.
I'm not sure how exactly the interaction between PFL & AFL buttons work on this console. AFL might override any PFL signals so you can only listen to one type at a time. Or, they might just mix together.

[liko81]

Originally Posted by Arlin

P.S.
I'm not sure how exactly the interaction between PFL & AFL buttons work on this console. AFL might override any PFL signals so you can only listen to one type at a time. Or, they might just mix together.

I can answer that; PFL overrides AFL. However, multiple PFLs or AFLs will mix. So, if you're AFLing AUX1 and AUX2, you'll hear a mono blend of the two (on this board, all PFLs and AFLs are a mono signal; I've worked with other boards like the Mackie Onyx 32.4 where certain logical pairs of submixes will AFL in stereo, and stereo channels PFL in stereo). If you hit a PFL switch on channel 14, the AFLs are overridden and you get the mic channel only. PFL in channel 13 as well and you'll get a mono mix of 13 and 14.

the ZED 4-bus series is a great HoW mixer; utilitarian, yet it has some really nice touches like USB audio I/O, independent L/R/M faders and independently-assignable Mono mix (great for subs, ALD feeds, external zones, etc) that make it very flexible for a variety of "franken-systems" (composed of a series of "bolt-on" solutions to stated problems).

[Arlin]

[edited]
Comment irrelevant: liko81 corrected mistake in previous comment...

[tegger]

Okay. Now that make sense guys!!!

I was plotting to fiddle with the PFL/AFL toggles this weekend. Hopefully, this will help get things back under control.

Jay in Delaware.

[liko81]

(edited - sub-thread irrelevant)

[tegger]

The only part is throwing me is the headphone jack has a switch that says L+R / M. I should be able to leave it L+R and use the PFL/AFL switches to the get the results I need. Right?

[Arlin]

Yep, the L+R / M switch will not affect the PFL/AFL headphone monitoring.

If the L+R / M is up, headphones monitor the LR mix when no PFL/AFL buttons are not pressed.
If the L+R / M is down, headphones monitor the M mix when no PFL/AFL buttons are not pressed.

[tegger]

That'll work for me!

Thanks so much!

[racersax]

When you have to operate from a NON-soundproof booth in a small church setting, what are the best headphones to use to separate the live room sounds from your phones? Sounds like a dumb question, but it's one we need to deal with.
Thanks for any advice.