How to - quick comparison of 2 powered FRFR monitors

Ghost_of_Cain · August 16, 2015 at 8:21 PM

Hi everyone,

I was wondering - what could be the most effective way to do a A/B comparison of powered stage monitors, assuming, that you'd have like 20 minutes of time and in front of you:

a) Kemper

b) Alto TS115A V2

c) Mackie HD1221

d) a bunch of XLR cables

Any chance to simply connect both units to main outs, create some rigs with all hard panned left / right and then step / switch from one to the other...?

If so - what would be the best way to do this?

Many thanks for all the advice!

bshaw92 · August 16, 2015 at 9:28 PM

Both have XLR input so you could have (2) cables plugged into the speakers and plug in one to the left KPA main...play...unplug and plug the other one into the right KPA main. If you have main set to mono output\main summed then you don't need to change your rigs at all and you can just go at it.

Ghost_of_Cain · August 16, 2015 at 10:28 PM

Thanks, but nah, I wanted it to work without unplugging / re-connecting.

One step - and the Alto plays the rig. The second step - Mackie does the same thing in a second. Without putting the guitar back to the stand.

bshaw92 · August 16, 2015 at 10:45 PM

AB switch then using 1/4" cable

Ghost_of_Cain · August 16, 2015 at 11:12 PM

Ok, let's forget about the cables

What should I set in output / rig settings in order to have one rig play only in mono / left the second rig only in mono / right?

That is probably sort of noob-hello-kemper question, but any help is appreciated

Robrecht · August 17, 2015 at 12:08 AM

Hi,

The parameter you're looking for is called "Panorama" and it's on the first page of the Rig settings (push the Rig button, then use the left Page button to navigate to the first page). By creating two versions of every rig you want to test (one panned left, one right, otherwise identical) I think you could do exactly what you described.

What will you be using to switch between them? A foot controller or simply the Kemper's front panel buttons? In both cases, the easiest way to organize those test rigs might be to use Performance Mode, where you can set up rigs in any order you like (whereas in Browse Mode, you would have to name them alphabetically to make them appear "next to each other" in the list for easy switching).

Ingolf · August 17, 2015 at 8:36 AM

I think an A/B switch would be best.
Or dial panorama from fully L to fully R.
Output needs to be set to master mono.
And level matching the two boxes is critical.

paults · August 17, 2015 at 4:17 PM

Quote from Ingolf

I think an A/B switch would be best.
Or dial panorama from fully L to fully R.
Output needs to be set to master mono.
And level matching the two boxes is critical.

And, do the comparison at stage volume.

Ghost_of_Cain · August 17, 2015 at 9:29 PM

Quote

What will you be using to switch between them? A foot controller or simply the Kemper's front panel buttons? In both cases, the easiest way to organize those test rigs might be to use Performance Mode, where you can set up rigs in any order you like

Well, I was planning to do the test with foot controler like FCB, but it doesn't matter really; I'll use front buttons and of course assign 2 panned rigs to 2 adjacent slots in performance mode.

Thanks!

By the way: XLR is a XLR cable, but in case of 1/4" jack connection from Kemper to powered monitors - should I use standard instrument cables? I heard this would be a serious mistake to use unshielded speaker cables...

paults · August 17, 2015 at 10:40 PM

From an unpowered KPA to powered monitors, you can use standard guitar or line 1/4 inch cables.

A speaker cable is for a Powered KPA to a Passive speaker.

viabcroce · August 18, 2015 at 2:52 AM

Also, check that the cabs are equally and simmetrically placed respect to the walls/corners/floor, and are properly set for the placement (many cabs offer specific settings for floor placement, pole placement and the like

Generally speaking, the best test for a linear cab IMO is with a complex music program you know by heart and love

Ghost_of_Cain · August 18, 2015 at 5:53 PM

Quote from viabcroce

Generally speaking, the best test for a linear cab IMO is with a complex music program you know by heart and love

No, I'm rather looking for a FR solution that would somehow transfer at least a little bit of that extrasensory feeling that I get when playing regular guitar cabs (but with the obvious ability to choose from the dozens of their simulations..) It's not the cleanness, most uncolored sound, or sth like this. It's this... feeling (not necessarily referring now to a wind blowing out of the 4x12, no...)

Thanks for all the advice.

viabcroce · August 18, 2015 at 10:21 PM

If this is your main goal, I'd not go for a monitor but rather for an FR guitar cab. There's a number of them floating around

Ghost_of_Cain · August 19, 2015 at 12:30 AM

Quote from viabcroce

If this is your main goal, I'd not go for a monitor but rather for an FR guitar cab. There's a number of them floating around

Sure I will test FR cabs. All in due time But my main concern, when it comes to guitar cabs in general, is beaminess - if that's the correct word. A well placed FR monitor should be less beamy (although I've already heard some of those and was rather not impressed - those had 10" woofers, however).

The question of the first test is: should the renowned FR monitors cost twice the price of popular workhorses?

viabcroce · August 19, 2015 at 4:34 PM

Re: beaminess: Jay Mitchell has published a very cheap (around 10 $) solution which almost completely eliminates the issue on any guitar cab.

As for the price of cabs, the key point IMO is that different designs and implementations may exhibit different sonic behaviours. Depending on the application and the user, those characteristics could be more or less meaningful at the user's ear.
For example, the ability to return a realistic stage scene could be overlooked if the main use is to amplify a single instrument, but might well be worth a higher cost in other cases.

Ghost_of_Cain · August 23, 2015 at 7:15 PM

So the comparison is done...

Don't want to elaborate, but despite the Alto TS115A being absolute "bang for a buck" product, Mackie did a better job - less boomy bass and not so much of a crackling, fizzing sounds somewhere in highs (that I don't know yet how to get rid of) were the main and obvious differencies.

But one thing I'm surely going to miss is the Alto's weight...