PEQ with RTA

[CQ-18T]

I’m new to the CQ-18 and an amateur to digital mixing.

I am having a challenging time understanding how the PEQ with RTA (Real Time Analyzer) works and was unable to find any videos on A&H or YouTube that would provide a detailed demonstration.

I would be grateful for any assistance, please!

When I set the Main LR Outputs to PEQ, set RTA to ON and enable “In”.

Questions:
• What does the RTA actually do? Does it automatically adjust the Main LR PEQ or does it just provide adjustment recommendations but the user needs to make adjustments?
• What do the 3 types of curves (Shelf, Bell or HPF/LPF) mean for the LF and HF? Do I need to select and adjust the curve type with RTA enabled or is that taken care of by the RTA feature?
• How does FBA work in conjunction with RTA? Is this the same RTA as PEQ or a unique RTA for FBA?
• Does the selected Quick Start option (Rock, Pop, Country, etc) have specific presents for the Main RL output PEQ and etc or does it only set the channel types and Quick Channels?

Best practice:
• When setting up the mixer, do you first EQ the individual channels and then tweak the Main LR outputs or visa versa?
• Should “compressor” and “limiter” be set on individual channels or on the Main RL outputs or both?
• Is there a recommended HPF frequency setting for Keys (i.e. Korg Pa5x) and vocals?
• I am using the CQ-18T with the Yamaha DZR12 speakers:
o Do I set the level on the back of the speakers to “0” or all the way up “+10”?
o Do I first set the “channel” level all the way up and then adjust the volume using the Main LR or do I set the Main LR all the way up and then adjust the individual channel volume levels?

Tutorials:
• Where can I learn more (preferably via online video) on how the PEQ actually works?

Thank you in advance for your assistance!

[gabo]

The RTA is exactly what it’s name suggests, a “Real Time Analyzer.” It just shows you what’s happening, it doesn’t do any filtering or implement any feedback suppression or anything. It just analyzes the signal. Having it on or off doesn’t do anything to the signal. Turning it off saves processing power, so maybe it lowers the heat on the unit a bit. It’s basically there if you want to use it to look at the signal or if you don’t you can turn it off.

The PEQ is a “Parametric EQ.” Think of it like a fancy “tone control.” You can “turn up/down the bass” “treble” “midrange” or whatever frequency you like by using it. When you use it to “turn up the bass” you will notice in the RTA that it will now be showing you a higher level in the bass frequencies.

The FBA, FeedBack Assistant. Think of it as an AI that implements a specific PEQ based on what it hears. So when you hear feedback, if that feedback is at 2.2Khz, then the FBA will implement a PEQ filter at 2.2Khz reducing that frequency to prevent the feedback. You’ll see the PEQ filter notch in the PEQ display.

Keep reading online about how to mix and you’ll get some info on the rest of your questions.

[Area51drones]

Gabo…great explanation and answers.

[Fang]

Copy that.

The following may help with the rest of your questions. I used my CQ-18T for the first time last weekend at a live gig. We chose the FBA instead of the GEQ because the venue was small and we knew FB would be a constant problem. We rang out the room and were told to stop because of the (very short) ringing. Fortunately, we were done. In the future, we will use the GEQ for Mains AND Monitors and cut the 2K and pray. You see, you never want to piss off the bar manager because you won’t be hired back. For your questions with the compressor and limiter and others, I too have the same questions. What helped me was watching a Series of Allen and Heath videos called CQ How-To. Just go to YouTube and do a search for CQ How To. Then fill-in the topic like, CQ How To Limiter…or CQ How To Compressor. I have found these are excellent. I’m like you, a beginner. I also have a million questions.

[BobbyDazzler59]

Hi guys, Im a learn on the fly guy, mainly Keys player and ryth guitar, but a lot of general and midi tech under my skin as it were due to years of synths and midi, so ya end up the band tech dont ya.

My advice not as a pro but a fair experience of live PA mixing is, do not rely on feed back assistance, OR trying to push the limits on inputs/outputs. Im kinda smug in that iver 5 years of playing and mixing a 60,s band on a A&H GL24 analog desk, only 2 instances of feed back, and that was the guitarist setting it off….
So the CQ takes all that and then some. Watch tutorials, think about what you are doing. A GOOD mix and based on my practices, is getting good frequency separation from the start.

Kick and bass are down the low end for tones but do need some top edge for click and definition as in not Woolley.

Keys and guitar fill in the middle, do not allow them to sway you to add more bottom end as it will just swamp the bass and kick and you will loose the inherant groove and rythmn of those instruments swamped out by power chords and the like. Again both need some top end for definition. Finally vocals. Use the low cut on the channel input with the eq/peq set to flat line first, reduce the low end with the cutoff such that it has tones but not deep booming, then minimally adjust the mid to high range eq on each mic for edge and good clarity, and leave it there. Finally add your effects whilst keeping the effect eq in mind as well, not adding more top end to feed back.
Then and only then, maybe activate the FBA if you need the belts and braces.

I NEVER EVER carryout the RINGING METHOD at a venue, I do listen intently to the overall sound for tone anomalies or verging feedback. Stop soundcheck there and then. Test each mic by vocally booming at the suspect tone frequency, listening for the natural boom/ring. Mute/solo suspect channels as needed to work the problem or compound problem of course.
Having found the cuplprit, adjust the peq by adding gain to nearest peq band/frequency and narrowing the band width, then sliding L/R to target the tone indicated by increase in that boom/feed back, then simply drag the gain back gradually till it stops then a little more. Its what feedback destroyers/FBAs do in certain frequency hot spots but you can do this on setup and just remove the problem to start with. It wont effect the overall tone of that channel as, yup, it was too much anyway.

Online there are many instrument charts showing instrument working frequencies/parts and this will give you a very good founding on PEQ control of inputs, the failure of which is many a cause of feed back in the first place.
Very best of luck

Oh, one other thing to add here which I only dreamed of with analog desks, using the gate function. Its perfect for drum mics, setting a moderate tap level to open the gate with fairly short duration and decay. Playing around with the kit and various velocity drum strikes, you can filter out many of the other drums bar the hardest of hits, It tightens and creates a real drum punch, and can eliminate drum booming/resonance, as some drummers insist on no damping, which is wrong if they are being mic’d up
Finally add a reverb to the specific drums as you have 4 fx channels on the CQ, namely hi hat, snare, and a little on the toms reducing from high to floor, kick should be dry for defined punch.
Also handy for a drummers vocal mic too, taking care not to chop his vocal with gating by using longer hold/decay, so once rhe drummer sings and triggers the gate, it stays open for longer tween phrases etc, but is closed at other times hes or she is not singing.

[BobbyDazzler59]

I guess I should answer my version of the other questions to the thread Auther herin known as CQ18

Ok, my methid of setup, slightly runs from previous gig shut down as in all sub mixes and mics were muted. You can now do a “Stage mute with a mute group. `i have labelled mine as interval, masters uneffected and the music playback channel is also live. And mic commentary/anouncements, just unmute that channel

Anyway, set up.
Desk on
All gear connected or all channels muted ( my default)
Lastly, turn PA amps on.

Depending on the pa rig/venue etc, set vol half way to start with on the PA amp(s)

Raise the mixer masters carefully checking for any noise, hum, feedback etc. set them to unity or a little below.

Work thru the channels, slider on zero (off), check for incoming signal on config or processing, use auto or manually adjust the input gain FIRST getting a strong input signal but not hitting the top, leaving good headroom for signal clarity.
Then raise the slider whils having audio input of course from the sound source, setting a nominal level for now, and finish off with setting peq, any effects etc.

Mute the input and move on to the next one etc,

Lower the master sliders over halfway down, and unmute each channel till all needed are active. Play and carry out sound balancing at a comfortable volume then push up to reasonable working vol, listening for anomalies as you go.

Happy? Now mute the FOH and repeat for the monitoring speakers or in ears. nOTE, if you are not familiar with pre and post settings, your monitors MUST be PREfade setting, thus once the monitor balance is setup, feed back free etc, turning up the main PA or individual sliders does not effect the monitor volumes, nuff said.

Also on monitors, recently with a failed first gig and no more band, I had unreasonable requests for instruments in 2 stage monitor speakers, Bass player and guitarist, well of course this is a recipie for disaster in small venues, it just got louder on the outset from my soundcheck settings with complaints they couldnt hear the monitors whils still turning up their instruments… I call it volume cascade. My point being, keep monitors for vocals and have a small or slightly bigger amp for your instrument pojnting at your head as I do, I can hear all my bum note with clarity but overall stage vol is minimal as my current (new) band does not have to compete with each other to hear themselves (Cascade effect again)
Once you have that, and monitoring is often the cause of feed back, pop the masters up till adequate venue volume and do soundchecks as normal, not forgetting a full venue soaks up sound…….I have been told this but never experienced full venues for some reason😂😂😂😂😂.
Bottom line is as always, less is more, I prefer to reduce eq/peq settings than increase in the fly but you get used to the intracasies as you progress

[Hugh]

This thread directly ties to the heart of the CQ line: it is an entry level tool designed for entry level SR practitioners. It also happens to offer high quality audio for small gig quick set-up & leave it performances. Success or failure is dependent upon the depth of user understand of the CQ line’s limitations and the relative importance of matching up speaker systems with a given venue’s specific needs.
Hugh

More than 50 years ago when I was into playing Bluegrass in bars the distributed systems they often deployed were for background elevator music; not live performance. Successfully turning around the established customer expectation requires a commitment from the top to introduce a new protocol. Short of that it is not worth the effort for anyone involved!

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