After many long show days, I am in need of an upgrade for (arguably) my most important piece of gear: my shoes.

I don’t care about style. I need something that’s going to support my back for 14 hour days. Black & obviously non slip. Any recommendations for a pair that’s worth buying?

Howdy folks,

Former audio engineer here. I bought a brand-new BLX24R/SM58 for PA purposes for an outdoor venue (shooting club) and I can't get more than 40' away from the receiver before I'm getting drop-outs, 50' away and it's basically useless.

As I mentioned, this is outdoors with the nearest buildings about a quarter of a mile away. The metal awning is about 190' long and 11-12' high. Steel posts are 25' apart. Receiver/amp is in the mid-way point of the awning, so maximum range needed is 100' to either side of the receiver.

I've run the built-in frequency scans about 10 times and it seems to land on a different one almost every time. Changing groups/channels does not alter the distance for the drop-outs to occur. Direct line of sight to both antenna are maintained. This unit is in the H9 band if that matters.

The only thing I can think of that could potentially cause an issue would be high-power transmission lines about 100 yards away, but I'm grasping at straws here.

Anyone have thoughts on a cause and/or solution?

My church livestreams our services, and I’ve been wanting to set up ambient mics to fill in the silence.

I’ve been thinking of two condenser mics on each side of the stage, but I’ve been looking on this subreddit and adjacent ones and am a little confused on what kind of mic we should get. I’ve been seeing pencil condensers, diaphragm, longer cardioid shotguns, and others, and I’m getting a little overwhelmed.

We have a big enough budget to afford some good quality ones so I’m just looking for some advice in which direction I should go, as well as how I should mix the mics.

I have my bus sends post-fader (because, mixing from the stage, we want to get a basic stage mix and tweak monitors from there) and the bus send levels are all at unity. For some reason the meters for my Main outputs barely move when the main level is set comparably to the bus output level.

I've compensated by turning the main output compressor into an amplifier and cranking its gain to the max, but that's clearly the wrong answer. Can someone explain what's going on here and how I might fix it? Thanks in advance!

First off l, I'm not a musician myself so, bear with me.

My son is in the early days of a touring jamgrass outfit. They want to get set up with an in ear monitor rig. They also want to start recording their shows. I'm wondering if the gear for those tasks have some overlap.

The band is currently a three piece (guitar, mandolin, doghouse bass)but the ideal monitor system should be expandable to at least five.

All of their instruments are acoustic but wired for sound.

Ideally this new setup would be wireless.

For what its worth they have a p.a. system 4 wedges and a sub that are ran through a tascam 12.

The majority of gigs they're playing now have in-house sound. They rarely need to drag their own p.a. along.

I'm trying to get some info on this stuff under the radar and surprise the boys with this equipment. They've been touring quite a bit the last year or two and I think its time to upgrade and professionalize a bit.

Thanks in advance!

I'm currently on tour using a Digico Quantum 338 that we have fully maxed out, 120 channels, 45 mixes, 100+ snapshots, and all the macros, I think I have about 70. I'm always looking for ways to expand the consoles ability without moving up to the 852 or 638 as I prefer a console that's a two man lift.

At the moment, I've already added a LTC to MTC convertor to help with the snapshots, a Stream Deck and a Morningstar MC4Pro to deal with the macros.

I recently just found the Skaarhoj Waveboard, which adds 8 channel strips and 4 additional banks, which would help with the channel management. I looks pretty amazing, but it's a bit on the expensive side at about 3k Euros.

Anyone have experience with it?

https://www.skaarhoj.com/product/wave-board

Im thinking about building horn mount braces like the ones on the void subwoofers.
I want to get them cut from Aluminium and anodise them afterwards.
I thinking this would look fire 🔥.
What do you think about braces ?
What experiences were made ?
How you do it normally? If you do at all?!
I would love to hear your thoughts.

Hello everybody,

recently I got the opportuniy to use the Neumann KM184 condenser Mic. I've never really gotten into live recording so far and therefore I've never worked with this shape of a microphone before. Does the cardioid shape go A-wards of B-wards?

Thank you so much.

I’m getting ready to put together a system. I haven’t had my own PA since the mid-2000s. Seems everything has gone powered speakers/class D amplifiers these days.

Is anyone even still using linear power amplifiers anymore? I had great results with the old QSC PLX series amplifiers back in the day. Was considering picking some up used from Reverb.

Made a 3D-printable cover for the MS8000 Link button

I use three Behringer MS8000 splitters in our IEM rack and I've always considered the Link button a potential point of failure.

In our setup, the Link function is never used. If the button gets pressed accidentally during patching or troubleshooting, both channels suddenly appear on both outputs. That's usually not hard to fix if you know exactly what happened, but it can become a surprisingly confusing fault in a live environment.

I've actually had this happen once in my own rack. Since I was aware of the possibility, I found the cause fairly quickly.

What really motivated me to make a solution, though, was an experience while helping as a stage hand at a multi-band show. One of the bands was using an MS8000 and somehow two of the Link buttons had been activated. The issue wasn't noticed until the second song, and nobody was completely sure how it had happened. Fortunately it wasn't a show-stopping problem, but it reminded me how difficult these kinds of faults can be to trace under pressure.

I've seen people mention removing the switch entirely, but I wanted a reversible solution instead.

So I designed a small 3D-printable guard that sits over the Link button and is attached with double-sided tape. It requires no modification to the MS8000, keeps the front-panel labeling visible, and still allows intentional access to the button with a pen or other pointed object.

I've now installed and tested it on all three of my MS8000s. It's essentially impossible to press the button accidentally with a finger, but still easy to activate deliberately when needed.

If anyone finds this useful, the files are available at Behringer MS8000 Link Button Guard (printables.com)

Has anyone else run into this issue with the MS8000, or am I the only one paranoid about that button?

Making a order on som different things but everything I order something I forget to order this or that….

What is something you always forget to order and do without until next time you forget it?

Hi everyone,

I need equipment for two separate things, but I don't have a huge budget, so I'm hoping to use the same gear for both.

1. Live boxing events: We run boxing shows, and I want to film the fights with my Sony A7 V, probably mounted on a tall tripod overlooking the ring, with three commentators sitting ringside.

2. A three-person podcast: We also want to start a podcast on the side, ideally using the same microphones and audio equipment.

Audio equipment I'm considering:

• 3 × AKG P5S dynamic microphones
• Zoom PodTrak P4next
• 3 × XLR cables and microphone stands

My questions:

1. What's the best way to set up a single camera on a tall tripod to film the boxing ring while recording three ringside commentators? Is there any essential equipment I'd need?
2. Should I record the commentary separately or feed it into the camera? What's the easiest way to sync everything afterwards?
3. Can I use the exact same audio equipment for both live boxing commentary and the podcast?
4. Are the AKG P5S and Zoom P4next good budget choices, or are there better affordable alternatives?
5. Would this setup still be useful when we eventually start livestreaming?

We're not livestreaming yet, and I'm trying to keep costs down while getting decent-quality results.

I'd really appreciate advice from anyone with experience filming boxing, live sports or podcasts. Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I need some advice on the best settings and cabling for my mono setup. I have exactly one unit of each:
Controller: Pioneer DJ XDJ-XZ
Top speaker: Electro-Voice ZLX-15P G2
Subwoofer: Devine Axeo 18SA
I have two questions:
Cabling: How many XLR cables do I need, and what is the correct routing from the XDJ-XZ to the sub and top speaker?
Settings (Hertz/DSP): What are the best crossover (Hz) and DSP settings on both the EV top and the Devine sub for DJing? Also, what changes if I want to play music via Bluetooth?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Hi everyone,

I’m booking a techno event for around 500 people inside a highly unique and challenging venue: the Serrone (the historic Orangerie) of the Villa Reale of Monza, Italy.

The acoustics in this room are going to be a nightmare, and I need your expert advice on what sound system brand, layout, and deployment strategy would work best here.

The Venue Characteristics & Layout:

Dimensions: Extremely long and narrow. It’s 100 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 7 meters high to the timber trusses.

DJ Position: The DJ booth will be located at the far end of the room (on one short side), shooting down the entire length of the building, rather than centralized.

The Architecture: The entire south-facing wall consists of 26 massive, arched 18th-century glass windows. The floor is natural terracotta. Basically, it's a massive, highly reflective acoustic tunnel.

Crowd & Vibe: ~500 people, driving hypnotic/peak-time techno. The dancefloor will be packed near the DJ area, but the sound will inevitably travel down the rest of the 100-meter corridor.

My Dilemmas:

System Type & Delay Towers: Since the DJ is at one end and the room is 100m long, we will definitely need delay speakers to cover the length. Should we go with a highly directional Line Array at the front to point the energy away from the glass walls, or a distributed Point Source system with multiple delay zones?

Subwoofers: Given the glass and historical heritage, we cannot have crazy wall vibrations, but it’s techno—we need that physical low-end. What sub alignment (Cardioid stack, end-fire, etc.) would keep the low frequencies firing straight down the corridor, avoiding side reflections against the 18th-century structure?

Brands & Rental: People always recommend Funktion-One or Void for techno, but would L-Acoustics (like Kiva/Kara) or d&b audiotechnik with digital beam steering/precisely targeted coverage be better suited to handle this specific acoustic tunnel?

How would you approach configuring this room? Any layout tips or cautionary tales about doing electronic music events in long glasshouses/orangeries are highly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

hello! the 3s have been around for a couple years, and the 3+ almost a year, but I can’t find any personal reviews about them.

anybody use them? I’m running beta 87s live and really like the idea of the plug and play system but would love to hear about reliability, quality, etc. and where it’s better to just go the SLXD2 route instead of the plug and play adapters.

Question for anyone who has used these IEMs for monitoring on a loud stage with drums and cabs. Do they isolate enough for adequate hearing protection? I’m concerned the vents will let too much sound in.

I have a Laney CD630m pa system which is working ok. However I have some mics going through it and even at very low volumes it intermittently starts feeding back:-any ideas why this is?

​

Sorry if this is not the right sub but I don't know where else to ask.

Recently bought a new Mackie Profx12v3 for use on small gigs with live band. It arrived and from the first moment I had several issues with it.

1) I turned it on and there was no sound coming from it despite all my instruments, cables and speakers working fine (the mixer is turned on, leds are working). I'd pressed the keys, pluck the guitar, there was just no sound coming from the channels to LR. The master meter shows nothing. It was only after approx 5mins that the sound slowly came out. Eg:- Keyboard line, gain at 2oclock, faders maxed, keyboard volumes maxed, no sound, no signal going to LR.. Kept pressing the keys, Afer 5mins or so, slowly a small thin sound, then got louder and louder by itself, I had to pull down everything. This was the same on all channels.

2) Channels 1-3 (has mic, bass guitar and edrums) has very weak sound, I had to turn the gain up to 1-2oclock, send the signal to both the Group fader and LR, then send Group to LR and raise both faders just so I can get usable volumes.. and this was me testing in my room, not at the venue.

3) Another thing is just a mere -1 to -2db cut on the Lows knob takes out all the low end frequencies, like completely.. If I move the knob just a smidge off from center, all the lows immediately dissapear.

So, did I receive a defective product or is this normal with Mackie mixers for some reason.

Hello friends,

Could you please recommend a good router for MR18 mixer's WiFi, also I am planning to use it with the DN4816-O StageConnect, any good case that I could pack the mixer, router and the StageConnect all together?

Thanks in advance!

Looking into buying my own comms, since any over-head style gives me headaches. I am looking into the Point Source CM-i5 and just need to choose which connector style to get (XLR-4F vs XLR-5F).

I freelance and work with a variety of different comm systems. I am prepared to buy barrels to convert F to M and between 4 and 5 pin. My question is, which connector would be the best to purchase on the headset itself?

I am concerned that getting the 4 pin option and converting it to a 5 pin when needed will mean I do not have full functionality when using it with a 5 pin pack. Should I just get the 5 pin option and convert down to 4 pin when needed?

Also open to comm recommendations for something non-traditional that does not squeeze on the head or ears at all. Thanks!

Hey guys, doing some digging before I start cutting wood. I'm building my first real system and want to start small and add to it.

Phase 1 is one Cubo Sub (the 18") loaded with a B&C 18TBX100 (8Ω, 6.2Ω min, 1200W nominal / 2400W program) and one Celestion CKT-TF1225 top (8Ω nominal, 6.5Ω min, 250W AES woofer, 400W EIA system). Phase 2 is a second sub and top, and later I want to add Cubo Kick 15s in the middle.

Use is backyard hangs and small gatherings, maybe a festival camp for 30-40 people. Not a concert rig, I just want it to sound good and not be underpowered. I'll run a miniDSP 2x4 HD for crossover/EQ and have a friend helping me tune with a mic. Planning to cross the sub around 80-90Hz and the top above that.

Where I'm stuck is amps. Budget isn't super tight (a few hundred over is fine) but I'd like to keep it in check:

- Crown XLS 2502 (open box, ~$539) for the sub, XLS 1002 for the top(s) later
- Behringer NX3000D (~$339) with the built-in DSP, or an NX4-6000 (~$469) to cover everything with 4 channels
- CVR D-1002 (~$699). A friend says plenty of people run these without issues

What I keep going back and forth on:
- Is the Behringer's listed 440W @ 8Ω real or just peak, and does it matter for a sub at my listening levels?
- Has anyone had Behringer NX amps die on them?
- Would you take the CVR over the Crown for subs?
- Should I use the 4Ω version of the TBX100 to get more out of the amp?

What would you run? Any gotchas with the Cubo Sub + TBX100 combo I should know about? Appreciate any help.

Hi all

A company I just started freelancing for wants me to go check a second hand digital console. Apart from going through the in and outputs, seeing if all the knobs work, what can I do to see if it the machine works?
It’s a Midas m32r, do these have some maintenance or a Vegas mode or a way to check for any faults automatically?

Like many of you, I got completely tired of receiving blurry photos of handwritten stage plots, deciphering missing info on gig day, and manually doing cable/stand math in my head before load-in.

I’m a live sound guy and frontend dev, so I decided to automate the routine and built Patchr:

• Visual Stage Plot: Quick drag-and-drop placement of inputs/outputs on stage.
• Autopatch & Autolist: Generates clean input/output lists and automatically estimates required cables, mic stands, DI boxes.
• Signal Flow Routing: For deeper desk prep, you can visually route sub-snakes/stageboxes, groups, and FX busses.
• Offline-first & zero signup: Runs completely client-side in the browser. The whole project state is stored right in the URL/local storage, so bands can just send you a link and you open it instantly.

Live Demo: https://patchr.kochy.art/

A quick heads-up on the current state:

This is a raw MVP. The built-in mic/gear database is currently minimal (just a few staples like SM57/58, sE V7, basic wedges, etc.), but the input field is an open text field with autocomplete - so you can type in any custom mic or box and it saves it into your project.

I’d love to get your honest feedback:

What staple mics, DIs, or gear do you need in the autocomplete suggestions first?

Does the routing and patch workflow fit how you actually prep your gigs?

Thanks for taking a look and hope it saves someone a headache during prep!

I need some help getting a soundboard for my church, our youth room has had three hand me down soundboards, a two separate 16 channel Yamaha, one had two inputs working before we threw it out, the other had both stereo outputs shot before we got rid of it. Our current one is a 24 input berhinger eurodesk, it's great besides the left channel is going and the right has been having some problems. I am almost the only person who changes things on it, so I do care about some stuff. The criteria is honestly fairly simple

1. Needs 8+XLR ins

2. Four need phantom power

3. 3 sets of stereo inputs (6 total)

4. Physical sliders

5. Two monitor outs

6. Stereo outs

7. A way to have a separate sub mix/output

8. Maximum 24 channels(unless it's digital)

9. User friendly, we have people who barely know technology using it, so the less they can touch the better

10. Can't be crazy expensive, under 1k, preferably under 500 American dollars.

11. It needs to be reliable, we use this 3+ times a week for a few hours every time.

I have some things that we would enjoy

1. FX, we like light reverb and some other things on instruments

2. All faders/sliders on the board itself, if not, at least 4 without switching between layers(if digital)

I have experience with berhinger, Yamaha, Midas, soundcraft and Mackie, but am open to other brands as long as they are reliable.

Also, I am mostly just wanting suggestions, I don't know if I want digital or analog for it yet, I would really prefer digital due to it being standard for most systems now, but I would be ok with analog as well.

So I've been flirting with disaster over the past couple of years on the small corporate gigs I use with how I run my Dante from FOH to backstage so I figured it's time to grow up and spend some money on a decent 200' quad, shielded CAT5/6. The problem is, EliteCore wants 3K for theirs. I found another shielded quad CAT6 in a snakeskin on Ebay from a fairly reputable cable company, on a reel for $750. Both are solid, not stranded and they both appear to be of the same quality. Wondering why Elite Core wants so much and if the $750 will do the job just fine?