Hi All,
This is my first post on DIY Audio. I hope it is helpful to others as well as myself.
My task here to install a master volume control for a small sound system in a bar. This is so the doorman can limit the DJ's volume or drastically lower it quickly in case of a fight, without cutting power and damaging the equipment, and without running all the way through a crowded bar.
The sound system is:
1. DJ Mixer
2. Active sub
3. 3 active speakers, Mackies I believe, not sure of the model. 1 left (in the back of the room), 1 right (in the front), 1 monitor (in the back).
Nothing fancy but gets the job done for the space, which is small--about 1500 square feet, typical old Chicago storefront. The sound system is only used by DJ's (and occasional karaoke. No space for a band here). The owner is happy with the general sound quality of the rig for the application, and budget is small.
The DJ booth is located in the back of the room. The doorman is in the front. Maybe 80-100' of space between the two points.
My first idea is to put a small mixer in the signal path between the mixer and the speakers. Each signal could be routed through a separate channel in the small mixer. The small mixer would be installed in the front of the bar, accessible to the doorman.
This would mean routing all three signals through approx. 100' of cable from the DJ booth to the door, then routing the left signal and monitor signal another 100' of cable back to the speakers. I realize that this is not the best idea. Expensive in terms of the extra cable and the signal degradation--we are talking about a line-level signal here. Can anyone give me an idea of what this setup would sound like? Horrific? Or passable?
The second idea is a potentiometer installed in the same place in the signal path, but at the back of the room in the DJ booth. The potentiometer would be remotely controlled by a wireless signal, and that remote would be positioned at the front of the room. The potentiometer itself would be hidden from the DJ's so they couldn't tamper with it.
DOES SUCH A DEVICE EXIST? I've been searching and unable to find the right Google terms.
Also, any general advice/ideas on how to accomplish this goal would be much appreciated.
Best,
Luke
This is my first post on DIY Audio. I hope it is helpful to others as well as myself.
My task here to install a master volume control for a small sound system in a bar. This is so the doorman can limit the DJ's volume or drastically lower it quickly in case of a fight, without cutting power and damaging the equipment, and without running all the way through a crowded bar.
The sound system is:
1. DJ Mixer
2. Active sub
3. 3 active speakers, Mackies I believe, not sure of the model. 1 left (in the back of the room), 1 right (in the front), 1 monitor (in the back).
Nothing fancy but gets the job done for the space, which is small--about 1500 square feet, typical old Chicago storefront. The sound system is only used by DJ's (and occasional karaoke. No space for a band here). The owner is happy with the general sound quality of the rig for the application, and budget is small.
The DJ booth is located in the back of the room. The doorman is in the front. Maybe 80-100' of space between the two points.
My first idea is to put a small mixer in the signal path between the mixer and the speakers. Each signal could be routed through a separate channel in the small mixer. The small mixer would be installed in the front of the bar, accessible to the doorman.
This would mean routing all three signals through approx. 100' of cable from the DJ booth to the door, then routing the left signal and monitor signal another 100' of cable back to the speakers. I realize that this is not the best idea. Expensive in terms of the extra cable and the signal degradation--we are talking about a line-level signal here. Can anyone give me an idea of what this setup would sound like? Horrific? Or passable?
The second idea is a potentiometer installed in the same place in the signal path, but at the back of the room in the DJ booth. The potentiometer would be remotely controlled by a wireless signal, and that remote would be positioned at the front of the room. The potentiometer itself would be hidden from the DJ's so they couldn't tamper with it.
DOES SUCH A DEVICE EXIST? I've been searching and unable to find the right Google terms.
Also, any general advice/ideas on how to accomplish this goal would be much appreciated.
Best,
Luke
if the cabling is all balanced, then this approach should be fine, although as you say labour involved running cables may not be cost effective
As Public Address systems have increasingly entered the Digital domain this tends to be a function on the control box but there are devices called Voltage Controlled Amplifiers or VCAs which allow a (hard wired) remote potentiometer to control volume - as an example Radio Design Labs VCA3
ST-VCA3 ‐ Voltage Controlled Amplifier
This is mono, so you would need two of them, but it is a relatively cost effective solution (although still requires cabling) or the CIE VCA-1A
CIE-Group Clever Little Box Voltage Controlled Remote Attenuator VCA-1A
which is stereo, but i am not sure if it is available outside the UK.
it has been a while since I played with these things and I vaguely remember one made by RANE but cant find it on their website.
I gather though you would prefer a wireless solution - the problem here is that most of the ones I can find use IR which is line of sight and likely to be blocked by patrons etc (particularly in an emergency).
regards
Richard
a relay and the right value pad can be used to halve to volume saving you running the audio lines back and forth across the room.
what's going on in this place that the dj wouldn't cut the tunes if a fight broke out...
does anybody know what russell's on about...
what's going on in this place that the dj wouldn't cut the tunes if a fight broke out...
does anybody know what russell's on about...
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