Dave Rat Blog - Flying Power and Wires

Well alright, break time is nearly over and Peppers tour will be hitting the road again soon.  We were all slated to head out late January but we had a little set back and in the bigger picture it is good news that Anthony's foot is healing well from a painful injury that he had fixed up early Jan. Rehearsals start next week and by month's end we'll be finessing gear into a venue in Tampa Florida.

As I mentioned in the last blog post, I want to make a few changes to the Chili Peppers' touring sound system setup. Whilst I am exceedingly happy with the sound the L-Acoustics K1 system setup has been giving me, I feel we can do better and I am betting that the weakest link in the current chain is the long speaker cables we are running, 150 feet, is possibly causing an audible degradation to the sound. This may or may not seem obvious and while there is no doubt that the recommended shorter cables lengths are better, my true concern is "how audible is the difference in real world venues" and most importantly, I want to hear it for myself and not make assumptions or take someone else's word on it, especially if they have not actually tried it and heard it.

If you are not exposed to larger scale concert touring you may be wondering "why in the heck do you need 150 foot speaker cables?" Well, typically amp racks need to be tucked under the stage, cable then travels upstage to a point clear of sight-lines 30 to 40 feet, then upward 40 to 50 feet and then back toward the main clusters 30 to 40 feet.  Add in swag, slack and some length for venue to venue variation combined with prioritizing 'identical everyday' over 'short as possible' and the 150 foot runs are just what they need to be.

What started me on this push was doing a few back-to-back shows on a Vertec rig supplied by the same sound vendor in two different cities during the Peppers South America run. One Vertec rig was smaller, sounded tight, cleaner and had impact.  The next show we had a much larger Vertec system and it was nothing but mush. Tonally it was what I expected but for the life of me I could not get a solid impact out of the kick and it just had a overall blah sound. "Where have I heard that sound before?" It kept eating at me "what was the difference between the rigs?" Same amps, same vendor, same speakers, and I was bypassing all the system processor EQ and used the exact same preset, doing all the control on my side with gear I am carrying. Then it hit me, 70 volt systems! That's that sound, that soft mush. Tonality can be EQ'ed but it is like there is a big squishy compressor on everything. Could it be related? The larger Vertec setup was massive and the cable lengths would have had to be excessively long. Is it possible that the long cable lengths were introducing a bit of that soft squishy sound similar to the sound of 70 volt systems? Yes, I know the whole premise behind the 70 volt wiring is to run high voltage and minimize power loss and all but lets face it, constant voltage systems sound like the speaker is controlled by the amp about as well as a balloon can be controlled by a 50 foot string.

Once my ears had focused on it I then started to think I was hearing a similar, though way less drastic, version with the K1 system we had on the European dates. Perhaps a psycho-acoustic illusion, perhaps not and only one way I know to find out. And I sure as heck don't want to listen to the morons that make/buy audiophile ac and audio cables, as they will tell me that changing the AC wall outlet on the end of 100 miles of power company cable will make a 30 watt tube amp stereo sound better.

Oh, and while we are at it, I may as well take advantage of the AES digital inputs on the L-Acoustic LA-8 amps. Since the amp racks will be up in the air and less accessible, having a redundant digital and analog return line systems seems prudent anyway.

Ok, pretty simple, right? Add a few motors, some amp rack fly bumpers, throw some AES lines on the return snakes and all good. Hmmm, also need AC feeder up to the amp racks, longer return lines. But wait, we have a 330 foot main snake plus now we are adding another 150 feet to get up to the near-side clusters and 100 foot cross stage and then 150 feet to the far-stage cluster totaling nearly 600 feet on the far run. Oh my, so I loose 100 feet of speaker cable dropping to 50 footers while adding 150 feet to the signal wires. Plus yikes, we need about 4 AES lines per side, so maybe 4500 feet in AES cable and AES does not really like super long runs.

OK, enough of the blah blah about hoop jumping, what we settled on doing after considering fiber, AES repeaters and numerous other systems out there is to give the Riedel RockNet system a try.  We will convert to AES/EBU at FOH via an Apogee AD-16X we already own, hit a Riedel RN335DI and have an RN332DO in the flying amp world on each stage side.

So, if all goes well on this adventure, I will have 50 foot or shorter speaker cable runs from the flown amps, convert the return lines to digital at FOH and stay digital all the way into the processed amps and have analog return lines as well that convert to digital in the amps.  The audio signal will only convert from analog to digital one time regardless of whether I use the analog og digital return lines and I will be able to compare in near real time the sound differential between the two. Then to test the audibility of cable length I can have an additional 100 foot length of speaker cable added in on one side of the PA and pan between left and right to do a real world comparison between the sound of 150 feet of speaker cable to 50 feet on an arena sized K1 rig.

Oooh, fun! And thank you Jon Monson, Jim Lockyer and the other Rats for doing a all the research and work and making this adventure happen!

Alright, now that I have shovelled a big pile of nerdy audio overload out there, may as well look at some pictures.

Kurt Metzler, Kenton Forsythe and Paul Hugo rocking Rat hoodies my new office at the super cool new Rat Sound headquarters in Camarillo. 

So the day starts out all good. Heading to some head high waves with Gene.

I had so much fun on my first day out riding an old beat up Yater I had just finished patching up the night before

The leash breaks, board gets mashed on the rocks, I swim to rescue it, I get mashed on the rocks and now the board is dead, I was banged up pretty good, end of story.

My one and only gig during the break was mixing the Transplants at the Roxy, all good, so fun!

And I got to see the results of Tyler the Creator's temper tantrum at the Roxy and I actually used those group modules that he custom modified with his foot as seen below

And ha! Say hey to Sammy

And Madeline, so absolutely wonderfully smart, sarcastic and all around awesome!

And finally my fierce attack dog, Bones

Dave Rat

Dave Rat Porta-Blog Dec 29 2011

Well alright, I guess I've been mostly offline for a while. I took a bit of a social network and thought sharing break to acclimate and get my head around the realities of this 18 to 24 month jaunt
Touring is a quandary for me and also like many things, I am really good at figuring out the exact same thing, over and over again. I love the travel and unfolding adventures yet I struggle with being trapped in a schedule written for me. I find it exhilarating to mix sound for the shows while the other 22 hours a day can be a challenging to fill with a level of usefulness that is remotely inspiring. The easy path is to dumb down reckless and robotically follow the itinerary. The magic goal is to find something passionately attractive enugh that does nt involve swimming upstream the whole time.
Anyway, I am finally feeling stable and clear enough into this tour adventure to start unraveling a few projects in the large scale audio realm.
First, I would like to make some headway on getting a grasp on the real world sonic effects of speaker cable length on a large scale sound systems. We know shorter speaker cables are better but how audible is excess length? How long is too long?
To tackle this, Rat Sound will be flying the main PA amp racks powering the K1 system this tour. This will allow us to reduce the main speaker cable lengths from the 150 feet I had in Europe to 50 feet. I expect to hear a noticeable improvement in dynamics. I have not fully sorted it all yet but hope to do some A/B comparative testing at some point as well where I add back in extra length to one side.
The second project is similar but will be a comparison between running analog signal the now 500' from FOH to the flown amps and then converting to digital via the L-Acoustics LA-8 internal A/D's. Versus converting the console outputs to digital at FOH, running digital signal the 500' and using the AES inputs on the LA-8s.
Since the LA-8 amps auto switch from AES to analog when AES is lost, the comparison should be fairly simple by just killing the AES outs.
In the meantime, I am mid plane flight to St. Barths for a gig in the tropical laps of luxury. Not my style and though these types of gigs are nearly always cumbersome at best for the us hired helpers, I do hope to get some surfing in. Oh, plus having low expectations allows the oppertunity for pleasant surprises to occur. I will send pics.
DR
P.S.
I have not forgotten about posting more info on my current sub setup, I will get to it soon

Dave Rat Porta-Blog Distilling Clarity

Hmmmm, well I came up with a very simple subjective method of comparing digi to analog based on what I once learned from asking a jeweler questions.

"How do you know a good diamond from a bad one?"

Well he showed me the x10 magnifier and went on to show me flaws in various diamonds not apparent to the untrained naked eye that we clearly visible magnified.

Hmmm, how can I apply this to audio? So I daiisy chained 10 analog console channels and 10 digi console chanels converting back and forth D to A ech time.

Basically a X10 multiplier of a common singular audio path. I found the subjective results interesting and confirming of my analog preference.

Being that my perception is subjective and we each tune in to differing flaw sets and we appropriate differing levels of importance to them I will recommend using this method to increase your awareness to the digital issues rather attempt to personally describe them.

Using this method to train our ears to pick out those flaws, the ones you can't quite identify but annoy, can assist in making improved equipment decisions for the application.

An experienced jeweler can spot a high quality diamond without the magnifier but first he/she had to know what to look for using tools that allow actual human eyes to see.

As we all know by now, the best specs in the world fail to trly tell us what something will actually sound like. For that we use our human ears hear.

Ok its' 5:45 am, I can hear the waves so I must hurry to catch daybreak surf. Wetsuit is still damp I am sure because I did not get it hanging up till 7pm or so. Not fond of putting on the cold wet wetsuit.

Weds morn and been home since Saturday, friday I'm off to Germany for another 3 weeks of Peppers. Gonna miss this bed and am really going to miss my gals and Rat family.

Dave Rat Porta-Blog Belfast to Glasgow

Well alright! The MTV club show in Belfast went well, as expected. Enthusiastic audience plus Peppers in small room always equals a great time. Back to the hotel by 8:30 and can't get in, hmmmm. Wristbands to get into the lobby? Really? Yes, I have room key, whatever, got a wristband and off to find dinner. Awesome tapas, wine and some acoustIc guitar guys rocking, perfect eve and back to get some sleep before the chipper 6:45 lobby call, flIght to London.
Oh my, its party night and the hotel's five ballrooms blasting music till 6am on floor 2 and I'm on floor 3. Hmmmm. Ha, sleep is over rated! I can remember a time when I would have been more excited about this.



O2 arena in London, three nights of grandiose rock and I really need to start pondering a tour project of some sort. Something to come back with other than a wad o cash, ringing ears and a bunch o new stories and friends. Not that I don't enjoy those, I just want a grander story.
I love the shows, from set change till after show dinner, I am all good, its the other 20 hours a day I find challenge with.
Challenge lull. The tour has reached a smooth roll, most of the rough edges ironed out so the overall mood shifts from the thrill of creating, learning and refining into focusing on consistency and repeating. Solutions and exploration have been traded for problem prevention. The production humans begin to hit stride with their goals of trimming costs and shaving every minute off load outs. Creativity still flows on the band side and the light and video show remains in a state of adding unique looks to the nearly endless list off songs. Meanwhile the rest of the machine settles into that confidence and comfort zone of predictability that I enjoy about as much as watching paint dry. Oh how I crave some chaos and not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
And once again I look to grab a perspective as to not spiral off, "where am I at in the cycle?" ah yes, ny tattoos remind me: monkey phase transitions to rat phase. Again.
http://www.ratsound.com/cblog/archives/2009/10.html



And hello Glasgow! Gonna get my winter shorts on and going to head out and about for a bit of a wander.

Dave Rat Porta-Blog Belfast - Smooth Running

One of the the things I strive for is sonic consistency from show to show, worldwide. To achieve this it is critical to work with the backline techs to assure a consistent volume and tone. Once they find a good sound, I have them mark the settings, take photos and I photo as well. Then if we drift, we have a reference point. Furthermore I ask them to let me know whenever changes need to be made on their end like new guiitars, new pedals or any other factor that can affect the sound I get.

Next I lock in my console settings. I avoid any gain amp changes any major eq changes. That way I can look at my input meters and know if things changed from the stage end.

So, if all works as planned, the only changes I make from show to show are my system EQ stting to tune the room.

And today is a great example of things working as planned. I went from an arena rig with 32 box K1 rig plus side hangs, rear hangs and 32 SB28s last show to 12 dV-dosc and 8 SB218 a side in a club. A few minor tweaks to tune out the higher room resonance and all good.

The way I see it, the closer I get things to autopilot, the less I do, the better job I am doing and the leass to go wrong. Now if I can just keep this pile. Knobs locked in for the next 18 months or so, all good.

Oh, and this hour long MTV club show in Belfast is going to go off, I can just feel the excitement in the crowd and band. I remember playing this place back on I believe the very first Peppers overseas tour I did with them over 2 decades ago. Back when armored personnel carriers patrolled the streets here with machine gun weilding cops walking back to back. Oh how its changed and great to be back.

Mixing Consoles are never thirsty

2 weeks ago - Rotterdam
A large plastic cup following airborne liquid traversing what seemed to be a slow motion high arc through the air comes crashing down dead center on the console and the cool liquid splashes across my chest. Beer bombs away and instantly the full sound system mutes. Silence in a world dependent on sound. Red and yellow lights scatter across the channels as a spontaneous roar of 'boo' erupts from the audience. Bummer.
Hmmm, and after an instant of contemplation, I start chasing unmute buttons around the console just long enough to get drums, bass, guit, vox back online for a huge goose bump spontaneous cheer when a secondary failure then takes out the Midas H3000 computer crashing the VCA's.
Boooooo! Almost like it has turned into a sporting event.
Aaaarg! Towels are useless to the liquid disappearing down every swItch and fader crevice it can find. What now? Oh wait, the "mute - fdr - auto" bypass buttons. I shout to Jim, help me punch these three on every channel and 150 buttons later a soccer goal Yaaaaaay erupts.
Crunch crunch, crackle, ah man. I had sent for a can of air and between chasing the randomly lighting mutes and PFL's, I was using the compressed air to blow residual beer through to at least get the bummout to stabilize sooner. Crunch crackle and next up is bye bye subgroups, running the channels direct to left/right keeps the crackle at bay to a reasonably inaudible background noise. And then the song ends. How funny was it that they were playing "Can't Stop" as the band blazes on through the chaos.
So what now, we are up and running future stability unknown, no groups, no comps, no VCA's but its making sound and though raw, I still have a usable mix.
Ok, keep rolling. The band hasn't missed a beat, heck I don't thing they even know. Now I just need a back up plan. Tim has has no spare mixes on the monitor console but we could pull a feed from the recording desk, will need wires, humans and time though. If the console keeps running all good, don't stop the band.
With no new traumas arising I refocus on getting the mix refined, without compressors I am chasing volumes on every song. When in doubt, turn it up. Pushing hotter volumes leves gets me into the system limiters and at least I get some level buffering on the raw dynamics.
And all in all, the issues were contained to a couple of songs and considering worst case scenarios, we faired fairly well. The massive enthusiasm of the Dutch fans most likely is what inspired the spontaneous beer tossing as well as carries the momentum of the show thrugh the issues created by the unfortunate landing zone.
The Fallout
The next show production had another console on site for me as we had no idea how usable the wet board would be. Plan of action was to pull all the known bad group strips, wipe them down, fire up the board and replace them on at a time, test, repeat. Since the board dried out, and after cleaning, only two channels were faulty.
Next we robbed channels from the spare desk to make sure the issue was channel related and not from the beer drenched motherboard below. Usually liquid issues will make themselves visible by creating white powdery corrosion between traces or compinents on the circuIt board. I faound a few more, wiped them down with isopropyl alcohol and got all but one strip up and running. The last strip refused to stop crackling though.
Last resort, the alcohol wash. I dumped a quater bottle of alcohol saturating both sides of the circuit board and scrubbed it down with what was my toothbrush. Next we got to dry it out. Shake it and swinging it in a big arc gets most of the liquid off. I had ordered 6 cans of compressed air and JIm and I sprayed each can till it froze up and grabbed new cans. it is surprisingly tough to dry off a wet circuit board.
Finally, in it goes, power up and Yay! We got ourselves a working console and a big smile because Jim and I were not looking forward to re patching my kluge of looms and copying the 500 or so knob setting over to a temporary console.
If only I had my mixing tigers, they would have defended the board from the attacking beer. As much as I want to avaoid issues, I must say I do appreciate the challenges and love it when life is not boring!

Dave Rat Blog - Getting Stepped On!

Well we had great time on the first tour leg.
I was way busier than expected so lagged a bit blogging, though I do keep up on facebook and twitter posts. Will try and focus more on mini blog posts and see how that works for me.
So as we start up leg two and looking at my notes, thought I'd share how we handled a wireless reception issue for the band in-ears we encountered.
It first showed up at the prouction rehearsals and we dived in to solving it in Cologne early October.
Turns out that video stages with LED video embedded, make RF noise. Lots of noise. So much noise that if you do an in-ear belt pack scan while standing on the stage while is powered on, there are 0 frequencies open, power down the stage and we get tons of open frequencies. Plus the artists are standing on the video screen so they are way closer to it than they are to the transmission antenna's.
We were able to make the jump from total bummer to pretty good and here is what we did:
Switched from 500mhz 25mw transmitter Senn G3 units to 700mhz 50mw 2000 series units - we measures the RF from the stage and is a bit worse at lower frequencies, the higher frequency units run at a higher power helps a bit.
Moved the transmitter antenna closer to the stage as every bit of distance reduction helps.
We scan for clear frequencies from the middle of the venue, away from the stage, so the units can actually see give us more than 0 open channels.
Swapped out to a lower loss cable between the transmitters and antenna
What is still on the list if issues recur:
Obtain the shortest possible 50ohm super low loss cable that will reach.
Eliminate the BNC to Coax adapter we now need to hit the antenna by getting cables with the proper ends. Every connection has loss we can not afford to have.
Add a higher power 100mw antenna power booster in line
Possibly put an antenna o the far side of stage dedicated to Flea.
When we get to the US, we will re address but for not we seem to be stable.
The pic of the spikey antenna is from when Tait Towers send a tech (other pic) out to analyze and help address the issues. Thank you Tait! Its cool to see the company that makes the stage interested in tackling the issue and helping.
Oh, and hello Dublin tonigh, the shows here always rock!
Dave Rat
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