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Mackie DL1608 in the house!

Good to know, as I've been thinking of using one of those instead of the 1/8" stereo to two 1/4" mono (basically an insert cable but with a 1/8" trs) to get signal from my AirPort Express to channels 15/16 for set break audio. Now, I don't use the APEx as the router, only as an airplay device. I have a few inputs that need Phantom power, but haven't wrecked the audio output of the airport with it - that I know of...

Because I'm moderately proud of it, I'll take a picture or two of the rack setup that I put together specifically for my DL based system and post an explanation in here today.
 
Otay, What I've got here is a shallow-depth 4U rack. It houses a 1U 20A power strip from Tripp*Lite, a 1U steel shelf, and a 2U 4-channel Behringer power amp. My iPad is clamped to my microphone stand using an IK Multimedia iKlip2 keeping it within arm's reach at all times. I have a ac/usb power adapter that I plug in near me with a kick-ass right-angle lightning plug on the end so that the iPad is forever charged. I turn off the auto-lock when playing so the screen is on and MasterFader is active the whole time.
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On the shelf I have my Linksys router, the power supply for the DL1608 and an AirPort Express. All of these are strapped to the shelf's vents with fat zip ties. They're also pre-connected to the power strip with shorter cables to reduce clutter/weight/confusion/space. I have the cat5 and power adapter cables for the DL1608 zip tied together at the right length so I just pull them out of the rack and plug them in together without having to fish for them in the dark.
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The Linksys router provides the wireless connection and DHCP services for the DL1608 and for the AirPort. I have the wireless networking disabled in the AirPort to simplify the setup. I have SSID broadcast turned off on my router to keep random people from attempting to access it. It's got a key code too, probably WEP or WPA, can't remember which I used.

The Airport is setup as an apple AirPlay target so that I can stream music from my iPhone during set breaks - keeps the iPad out of that function. The audio out is ready to plug into channels 15/16 quickly when I set up, and I have those channels combined in all my show presets in MasterFader. I have my phone set up to access both this wireless network and cellular data simultaneously so that I can stream Pandora or iTunes radio from where ever I am.

I use active speakers for my FOH, but my monitors are all passive. The 4-channel amp gives me the ability for, yup, four monitor mixes any time / every time. The green patch cables just stay connected to the amp's inputs and are ready to plug into the corresponding Aux outputs quickly. My P-Touch labeler makes it all simple. All my speakers have 1/4" plugs, the amp has Speakon's, so those adapters are in there full-time. They're also labeled for "no-brainer" convenience. I label both ends of my speaker cables and the inputs on the monitor speakers, too. Not because I am stupid, but because it's just one less thing to process during setup. Plus, if the bandmates are feeling helpful they don't need explanations - "plug #3 into #3 with Cable #3 and put it in front of Darren." My outputs in Master Fader are then renamed to match. Aux 1 is "Dave Monitor" and so on. Faster reactions in the heat of battle. Playing bass and running sound simultaneously is brain-consuming, so any thinking I can do in advance, sitting at home in my pajamas with the time to test and re-configure things, makes things go more smoothly at the bar when drunk people want music. At the end of the gig, all those short cables just fold up inside the rack's endcap lids and away we go.
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The whole thing is awesome, but a little heavy at about 50 pounds. I could save weight with a plastic rack, and I wish I could find an aluminum rack shelf (for a reasonable price), but those are minor quibbles of the dumbest kind. I love the setup I've got, it's been a massive improvement over the old 1-box Yamaha PA that served me very well for years. I bought my DL last April and built up this rack setup over the past summer and fall.
 
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From the looks of it, it's very well thought out. Kudos. I'm in pretty much the same thought process. I'm ditching my Allen/Heath Mixwiz 16:2 WZ3, Rane MQ302 (mains eq) and 2 Rane Mq302S (monitor eq) 2 4 channel Face Audio amps and a heavy ass case (all total about 250#) for my DL1608 and some self powered mains. More power and less space. Works in my book.

I'm not sure I'm fully understanding your 2 router process. Is the Linksys for the Ipad wireless and the Airport JUST FOR the wireless music on break?
 
Only the Linksys is acting as a wireless router. The Airport Express is connected to it via ethernet and has all its own router functions turned off. Because it's physically connected to the network, and my phone and iPad are wirelessly connected to that same network, the phone and pad can see the airport as an airplay device for streaming. Making the iPhone use cellular for Internet data while staying connected to my wireless network takes some juggling in the network settings.

It's probably worth it for a lot of traditional sound folks who are making the switch to digital and wireless to do some studying up on networking from the info-tech side, since all these new devices act like computers when it comes to connectivity. Often it seems as if guys treat the IT portion of these new products like it's magic, but understanding what is really going on allows for some cool configurations. I don't mean to sound cocky or authoritative there, either. At 37, I've grown up with computers and audio as parallel passions, only recently have they become very much integrated. I'm savoring it.
 
I'm confused as to why you need an extra router also. Couldn't you just do that with the Express? Or is it because you want some redundancy and load balancing for processing?

I should take a pic of my set up so we could all have a good laugh. I try to be as portable as possible (since I also lug out my bass rig/basses/upright/sub/FOH mains etc. I have to fit it all in my Chevy Equinox.
 
The Linksys is more easily configurable, and the airport seems more reliable when it's only being an airplay device instead of providing the routing/wifi/dhcp at the same time. Apple's airport utility is generally useful, but being able to log straight into the Linksys' control panel and make any changes desired is preferable for me.
 
Okay-got it. I used a Belkin router orig (old one I had) and it would drop connections sometimes. The Express has been rock solid so far.

TIP: Don't get cute and name your SSID after your band or DJ company. I did a few gigs with my SSID broadcasting and people kept asking me what the password was...when I told them it was just for an internal network and didn't have internet access they didn't really believe me ha ha. I now have it hidden.
 
I'm thinking that I'm gonna tackle one thing at a time. I have the Ipad/MF 3.0. Next is going to be the actual DL1608. Then the Powered Tops, etc... I'll tackle the Wireless option when I've got this much down. We have a "Coffee House" gig next month and I'm thinking the tops would be more useful VS me being wireless. But the questions will be still coming as I'm still wrapping my skull around this new-to-me technology. :wacky:
 
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Because it's physically connected to the network, and my phone and iPad are wirelessly connected to that same network, the phone and pad can see the airport as an airplay device for streaming. Making the iPhone use cellular for Internet data while staying connected to my wireless network takes some juggling in the network settings.
now that's the trick you gotta tell us about! juggling network settings where? the phone? the router? does your phone show the wi-fi icon while it's doing this trick? can you then use myfader on it? (well, could you, before MF3?)
 
I found this in an apple support forum posted by a Jeremy Shaffer (credit where due) and have copied directly from there. This is all done in the network settings on your iPhone:


1. Connect to the WiFi network you wish to use, and view the Info for said network

2. Under DHCP, note all the values that were automatically provided.

3. Switch to Static setup, and manually enter the values above. LEAVE THE ROUTER VALUE BLANK.


iOS recognizes that it cannot use the WiFi connection to reach the Internet, so it switches to mobile data. The WiFi icon will not be displayed, but you WILL still be connected to the WiFi network as well, and be able to access any resources on the local LAN (WiFi or Wired into your router's switch ports.)

Caveats:

1. Because you've set your IP manually, there is a risk of possible IP conflict with another device on your network. This is unlikely on a network that does not have devices coming and going at all, and can be avoided if you specifically choose an IP that is outside of your router's DHCP range (If your DHCP range is x.x.x.2 - x.x.x.50, use .51

2. If you do actually want to use your WiFi connection for an Internet connection, you will have to remember to manually switch the WiFi connection back to DHCP (or manually fill in the Router, but it's easier and faster to just switch back and forth.)




So that allows me to stream to the airport while using LTE. I switched to iPhone after MF3.0 so I'm not sure if myfader would work. I cannot envision why it wouldn't though.
 
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tops... IMO KSeries. 10's if you do wider, narrower venues. 12's go deeper, narrower. EV Live X is less dough. Good but not as good to my ear. Ive sold off all but 1 of the prx 612m's I bought. Nice, warm, light. Better sounding to my ear than the Live X. not as strong as the K series stuff though. I'm up to 8 of the K series boxes at this point . Some are dedicated to rental though. The K series stuff has a 6 year warranty if you buy new and register. Transfers if you sell too.
 
tops... IMO KSeries. 10's if you do wider, narrower venues. 12's go deeper, narrower.
yeah, i think the principle for these otherwise identical boxes is that the bigger ones get louder, just over a narrower area. (you meant "wider, shallower" for the smaller Ks, right?)
 
Yeah. It's about putting similar acoustic energy in more focused or less focused spaces. Wider, shallower spaces need a more broad dispersion, so the energy simply won't travel as far. Off axis response is more important though. So maybe K10's or maybe K12's ... That's the trade off.

IMO, it's a brilliant way to engineer a system. I own K10's and K12's, 181 sub(s) and a KSub. My partner owns an additional 181. We have fairly deep experience with these boxes and IMO they are really easy to live with.

I did a center placed show in a theater setting recently. k12's on sticks and the 181 center stage. If I had a K8, it would have been sitting on the sub just to provide some in fill. That super wide dispersion would have fit just ooo, la, la! It was raining cats and dogs, the show itself was a benefit and my audience was maybe 200 and very much centered... I sleazed and tipped the 12's further inward and felt bad about not pulling an extra K10 out of the truck... The center 3 rows were just a bit soft in the mids. I noticed it but got accolades for the sound anyway...

And after load out, I had a short in the electrical system of my old van. Too much rain... Fortunately my wife came by and we took a load home in her Outback, I made the return run for another load in mine... AAA to my mechanic the next day and a $300 bill for electrical work and a new battery (which I needed anyway).... Karma ? Maybe I shoulda pulled that K10 ;-)
 
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