32FX capable of L C R mixing?

[simplicity]

Hey all, I am stumped and need a push in any direction.. At Church we have a 32FX and we're looking at changing our speaker placement and I'd love to go to a LCR mix but I'm not sure that I can easily, remember rookie volunteers, with this board.

I'd really like to mix the band and any audio from CD or DVD in LR but when it's time for the message I'd like to mix him/them into the center alone.

I know I could use an aux send or patch to a subgroup but; that leaves me short handed with output possibilities for other situations.

Currently we have all 4 aux's used for monitoring and I'm mixing down to 3 subgroups 1. Lead Vox's 2. Instruments (piano and keyboard currently) and 4. Praise team (8 individual mics ) I could just patch the pastor mic to subgroup 3 and pay careful attention to anyone else wishing to speak during the sermon so I can get them into the center channel before they speak so they sound uniform and focused forward on the stage but then there's the rookie mixers who may not keep up???

[thenosboss]

G'day there, I run sound in a small church with a 24FX mixer.... We have L-R speakers & centre speakers which we use for sermons or any singer/talker who is centre stage......the music & other singers go to the side speakers...
This is easily done....as long as you don't want true stereo. I use the left mains out to feed the amp to the outside speakers....& the right main out to the amp for the centre speakers....works great....just pan your channel to suit if you want centre or sides.......or leave at 12 o'clock for all speakers if you want...
Brad

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[Josjor]

About the only solution that is easier on the operator that I can think of is to put ALL the vocals on one subgroup and then use that group out to the center channel. That makes all your vocals mono, but I personnaly think that's a good thing.

Or you could give me a call and buy the Crest X4 I've got for sale. It has LCR mixing capabilities.

[Peter Richter]

Brad's idea sounds good - actually I think you'll get better stereo effect for people not near the middle than a normal set up. Normally only those near the middle would benefit from the true stereo image, while as with BRad's idea, a lot more people will hear L and R tracks.

PLus you have the option of balancing how much goes to centre and outsides. I wouldn't think you'd really just want the preacher coming only out of centre as that would give less of an even sound field, meaning you'd have to turn it up more for the people at the edges to hear clearly (unless I'm picturing your set up wrongly)

[Marty McCann]

I believe some need to recognize what a True Left-Center-Right system requires.

Just because a Mixer has a Left, Right, and Mono Output does not make it a "True" Left - Center - Right system.

First of all, True Left - Center - Right Systems are designed so that each loudspeaker location can cover every seat in the venue independently.

2nd, a mixer with a true LCR Pan control will only send signal to the center loudspeaker when the pan is in the center (12 0'Clock). Some digital consoles have a scalable LCR control, that allows you to select a percentage. That is when the Pan control is centered, you may allow 10% (or some other level) to go to the left and right.

True LCR systems are usually found in theaters or churches that have a lot of dramatic or theatrical productions.

Many churches that have a center cluster only, can use the Mono output of the mixer to control the level.

It is possible to obtain a decent LCR mix using an Aux Send to the Center cluster. This way if you just want the cluster on for a given channel, you do not assign it to the left and right. If you want to position the source to Left of Center, you assign it to the left, and the amount of Aux Send you apply will control the position in the sound field. Don't understand? Never mind!