StudioLive 16.4.2 + 3x HP60s for IEMs?
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2016 6:03 pm
Hi all,
I run sound for a smallish church. Normally 12-14 inputs are in use on our StudioLive 16.4.2 over the course of a service. We're currently using floor wedges and hot spots for the two monitor channels used by our music team, but would like to move to multi-channel IEMs for two reasons.
First, the music team is in the front corner of our auditorium and all the monitors bounce off the walls and act like an unwanted speaker in the space.
Second, the musicians would like more individual control over what they hear on their monitors.
The team varies week by week, but for instruments we have a piano, keyboard, cajon, acoustic guitar, and either a second acoustic or a bass guitar. Most of the musicians provide vocals, and we frequently have an additional 2 or 3 vocalists. I figured we need 8 IEMs to make sure we're covered.
I've been looking at a couple of IEM solutions, but they're both rather pricey. The top contenders as of today are AKG IVM4500 wireless IEM sets at around $1,250 (MSRP) each, or a wired dbx PMC16 system that runs about $1,400 (MSRP) per IEM.
The AKG wireless IEM provides more freedom of movement and portability, but virtually no ability to adjust individual vocal/instrument levels during the set. Between the 6 aux sends and the 4 subgroup outs on the StudioLive 16.4.2, I can create 8 individual mixes to send to each transmitter, which is far better than the 2 monitor channels we have now, but it can really only be set prior to the service.
The dbx solution has a wired tether, but gives each vocalist or musician the ability to mix their monitors as they wish. The PMC16 is a miniature 16 channel mixer that works over BLU link. I can daisy-chain Cat6 between each mixer mounted on the mic/music stand, and then to a dbx TRC1616 XLR-to-BLU converter under the deck. If I toss in an extra TRC1616, I can even use the Cat6 as a digital snake between my sound booth and the platform, giving me more I/O flexibility, too.
Still, either solution is rather expensive for my tastes, and I started looking into the HP60.The challenge there is that there's not the same level of individual monitor mix control that the other two solutions provide. After reading through the HP60 manual, I think I can come up with a workable solution for a lot less money using 3 HP60s in series.
Two mono subgroups on the StudioLive are vocals and instruments. I would run those into the mix inputs on the first HP60, then daisy-chain into the second HP60's mix inputs via one of the channel outputs, and likewise for the third. That would give me a total of 16 individual vocal/instrument inputs (5 channels on the first two HP60s, 6 on the third).
Musicians who both play and sing can get both their vocals and instrument by taking the stereo out from one channel into the next, and run the headphones on the second channel. Each musician would be able to control their personal mix, as well as the mix and volume of the Vocal/Instr subgroups using the 3 pan and volume controls.
I could either rack-mount all 3 HP60s in the same place, or distribute them across the platform so they're more easily accessible to the musicians.
What do you think? Would that work, or am I missing something? By my calculations, that would run about $220 per channel, including AKG IP2 IEMs.
Thanks for your input!
I run sound for a smallish church. Normally 12-14 inputs are in use on our StudioLive 16.4.2 over the course of a service. We're currently using floor wedges and hot spots for the two monitor channels used by our music team, but would like to move to multi-channel IEMs for two reasons.
First, the music team is in the front corner of our auditorium and all the monitors bounce off the walls and act like an unwanted speaker in the space.
Second, the musicians would like more individual control over what they hear on their monitors.
The team varies week by week, but for instruments we have a piano, keyboard, cajon, acoustic guitar, and either a second acoustic or a bass guitar. Most of the musicians provide vocals, and we frequently have an additional 2 or 3 vocalists. I figured we need 8 IEMs to make sure we're covered.
I've been looking at a couple of IEM solutions, but they're both rather pricey. The top contenders as of today are AKG IVM4500 wireless IEM sets at around $1,250 (MSRP) each, or a wired dbx PMC16 system that runs about $1,400 (MSRP) per IEM.
The AKG wireless IEM provides more freedom of movement and portability, but virtually no ability to adjust individual vocal/instrument levels during the set. Between the 6 aux sends and the 4 subgroup outs on the StudioLive 16.4.2, I can create 8 individual mixes to send to each transmitter, which is far better than the 2 monitor channels we have now, but it can really only be set prior to the service.
The dbx solution has a wired tether, but gives each vocalist or musician the ability to mix their monitors as they wish. The PMC16 is a miniature 16 channel mixer that works over BLU link. I can daisy-chain Cat6 between each mixer mounted on the mic/music stand, and then to a dbx TRC1616 XLR-to-BLU converter under the deck. If I toss in an extra TRC1616, I can even use the Cat6 as a digital snake between my sound booth and the platform, giving me more I/O flexibility, too.
Still, either solution is rather expensive for my tastes, and I started looking into the HP60.The challenge there is that there's not the same level of individual monitor mix control that the other two solutions provide. After reading through the HP60 manual, I think I can come up with a workable solution for a lot less money using 3 HP60s in series.
Two mono subgroups on the StudioLive are vocals and instruments. I would run those into the mix inputs on the first HP60, then daisy-chain into the second HP60's mix inputs via one of the channel outputs, and likewise for the third. That would give me a total of 16 individual vocal/instrument inputs (5 channels on the first two HP60s, 6 on the third).
Musicians who both play and sing can get both their vocals and instrument by taking the stereo out from one channel into the next, and run the headphones on the second channel. Each musician would be able to control their personal mix, as well as the mix and volume of the Vocal/Instr subgroups using the 3 pan and volume controls.
I could either rack-mount all 3 HP60s in the same place, or distribute them across the platform so they're more easily accessible to the musicians.
What do you think? Would that work, or am I missing something? By my calculations, that would run about $220 per channel, including AKG IP2 IEMs.
Thanks for your input!