TERRIBLE Squealing

[ric1312]

Originally Posted by John Deacon

We dont use reverb, and we were actually discussing getting new mikes. Do they really cut down on feedback a lot?

Yes, there is a big difference with the right mics. Best thing is to A&B them at the store. Just have someone plug them in and have the settings the same for each channel and see which one has the best feedback rejection. I use a sennhieser 945 e, works great, sounds great and has good rejection. I've heard great things about audix 0m7 though, supposed to be even better at feedback rejection.

[derrico1]

Originally Posted by John Deacon

Our stage setup is like this.

I know you specifically say this is your *stage set-up,* but a couple details here sound like you're talking about a rehearsal space.

If your feedback problem is happening in a rehearsal room, position your PA cabs as you would monitors. Turn them toward you, and put them in the microphones' null points. (You'll only create problems by using PA cabs as if for FOH in a little rehearsal room.)

[John Deacon]

Originally Posted by derrico1

I know you specifically say this is your *stage set-up,* but a couple details here sound like you're talking about a rehearsal space.

If your feedback problem is happening in a rehearsal room, position your PA cabs as you would monitors. Turn them toward you, and put them in the microphones' null points. (You'll only create problems by using PA cabs as if for FOH in a little rehearsal room.)

Sorry, youre right, rehearsal space. But that will be our stage setup so, its all good.

[spook396]

Ditch the mics and get a pair of SHURE SM's, (57's or 58's are used throughout the music industry and have become pretty much the "go to" standard).

With both mics and P.A. you only get what you pay for.

A cheap mic will give you cheap prerformance.

[kalle74]

Originally Posted by spook396

57's or 58's are used throughout the music industry and have become pretty much the "go to" standard.

With both mics and P.A. you only get what you pay for.

A cheap mic will give you cheap prerformance.

While 57´s and 58`s are very durable, and reasonably priced, there are many better on the market. for a little more you can get way better mics.

I´d recommend Sennheiser e935 or e945 for feedback-resistance. Audix OM 6 or 7 are also nice.

but true, YGWYPF.

[John Deacon]

Well, the thing is, the PA was working fine, then it just starting squealing recently.

[kalle74]

all the other variables unchanged?

[John Deacon]

Originally Posted by kalle74

all the other variables unchanged?

We mightve made one mikes volume a little bit louder but thats it.

[ric1312]

Originally Posted by John Deacon

Well, the thing is, the PA was working fine, then it just starting squealing recently.

You may have moved nothing in the room, but the frequencies in the room that cause feedback sould still change. This is why you need a graphic EQ + better mics.

[kalle74]

Originally Posted by John Deacon

We mightve made one mikes volume a little bit louder but thats it.

so that´s the problem. you were "on the edge". get some better mics, and reposition your system.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by kalle74

so that´s the problem. you were "on the edge". get some better mics, and reposition your system.

Well as has been said before - the whole setup is on the edge - in terms of being pushed to its maximum capacity- whereas ideally you need headroom to cope with peaks and troughs!

[E2daGGurl]

Well - the word "feedback" isn't just any random musical term. It's used in any system, when a simple stimulus provides increasing stimulus to itself (feedback). It can start with the tiniest sound.

All I know is that it took us some $ and time to get a microphone we could use without feedback on our amps. Our guitar player has the same problem with pick-ups on the acoustic. The tiniest change in levels on the amp produces way more feedback, from those acoustic pickups (which are designed to carry every nuance) than with my bass.

Mikes designed for voices are designed to capture every little eensy beensy sound, as well as keeping the treble range clear and loud. Your system, when set up for instrumental music, isn't also set up for mikes designed for vocalists - you'll have to compromise somewhere.

We have had an equalizer since day one, and while now we have most instruments running through different boards, using the equalizer to solve feedback problems was our own first step back when we had everything running through just two amps.

If I understand correctly, you're running all your sound equally through all the available speakers (the "P.A." system) right?

The stereo suggestion is also a good one. A good P.A. system should have an equalizer board, IMO, and stereo jacks for vocalists. Not only does it help get rid of feedback, it just plain sounds better.

[E2daGGurl]

Originally Posted by John Deacon

We mightve made one mikes volume a little bit louder but thats it.

You seem to be resisting the idea that anything at all could be the matter. So, if you really believe that nothing has changed and this just started suddenly, all on its own, then, the only thing it could be is sudden equipment failure. If all the components are the same, and once upon a time, it was all working perfectly, then it has to be a change/breakdown in some piece of equipment, doesn't it?

If I were you, I'd quit looking at it as "the P.A.'s fault", you keep saying, "Nothing's changed, the P.A. just started...." You don't know that it's the P.A., then, if nothing changed, do you?

It could be some other component (as suggested throughout this thread). Why would you assume it's the P.A.'s fault?

Look at this way. Let's just say that you had a mike and it was working great. Then one day "the P.A. started squealing." One of the first things I'd check would be the mike membrane (if it has one - they work differently, most have some delicate kind of membrane for picking up sound, at least the ones we have do).

The tiniest hole or scratch in that membrane - and wow, will you ever get feedback. Where once there was X thickness of membrane keeping misc. sound out of your system, now there's x-the scratch or even no x at all if it's a hole.

Then, you get mucho feedback - but it's not the P.A. system in that case, it's the mike.

So a cheap fix is: get two brand new mikes at a store that lets you take mikes back. Problem fixed? At least one of your mikes is bad. Swap one in, check, okay still? The other one is bad.

Etc. Same thing can happen with pickups too and other parts of the system - but you're presenting your details in what seems to be kind of a random order, so it's hard to tell what else could be causing it (we've had feedback from an acoustic pickup that got jarred and repositioned just a tiny bit - enough to make huge squealing noises, however).