Quick Sign In:  

Forum: General Discussion

Topic: Limiter Recommendations?

This topic is old and might contain outdated or incorrect information.

Bar setup for karaoke: 4 passive tops, 2 passive 18" subs, 2 QSC amps, 8 channel behringer mixer, and 2 microphones.

I know option one is to space out the speaker tops more from the singers, but the stage is small. Drunk people also don't listen when you tell them to not stand in front of the speakers. However, can anyone recommend a limiter for eliminating microphone feedback? Especially when 2 mics are being used, there is even more feedback.

I've been looking at the behringer feedback destroyer and the DBX afs2. Being I have never used a limiter, do these actually 100% eliminate feedback?

Thank you!
 

Posted Fri 11 Jan 19 @ 3:53 am
First of all, those devices are not limiters.

A limiter "puts a lid" on your audio signal so that the level can't go over a certain amount. Feedback suppressors are more like automatic EQs which pull down the frequency or frequencies that are feeding back.

The best way of preventing feedback is to not let it happen. Even with one of those suppressors, if you point a mic at a speaker, you'll get feedback.

Having read about the AFS2 before replying, I'd say it would help - but it won't perform miracles.
 

Posted Sat 12 Jan 19 @ 12:40 pm
groovindj wrote :
First of all, those devices are not limiters.

A limiter "puts a lid" on your audio signal so that the level can't go over a certain amount. Feedback suppressors are more like automatic EQs which pull down the frequency or frequencies that are feeding back.

The best way of preventing feedback is to not let it happen. Even with one of those suppressors, if you point a mic at a speaker, you'll get feedback.

Having read about the AFS2 before replying, I'd say it would help - but it won't perform miracles.


Thanks for the clarification.

I read a few blogs and watched a few videos on these suppressors and if I have even close to a similar experience as these other users, I think it would fix my issue. Because these speaker tops are so close to the microphones, I believe it will fix the feedback. The feedback doesn't occur every song... it happens when people pitch the mic too close to the speaker or cross microphones.

Someone recommended a GEQ instead of a suppressor, but I feel like if someone is going to spend the money, why not get a suppressor so they can save the settings and combine it to the entire system so that every device plugged in will have the suppression.
 

Posted Sat 12 Jan 19 @ 3:23 pm
The only real solution is to either move the singers or the speakers.

It's a big system and of course you're going to get feedback being close. Adding another bit of kit will only possibly lessen the feedback but may also make the sound output worse.

Another solution is to get mics specifically designed for low feedback. I can vouch for both the line and radio versions of the Sennheiser e945 capsules but they're quite expensive. Cheap microphones people generally use for karaoke have very little feedback protection in them ironically.
 

Posted Sat 12 Jan 19 @ 4:45 pm
I have a dBX PA2 in my amprack which is a good piece of kit which also include live feedback supressor. It’s an intelligent analyser with 8 or 16 (cant remember) slots with frequencies to supress at the same time.
Take a look on it. It has a lot of other stuff included aswell.
 

Posted Sat 12 Jan 19 @ 9:51 pm
blckjckPRO InfinityMember since 2008
Most of the feedback boxes do a good job of ruining the sound. There are a few Driverack's that have very small notching that actually perform very well. I have the PA+. The 260 and up are also good.

Using a processor such as a Driverack gives you the EQ, Compressor, Limiter, etc. all in one box. Plus, you can save your setting per venue.
The person that told you about the EQ was on the right track. The first thing I do with a new speaker is take it outside and EQ it flat. I then save those values for the speaker. My Mackie SRM-450s, for example, are hot in the upper freqs. They will feedback quicker in that range. After EQ'ing them, I can get a microphone real close before feedback.

The next step would be EQ'ing for the room. Stage monitors reflecting off a close back wall for example. Bass reactive rooms. Etc.

After that I turn on the feedback eliminator and enjoy my sound.

There are a bunch of good articles and videos on gain staging, eq'ing, mic placement, etc. Take some time to learn that before spending money on gear.
 

Posted Wed 16 Jan 19 @ 2:01 am


(Old topics and forums are automatically closed)