-=> Quoting Timothy Trace to Bonnie Goodwin <=-
 ->I suspect that there are few practicing audio people that really know
 ->how to use the equipment and have the time to do a complete alignment
 ->from venue to venue.
 TT> 'Scuse me?  As if it mattered at 110db with grunge music.  Did someone
 TT> say, "Smashing Pumpkins" ??
If the system was properly aligned, it might not sound so grungey!
Smashing pumpkins? Oh yeah, it is that time of year....
 TT> Many things have contributed to the "plug-n-play" sound system that
 TT> keeps the engineer from having to spend hours tweaking a system out
 TT> after setup.
 TT> Most of the major manufactures have gone to single-box systems, with
 TT> separate non-flying subs being used on an as-required basis. In most
 TT> cases, the tops are very nearly full-range systems: the Clair Brothers
 TT> S-4r has a pair of 18" drivers, four 10" drivers, a pair of 2" horns,
 TT> and (I believe) four 1" horns. It's a four-way, specification-perfect,
 TT> long-throw, computer-controlled box that needs absolutely no operator
 TT> intervention to function to factory specifications - each and every
 TT> time it's set up and plugged in.  The engineer merely has to throw a
 TT> few sliders on the system EQ to find "his" sound, and the show goes on.
That's hardly a proper alignment procedure! There are only a few EQs 
out there that are capable of tuning a system properly to a room, and
none of them are graphics. Clair makes ok stuff, but it isn't exactly
high fidelity...
 TT> Who at the venue needs to be concerned with time-alignment, or
 TT> driver-to-driver balance, when everything was taken care of at
 TT> the factory?  You can see the efficiency here...
That has nothing to do with proper system alignment these days. You
still have to align the system for the room.
 TT> And what if a sub is required?  The S-4 sub is an extremely efficient
 TT> triple-18" box, but used only in very small quantities at most of
 TT> their shows. It's just not really needed when you get up into 96 box
 TT> rigs. With 2 18" drivers per top box, who needs subs?    
 
I do.  With 4 10"s and 2 2"s, 2 18"s just isn't enough, unless 
you're reproducing acoustic music. 
 
 TT> As long
 TT> as you make the top boxes aware of the subs' presence (via the system
 TT> processor), and place the subs somewhat intelligently, you won't ever
 TT> run into an alignment difficulty (as if anyone could hear an alignment
 TT> problem at 50hz/120db).
I hear alignment problems at almost every show I attend; it's precisely
that sort of attitude that contributes to sloppy sound.
 TT> The S-4 system certainly must be acceptable; I'm sure you recognize
 TT> Clair Brothers as the world's largest sound-reinforcement provider,
 TT> with clientle from Yanni to Reba to Pearl Jam.  
 
Yeah, and the SM58 is a world standard; that doesn't mean I would ever 
consider using one, unless I needed to pound nails. 
 TT> And the list of
 TT> manufacturers goes on and on:  EAW KF-85x, Meyer MSL-x, Showco
 TT> Prism, Turbosound Fl***light (choose Flashlight _or_ Floodlight!),
 TT> Community RS-**0, etc.  Heck, even Peavey and Yorkville have gotten
 TT> on the big-box bus.  
 
You mention Meyer.. all other brands that you mention are insignificant 
when compared to Meyer, especially the new self-powered boxes! 
 
 TT> By building large top boxes with healthy driver
 TT> populations, the manufacturers avoid time-alignment problems that were
 TT> introduced along with single enclosure per bandwidth rigs in the
 TT> '70s and '80s.
Oh! *Driver* alignment! I thought we were talking about *system* 
alignment.... Now I see what you mean. Does anyone still use mulit-box
mid/high arrangements? I haven't seen that in years.
 TT> Thank God for the '90s.  
 
Agreed!
 TT> An engineer may have a White or Ivie piece in his FOH gear simply to
 TT> montior SPL.  Granted, that's a _way_ excessive choice for a volume
 TT> meter, but the artist pays the bill, not the engineer.  He also may
 TT> use it to double-check his ears after mixing 75 minutes of shredding
 TT> guitars at 110db: a quick glance at the LEDs can tell him if something
 TT> wierd is _indeed_ happening around 2k (or whatever).  And, it's
 TT> sometimes interesting to note what the system is capable of producing,
 TT> frequency-wise, during a performance.
That's all nice, but it doesn't change the fact that the system needs
to be aligned, and *maintained* throughout the show for really pristine
audio repro. My personal favorite is the Meyer SIM System 2.
 TT> Processed, self-monitored systems are the way of life now, and it's
 TT> a damn good thing, too.  Leaves more time for the engineer to operate,
 TT> and not technically analyze, his system.
With the SIM System, you still need someone to operate it; preferably
a second engineer. Take care.
... A *scratch*? His arm's off!
--- Blue Wave/DOS v2.30
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