SAC as speaker processor

[gdougherty]

Just a thought on how to get SAC to function as a speaker processor. It'll be handy to have the upcoming EQ/delay updates, but as noted elsewhere you can chain multiple EQ plugins to achieve the same effect. A high-pass/low-pass capable plugin would be good to have, but for routing you can setup one group as main outputs and another group as sub outputs. Route to both groups from all channels that require sub reinforcement and then latch both groups in the full mixer view with the faders at the same volume. Major benefit is you get the simplicity of a full-range system (no worries about over balancing the subs with an input), with the cleanliness in sub output of aux-fed subs.

In my setup I prefer using the latch groups as VCA's and just routing all channels to one master output group, so the other 8 outputs are all sitting unused anyway.

[mycorn]

this is my normal setup

only i use out 2 as a sub send
and bob's EQ shelving the split point

it works great

but i'v always been a "sub on aux" kind of guy

leaving them unlatched allows a bit more flexibility in the mix

FWIW
mh

[gdougherty]

this is my normal setup

only i use out 2 as a sub send
and bob's EQ shelving the split point

it works great

but i'v always been a "sub on aux" kind of guy

leaving them unlatched allows a bit more flexibility in the mix

FWIW
mh

Revision, I found for convenience sake I needed to move the FOH outs to Out 2/3 instead of 1/2 since the latching latched everything down through the monitor boards as well.

Personally, I'd rather hit Alt and move something independently when I need to and have the default latch them. Seems the quicker way than moving the mouse to group them when you need to.

Not sure Bob's EQ will do what I want and the Sonoris EQ is as much as my DCX2496 in order to get 48db slopes. For the time being, I'll just feed the mains into A/B and the subs into C on the DCX and let it take care of the crossover. Sure would be nice to get rid of the faint noise it causes in the system though. :(

[Bob L]

There should be plenty of eq choices out there for free that will give you many options to choose from... and... its very simple to patch 2 or 3 of my eqs back to back and gang up the rolloff slopes on the Lo Cut filters to whatever you want... no added cost... no added noise.

Bob L

[DominicPerry]

Have you tried Rubberfilter? Someone posted a link here recently.

Dominic

[dbarrow]

Have you tried Rubberfilter? Someone posted a link here recently.

Dominic

I'm assuming you would use a separate instance of Rubber Filter or Bob's EQ (ganged) for each speaker (or stereo pair). It would be cool if someone made a plugin or modular speaker management engine that had the separate output bands grouped together under one control panel. Perhaps this and a modular FX engine could be separate add-on products for SAC.

[gdougherty]

Have you tried Rubberfilter? Someone posted a link here recently.

Dominic
Duuuuuude. Sweeeet.
Thanks Much! 384db/Oct :eek:

Edit: Update. I think I can safely ditch my DCX! 32***37; load on my laptop (1.5GHz C2Duo) running Rubberfilter stereo on FOH Master and Sub Outs and mono on my 2 monitor outs. With a full version of SAC I'd have a few more FX patched on my Returns, but given the load of the Kjaerhus Classic Reverb plugin I'm already running that shouldn't take much. The Desktop I've spec'd has a C2Duo @ 2.8Ghz on a much faster bus with faster memory. I should be able to run it with no overclock and everything I'd ever want for a 32x32 channel system.

[gdougherty]

I'm assuming you would use a separate instance of Rubber Filter or Bob's EQ (ganged) for each speaker (or stereo pair). It would be cool if someone made a plugin or modular speaker management engine that had the separate output bands grouped together under one control panel. Perhaps this and a modular FX engine could be separate add-on products for SAC.
For my purposes this does everything I'll need, and it doesn't use too many outputs. 8 Stereo outputs is still much more than you'd get out of any single speaker management unit. Yes, it'd be cool to have essentially a virtual DriveRack or DCX.
Maybe someday an output bus summary view could be added to SAC that gives a window on all the board outputs with just the routing, FX processing and a text box with the channel level.

[gdougherty]

I'll post here too. The standalone ReaPlugs package from the Reaper DAW package are free and include an unlimited band IIR EQ plugin. It also includes ReaFIR, a multipurpose tool that includes a linear phase EQ, but it appears to be a latency causing item. ReaFIR would be sweet if it were usable as you can draw the exact EQ you want.

[dbarrow]

I'll post here too. The standalone ReaPlugs package from the Reaper DAW package are free and include an unlimited band IIR EQ plugin. It also includes ReaFIR, a multipurpose tool that includes a linear phase EQ, but it appears to be a latency causing item. ReaFIR would be sweet if it were usable as you can draw the exact EQ you want.

I tried to get the Reaper streaming plugin to work. I couldn't do it. It said in its own docs that it used massive bandwidth, expecially over WiFi. It would have been nice if it had worked, for headphone/solo bus and for playing mp3s from FOH.

[gdougherty]

I tried to get the Reaper streaming plugin to work. I couldn't do it. It said in its own docs that it used massive bandwidth, expecially over WiFi. It would have been nice if it had worked, for headphone/solo bus and for playing mp3s from FOH.

Good to know, too bad. The ideal might be to stream through a FLAC encode/decode loop for no quality loss, but about 1/2 the bandwidth needs. On my E5200, FLAC encodes 1hr of audio in about ~30sec and decodes faster. Should be able to handle realtime processing.
I'm surprised the bandwidth needs are that high though, it's not like even 24/48Khz takes that much, only ~1Mbit per second. 802.11b should be able to provide at least 2-3Mbit without major interference issues and I'm guessing SAC isn't a bandwith hog. I'd think most people are now using at least 802.11g, for even more available bandwidth.

Should work for playback, not sure how you'd be able to get it to stream for the solo bus though. That'd take some work on Bob's part to allow for it via a solo bus plugin point I think. At least, not without eating some extra inputs and outputs

[Naturally Digital]

The ideal might be to stream through a FLAC encode/decode loop for no quality loss, but about 1/2 the bandwidth needs. On my E5200, FLAC encodes 1hr of audio in about ~30sec and decodes faster. Should be able to handle realtime processing.I came across this the other day. I don't know if there's any actual implementations of it out there but maybe there's a future.

It probably isn't for music but it made me think of the talk here about comm...

http://celt-codec.org/

(these xiph guys seem to be doing a very good thing)