Loudspeaker Management System

Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:40 am

Can anyone tell me or have a link that describes what a Loudspeaker Management System is? I have searched all over and only come up with sales info which doesn't help. I even called some big name sellers in pro audio and they don't have a clue, the help just tells me whats on the spec sheets. How do these work, for example some are 2 into 6 or 2 inputs and 6 outputs, can one use the cross over for each output, are these used before amps, etc.

Thanks

Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 11:12 am

Some are 2 into 6, some are 2 into 4, others are 2 in / 8 out.
Older ones, like D1030's are one in / 3 out.
Yes, these are used before amps.

The newer production models (XTA, BSS, DBX) can be loaded with speaker manufacturers' proprietary presets (crossover points / delay / eq'ing) - ensuring that the cabinets are operating to their engineered specifications.

Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:06 am

In the old days, people like Clair Bros, ShowCo and Meyer had rackmount analog units providing their specific compression, limiting, EQ, crossover and band pass filtering. Then someone, can't remember who, started working on the digital version of these things. Then in true form everyone else got on the DSP bandwagon.

While some of these like the dbx are owned by Harmon, and do come with some presets for JBL and Crown, some of the crossover points are not exact and the slopes too corse.

Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2008 12:14 am

Exactly - reading your post I got to thinking of the older style Xovers that took the IC chips (At Disney we had a ton, and they probably still do - still unopened (I never threw them away)) of those chips in a Vidmar. Lots of the old EV ones...

You could swap the chips in the sockets (LF - MF - HF), dependant on the cabs you were using...

Ahhh, the good ol' days....

This topic sponsored by: