{"items": [{"author": "John", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/100633726263571579985", "anchor": "gp-1324481834214", "service": "gp", "text": "Colored XLRs are a great idea. I got a set for our JP sound system last year.", "timestamp": 1324481834}, {"author": "Hollis", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=185275241569321", "anchor": "fb-185275241569321", "service": "fb", "text": "Colored cables are really handy for the dance context, it's true. I've heard that the K10s are pretty great! Frost and Fire is a mostly-Mackie band, so my experience is more in that direction, but I've enjoyed other QSC gear.

Does your mixer rack/case allow you to remove the top and use the mixer without removing it from the case? If not, that's a really convenient hack.

I've found very few mixers below the hall-installation level that offer phantom power by channel. It would be nice, but it hasn't been that big a deal for me. Another thing you can do: get a small mixer (mine's a Mackie VLZ-802) and run the things that need phantom power out of that. Then run its output into an insert or track on your main board. Also convenient if you have someone who switches instruments a lot: it means I can have a mixer with mute buttons sitting right next to me for when I'm switching from flute (clip-on condenser) to guitar (active pickup) to whistle (SM57) to border pipes (SM57 distant mic) to smallpipes (SM57 close mic).

Peter's solution for the mic stands is an old golf club case--has handles, which is nice. I like your jeans creation, and it would also allow you to \"limp home\" in the event of a wardrobe malfunction at the gig.

Recommendation: put your name on the mic cables sooner rather than later. Eventually you'll do gigs where other people bring gear too, and you will have forgotten to mark your stuff, and it will take a lot of time to sort out. (I mean, no, I never learned that the hard way).

If memory serves, the SRM150 has a little ledge on the bottom, too. You could make a simple prop for it--get a board or a piece of metal, drill a hole through one end, and run a bolt through it. Set the back of the SRM150 on the board, then set the front on the bolt, and adjust the front-back position for desired height. Improvements: dip the bolt tip in plastic to make it non-marking; do this with a two-piece system using a hinge, to give greater stability; do it with multiple bolts, for greater stability; do a more complicated design with a doorstop mounted on a horizontal bolt to allow you to easily adjust the angle. Or just shove a roll of duct tape or masking tape under there--that's my usual solution.

Re: wiring and Aux2: I haven't used that brand of mixer, and I haven't opened one up, so I can't comment on their internal wiring. My experience with smaller electronics is that the wiring diagram is more about telling you the functional parameters of the device than about showing you how to modify things--often the stuff is on a tiny circuit board or in a really inaccessible location. It would be interesting to look, though!

Yay sound gear! I'm still hoping to make it to a Free Raisins gig sometime... someday I'll be in Boston!", "timestamp": "1324493172"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=185284278235084", "anchor": "fb-185284278235084", "service": "fb", "text": "@Hollis: \"Does your mixer rack/case allow you to remove the top and use the mixer without removing it from the case? If not, that's a really convenient hack.\"

It doesn't. I did think about that when designing it, but didn't come up with anything I liked.

\"I've found very few mixers below the hall-installation level that offer phantom power by channel.\"

Audrey (our fiddler) has a mixer that does, but then I think it cost more than everything I have put together.

\"flute (clip-on condenser) to whistle (SM57)\"

Why not use the same clip on for the whistle? I think that's what Laurie does.

\"Peter's solution for the mic stands is an old golf club case\"

We used to use one of those for longswords at swat. It's a good bit bigger than it needs to be for stands, though it protects them more. I don't think it would fit under our couch.

\"it would also allow you to 'limp home' in the event of a wardrobe malfunction at the gig\"

That would be hard: I've sewed the bottoms of the pant legs shut.

\"put your name on the mic cables sooner rather than later\"

I've been meaning to do this, and it's good to have the reminder. How do you like to label them?

\"little ledge on the bottom\"

Do you know whether that ledge is empty? It probably is, but I'd hate to damage anything by drilling into something important.

\"often the stuff is on a tiny circuit board or in a really inaccessible location\"

I opened it up when I got it, out of curiosity. It's one big circuit board inside, with large components. I'm somewhat optimistic; it's 1994 tech.", "timestamp": "1324494154"}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103618186481362054522", "anchor": "gp-1324498994110", "service": "gp", "text": "Consider getting a Spirit F1-16 mixer (aka JBL E1-16). It is very similar to the one you have, but it has 3 auxes: 1 pre, 1 post, and 1 switchable pre/post. It might use the same power supply. It has the power supply connection on the back so you can set it down. Also, the PFL buttons latch. I've purchased 4 of them on ebay for about $75 each. Be careful not to get one without its power supply. People don't realize how big a deal it is, but just the power supply will probably cost you $60.\n
\n
\nIt's not that big a deal not to have individually switchable phantom power. The smallest mixer I've seen with that is the A&H GL2, which is probably 5 times the cost of yours.", "timestamp": 1324498994}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1324499676321", "service": "gp", "text": "@Peter\n The F1 does sound like it would fix some of my annoyances.\n
\n
\nIs there a technical reason why per-channel phantom power is hard? Or is it just adding N switches?", "timestamp": 1324499676}, {"author": "Hollis", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=185340571562788", "anchor": "fb-185340571562788", "service": "fb", "text": "I use different mics for flute/whistle for several reasons:
- I made an elastic mount for the mic in order to save weight on the headjoint of the flute, and it doesn't fit right for whistles. I dislike changing the attachments, and it takes time.
- I like to \"ride the mic\" a lot more for whistle, because whistle has much less volume control available through playing technique. Particularly on high notes, I find that whistles get really piercing if they're miked with clip-ons.
- It allows me to use the same mic as an overhead for border pipes and close mic for smallpipes, which is convenient.
- It means that I can switch from flute to whistle (or back) in O(time to set down flute and pick up whistle). All I do is set the instrument down with one hand while pressing its mute button, then unmute the other one while picking it up.

Labeling items: for cables, I usually do two things: put something visually distinctive on them (mine currently have neon green cord as their cable ties) and put my initials on them. Usually XLR plugs have a slightly recessed area that's good for initials (so they don't scratch off), as do 1/4\" TS/TRS plugs. I have a black Sharpie for most colors of plugs and a silver Sharpie for black plugs. Business cards inside all the instrument cases. (Reminds me, I should tape a business card to the back of my mixer).

Little ledge on SRM150: why drill it at all? Just set a piece of wood underneath it, maybe with an angle on it so you can wedge the monitor up higher or lower.

Big circuit board: woohoo! Yay 1994 tech! Is there room on the faceplate of the mixer to add a switch as well as the shunt, so you could have user-switchable pre/post-fader levels on your Aux2? A little latching pushbutton switch would be fairly easy to install.

Pre-fader-listen/solo buttons: if you're opening up the board anyway, you can probably buy latching pushbuttons from an electronics supply house, and you could probably replace the non-latching buttons easily. Since that's a physical change only, it shouldn't affect the electrical function of the system at all.", "timestamp": "1324500545"}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103618186481362054522", "anchor": "gp-1324501292001", "service": "gp", "text": "Switches are expensive, especially once you consider the labor to install them and the design constraints to leave room for them.", "timestamp": 1324501292}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1324501543653", "service": "gp", "text": "@Peter\n The board could have three switches: phantom power channel 1, channel 2+3, and channel 4+5+6+7. This would be only two additional switches, and would give almost as much flexibility as switches on individual channels.", "timestamp": 1324501543}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103618186481362054522", "anchor": "gp-1324501641377", "service": "gp", "text": "The Yamaha 01V-96 has three switches: 1-4, 5-8, & 9-12. But that's a $2500 mixer.", "timestamp": 1324501641}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=185350748228437", "anchor": "fb-185350748228437", "service": "fb", "text": "@Hollis: \"so you could have user-switchable pre/post-fader levels on your Aux2\"

The aux1 is already switchable, and I can't see wanting two post-fader auxes, so that sounds not worth it.

\"you could probably replace the non-latching buttons easily\"

Switching all the PFLs to latching would be nice, but I don't think it's worth it. It only bothers me when I'm trying to set levels solo, which I never do a good job of anyway.", "timestamp": "1324501724"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1324501851507", "service": "gp", "text": "@Peter\n Maybe I could add a few more switches if I open it up to change the aux2 to pre-fader.", "timestamp": 1324501851}, {"author": "Dereck", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=185548174875361", "anchor": "fb-185548174875361", "service": "fb", "text": "I like the colored cables...and the love seat...and of course the K10s are awesome too.", "timestamp": "1324530988"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=306260212804156", "anchor": "fb-306260212804156", "service": "fb", "text": "@Hollis: \"Little ledge on SRM150: why drill it at all? Just set a piece of wood underneath it, maybe with an angle on it so you can wedge the monitor up higher or lower.\"

I've started doing this: I sanded some pieces of wood so they're the right size to fit in under the handle of the srm150s, and they work quite well for tilting them.", "timestamp": "1341922449"}, {"author": "Hollis", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=306268626136648", "anchor": "fb-306268626136648", "service": "fb", "text": "I'm with you: the wood is fine. Some people like solutions that are more", "timestamp": "1341924888"}, {"author": "Hollis", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/185152711581574?comment_id=306269086136602", "anchor": "fb-306269086136602", "service": "fb", "text": "finely adjustable or elegant, and for them I would recommend the screw adjustment, etc. The pieces of wood have the advantage of being cheap and very fast to adjust.", "timestamp": "1341925033"}]}