Feedback eliminators - anyone use these?

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rickryan.com

rickryan.com

DJ Extraordinaire
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Dec 9, 2009
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www.rickryan.com
Just wondering if one of these would be worth throwing into the rack:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/184614-REG/Sabine_SM820_U_FBX_SOLO_SM820_Mic_Level.html

If it works, I'd probably just install it between my Sennheiser and the mixer. My elvis mic is great so the only issue I typically run into is cranking gain on the wireless or having a groomsman stand in front of the speaker. It's not a big issue but if any of these type boxes will actually work, it might be worth having. Your thoughts?
 
With the Driverack, I have it on all the time, especially with karaoke. Prior to that, I have used the dbx AFS, Behringer Shark, Behringer DSP1124, and the Peavey Feedback Ferret. Didn't care for the Behringer 1124 or the Peavey, but the others have saved me many a time. The Behringer Sharks are a good, cheap alternative if you want to experiment .. they are also useful for level matching, balanced/unbalanced conversion, delays and even as a mic preamp.

I've had people wave mics around like flags, walk in front of the mains, turn around on stage and face the mic into monitors, etc. Biggest challenge is when you are away from the controls to give a wireless mic to someone and while you're walking back, they then start doing ALL the things you told them not to .. cup the mic, hold it against their chest, etc. I've hooked up systems without the feedback reducers and have had to run to the board to turn down the faders.

Even when at the board, if one doesn't have time to wring out a room, it's tough doing it on the fly. I just reset the live filters on the dbx occasionally to minimize loss, but honestly have never heard any major impact.

The Sabines are one of the best feedback reducers out there.
 
rickryan.com said:
Just wondering if one of these would be worth throwing into the rack:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/184614-REG/Sabine_SM820_U_FBX_SOLO_SM820_Mic_Level.html

If it works, I'd probably just install it between my Sennheiser and the mixer. My elvis mic is great so the only issue I typically run into is cranking gain on the wireless or having a groomsman stand in front of the speaker. It's not a big issue but if any of these type boxes will actually work, it might be worth having. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...
I solved that problem long ago by placing my speakers 8' - 10' high in the air. They can stand right under it and there is no feedback. "Ringing" out the room also will prevent feedback from happening. One last trick is for YOU to put a Microphone stand and Mic where YOU want the announcer to stand, this way they don't wander over in front of your speakers.
 
I stand directly in front of my speakers quite often while on the mic, as do guests. I hardly ever get feedback. I don't use any form of a Driverack, Noise Suppressor or even an EQ (that's correct, I don't use an EQ). Like Houston, I raise my speakers high to get the horn above most peoples heads and just never have to deal with feedback. In addition to proper speaker placement, the proper setting of gain structure has a lot to do with eliminating feedback. Treat the desease, not the syptoms.
 
I agree that if YOU are in control or if you have professionals that understand how things work, you can eliminate the feedback sources. The problem is the not so professionals .. especially drunk karaoke'ers. getting the mics BEHIND the speakers helps, but in the room I do karaoke, the speakers need to be behind the singers and the ceiling height doesn't allow much more than a foot or so above the singers. And with some of them pulling the mic out of the stand and swinging it like a lasso or shaking it like a maraca, it's either constant vigilance riding the mute and fader or getting a little help from the feedback reducer.

It's not the DJing, it's the live sound, karaoke and speaking engagements with clueless folks that are the issue.
 
DJ Wes said:
I don't use any form of a Driverack, Noise Suppressor or even an EQ (that's correct, I don't use an EQ).
Click to expand...

Well then you must not be a REAL DJ, eh? ;)

Hey, did you hear the TN ADJA dis-banded? Just spoke to Brent Cantrell today and he says they're doing a new association and they're meeting in.....gulp.....Cookeville.
 
Is Brent related to Blu ? o_O
 
DriverackPA in one system. The other, just adjust receiver and volume works for me. I have my speakers at head height, too.
 
I have to clarify , when I said that's my speaker are at 8 to 10 feet up in the air, what I mean by this is, that the bottom of the speaker is 8 to 10 feet up in the air. In other words, it's much higher than head level.
 
I use a Sabine FBX 2400. No excuse for feedback, EVER. The Sabine is the real deal.

Best,

Paul
 
I use a Behringer EQ with a Feedback Detector.
I place my wireless in harms way and turn up the gain until it starts to squeal...
and the EQ lights up the offending frequencies.
Feedback eliminators work, but usually by cutting out more frequencies than necessary,
which affects your sound.
 
Ausumm said:
Feedback eliminators work, but usually by cutting out more frequencies than necessary, which affects your sound.
Click to expand...

All I want is no feedback when the idiot best man/moh take the wireless and stand in front of my speakers to do their toast. I could care less about the tone of their voice.
 
rickryan.com said:
All I want is no feedback when the idiot best man/moh take the wireless and stand in front of my speakers to do their toast. I could care less about the tone of their voice.
Click to expand...

I was referring to how it affects the tone of the music, not the voices.
With the EQ, I do not eliminate any more of the music than I have to.
 
Ausumm said:
I was referring to how it affects the tone of the music, not the voices.
With the EQ, I do not eliminate any more of the music than I have to.
Click to expand...

I would only put it on my wireless mic. NO WAY would I strap it across the main output of the mixer.
 
In general, as long as you use them properly, a good feedback eliminator will do LESS harm to music/voice than a graphic or parametric EQ will, primarily because the isolated frequency band is so narrow. With a quality PEQ and enough time to wring out a room, you can do a similar job for issues that the room affects, but one still has to handle the on-the-fly issues that the singers/speakers create, and that's where the feedback reducers help.

So, Rick, tying it just to the mics is the proper way to do it, either as an insert or off of a group buss if your mixer supports it. With a Driverack, it needs to go on the mixer output, so you need to be more vigilant in keeping it clear (I clear the filters every 10-30 min depending on how many wahoos are using the mic) to minimize the amount of material loss.

If I had to recommend based on experience, I would pick from the dbx AFS or Sabine units, or the Behringer Shark if you want to just experiment.
 
steve149 said:
In general, as long as you use them properly, a good feedback eliminator will do LESS harm to music/voice than a graphic or parametric EQ will, primarily because the isolated frequency band is so narrow. With a quality PEQ and enough time to wring out a room, you can do a similar job for issues that the room affects, but one still has to handle the on-the-fly issues that the singers/speakers create, and that's where the feedback reducers help.

So, Rick, tying it just to the mics is the proper way to do it, either as an insert or off of a group buss if your mixer supports it. With a Driverack, it needs to go on the mixer output, so you need to be more vigilant in keeping it clear (I clear the filters every 10-30 min depending on how many wahoos are using the mic) to minimize the amount of material loss.

If I had to recommend based on experience, I would pick from the dbx AFS or Sabine units, or the Behringer Shark if you want to just experiment.
Click to expand...

I'm looking at the Sabine units. They seem to actually work from the reviews I've read. I'm running balanced 1/4" from the Sennheiser to the mixer so I'll probably get a 1/4" eliminator and put it in-line between the receiver and mixer.
 
rickryan.com said:
All I want is no feedback when the idiot best man/moh take the wireless and stand in front of my speakers to do their toast. I could care less about the tone of their voice.
Click to expand...

You might want to consider introducing the toasters while standing next to the B&G table. That brings the BM/MOH to the table and you wont have to worry about feedback and the photog will be able to get some nice pics of the Best Man/MOH toasting the Bride and or Groom
 
Just so everyone is on the same page, a feedback reducer, or at least the good ones, don't eliminate anything unless feedback occurs, so if you've wrung things out properly and set up speakers properly and use proper mic technique .. they won't ever kick in. They're a safety net .. there for the times when things don't go right and you're 100' away from the board. And feedback always happens just after you've told someone what not to do ..
 
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