Nady Systems PEQ-5B owner manual Use in Sound Reinforcement

2. Use in Sound Reinforcement

In typical live sound applications, EQ's are used to increase the overall volume or "punch" of the sound (while eliminating feedback), enhance the natural "musicality" of the mix, and improve the intelligibility of speech. Understanding that there are always compromises that must be made, care must be taken so that the overall effect of the equalization is an improvement, not deterioration, of the overall sound. Sometimes, hard decisions must be made between priorities for achieving the desired result. For example, it may not be possible to have a natural sound and acoustic power or speech intelligibility at the same time.

Although pink noise or swept sine waves are often the best way to identify problems of room acoustics and system defi- ciencies (especially in the critical range of 2 to 4 KHz), the ear can also be used with great effect, especially if care is taken to train it to serve as a sound evaluation diagnostic tool. Start by playing music or speech program material with- out equalization, and add it slowly so you can gauge the effects on the sound you can hear from the different settings. Ultimately, there is no substitute for experience in utilizing the PEQ-5B to its fullest potential.

Often, you will find that room acoustics problems must be dealt with at the source, as they cannot be fixed as effectively by using an equalizer. To check out room acoustics most accu- rately, use either a pink noise or swept sine wave generator and a real-time analyzer (RTAS) with a calibrated microphone and verify that the measured frequency response, at various points in the room, are all about the same. If they are not, then you may need to make corrections to your setup, check system and speaker phasing, etc., to minimize the variations you are measuring. This can also be done with a trained ear but requires very careful concentration and considerable ear training for most effectiveness. Once you have made all the improvements you can to your basic setup, you can fine tune the system with the PEQ-5B.

(Note: Although equalizers are the most important acces- sories in your audio system, and can often deliver amazing results in improving the overall punch and sound quality of your system, they cannot work miracles. Ultimately the rest of your system and setup must also operate at top efficiency for the PEQ-5B to be most effective.)

3. Inserting the PEQ-5B in the Signal Path

The PEQ-5B can be inserted in the signal path at different points, depending on the setup and application of your sys- tem. For example, it can be inserted in the line inserts of your mixer, sub-group inserts, effects paths, or between signal processors and mixer or power amps, and so on.

(Note: In the event of a power supply disconnection or failure, a relay built into the PEQ-5B automatically silently bypasses the unit. This relay also prevents bothersome "thumps" when first turning on the unit.)

For use with more complex systems, such as complex sound reinforcement applications with speakers located in varying acoustic environments and utilizing delay line units for run- time difference compensation, it is recommended that you consult with experienced audio sound technicians or read more extensive written material on this subject, as it is beyond the scope of this manual to provide more than introductory information on the use of the PEQ-5B.

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