Hi all, first time posting in here, so i own a set of EV T252+, a BBE Max X2 crossover, a peavey CS1000 amp and a QTX PRO 1000 amp. I wanted to biamp the EV's so i opened up the backs and followed the instructions to set them up for biamping, but somethings just not right, i have a friend who builds PK rigs in the US and i checked all my wiring with him which he said was spot on. So heres what happens, if i have the amp on that powers the highs, and the one that powers the lows off, then fine, i can hear the mids and highs fine, when i do the opposite, the sub/lows sound great... but when i have them both on, the bass essentially dissapears, and i only get mids and highs, and if i turn up the lows it all just distorts rather than the lows getting louder.
Any idea what is going on?
Thanks in advance,
C
Any idea what is going on?
Thanks in advance,
C
sounds like phase issues, try flipping the polarity of the subs to see if you get your bass back.
@turk 182 great thanks, I’ll give that a go!! yeah my first thought was something related to phase, but I’m a studio sound guy, when it comes to PA systems I’m a complete novice so had no idea really. what’s weird as well is, when I run them as just full range speakers, they are all good. Going to go to my lock up this afternoon and give the polarity thing a go.
With the highs amp only on do you get any sound from the woofers? If you do then something still isn't right with the internal wiring in the speaker. The opposite should be true as well, with the low amp on no should should come from the horn.
Are you using the recommended settings for the crossover.. 1.2kz 24db/oct high and low pass filters?
Are you using the recommended settings for the crossover.. 1.2kz 24db/oct high and low pass filters?
Did you remember to disconnect the passive crossover?
Also, are you sure your SpeakOn cables are wired correctly?
Feels like there's something amiss here, and I wouldn't recommend trying again until we've tracked down the fault. There shouldn't be any distortion, and that makes me wonder if:
Either is bad, and risks damage.
Chris
Also, are you sure your SpeakOn cables are wired correctly?
Feels like there's something amiss here, and I wouldn't recommend trying again until we've tracked down the fault. There shouldn't be any distortion, and that makes me wonder if:
- You've accidentally connected the amplifiers together somehow
- You're driving the HF drivers full-range
Either is bad, and risks damage.
Chris
after looking at the x-over spec's it appears there's phase inversion switches on the unit so should be easy to check.
HI Conanski, so yes i'm using the correct settings, im not at the lockup atm, but from what i can remember yeah i was able to get lows out of the high amp ... so must be internal... weird.
Hi Chris, appreciate the advice... what do you mean regarding disconnecting the passive crossover? , so i went through the routing with a friend of mine and he confirmed i had connected everything as you should... It does kind of weirdly feel like the amps are connected somehow, but i can't see how that's possible... so strange... when i run it as it should be run (well i hope) the low end has no depth and just gets more and more saturated and distorted when i push it, i've kept the levels very low and havent pushed anything hard, i went back to full range after trying again yesterday and it all seemed to be sounding great so hopefully nothing damaged yet.. phew. I really really want to figure this out, so frustrating, i also checked all the wiring to the drivers and everything is wired with the correct polarity. ,.. any ideas where to go from here?
hey turk... so i did as suggested sadly no luck, still the same issue. 🙁 thanks for the suggestion though.
also...
just to confirm my wiring...
Mixer > Crossover > left highs to Amp 1 > Right highs to Amp 1 > Left Lows to amp 2 > right lows to amp 2 > amp 2 L&R to low speakon inputs on speakers > Amp 1 L&R to high speakon inputs on speakers.
Please confirm that the fuses are set correctly. Also, are you sure you speakons are wired correctly?
hi @Netlist , i'll triple check tomorrow regarding the fuses, from what i remember it looked like it was all done right. Regarding the way i've wired it.... heres an overview
Mixer > Crossover > left highs to Amp 1 > Right highs to Amp 1 > Left Lows to amp 2 > right lows to amp 2 > amp 2 L&R to low speakon inputs on speakers > Amp 1 L&R to high speakon inputs on speakers.
Mixer > Crossover > left highs to Amp 1 > Right highs to Amp 1 > Left Lows to amp 2 > right lows to amp 2 > amp 2 L&R to low speakon inputs on speakers > Amp 1 L&R to high speakon inputs on speakers.
I've pulled the manual. Have you moved the fuses across, as detailed there?
Are your SpeakOn connections to the speakers as follows:
1x 4-pole connector,
LF amp to 1+/-
HF amp to 2+/-
Photos might help here.
Chris
Are your SpeakOn connections to the speakers as follows:
1x 4-pole connector,
LF amp to 1+/-
HF amp to 2+/-
Photos might help here.
Chris
Or perhaps like like this but I'm not sure how the speakons are wired internally:
Edit: should work also as the speaker back panel states that both inputs are paralleled
Edit: should work also as the speaker back panel states that both inputs are paralleled
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I think I see your problem. The Speakon inputs on the cabs are wired in parallel so there is no "HI input" or "Low Input", you need 4 core cables that connect the highs and lows to a single Speakon connector on each box... as detailed on the input terminal plate.
Using 2 separate cables from each amp to the speakers (both wired to 1+/1- pins) you are shorting the amp outputs together which is a fantastic way to blow them up... so don't do that anymore.😉
The easiest way is to rewire one of the cables connections from 1+/1- to 2+/2- on the speaker side of the cables, assuming you don't have 4 core cable.
On the amplifiers sides, just use the cable's stripped cores with the 4mm red & black binding posts.
On the amplifiers sides, just use the cable's stripped cores with the 4mm red & black binding posts.
Ok, so then I’m totally confused now 😂… so I have an amp doing the lows and an amp doing the highs, but they go through one cable? So I need a connector so that the cable from amp 1 and the cable from amp 2 join together to become one cable?
Hi, yes fuses moved across… after googling “4 pole connector” I’m seeing it’s like a breakout cable, to take 2 speakons Into one, or visa versa?
Yes... This signal combiner is often accomplished with a patch panel on the amp rack but it can also be done with a purpose built Y cable. This approach requires 4-core speaker cable... a single cable with 4 wires in it, if you don't have any of that and aren't planning on buying any then you need to do what Netlist described and move the wires on the speaker end of the cables that feed the highs to the 2+/- pins. This will function correctly and be safe but now you have "special" cables that only work in one orientation and for biamping so they have to be tagged as such. If you're just experimenting and don't intend to use this config at events then you're good but any potential to mis wire a rig introduces the possibility of damaging equipment so you would be better off implementing a more idiot proof setup such as a patch panel or Y cable.
@conanski @Netlist ok, I think I getting my head around it finally, so tell me if I’m wrong, I take say the 2 channel 1 speakon cables (high and low) and at the soeaker end of the cables I strip the wires back, and put both sets of wires into one speakon connector; thus creating a Y cable. Does this câble then go into the top input or bottom input on the EV’s? Thanks so much for all your help… you have no idea how amazing this is 🙏🙏🙏
I assume you have two cables at the moment for one speaker. One from each amp.
On one of these cables you change the connections from 1+/1- to 2+/2-. Connect both cables to the speaker, doesn't matter which entry you use.
Same for the other speaker.
Leave everything else as is.
Connect as in post #12.
On one of these cables you change the connections from 1+/1- to 2+/2-. Connect both cables to the speaker, doesn't matter which entry you use.
Same for the other speaker.
Leave everything else as is.
Connect as in post #12.