Hi,
Essentially I am trying to work out the best / loudest / safest way to wire up the following system for DJing.
I have some new (second hand) PA with the following speakers. I have been tinkering with the Bass and 600 watt full range cabs using the crossover, but I am beginning to think that it loses some of the frequency range on the full range cabs and loses some volume... broadness of the sound.
We have added the two ST 15 350 watt this weekend and are thinking about the best way to set this lot up so it give the best / loudest full range sound but doesn't blow the cones!
I think the Peavey cabs are designed to be daisy chained as they all have the Speakon In / Out connectors. I think I read somewhere that the Pro system has some wiring inside the cabs that does not change the ohms..? But I'm not sure / cannot find it again.
I have a pair of Peavey Pro Sub 15" Bass Bins 600 watt 4 ohms
A pair of Peavey Pro 15" 600 watt program 4 ohms (full range with horns) - so I imagine passive crossover inside
A pair of Peavey ST 15 350 watt program 8 ohms (full range with horns) - so I imagine passive crossover inside
Amp 1: Peavey 2600 Amp
Amp 2: Kam 2000 Amp
Super X 2300 Behringer Crossover
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks - Nick
Essentially I am trying to work out the best / loudest / safest way to wire up the following system for DJing.
I have some new (second hand) PA with the following speakers. I have been tinkering with the Bass and 600 watt full range cabs using the crossover, but I am beginning to think that it loses some of the frequency range on the full range cabs and loses some volume... broadness of the sound.
We have added the two ST 15 350 watt this weekend and are thinking about the best way to set this lot up so it give the best / loudest full range sound but doesn't blow the cones!
I think the Peavey cabs are designed to be daisy chained as they all have the Speakon In / Out connectors. I think I read somewhere that the Pro system has some wiring inside the cabs that does not change the ohms..? But I'm not sure / cannot find it again.
I have a pair of Peavey Pro Sub 15" Bass Bins 600 watt 4 ohms
A pair of Peavey Pro 15" 600 watt program 4 ohms (full range with horns) - so I imagine passive crossover inside
A pair of Peavey ST 15 350 watt program 8 ohms (full range with horns) - so I imagine passive crossover inside
Amp 1: Peavey 2600 Amp
Amp 2: Kam 2000 Amp
Super X 2300 Behringer Crossover
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks - Nick
Very slight highpass on the 2 ways to reduce over excursion from bass.
Correct just a simple internal passive crossover built in for the horn loaded tweeters.
Subs are only single 15" so your lowpass could be 180 Hz to 80 Hz
Meaning the 2 ways would be high passed the same and would reduce bass
over excursion.
One amp runs the 2 way pair, another amp runs the small 15" subs.
They get signal from 2 way stereo crossover or Behringer unit.
180 to 80 Hz crossover. 2 ways get highpass, Subs get lowpass.
That unit also has a preset 15 Hz subsonic filter. That will protect the subs
somewhat from over excursion. Turn it on absolutely
At that point your SPL is more likely limited by the tweeters keeping up.
And not blowing them.
Likely peavey has lightbulb limiters in them hopefully.
If voltage is exceeded they start lighting up. Too much the bulb blows or the speaker does.
"Daisy Chain" from one speaker connector to another has no magically impedance
changing device. It is a parallel connection and no different than 2 speakers on a amp.
8 ohms and 4 ohms is a 2.67 ohm load. And absolutely forget bridging amps for " more power"
because the amps have enough power non bridged to destroy the speakers.
And 2.67 ohms is a horrible load regardless, on a bridged amp is pure nonsense
and extra heat. Since the manufactures " peak" power for the speakers rating.
Is pure fantasy. They will reach heavy distortion way way way before the rating.
Hence why using a high pass and subsonic filter will help somewhat reduce distortion.
If for some reason on the crossover your hearing a weird suck out or loss of frequency response.
Could be phase issues and either the sub or satellites need inverted. Which I believe the Behringer
has phase switches on the unit. Very typical depending on the order of the crossover slope.
Correct just a simple internal passive crossover built in for the horn loaded tweeters.
Subs are only single 15" so your lowpass could be 180 Hz to 80 Hz
Meaning the 2 ways would be high passed the same and would reduce bass
over excursion.
One amp runs the 2 way pair, another amp runs the small 15" subs.
They get signal from 2 way stereo crossover or Behringer unit.
180 to 80 Hz crossover. 2 ways get highpass, Subs get lowpass.
That unit also has a preset 15 Hz subsonic filter. That will protect the subs
somewhat from over excursion. Turn it on absolutely
At that point your SPL is more likely limited by the tweeters keeping up.
And not blowing them.
Likely peavey has lightbulb limiters in them hopefully.
If voltage is exceeded they start lighting up. Too much the bulb blows or the speaker does.
"Daisy Chain" from one speaker connector to another has no magically impedance
changing device. It is a parallel connection and no different than 2 speakers on a amp.
8 ohms and 4 ohms is a 2.67 ohm load. And absolutely forget bridging amps for " more power"
because the amps have enough power non bridged to destroy the speakers.
And 2.67 ohms is a horrible load regardless, on a bridged amp is pure nonsense
and extra heat. Since the manufactures " peak" power for the speakers rating.
Is pure fantasy. They will reach heavy distortion way way way before the rating.
Hence why using a high pass and subsonic filter will help somewhat reduce distortion.
If for some reason on the crossover your hearing a weird suck out or loss of frequency response.
Could be phase issues and either the sub or satellites need inverted. Which I believe the Behringer
has phase switches on the unit. Very typical depending on the order of the crossover slope.
Connect 1 speaker cab to each amp output channel, mre powerful amp driving the subs other one on the tops.
Ensure the crossover is set to stereo 2-way, connecr hi outputs to amps driving tops, low outputs to amp driving subs.
Set crossover freq to 90hz, ensure all range switches are set to X1.(90-900hz)
Connect source to crossover inputs, start with output gains at 0dB and then adjust relative level of subs and mains to taste at a moderate sound level
Set limiter control all the way up and crank up the system until the amps hit the limits or the speakers complain, and dial down the limiter control to just prevent this.
Crossover of the mains at 90hz will make them sound bass shy when played alone... this is normal and correct.
Eventually single 15" woofer or sub won't keep up with dual main speakers.
Too much mid and highs.
So not very use full to use 2 mids and horns. sub wont keep up.
Would use only one stereo mid and high frequency horn cabinets.
Which ever has the better sounding or more robust horn driver.
However well matched the other 15" is to the subs.
Likely could run a 15" satellite for more bass reinforcement.
On the crossover for more lows.
But getting somewhat hodge podge at that point.
Easier to have more matching subs.
For average events I used " towers" basically 2x15 with horn.
Enough bass without sub for some circumstances . Again only setback is if the horn can keep up
without the crackle.
What this system basically is you eventually are just running 2x15 with a horn.
with slight inconvenience of crossover and 2 amps.
As with using towers just plug them in and go.
When adding subs I used a 2x18 to keep up with a 2x15 mid / horn
and high passed to remove the bass. Same setup active 2 way.
Crossover at 80 Hz. Only 18" might make sense crossed that low.
2 x18" one 15" is only so much again subsonic filter mandatory
Too much mid and highs.
So not very use full to use 2 mids and horns. sub wont keep up.
Would use only one stereo mid and high frequency horn cabinets.
Which ever has the better sounding or more robust horn driver.
However well matched the other 15" is to the subs.
Likely could run a 15" satellite for more bass reinforcement.
On the crossover for more lows.
But getting somewhat hodge podge at that point.
Easier to have more matching subs.
For average events I used " towers" basically 2x15 with horn.
Enough bass without sub for some circumstances . Again only setback is if the horn can keep up
without the crackle.
What this system basically is you eventually are just running 2x15 with a horn.
with slight inconvenience of crossover and 2 amps.
As with using towers just plug them in and go.
When adding subs I used a 2x18 to keep up with a 2x15 mid / horn
and high passed to remove the bass. Same setup active 2 way.
Crossover at 80 Hz. Only 18" might make sense crossed that low.
2 x18" one 15" is only so much again subsonic filter mandatory
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