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Specs say 96 dB S/N. Anything under 105-110 dB is noisy with efficient speakers.Quote:
Originally Posted by hjames
I did not run balanced XLR, I did a tip and (as Mudhead says) "sleeve job" 1/4" phono plugs. But recognize that balanced XLRs won't reduce hiss associated with the unit, just hum/buzz and the hiss was the problem for me.
I could probably use those EQs with the band I've been working with (house & monitor mixes for live PA), so once the dust settles if there are any left over between Heather &/or Todd I could probably find homes for them...no rush, but keep it in mind if you like.
Thanks,
je
Cool. Maybe we could even work a trade. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Fred Sanford
Hello Heather
What made you go for the EQs?? It does go first by the way.
Rob:)
Well, with the leather sofa, cat climber, and the newly added aquarium (to keep my single Koi from freezing overwinter) I thought it might be handy to have that kind of control (1/3 octave, 31 band) over the system and room response. Plus I figured if I got one for roughly $120, I could probably resell it if it didn't make much difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Robh3606
I missed a Soundcraftsmen EQ a week or so earlier and since I've had good luck with vintage Yamaha gear, I thought it was a better unit that Alessis, or Peavey (seems to be a lot of EQs for guitar type use).
Also seemed like the Ashley units were out of my budget ...
Hello ToddalinQuote:
Specs say 96 dB S/N. Anything under 105-110 dB is noisy with efficient speakers.
That can't always be true. My old and trusty Urie 539's are only rated at 90db and they are dead quiet. You can't hear any difference at all, noise wise, switching them into bypass.
Hello HeatherQuote:
(to keep my single Koi from feezing overwinter)
I use a small ring heater to keep a hole in the ice. So far so good.
Well you certainly do get a lot of flexability. Between the individual driver adjustments and the EQ you can voice them anyway you want.Quote:
I thought it might be handy to have that kind of control (1/3 octave, 31 band) over the system and room responce.
Have fun just don't let the EQ drive you nuts.
Rob:)
You have to consider the gain structure. I don't know where your Urie's were in the chain, but my Yamahas were right before the power amps with no way to attenuate the power amps. Any noise generated by the Yamahas came though full strength regardless of the volume setting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Robh3606
Heather may not have this problem because:
The 4341s aren't as sensitive as the 130As, and
She would have attenuation on the active crossover and possibly on the power amp input stage.
greetings from the break ( temp ).
Those yamahaha'a are very noisy. And so are the older MXR, soundcraftsman, DOD and other *MI* eq's that were sold in music stores.
Fine for entry level SR and stage stuff but when used in the home they are hissy and there's nothing that can be done to change that ( it's more than a "chip" thing ).
If you have the rack space, keep an eye out for the JBL 5549A ( cut ) or 5547A ( cut+boost ). I have a bunch of them and they are quiet as a mouse. The front panel in/out gain allows for easy integration for home ( -10 ) or pro ( +4 to +22 ) levels.
Alternately RANE makes some AV type EQ's ( JBL licensed them for synthesis ) that are quite usable ( look at the SSE35 ).
sub
I've used Soundcraftsmen pre-amp-EQ combo units for probably thirty years. I never noticed any noise. I did buy a stand-alone EQ DC-2215 a while back for $36, delivered but haven't tried it out. It's only a 10-band style anyway so probably not very useful for Heather's intent.
I did recently purchase a Soundcraftsmen system with Pro-Power-Four amp, Pro-Control-Four pre-amp, and a Pro-EQ-44 "third-octave" unit that I have played with a bunch and I notice no noise at all. All are USA-made and pre-MTX. In fact the Pro-EQ-44 seems to be a very fine unit. Granted I've only used them with the L7s but they are fairly efficient (91dB). I may have to try them with the 030s to see what the noise-issue is all about. Those are currently run with a Soundcraftsmen DX4200 pre-EQ with Crown DC300A-II, with no noticeable noise.
Are the simpler ten-band combination-pre-EQ units just quieter by nature, and is the later Pro-EQ-44 just of a newer style such that noise isn't an issue? Or were you talking about noisy pro-EQ units from Soundcraftsmen rather than this consumer stuff? Just curious.
Much as I respect everyone here, the joy of the pie is in the eating ... :)
That said, I haven't gotten notice that the EQ has even been packed/shipped yet. I certainly haven't received or tested it yet! (hopefully by the weekend!)
Just for grins: http://ebayitem.com/350131303486
Would appear to be a mono unit, correct? Love the "call before discarding" sticker!
http://www.salesbaron.net/f/GGG568.jpg
And, just for the record, looks like this one just sold a few miles from Heather: http://ebayitem.com/230302086479
For posterity, a 5549A for $77.51 in Herndon, VA. Still mono, right?
Yes, those are mono. Personally, I'd look for the cut-only versions for room-correction...
(which I -think- is the 5549x) ...more likely to keep one from doing unhelpful things in
the bass region (12dB is a -lot- of boost).
I'm planning on visiting that seller today, so let me know if you want me to have a look
at anything (assuming there's a store or warehouse of sorts).
The EQ got here Friday!
I mounted it in the rack right away, but didn't have cables yet. I could also use one more perforated panel between the Yam and the Adcom power sequencer to make everything symetrical, but its not like anything up top puts out any real heat to speak of ...
I was expecting delivery of a package of XLR-XLR cables from Monoprice but they didn't arrive Friday or yesterday, so this morning I took some old connectors, cleaned them up and wired up an extra pair of M-F cables so I could try it out ...
Doesn't sound hissy to me - perhaps I need better amps than the JBL/UREI gear to hear it,
but the noise level seems unchanged when the Yamaha is switched in or out ...
Haven't had time to do anything other than just dink it a bit and make sure its working ...
hear it do some cuts and boosts - Seems to do that well enough
Hopefully I can do some room calibration later ... I do have a test CD with various audio tones,
and I could put my RS SPM meter on a tripod and take level readings ...
I suspect thats a kind of crude approach, but without fancy tools it should work ...
I'm glad it's working for you. :applaud: Do you run it just before the crossover then attenuate at the crossover and/or at the power amp?Quote:
Originally Posted by hjames
For kicks, try putting it directly between the preamp and power amp (if you can) on the upstairs L200+ system and listen to the noise.
Well, in the media room, I have the Ashley set at unity gain ...Quote:
Originally Posted by toddalin
dropping the Yamaha EQ in and out doesn't seem to change levels.
downstairs signal path
HK AVR Receiver
front preamp out -> Yamaha EQ -> Ashley -> JBL 623/6260 Amps
downstairs signal type
rca to XLR adapter at the first stage, then XLR-XLR (bal) for the interconnect to the Ashley, then XLR -. "stereo" Phone (bal) into the JBL amps ...
Upstairs is a Yamaha CR-1020 (vintage) receiver _ - I suppose I could make XLR to RCA jumpers to tie the EQ into one of the receiver's tape loops, but I didn't think it was a good thing to go back and forth from
consumer -> Pro -> consumer
I only do the one conversion downstairs from the HK to the pro gear,
and I think the HK preamp out is higher level that the vintage yamaha was ...
for what its worth,
the JBL 6260 (off screen) that runs the woofers is set wide open,
the JBL 6230 (low screen) that runs the high side is just a bit below wide open -
seems to be not quite as shrill that way ...