Karaoke Forums

Many thanks for all the stuff that I have learned from this forum. You are all very unselfish in sharing your ideas that helps a newbie like me about to accomplish a goal to become a KJ and DJ. After reading JamKaraoke's and other postings, I went out to Guitar Center and bought the following equipments:

Mackie DFX12 mixer ($239.99)
dbx 266xl compressor ($149.99)
BBE 362 enhancer/maximixer ($99.99)
Furman PL8 power conditioner ($59.99)
Shure UT24/58 (The Vocal Artist) mic ($399.99)
2 pcs. Mackie SRM450 powered speakers ($699.99 each), hence no power amps needed
RC-520/8U 8 space rack ($89.99); DFX12 rack on my wish list

I still have to buy cables in order for these to work. Correct me if I'm wrong because after reading the manuals, this is how I understand these things are to be connected:

1. From the main out (L & R) of the mixer, 2 pcs. female XLR cables to 1/4" inputs of the BBE 362,
2. From outputs of the BBE 362, 2 pcs. 1/4" cables to the male XLR inputs (Channel 1 & 2) of the dbx 266xl,
3. From the outputs of the 266xl, 2 pcs. XLR cables to connect to the inputs of the SRM 450 powered apeakers,
4. XLR cable to connect to the mic.

Questions:
1. Do I still need a feedback suppressor and hum eliminator?
2. When I bought the speakers, I was issued 2 pcs. 50' XLR cables to connect to the mixer but later found out that these are microphone cables. The salesman told me that this would work. Is it true? I don't want to experiment as these are expensive speakers.
3. I found out that I can use 1/4" cables to all of the above. Will there be a difference in the sound compared to the XLR?
4. Based on your experience, do you have a better idea on how to connect these equipments?

I'm planning to use it for 50% DJing and 50% KJing to about 100-200 people. I will use my laptop with a DJ software on it for DJing. Meanwhile, I'll be using my APEX CD/DVD/VCD/MP3 player while looking for a better Karaoke player which is on my wish list.

Grateful if you can give comments and suggestions in this regard.

You won't hook the compressor inline with your other pieces - you don't want to compress the entire mix at this point in time. If youget a screamer, it will lower the sound of the voice, but it will also lower the sound of the music - which is not what you want. You will want to connect this via the "insert" jacks on the mic channels only via a TRS to dual 1/4" cord. Most music stores will carry these or you can find them online through various music stores.

L/R out of your mixer to the BBE inputs
BBE outputs to your speakers

I prefer to run the BBE on the entire mix myself. But some have run it just on the music between your player & mixer.

You won't need any feedback supressor right off the bat. Those are luxaries that you probably won't need at all - you'd be better off getting a good eq inline for feedback control. You won't really need it for tonal shaping since you are using the BBE. A hum eliminator will only be necessary if you have hum in the system that you can't isolate & fix by other methods.

Standard microphone cables are what you use to hook up the SRM450. The 50' cords will be more than adequate for most situations.

If you can use the XLR connectors (balanced) over 1/4" connectors (unbalanced) - DO. There is less chance of sound interference do to better grounding throughout.

With the speakers you got, they are great - but you may want to add the matching subs to your wishlist for the best sound.

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Are you saying you are running your main mix out to the BBE and then a compressor?

I wouldn't put your compressor on anything but the mics. Your mixer has 1/4 inch insert jacks. You should get cables that go from there to your compressor. The proper cable will have a stereo (3 contacts) plug at one end and two mono (two contacts) plugs at the other. I had a hard time finding those where I live so you may have to order them. You can make them from cables and adapters from Radio Shack, that is what I am using for now. I use a 1/4" stereo to two RCA (phono) plug cable (Radio Shack # 42-2474). Then I put RCA to 1/4" adapters (Radio Shack # 274-320 or 274-884) on the ends. Sometimes you have to crimp the RCA ends a little for a snugger fit. Then you plug the stereo end into your mixer's insert jack for a mic channel and the other two ends into your compressor's input and output jacks. The tip of the stereo plug goes to the send (input) and the ring goes to the return (output of compressor).

As for the BBE, you should try that two ways and see which you like best. You can either put it between the player and mixer or between the mixer and speakers. The first way it will only affect the music coming out of your player and not the mics. That is how I have mine connected. The second way it will affect the entire mix, music and vocals. I have never tried mine on the entire mix but I have heard of people that do so and like it that way.

Feedback suppression can be difficult to master at first. I decided to get a Peavey 31 band EQ with FLS (Feedback Location System). It lets me ring out the room before the show starts to eliminate most feedback. I have mine hooked up between the mixer and amp so that it affects the entire mix. Feedback eliminators will do basically the same thing but I just prefer to do it manually. For now though I would just get used to what you have before adding more to it.

The XLR cables are fine for running from your mixer to your SRM-450's. Since the 450's are powered speakers you are only pushing a line level signal through the cables, which the speakers then amplify. That's one of the advantages of powered speakers. You don't have to run heavy speaker wire all over the place.

I hope this helped a little.

Lonman, I am planning to exchange the BBE 362 to 882i because this is the only BBE model that has XLR input and output and I agree that if I can use XLR, the better.

Kobey, I am planning to use XLR also from my SM 58 wireless mic to my dbx 266xl compressor. In order to do that, I will have to buy XLR Y connectors (Female to 2 Male and Male to 2 Female) to connect into the inputs and outputs of channels 1 & 2 of the dbx 266xl. Is it okay if I use the XLR from the mic into channel 1 of the 266xl and use the second mic into the channel 2? In that case, I won't need XLR Y connectors.

Thanks again for your advice.

Well you don't necessarily have to do the exchange, it isn't going to make THAT much of a difference, it's just nicer overall to have everything grounded throughout.

On your compressor, I would still hook your mic to the mixer & the compressor via the "insert" jack in which you would need the 1/4" TRS to 2 1/4" TS cords. You CAN do it the way you described, but it isn't AS effective.

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Connect the compressor and the BBE to your effects busses. This way you can "dial in" each component at the desired level.

The only component that really should be placed inline between your mixer and amps/speakers should be a good graphic eq.

Since you have the DFX12, you may want to insert the compressor on your mic inputs, using insert Y cables.

Hooking a compressor through an effects buss (assuming you mean the effects send/return) won't help in compressing the signal which is intended to be compressed. The effects loop takes a piece of the signal for the effect, but doesn't change it. All you would be doing is compressing that side signal, the main signal would not be affected thus making the compressor useless unless you are looking for a "compression" effect, but for this case, the compressor is wanted for vocal leveling & not as an effect.

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ONE WARNING TO ALL THIS:::::

Remember to take a look at the manual before hooking this up..

Line level equipment.. ALA Compressors/Effects and such run off of -10db levels!!!

READ YOUR OWNERS MANUALS AND LOOK AT YOUR OUTPUT LEVELS!!!