Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

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netrecce
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Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by netrecce » Wed Jul 12, 2017 8:56 pm

I have a vintage Peavey-Mark III console ('89), 12 Channel, that l'd like to use as a Stage Mixer providing 4 separate mixes to Stage Monitors from the Main A/B, and Mon A/B XLR outputs of the console. Each output then being separately EQ'd and Amp'd. Individual PFL and Monitor Volume control using the Mark III sliders on the fly is the main desire.

Question: Does the splitter box on stage need transformers?
( There are any number of different mixers that might be used for the FOH system.)

Thanks
Peavey - Mark III, 12 Ch. (1).jpg
Peavey - Mark III, 12 Ch. (1).jpg (318.3 KiB) Viewed 4218 times

Josjor
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by Josjor » Thu Jul 13, 2017 6:11 am

Maybe and maybe not. In general, transformers are highly recommended, but for years (before going digital with my rig) I used a splitter snake without transformers and never had an issue.
www.yandasmusic.com
Don't believe me. I'm just guessing.
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Dookie
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by Dookie » Thu Jul 13, 2017 7:28 am

Transformer Isolated splitter snakes are recommended but you may get by without. I'd highly recommend having the Monitor desk and the FOH desk being plugged into the same power supply/receptacle even if it means running a longer extension cord to FOH or Monitor world. The desk alone won't require much as far as power draw so this is ok in most setups.

If nothing else be sure to have a few ground lift adapters handy just in case you run into a channel that requires a lift from ground. Something like these just as an example.

http://www.fullcompass.com/prod/014813- ... 20Products

Doug

netrecce
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by netrecce » Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:04 pm

Josjor: Yeah... that's the way it feels. Maybe/Maybe Not. Maybe I worry too much... maybe not. I usually error on the side of overkill. But, this time I dunno... it's a lot of money. (And there are rental shops... Arrgh!)

Dookie: Thanks for the tip on "ground lift adapters". I'll get a few. They may even resolve some of the issues I've had with XLR LIne Out's built-into some stage amps. But, I've been pretty lucky so far. Only had one unsolvable ground loop... in a 100 year old building. I always take "All" my long power cords with me. And all my DI's are passive with ground lift switches. In addition... all my stage mic's are passive (on purpose). Still, I worry that someone will push the 48V phantom power button on the main console by accident and damage something at the stage end of the snake.

Afterthought: Could 48V Phantom power from the Main Console coming through a stage splitter (without transformers) hurt anything in the old Mark III if used as a stage mixer?

Josjor
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by Josjor » Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:16 am

I don't believe that the 48v will hurt anything. "Believe" being the key word here.

All this said, for the price of a fairly decent splitter snake, you could just get a digital main desk and use an ipad as a monitor "desk" and have less to haul around and hook up. That's the main reason I got rid of my splitter snake and monitor desk. Remote mixing (for mains and monitors) has revolutionized the way I provide sound, not just in terms of the amount of gear required to be hauled and hooked, but also in terms of the quality I can provide to the customer.
www.yandasmusic.com
Don't believe me. I'm just guessing.
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dedmeet
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by dedmeet » Fri Jul 14, 2017 10:06 am

Josjor wrote: All this said, for the price of a fairly decent splitter snake, you could just get a digital main desk and use an ipad as a monitor "desk" and have less to haul around and hook up. That's the main reason I got rid of my splitter snake and monitor desk. Remote mixing (for mains and monitors) has revolutionized the way I provide sound, not just in terms of the amount of gear required to be hauled and hooked, but also in terms of the quality I can provide to the customer.
Netrecce, Josjor nails it here. Retire that mixer to the rehearsal room and go get any of the sub-$2k digital mixers out there. It makes no $ sense to try to make a 30+ year old mixer work for this job when you can do more with far less gear nowadays. An X32 compact, a good wireless AP, and inexpensive tablet will sound better, weigh less, and give you much more features.

Josjor
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by Josjor » Fri Jul 14, 2017 6:13 pm

dedmeet wrote:
Josjor wrote: All this said, for the price of a fairly decent splitter snake, you could just get a digital main desk and use an ipad as a monitor "desk" and have less to haul around and hook up. That's the main reason I got rid of my splitter snake and monitor desk. Remote mixing (for mains and monitors) has revolutionized the way I provide sound, not just in terms of the amount of gear required to be hauled and hooked, but also in terms of the quality I can provide to the customer.
Netrecce, Josjor nails it here. Retire that mixer to the rehearsal room and go get any of the sub-$2k digital mixers out there. It makes no $ sense to try to make a 30+ year old mixer work for this job when you can do more with far less gear nowadays. An X32 compact, a good wireless AP, and inexpensive tablet will sound better, weigh less, and give you much more features.
Hell, he's only doing 16 channels with that board. You can do that with an XR18 and have two more channels to spare, all for less than $600.00. I added the little XR18 to use for smaller gigs and it has been handy as heck.

I'm anticipating Peavey's entry into this market that they announced in January. Looks promising but the details at this point are pretty scarce. It promises to be expandable if you ever need more channels. I believe the target street price is around $350.00.
https://peavey.com/news/article.cfm/act ... /883/cat/1
www.yandasmusic.com
Don't believe me. I'm just guessing.
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netrecce
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by netrecce » Fri Jul 14, 2017 9:50 pm

Josjor and Dedmeet:

Thanks guys. I appreciate your comments and know you're right about updating our gear.

At this point though, I'm just hoping to make do with the gear we've got.
(My own personal love of Mark III's not withstanding.)
8)

Stryker57
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Re: Mark III Console - as Stage Mixer?

Post by Stryker57 » Fri Jul 14, 2017 11:37 pm

i have been faithful peavey since the 80's but went with a xr18 mainly for the usb 18 channel record side of it and it really has turned out to be a solid little mixer. just get an old netgear /etc to improve the wireless . that and i really miss the enhanced reverb from my fx1 series mixer. if i could just find something close.....

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