[KABMGMT]

Hi guys (and gals)! I am new here. Maybe someday I can give advice - that'll be a long way off! Here's the situation:

I am a newly drafted “church sound guy” in Southern California. I need some "fatherly advice" from some of you PROS! I need some suggestions with Live Sound / DAW Recording in a church setting. Let me have it - I am not a crybaby! I am computer GURU - however I am a new recruit at sound - but I have had my eyes "open" - I want to learn...

Here’s the situation. I have inherited the following setup: a Mackie CR1604-VLZ Analog Mixer. Through a 100’ snake there are 6 cheap MICS connected: (lead guitar vocal, rhythm guitar vocal, 3 singers) (these Mics I saw at MusiciansFriend – like 3 for $129 like the entry-level Shure PG58 Dynamic Microphone 3-Pack), Instruments: Lead Guitar Direct Box, Rhythm Guitar Direct Box, Bass Direct Box, and Keyboard.

The snake also takes the MAIN outputs and AUX outputs back to the stage area where there are 2 AMPS in an SKB case: a simple Low-Watt Mackie Amplifier for a few stage Monitors and a similar-value Peavey PV-1500 amplifier for the main speakers.

INPUT NEEDED HERE >>>---> We have a couple pieces of equipment not yet utilized: a Behringer 8024 Ultra Curve PRO, a Behringer MULTICOM PRO-XL MDX4600 but I have yet to incorporate them into the setup and would like some suggestions (clear ABC suggestions) as to their hookup – and their system value…

TODAY'S ISSUE: For the recording of the churches' Sunday message I have been routing the main Mackie Mix from the AUX #3 & #4 into a MOTU MKII 828 Firewire unit so as to bring the best possible audio into a PC running Windows XP Pro where I have captured the audio with Sony Sound Forge 7.0 and/or a simple Freeware Audacity program. In both cases I clean up the audio (post recording) using Sony Sound Forge and then burn weekly CDs.

There are a number of issues - but I can filter my concerns down to 3 questions! Last week the MOTU went “south” and is no longer functional. While that is being addressed, I replaced it with an inexpensive $200 M-Audio Fast Track PRO to supply the computer a clean signal via USB. Since the M-Audio is really new to me – I am capturing the feed with the very simple and straight-forward Audacity software.

Today I noticed that the “key signal” (the pastor's message captured by the "best" of one of the cheap mics) coming into the Mackie mixer (via Input #1) was distorted. I was monitoring the signal through the M-Audio headphone jack for recording purposes (via the Mackie CR-1604’s AUX SEND signal). In order to get sufficient-enough signal at the M-Audio box I was needing the Mackie's Input #1 trimmer set at significant +Db at 3 PM! Unity for the trimmer pot is 180-degree left at 9 AM.

As background information, - - - even without worrying about recording - - - it is necessary to keep this pot at 12 NOON for the main house AMPS to give us a decent house audio level. When I was experimenting today with the M-Audio to ATTEMPT to get a “clean” signal – I was unable to do get a non-distorted signal UNLESS the trimmer was at “U” (unity). When the Mackie Mixer’s Line #1 Trimmer is set straight UP or 90-Degrees right (12 noon to 3 pm) there is notable distortion on headphones - not so much in the noisy "house environment.". I checked the other mics too. Similar situation.

Main questions???

1) Would better MICS send more signal through the snake to the Mackie so that the trim could be set at the 9 AM “U” (unity) setting?

2) With the current MICS - - - or even with better MICS - - - are MIC Pre-Amps a good idea?

3) If Pre-Amps are a "good idea," are the mic pre-amps set up at the audio desk between the snake and the Mackie Mixer inputs? Why the question? I have seen Pre-Amps set-up at the recording booth in a studio situation - BUT - I have ALSO SEEN them on the floor (on-stage) as if being used as a "Direct-Box."

Thank you! I hope that these are not TOO STUPID of questions for this forum...