The Sound Couple - Rack Overview 2023
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- The Sound Couple shares their upgrades to kick off another exciting year of gigs, gigs, and more gigs!
We never settle and are always learning from our gigs to make our jobs easier and our system more robust. Our rack mixer is at the heart of many gigs we do and we think these improvements will help us do our job better!
Links to products covered:
Rack case
www.proxdirect...
Microphones
www.shure.com/...
www.shure.com/...
www.shure.com/...
Power conditioner
artproaudio.co...
Rack Mixer
www.presonus.c...
Power Conditioner
www.furmanpowe...
Bluetooth Audio Gadget
angryaudio.com...
Sennheiser Wireless Headphones
en-hk.sennheis...
ODE
www.enttec.com...
SW5E AVB Switch
www.presonus.c...
Luminair lighting app
luminair.app
The Sound Couple primarily use PreSonus gear featuring:
PreSonus UC Surface
PreSonus CDL12
PreSonus CDL18s
PreSonus 32R
PreSonus SW5E
PreSonus NSB Stageboxes
PreSonus AVB-D16
Please see our "About" for a more comprehensive list of gear we use.
What a super channel. I have learned so much. Thank you for taking time to share your insight, show the gear you are using, and have us watch you, in real-time, how you dial in a band. You have helped me a bunch :)
You made our day! Thanks!
Hi sound couple, I like to watch your videos a lot, I learn a lot from them. I congratulate you guys and I want to know if you can help me with the information of your stage router.Thank you in advance.
The StageRouter is unfortunately not sold anymore....a bummer. But, the Waves version is very similar: www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WRC1--waves-wrc1-wrc-1-advanced-wifi-stage-router?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=1&mrkgcat=computers&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=&lid=58700008695591300&dsproductgroupid=&product_id=WRC1&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=x&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9019476&creative=&targetid=&campaignid=21161059820&awsearchcpc=&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD_RQYlrlR1h-MVGIB2ATMXfV0FX4&gclid=CjwKCAjwy8i0BhAkEiwAdFaeGK18EWgLBCD_Qu_2EII_J3Cu2D7C2GbUNXP8nBmneINsnL_LFIXvKhoCw8MQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
Great work as always Bart. I really enjoy these "bite sized" technology/equipment videos. Although I'm not"in the game", this keeps me connected to what's available and serviceable in todays equipment market. You both ae real Pros: you identify problems/issues, think your way thru solutions and ACT to make your system/services better. That's why you guys rise to the top and can support such quality bands and gigs.
That's kind of you say and I am glad you can appreciate the information we sharing. We enjoy these types of videos and our list of topics keeps growing!
Hey Bart, not sure if you’ve mentioned it before but what tablets are you using? I’m just using an iPad mini but looking for something reliable but at the same time cheep so if it gets dropped I’m not out a small fortune.
We have an iPad, MS Surface, and more recently picked up an Amazon Fire tablet. We purchased the Fire on a Black Friday sale and with another discount, it was less than $100. It's a nice device for that price and really have no concerns with it...it runs UC Surface just fine.
@@thesoundcouple I just ordered the new fire tablet with a child’s protective case. :)
@@mobiletoonz Let us know how it goes! The OS is a bit clunky and don't care for the adds, but if you just care that it runs UC Surface, I think you will be happy.
@@thesoundcouple I’m using it with a Soundcraft UI so it’s just html based.
Could have saved some money getting QLX-D.
Same quality as ULX-D just no dante or quad receivers
Not a bad idea, but we wanted 4 channels in 1U.
Don't gang up antennas together.. use an antenna combiner. This will prevent spotty coverage in your wireless gear.. I know you usually set up beside the stage, so this may not be a big issue for you. Antennas couple together passively and can reduce the coverage..
Thanks for the suggestion. We are going to keep a watch on this to see if BT and Wi-fi can interfere. We weren't able to find any concrete evidence, but we may be able to move the BT if needed.
I have a presonus studiolive rackmount mixer question.
Are you able to add an external effects processors to the mix?
If so, how?
Sure...you can send it out through and aux and return it to a channel....just like an analog board.
morning Bart, Ive been shopping for a new rackmount console. Currently using a Soundcraft UI16 but have been looking at the Presonus 24R and the Mackie 32. Came back to rewatch this video to see how you dealt with the 1/4 outs. Everything I use is XLR. Do you just have a drop snake attached to your outs, how do you deal with it being recessed so much?
Yes, that is exactly what we have....1/4" to XLR tail that's about 3 ft long.
Perhaps I missed this, but what is the purpose of the UPS? If your power goes out, the whole venue is presumably down and things are kind of toast either way, right? Does it help with getting back up and running faster? Something else?
If there are power glitches, our mixer, routers, etc. maintain availability and we are not waiting for our gear to power up and hope that everything will come back correctly. Also, we have had situations where power isn't ready for us when we are setting up, but that doesn't hold us up...stay tuned for our next video!
FYI In case you don't know, Stage Router Pro is now sold via Waves.
One of the bands we work with own the Waves...they are similar in build for sure!
Hi Bart i need to know how are the equipment in the rack connected with each other. Other words i need to know the schematic of how the equipment are connected together
Sorry...the schematic is all in my head! At a high level, our goal is to leave as much plugged in as possible and to provide us the most common needs when needed (like charging cables, USB). Patching cables takes time and mistakes can happen, so we try to eliminate those variable as much as possible. This is likely rooted back to the analog days when patching/interfacing is what you had to do....Now with digital, there are a lot of opportunities to eliminate or lesson the amount of "patching" that needs to occur, so we run with it!
How you deal with the heat inside ur rack. No space for air flow.
There is space on the sides and the back is open....never had an issue and don't even feel any head coming out. The mixer generates a bit, but they are designed to be in racks and vent on the side which it's able to do. The other gear doesn't even get warm.
What is the Wi-Fi setup that you guys use for tablet mixing?
We use the NowSonic Stage Router Pro....sadly, they are no longer offered.
Question for Bart. Have you had any experience with the add on Presonus Plug-ins? I don't recall ever seeing you use them during screen capture clips in videos. Trying to decide if they would be worth the purchase!
Yes and no....I do use them with the bands that we work with that have in-ears and we work with them on a regular basis and we have a baseline to compare and make arguable improvements. Otherwise, we simply don't want to introduce more variables into other gigs...the stock plugins work as tools to address challenges whereas the purchased plugins I feel are appropriate to use improvement mixing, which takes iterations with same band/musicians to understand. My experience (which I am no expert), is that I haven't found any of these plugins as a "must have"...I would assume that others have this mind-set with some of them.
IMHO - The stock Presonus reverbs and delays aren’t that good. The Waves plugins are way better. I use studio one remote instead of universal control and the zero latency monitoring function so I can use these plugins live. It’s a bit of pain for some gain but I feel it’s worth it.
Hey Bart and Stacy! Familiarize yourself with Shure wireless workbench! It's free and you will be able to coordinate all your wireless frequencies so you have no issues anywhere you go. It can do scans with your ULxD system
On it!
Just wanted to take a moment to thank you for this suggestion. It just opened my eyes up to finally taking a proactive approach to managing frequencies...what a powerful tool!
The back of the 32R, you have a couple of Aux Snakes connections. Are they using ethercon connections on the back of 32R Aux ports? If not, then is it a XLR or 1/4" and in that case how the ethernet cable is soldered to them? Thank you.
There are a couple of things going on here...first, the digital is digital and the analog is analog so there is nothing crazy going on int he back. The Aux outs on these mixers is 1/4" TRS, so we have 1/4" to XLR snake since it's easier to manage XLR to XLR connections. The Ethernet adapters are made by Neutrik...on the inside, they accept a standard RJ45 jack from a patch cable, so they are easy to use. By using these, it just helps with efficiency and keeps it easy and cleaner, IMO.
@@thesoundcouple Thanks for the reply but I am still a little confused...if you go at 2:48 of your video and zoom in the area where 32R back is shown, you will see two connectors labeled 1 and 3. It seems that those are just 1/4" TRS male connectors made by Neutrik but a RJ45 wire is probably soldered to that 1/4" TRS.
@@soundgineering4771 No, it's just a 3 ft snake with a male XLR at the other side....a 1/4" to XLR analog snake.
Do you use a 5g box you’re using for internet
I forgot to show it, but yes, we just upgraded our AT&T hotspot to 5g. Our old one was at least 5 years old and only supported up to LTE. So far, we are happy with the new one.
The SHURE ULX is unmatched. We have the KSM 11 capsule and its also unmatched.
We like most everything Shure!
I mix through IEM as well. Works really well! Wireless mics I use are Phenyx Pro. Every bit as good as my Shure! Not as good as my Sennheiser.
We like having the option to do to save our exposure. Like PreSonus, I guess we sort of went the Shure direction.
Love the ULX-Ds. We are up to 24 ch of ULXD + some UHF-R and Axient and clients till want more channels of RF.
Wow...that's an investment! There are people that seem to favor one brand over the other, but at the core of our decision is the mics we prefer. I have used a lot of microphones and always come back to a 58. Perhaps better mics for some applications, but this mic simply does everything well.
Very interesting your Bluetooth Receive 19" inch from Angry Audio.
This is a nice piece of gear. I like that it has XLR for outputs, it has an extra 3.5mm connector on the front. Finally, what I really like about it is that your device will only connect when you allow it to, and you can drop the connection as well. All of this is what separates it from a consumer unit and places it at a professional grade.
Love my ProX rack! I use it for my IEM rig. I also have a rack mount Bluetooth receiver.
Nice! This is our first one and they appear to be built well.
A special thanks to Bart for sharing with us the additions he has made to the equipment rack system used by The Sound Couple.
I confess that I am amazed at how much critical gear Bart is able to load into his equipment rack. He has everything he needs, installed in a secure fashion.
With the addition of the new Shure ULXD4D wireless mic rig mounted on a ProX rack with drawer, and on the main rack with the PreSonus 32R rack-mounted mixer, the Furman F1000-UPS power controller with battery standby power, the NowSonic (wifi) Stage Router Pro, and with the newly added Angry Audio Bluetooth Gadget (receiver), Bart has the gear The Sound Couple needs to solve some previous challenges and to continue to provide professional production support for just about any type of gig and any venue they might encounter.
I have long thought that Stacy was the best “van packer” known to humankind. And, she definitely is. But, Bart takes the prize for being able to maximize the space in his main equipment rack. The front of the rack may look similar to others I’ve seen. The back of the rack is another amazing story.
It starts with the jack panel that Bart has constructed to allow the rapid deployment of regular ethernet network connections and connections to the AVB network. He has also provided tails that allow the rapid connection to peripheral devices, such as to the MacBook. And, he has provided a whip (snake) for the Auxiliary outputs from the PreSonus 32R rack-mounted mixer.
The new Shure PMS300 in-ear unit will give Bart excellent mixing ability, no matter what annoying distractions may exist at a venue. He will be able to fine tune the mix, then pop out the ear pieces to check how the mix sounds in the room or outdoor performance space.
Every bit of useable space in the rear of the main rack contains critically important equipment: network switch, AVB switch, lighting controller, and plenty of power outlets.
There are many lessons for us to learn in this relatively short video. A “tip of the hat” is definitely warranted for Bart’s ingenuity and professionalism in constructing a collection of equipment that will surely help maintain the reputation for excellence that The Sound Couple has certainly earned.
So what you are really saying is that Stacy and I make a good team! It's funny how different skills can come together and compliment each other!
good choice on more ULX-D! it's kind of my baseline wireless on my rider that's acceptable on festivals etc... I've definitely mixed on IEM's a few times and it usually ends up working really well, especially if stage volume isn't an issue. I just need to upgrade from my 64 audio A3's to some JH Contour XO, which are basically meant to sound like a perfectly deployed and tuned L'acoustics rig :)
Appreciate sharing your insights and plans Dustin!
I've been binge watching your videos. It's great to see how far you have come over the years. I grew up in the Minneapolis and recognize some of sites. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Ahhh...that's great and thanks for noticing our growth! Glad we are able to bring you back home every now and again!
I use 2 dual slxd units with passive antenna combiners for a total of 4 wireless mics on a pair of antennas. I think the shure slxd series feels like pro grade equipment for entry level price.
They offer a 1u two channel model in this series as well.
Really good video, very nice rack setup you have there!
I was just thinking how I wish I could have a drawer, but that's not going to happen! Thanks!
Fantastic upgrades! Thanks for sharing this video.
You're welcome! We are looking forward to putting this gear to work!
WOAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL STUFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!
Some of the items are familiar to me, but others not so much. Mainly, the networking bits and pieces.
Though Ive not watched all of your videos, of those I have watched the gigs seem small-ish, or at least to my inexperienced eyes, not of a size that would necessitate networking like this, and thus give me reason to wonder about the reasoning behind all of the tech. How you decided on what your needs were/are and how to meet them.
I've been doing live sound for a great many years, but want to step up my game and be more competitive when trying to land gigs, and seeing what you're using tells me I need to definitely upgrade :)
Couple things to hopefully help with some context:
1. My primary work is in network security, so I have a network engineering background, etc. It is then logical that perhaps we would strive for a robust network in our rig....is it all necessary? No, but it does provide some luxuries and flexibility that we like. Perhaps some of it will inspire people to go beyond relying on some spotty guest network that they have to connect their uncharged iPad too but now they can't because they can't find the charger to plug in close enough to pick up the wifi...Ha ha!
2. If you haven't crossed over to digital audio, you won't want to go back once you go all in. That said, it does take more effort and time to get your "ecosystem" in order, and that may require learning new concepts and time outside of the gig. If you just like to show up to the gig and plug in and go, a mid-level and up digital system is probably not the best choice for you...and there is nothing wrong with that. Choosing the right tool that works for you is most important.
@thesoundcouple 1. I don't really know for sure - yet - what my needs would be regarding networking. It makes sense to do it, I just don't know where to start. I need to first get a grip on where I'm going with gear in general and see what gigs I am able to get (another "how do I do that?" topic) before I can figure out what to do with networking :)
2. I have wanted to go digital for a few years now, but when Covid hit and killed off my booked gigs well into 2023, and thus eliminated my audio income/equipment upgrade stream, I'm having to continue with analog until I can afford the desired improvements. I have a large and varied - and very expensive 😀 - list that I am putting together for the time when $$ is available. In the meantime, I buy bits and pieces as I can afford them or rent others as needed.
Your videos have been instructive, inspiring, and informative, and I am grateful you take the time to put them out!
@@Hyakman5408 There are two aspects of networking in digital. 1. The networking for the equipment...this usually is simply connecting the equipment together and may be independent of all other "network" considerations. 2. Then you have the more traditional computer networking. In the digital realm, it could be as simple is connecting equipment to a wifi router so you have options on how to control your mix. All manufactures have tons of information published on these topics.
Thanks for sharing I learn a lot from you
That is really good to hear! Thanks!
1 minute ago! =D
Hello sir
How are you
I am subhash
From
India
Your all video watching
Nice video
Beat sound saytem
And
All the best
The sound cupple