Hi , I thought I would start a new thread for this one. I currently have 1x600w amp and 1x1500w peavey amp, my speakers are 15"+ horn and rated at 300w rms also I hopefully will have some 400w 15"+ horn cabs as well. So what I would like to know is what's the best way to connect my sound so I get the most out of the equipment.Do I go in to the bridging mode or use one of the amps as a slave or.................

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Do I go in to the bridging mode

By doing this you lose the stereo seperation, and hence all of your sound is in mono. unless you have two amps - both running in bridged mode and use one amp for left and one for right channels.

Heres another one then Chris.............. in the old days they used to advise switching the amps on then turning them up to max and controlling the gain at the mixer.
I've always turned mine up to just over half and run it like that............ is there a wrong way or a right way or just what works best for each individual?

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I've always turned mine up to just over half

I do too - we must have gone to the same university for DJs (The Uni of DJ life), although for some of the larger venues I've gone up to three quarters.

I think its also better to keep the signal from the mixer at a level where it doesn't clip at any point (except when some idiot who wants to use the mike tests it first by banging it on the table)
There's nothing worse than going to a venue and hearing distorted music - at any volume - and in most of the cases I've seen (heard) the distortion originates from a mixer which is clipping
PaulS

Paul is correct in his post, NO component in your audio chain should be running flat out at 100% of its capacity, whether it's Mixer, Amp or speakers.

I often run my Amp at around three quarters of it's capacity on the level controls, and never run my mixer beyond the same on its "Master" output controls either.

If you find that you are pushing beyond this on a regular basis then its time to add that extra pair of speakers, or upgrade. However Amps and Speakers will happily run for hours with very low distortion if you keep to these safety margins.

DJ Equipment is optimised to work at 0db reference levels (Often the amber light on your Mixer or the point that your Clip led starts to flicker on your amp) The Majority of Amplifiers deliver their rated outputs when fed with a clean 0db (or 775mv for the technical) signal from a mixer.

Most mixers are capable of delivering a 0db level far beyond the full travel of their master faders, in fact levels of upto +10db or 2V outputs are not uncommon. Essentially this means that push your mixer to full output, and you'll be sending 2v into an amplifier optimised for a 0.775v input!. The result = Severe distortion and possible overload to your Amp / Speakers.

You Don't have to have your mixer running at full whack to get the full output from your amplifier!!!

Don't rely on your VU Meters on your mixer to warn you of overload, often these are little more than decoration and very rarely calibrated to the actual output. Instead rely on Common sense, your ears and the "Clip" or "Peak" lights on your amplifier. Occasional flickering of these is okay, however if they are permanently lit, then you are overloading your system, and perhaps trebling the distortion levels, making it painful to listen to.

American Amps, such as Peavey, QSC etc often sound better, simply because they are designed to operate at +4db, therefore you can turn your mixer outputs higher to get the rated output, before overloading your Amp. They also feature built in compression which subtly limits the signal to stop it overloading the Amplifier. Often systems using a small amount of compression, can actually sound better (Richer), which is why investing in a Compressor / limiter can not only protect your system but actually make it sound better.

If you only add a couple of items to your P.A this year, consider buying a Compressor Limiter and A Sound Enhancer - buying both will give you change from £200 and can improve even a small Audio Rig. These systems have been used by P.A Professionals and touring bands for years, but have now reduced in price to be well within the reach of the Mobile!.

..........and yet another interesting and informative reply!!!

Thanks Chris........... (PS I knew I was doing it right really!! )

"There's nothing worse than going to a venue and hearing distorted music - at any volume - and in most of the cases I've seen (heard) the distortion originates from a mixer which is clipping"

I walked out of a venue for this same reason, shame as the actual music was quite funky. The music was shrill and uncomfortable to listen to.

My mate was playing out the other week and the system was sounding pretty poor. Just by getting him to make a few adjustments on the mixer there was a considerable improvent in sound quality.

Which brings me nicely to the point about soundchecks..........NEVER assume because it sounded ok to the empty venue that it will be ok filled with people.

Number of times I get asked by worried punters "Is everything ok" when my roadie or I or both go and stand

a) on the dancefloor and
b) at the back of the venue during a gig.

"What are you doing then"? "Listening says I"

I always use my amps full open, this give me max headroom at the mixer and allows my PV2600 amp's DDT limiters to work effectively. It is also how the manual reccommends the setting.

Chris's advice is spot on, however rather than buy a seperate limiter the PV amps built in DDT limiting is the best amp/speaker protection on the market. It takes over 20dB signal to disengage the DDT! Meaning, you can send one output channel {left} into the input channel of the {right} and still NOT destroy the amp! (This is one of Peavey's Torture
tests)

I was talking to our sound engineer today and he recommends that amps should be run at full level, and all adjustments to be made on the mixer.

I put my amp on full, but lower the gain on the mixer, and use the sliders to adjust the level of sound.