Monitor question

[jemmett]

My band uses EV-ZLX-12p as both our monitors and FOH at gigs where we run our own sound. We play mostly friends houses, bbqs and such. Not too much as far as bar gigs go. So we usually run our own sound.

 

Wouldn't it make the most sense to just use that same monitor as my only monitor since that is what is going FOH as well? No reason to pony up for a true FRFR like CLR right? Or am I off base? Thanks....

[DunedinDragon]

As long as the band can hear themselves well enought to blend the music together, you can hear yourself well enough, and the audience can hear everything correctly those are the only three things that matter.  If the equipment does that you don't need any more equipment.  If the equipment can't do that, you need more equipment.  It's pretty simple really.

[zooey]

Monitoring with the same speaker you're using out front seems ideal to me. Whatever frequency response oddities they have, you'll build your patches to sound good to you through them, and that's also what gets projected at the audience, win-win.

 

Obviously, the sound on stage is a different world from what's out there in audience-land, which itself is different in each part of the room, but you've removed one really big variable.

[HonestOpinion]

My band uses EV-ZLX-12p as both our monitors and FOH at gigs where we run our own sound. We play mostly friends houses, bbqs and such. Not too much as far as bar gigs go. So we usually run our own sound.

 

Wouldn't it make the most sense to just use that same monitor as my only monitor since that is what is going FOH as well? No reason to pony up for a true FRFR like CLR right? Or am I off base? Thanks....

 

If your monitors are similar to your FOH this is a great way to monitor the Helix and set up your presets. If you cannot get monitors that are the same or similar to your FOH speakers to sound good chances are you are not going to like the way your Helix is sounding through the FOH either. I would agree that an FRFR is not necessary and in fact if it is significantly different sounding than your PA speakers can actually result in you hearing quite a different sound on stage than the one being delivered to the FOH. Some people do prefer having an additional one or two monitors/FRFRs behind them to better mimic the sound of a guitar amp pushing air. Singers also sometimes prefer having a vocal monitor in front of them with less or no guitar coming out of it and a monitor(s) behind them with only guitar. This can help to keep the separation between vocals and guitar and make it easier to hear and control your voice, although if you have guitar coming out of the vocal monitor in front of you and also the guitar monitor behind this can result in some phase cancellation if you are not careful about how you angle the monitors. Again, this is just personal preference. I usually use my vocal monitor for both guitar and vocal although some gigs I bring an additional monitor for the Helix with me as well.

[DunedinDragon]

My band uses EV-ZLX-12p as both our monitors and FOH at gigs where we run our own sound. We play mostly friends houses, bbqs and such. Not too much as far as bar gigs go. So we usually run our own sound.

 

Wouldn't it make the most sense to just use that same monitor as my only monitor since that is what is going FOH as well? No reason to pony up for a true FRFR like CLR right? Or am I off base? Thanks....

 

Just to be clear the EV-ZLX-12p IS a true FRFR speaker, no different at all from the CLR.  Pretty much every powered monitor/speaker on the market would be considered to be true FRFR.

[MusicLaw]

Even when using the same powered FRFR spkr/monitor, audible differences can be significant depending on how the monitor is positioned, and acoustically couples to the floor, walls, ceiling, corner, stage, etc! Upright, sideways, pole mounted, each sound quite different. Many units have Contour controls for the bottom and top end freq. curves.

[WickedFinger]

I use a pair of 15ps for my rig and love them. Sure I could PA a small band scene but daddy likes watts, nice to have the ability if it's needed.

 

Those speakers are designed for XLR/TRS inputs by the way. Some do not know that. Big fan of EV stuff myself. Perfect speaker for the Helix I run stereo all the time and I also have a stereo wired 4x12 w high end guitar speakers I just love, I can use either or both rigs and the sound is so deep and full for sure the best tones I have ever had. I have enormous wattage capability but just because your car goes 160 does not mean you drive it that fast. 

 

Highly recommend the BBE Sonic Maximizer on the Helix or the band PA, makes a huge difference in the sound quality. I have several for my rigs in various level versions. XLR version takes the Helix main XLR outs before they get sent out to the EV 15s, an instrument level on the 1/4's before they see the power amp. I already had them from my other rigs and I prefer having them outside the Helix rather than in a loop. The best results are getting as close to the power amp section to the speakers with nothing after it. Most importantly it is not an effect, you never have the process more than 12:00, the phase correction takes place no matter where the process level is set. The only time you can tell mine are on is when they are off and you wonder why the sound is not as good as it was.