Powered Speaker Line or Mic level?

Nick84 · #1 04-24-2021, 08:46 AM

I usually run two Yamaha DBR12 speakers with a Yamaha MG10XU mixer, pedals etc.

On the speakers there’s line and mic level option and I’ve always had them on line.

I’m playing tomorrow and want to streamline my rig. I’m planning on taking my Loudbox Mini and going direct out with an XLR from the back to the powered speaker, ditching the other DBR12, mixer and pedals.

In this instance would I still have the powered speaker set to line level or switch to mic?

Paleolith54 · #2 04-24-2021, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick84

I usually run two Yamaha DBR12 speakers with a Yamaha MG10XU mixer, pedals etc.

On the speakers there’s line and mic level option and I’ve always had them on line.

I’m playing tomorrow and want to streamline my rig. I’m planning on taking my Loudbox Mini and going direct out with an XLR from the back to the powered speaker, ditching the other DBR12, mixer and pedals.

In this instance would I still have the powered speaker set to line level or switch to mic?

That's still line level.

Have you experimented with what you're talking about doing? One thing that caused me to ditch that amp was the fact that the signal you send via the line out to the board does NOT sound the same as what comes out of the amp's speaker. If you have someone running sound for you who can twiddle with EQ, no problem. But if you expect the sound from the DBR12 to be the same as what comes out of the Mini without doing that you may be disappointed.

Cuki79 · #3 04-24-2021, 09:02 AM

Download the fishman mini manual. Page 10 and 11 it says the mic DI out is mic level.

Nick84 · #4 04-24-2021, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

That's still line level.

Have you experimented with what you're talking about doing? One thing that caused me to ditch that amp was the fact that the signal you send via the line out to the board does NOT sound the same as what comes out of the amp's speaker. If you have someone running sound for you who can twiddle with EQ, no problem. But if you expect the sound from the DBR12 to be the same as what comes out of the Mini without doing that you may be disappointed.

No not yet hence the question - I didn’t want to do any damage.

That’s a worry I’ll give it a try at home but if it sounds different through the powered speaker there’s no point me doing it. May as well stick with the current set up.

Nick84 · #5 04-24-2021, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Download the fishman mini manual. Page 10 and 11 it says the mic DI out is mic level.

Thanks Cuki I hadn’t spotted that. I’ll give the set up a try and see how it sounds

Paleolith54 · #6 04-24-2021, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick84

Thanks Cuki I hadn’t spotted that. I’ll give the set up a try and see how it sounds

I stand corrected. Never encountered that before: I guess they designed it to go into the mic input on the board rather than to the line in. Maybe that's why I never could get it to sound right? Hard to say. At any rate, as long as you keep your volume low during experimentation, you won't do any harm: you'll get unwanted distortion long before you do any damage to your speaker.

YamahaGuy · #7 04-24-2021, 02:15 PM

Interesting thread. BTW, I have some DBR10s. How is the 12? Decent? I also have DXR10s. The DXR have a little more throw/punch. Just curious.

sdelsolray · #8 04-24-2021, 02:26 PM

"DI output" levels can be line level or mic level, depending on the design. Absent learning which it is first, try line level first. If the signal seems weak or anemic, change to mic level.

Nick84 · #9 04-25-2021, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Interesting thread. BTW, I have some DBR10s. How is the 12? Decent? I also have DXR10s. The DXR have a little more throw/punch. Just curious.

They are great - especially for the price. I’ve been using them for the last 2 years and they haven’t let me down and have handled everything that has been thrown at them.

YamahaGuy · #10 04-25-2021, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick84

They are great - especially for the price. I’ve been using them for the last 2 years and they haven’t let me down and have handled everything that has been thrown at them.

Great info! Thanks.

poopsidoo · #11 04-26-2021, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

"DI output" levels can be line level or mic level, depending on the design. Absent learning which it is first, try line level first. If the signal seems weak or anemic, change to mic level.

Great suggestion.
I went through this situation recently with my Gentzler AA Pro D/I out to my DBR 12. Running it into line level of the dbr 12 I had a very low level. But running at mic level it was nice and loud. I emailed Jeff at Gentzler, and while he did not tell me which the D/I was designed for, he said running it into at mic level would not damage the guitar amp and not hurt the dbr12.
By the way, my first PA speaker was a dbr 10. Then when I could afford it I got two dbr 12's. The dbr10 makes a nice monitor....

KevWind · #12 04-26-2021, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Download the fishman mini manual. Page 10 and 11 it says the mic DI out is mic level.

Yes appears from the specs on page 14 of the manual that the Mix D.I out on the Fishman LB Mini is a "mic level" 600ohm output.

However it does say it is "post EQ" (theoretically) it should be the same signal that is going to the Mini speaker ?,,so any difference in sound, might be only the inherent difference in the specific characteristics of the Mini speaker sound itself, vs the speaker in the Yamaha, and that may or may not be, an actual detriment. One could simply fill in for the other, in a complimentary sound. I would would try it but definitely plug it into the mic input on the Yamaha

Nick84 · #13 05-02-2021, 01:48 PM

Just to update everyone - I played a gig outdoors this afternoon using guitar and vocals into the loudbox mini with a direct out to the Yamaha DB12.

I set it to mic, and I got the same sound through the Yamaha speaker on the pole as I did coming though the Loudbox mini.

Really please with how this set up worked and it streamlined my rig a lot with only two trips from the car.

I’ll be using this set up again in future.

leew3 · #14 05-02-2021, 04:03 PM

Our duo does this a lot with the LB Artist into a powered speaker and have had great success as well. Glad it worked well for you too.

Paleolith54 · #15 05-03-2021, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick84

Just to update everyone - I played a gig outdoors this afternoon using guitar and vocals into the loudbox mini with a direct out to the Yamaha DB12.

I set it to mic, and I got the same sound through the Yamaha speaker on the pole as I did coming though the Loudbox mini.

Really please with how this set up worked and it streamlined my rig a lot with only two trips from the car.

I’ll be using this set up again in future.

Thanks for the update, I learned something. I must have been doing something wrong when I tried it out, as the real deal-breaker for me was getting a different sound from the line out than from the internal speaker.