External EQ with a PA

[Clilley13]

I currently have a PA with a mixer, amp, 150w speakers and a Equalizer. I'm wondering if its a good idea to run the Mixer to the equalizer. Does anyone do this? Is it a good idea or not?
Heres some pics of what I have.

IMG_1517.jpg IMG_1518.jpg IMG_5742.jpg

[mdcdesign]

Wow @ that mixer.

Bottom right corner; sound effect - "Cow Bell".

Yeah, where possible I always like to have some form of EQ adjustment between my mixer/controller and the PA. The reason for this is simple; YOU know how the music is supposed to sound, and a "flat" signal might not always sound best in that particular venue. It's far better to have a single point of adjustment rather than constantly having to remember to have the EQ knobs on your mixer/controller anywhere other than the centre when a track is playing by itself.

Typically I plug into a studio mixer (if it's there), or bring my own DJ mixer and plug into a single channel on the house's own DJ mixer. I'll then spend about 30 minutes walking around the venue making sure everything sounds okay in different areas, making adjustments, checking and rechecking etc. I then typically adjust the sound as the room fills up with people and the acoustics change. Trips to the toilet/outside for a ciggy are good for this.

[SirReal]

Generally an eq like that is used to tune the speakers to the space using pink noise and a real time analyzer.

[padi_04]

^This

Signal path is: Mixer > EQ > PA

[muldrez]

Generally an eq like that is used to tune the speakers to the space using pink noise and a real time analyzer.

I know this is a bit pedantic, and possibly not applicable to your average DJ gigging with his own kit, but just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents as someone who tunes speaker systems for a living

To be honest, a 15 band graphic EQ is not the correct tool to make EQ adjustments to a room. The frequency bands are far to wide to be of any practical use, and any adjustments introduces unnecessary phasing across the frequency spectrum. A multi-band parametric EQ with adjustable Q settings is what is required for system tuning.

A 15 band EQ isn't really much use for anything, except maybe ringing out stage monitors for a band to prevent feedback, but even then a 31 band EQ would be preferable, or better yet, another parametric EQ.

Also, when using pink noise to tune a system, and RTA is not the correct tool either. It is good for detecting feed back frequencies which need to be cut (not a problem for a DJ, as there are generally no open microphones to create feedback), but for room tuning a dual FFT analyser is required. This compares a the speakers response in the room to the original audio source, and is preferable to an RTA for many technical reasons which I won't go into here.

Parametric EQ's and FFT analysers are far beyond the budget of most DJ's, and by all means, if you feel that the highs are lacking or the mids are too boomy in a room, use you 15 band EQ to make adjustments, but be aware that it is not the correct tool for the job, and too much adjustment is likely to do far more damage to the sound than any benefits that it might bring.

[SirReal]

You are absolutely correct if you're talking about modern day equipment but look at the age of the gear he posted. Before you had digital multiband parametric eq's, 1/3rd octave eq's were used to tune rooms.