Community DXP4800 Processor and M12 Monitor
By Mark Amundson
Community Professional Loudspeakers has a long history of creating innovative products for touring and install audio applications. In this latest era, both the DXP4800 Digital System Controller and M12 tour-grade stage monitor are proof that innovation is not the exclusive province of large multi-brand corporations. I received both the DXP4800 and the M12 for this road test review. The Gear–DXP4800
The Community DXP4800 is a 4-in/8-out speaker processor that is flexible in application and value priced. Starting with a one-rackspace, 8-inch depth chassis, the designers put in 32-bit DSPs and 24-bit ADCs and DACs running at 48k or 96k sample rates. Then the basics were added, with 12 XLR jacks, a D-9 RS-232 connector, an on/off switch and an IEC jack on the rear panel. The front panel is all business, with rotary thumb wheel and system keys for menu control, cursor control, enter/sys/speed and exit. The four input channels and eight output channels each received two backlit pushbuttons for channel select (green backlight) and mute (red backlight). And the 12 channels each have five LED bargraphs for -42dB (signal present), -12dB, -6dB, -3dB and over/limit indications.
Like many speaker processors, it takes a little familiarization time to get the hang of the graphical user interface. However, a quick read of the manual and a bit of hands-on time, and I was quickly competent on the DXP4800. I loved the "copy" system function on the DXP4800 channels, so that once I polished a bi-amp monitor mix, I could "paste" the LF and HF channels three more times quickly to get a quad bi-amp system going. Another power feature was the channel linking, so that the chosen channel is selected and held while other channels are tapped to change same parameters at the same time. A word of caution: If you paste channels, make sure to edit the channel routings afterwards, or you will have four clone mixes from input channel one.
Each input and output channel has a common menu for Gain (gain, polarity, delay), Parametric EQs (six bands each with frequency, gain, Q) and channel name.
The output channels additionally get crossover/shelving menus (on/off, filter type, dB/octave) for upper and lower
frequencies, and limiter (threshold, release time and attack ratio (from release time). The input channel LEDs are referenced to +20dBu, but the output channels are referenced to the limiter threshold.
The Gear–M12 Touring Stage Monitor
When I received the M12 wedge and unboxed it, I was surprised a bit at its Tuf-Coat exterior finish and glass/composite construction. The bottom of the M12 is also molded to contain the jackplate, passive/bi-amp switch and handgrip features. The M12 bottom looked more like my kitchen roasting oven than a wedge. But the bottom is all deception, as that Tuf-Coat package formed the complete cabinet, from the curvaceous exterior to the 90- by 40-degree horn that attached the B&C 2-inch throat HF driver. (The asymmetrical horn pattern is unusual and worth a mention. The M12's asymmetrical horn pattern has a horizontal dispersion of 90 degrees at the top and 40 degrees at the bottom–allowing full range output close-up or horizontally at a distance–and the vertical is 70 degrees.)
Under the "boot-proof" flat black epoxy-over-stainless-steel grille also resides a custom Community 12-inch LF driver with 750-watt program power rating and a very nice 99dB SPL at one-watt, one-meter sensitivity. The HF driver has a 106dB SPL sensitivity with a 160-watt program power rating. In passive mode, the internal 1.6kHz crossover handles everything for a 80Hz to 15kHz (+/-3dB) frequency response. In bi-amp mode, you can stay with the 1600Hz crossover point, or move on down to 1200Hz with 24dB per octave shelving filters and feel comfortable of not blowing the HF driver.
The Gigs in Action
To be fair in handling the Community M12 wedge, I first did my due diligence on the DXP4800 and integrated it with my amp rack, and patched out my venerable TDM 24CX4 quad crossover with the DXP4800. I then did my stumbling on my baseline EV Xw12 wedges and used both EV presets plus my pink noise/RTA equipment to tweak in a custom preset. The process proved easier than planned, and I had a great time-corrected and flattened mix that sounded beautiful through vocal mics and CD tracks.
In turning my attention to the Community M12 wedge, I asked for and received the factory bi-amp tunings. I was shocked twice in that the HF split required nil for parametric settings, and the RTA metering provided me bonafide proof that the HF truly was flat from 1600Hz to nearly 15kHz. A couple of LF bumps at 88Hz and 1000Hz, and I had a jaw-dropping great bi-amp mix coming from the M12.
Both in the shop and out in the clubs, the M12 got the full torture test. This M12 features a medium 56-pound weight with a low-profile 21.5- by 20.75- by 10.5-inch set of dimensions. With low deck stages, the M12 can let you show off your footwear; so it should be a hit in video shoots and television production studios. After all my education with the DXP4800, the M12 sounded perfect in almost every way onstage. In the shop I did futz with the 1000Hz parametric EQ setting because my ears liked a bit less mids than the RTA had shown in flatness. My feedback suppression circuits pretty much had a vacation on the M12, as the perfect combination of HF detail with no presence spikes worked well with both cardioid and hyper-cardioid vocal microphones.
In my search for "cons" on the DXP4800 and M12 gear, the only M12 niggle I could dig up was the hidden carry handle underneath the wedge. I tend to be a grab-and-go roadie, so that the obvious dearth of upside handles and the hidden Speakon connections make life a few seconds longer in the stooped over mode. But other than that, the M12 was visually and audibly sweet.
The DXP4800 is the perfect blue-collar speaker processor and should attract many loyal users. The plain logo-less brushed black front panel and middle-of-the-road user interface is the only potential marketing problem I could cite. Most of the DXP4800 competitors are going to out-do the DXP4800 on cosmetics, but charge a premium in price for doing so. My feeling is, "just buy it, use it and let the pro-audio fashion police keep flapping their pie holes at it."
What it is: Tour-grade monitor wedge (M12) and an underdog digital speaker processor (DXP4800)
Who it's for: Serious sound companies that know good stuff by hearing it, not for the logos on it
Pros: (DXP4800) Clean sounding, flexible, great value; (M12) Rugged, great sounding, low profile
Cons: (DXP4800) Logo-less; (M12) Hidden handles
How much: DXP4800 MSRP $2,325, M12 MSRP $2,330
MIPRO MI-808 Wireless Personal Monitoring System
By Bill Evans
While the increasing use of personal monitoring systems has made life easier for many FOH engineers by cleaning up stage volume, it has actually made things more complicated for those of us who mix monitors regularly. Once upon a time, the only wireless was a mic for the LV and maybe a beltpack for the guitar player, and monitor guys didn't really worry much about it. Hell, sometimes backing players even shared monitor mixes. Having more than, say, four mixes going was exclusively the territory of the big touring guys.
These days it is not unusual for me to go out on a local festival gig and be asked to take care of half a dozen-plus mixes with everyone on wireless PMs. So I not only get to deal with "issues" about the mix (which are much more intense with PMs, BTW), but also get those looks we all love from the stage if someone experiences the dreaded wireless dropout. To avoid those, the wireless units at the other end of the snake went to true-diversity systems in pro models, but the receivers for PMs remained single-antenna deals. Until now.
For anyone needing a refresher, true diversity means that the receiver unit houses two receivers with an antenna for each, and a kind of electronic traffic cop monitors the signal hitting each receiver, automatically switching between them to keep the strongest signal as the active one. (Another scheme, called antenna diversity, uses one receiver with two antennas, and the strongest signal gets sent to the receiver.) Perhaps because with PMs, the transmitter is stationary and the receiver is in motion‚ the opposite of wireless mic and instrument systems–it may have been a case of engineers and marketing types figuring there was no reason for diversity. After all, your car radio is basically the same deal, and it does not need two antennas or receivers.
The MI-808 from MIPRO has gone against that conventional wisdom, and it does make a difference.
I will admit that when I was asked to check out one of these units I was not that enthusiastic, looking at them as one more Asian knockoff. I was wrong. The MI 808 is a real contender.
The Gear
Housed in a metal half-rack unit, the transmitter can be switched between 16 pre-programmed frequencies in the UHF range, and you get the typical green-backed LCD readout with four "directional" switches for navigating menus for set-up. Input is balanced stereo on either TRS or XLR connectors. There is a headphone jack on the front, which is handy for doing a quick check of the mix at the transmitter for troubleshooting.
The receiver has a pair of wire antennas hanging from it that are not removable but are very flexible. The volume control is mounted on the face and sticks out partially over the edge of the box, making for easy "grab-and-go" stage adjustments. While the MI-808 lacks the "no-brainer" frequency-synching between transmitter and receiver that is becoming fairly common, setting the frequency of the receiver to match the transmitter is a simple thing, and the controls are out of the way, so the possibility of a performer accidentally screwing 'em up is minimal.
The unit we received came with a couple of different ear-piece sets that, truthfully, never got used. I have a bunch of high-end PMs available from Future Sonic, Shure and Westone and used those instead.
The Gigs
First shot was in a rehearsal situation where I play and run PMs and a couple of wedges at the same time (the Hearback System makes that a lot easier). As is the norm for me anyway, I found myself unpacking the MI-808 from the box just minutes before downbeat. I usually make everyone go wired in rehearsals, so this was an added complication that ended up being not so complicated after all. I literally took two minutes to set it up. Outs from the Hearback mixer went via TRS to the MI-808, and as it was the only wireless in use that night, I just went with the factory #1 setting and got to work.
No dropouts, easy to set up. I did notice some hum, but it was minor and easily ignored. The real test came a week later at an actual gig. There were three wireless units being used for PMs on this gig, with the rest of the band on wired PMs or wedges. Maybe I just got lucky, but there was no conflict between any of the wireless units over frequency right out of the box. The first thing I noticed was that the hum I had heard earlier was gone, which means it is in my rehearsal system and not the MI-808. That sucks for me, but speaks well for the MI-808.
The best thing you can say about a wireless PM unit is that it is quiet, and once set up, you don't even realize it is there, which was very much the case here. The other two units were of a more noted pedigree than the MI-808–one priced a little less and one more expensive than the MIPRO. The cheapest unit failed completely, and the backup singer using it had to go wired after just a few songs (always have a wired backup handy…); the pro unit suffered from quite a few dropouts, while the MI-808 worked flawlessly for nearly three hours.
Bottom Line
The combination of the MIPRO brand and the "MI" part of the model number here may lead you to think that this is a cheap, entry-level wireless, but it ain't so. It worked better than the MI unit with the better-known name and as well as the pro unit you see on many a major tour. My only real complaint is that putting batteries into the receiver is a bit of a pain. The spring-loaded blocks that hold the two AA batteries in place may have looked good on paper, but they take some getting used to and could pose a challenge when trying to change out batteries on a dark stage or dim Monitor Beach. But, to be fair, the batteries are not going anywhere once in. Not all AA batteries are exactly the same size and this arrangement guarantees a tight fit.
Yes, there are strong feelings on both sides of the "offshore" manufacturing issue and, yes, there seem to be several new Asian manufacturers appearing at every trade show and most of them are putting out crap. Not so with MIPRO. This is one case where it is well worth getting over any off-shore qualms and checking the performance of the MI-808 out for yourself. I know it is on the short list for me next time I am shopping for wireless PM units.
What it is: True diversity transmitter/receiver for personal monitor systems
Who it's for: Soundcos, operators and musicians who hate dropouts
Pros: Easy to use and set up, good sound, no dropouts
Cons: Replacing batteries is a pain
How Much: MI-808T/MI808R MSRP $1,390
PAS SW-2.2P
By Jamie Rio
I am a big fan of self-powered stage monitors. I use them regularly myself, and it has been my experience that they handle multiple monitor issues all in one package. You've got your amplifiers (they're generally bi-amped), electronic crossover network and signal processing all in one monitor box. And if your particular monitors are packing enough horsepower (watts), you're good to go in about any situation. PAS obviously understands this concept, because they have packed a lot of power, features and technology into their SW-2.2P powered monitors.
The Equipment
Let's take a look at what PAS has put in their monitor. We start with a 15-inch coaxial loudspeaker, sporting a 4-inch voice coil and Kevlar reinforced cone, tipping the scales at a mere 4 ohms. The horn features a 3-inch titanium diaphragm and a 2-inch compression driver. You get all this for just 8 ohms. A class D, two-channel power amp (remember, bi-amped) drives this speaker and horn, and pumps 500 watts into the low frequencies and 110 watts into the high frequencies. There is an on-board Digital Signal Processor with two factory-preset programs. The power amp (besides being beefy) has lots of protection. You get thermal and over-current protection plus high frequency protection. PAS obviously practices safe sound. Besides all the protection, you can switch your main input power to run at 110 volts or 230 volts. And there is a groovy Neutrik AC connector. The DSP features an NC3FP connector. I really have no idea what this is for. Unfortunately, I did not receive an owner's manual with the monitors, so I just overlooked this input. Whatever this connector controls, not using it didn't have any adverse affect on the sound of the monitors. The DSP section also incorporates the electronic crossover and the PAS time offset correction feature. If you are unfamiliar with this type of feature, it makes everything sound better by delivering all the reproduced frequencies to your ears at the same time. There is an input level control to increase or decrease your listening pleasure. Plus LEDs to indicate signal present, power on, protection engaged and clipping. A low-frequency roll-off (80Hz) button is mounted next to the balanced ins and outs. PAS also gives you a mute button (just for fun).
All this power and technology is wrapped up in a 15mm Baltic birch plywood box, covered in a black textured acrylic, with a gray powder-coated 16-gauge grille, weighing in at 72 pounds.
The Gigs
No matter how awesome the spec sheet reads or how cool the performance graphs are, it all really boils down to what the gear will do at a live show. So off I went to my next gig, with the PAS monitors in tow. I was supplying sound for a seven-piece Latin band with a single frontman/lead singer.
I decided to use the PAS monitors for the lead guy, so I placed them according. I think I failed to mention that I took the monitors out of their shipping box at the gig. So I really didn't know what I had until I was ready to use them. Now you can see why not having an owner's manual was a bit
of a shock. Normally I'll just set up whatever monitors I have, but the PAS monitors have a few tricks that needed explaining. At any rate, I got over it, and I soon had things up and running. The bottom line with these monitors is they are clean and loud. The lead singer could hear himself and the rest of the band and was generally happy. That is pretty much as good as it gets when it comes to monitors. My main goal is to make the musicians and performers happy. If
the equipment I am using helps me in this endeavor, then life is good.
Off I went to the next show and a totally different application. I was contracted to supply sound at a high school gym for the comedian Gallagher. Obviously, the monitor mix was very simple. In fact, I only used one of the PAS powered monitors. I also had to cover the equipment in plastic, as Gallagher is known for his "sledge-o-matic" routine, where he pulverizes everything from cakes iced with mustard to watermelons. Even with the plastic covering and positioned a distance from the food bombardment, the monitors sounded good and loud.
Loud enough so I probably could have used them as mains. By the way, they can be mounted on a tripod and would probably serve well in a conference/seminar setting or for music dispersion.
What it is: Self-powered stage monitor
Who it's for: Musicians, sound companies, churches, etc.
Pros: High-powered, rock solid construction
Cons: The finish could be tougher; it scratches off too easily
How Much: MSRP $2,746
