Managing Audio for Breeze Live Events with Local and Remote Presenters

Equipment List

The components I recommend represent what I believe to be the best quality/value ratio in their class. Together, they form a flexible and dependable audio kit that ensures quality sound for your events. If reducing the budget is a priority, you can easily replace the wireless microphones with similar hard-wired, handheld microphones (for about 60% savings) without affecting audio quality. The sample files linked from the beginning of the article include a list of the equipment with prices you can expect to pay.

Required Materials

• One 4-channel mixer (MACKIE DFX6)
• 2 self-powered PA speakers (YAMAHA MSR 100 or JBL EON-10" G2) with stands
• 2 wireless microphones with both receiver and transmitter capability and the handheld microphone option (Sennheiser EW135 G2). If you need to reduce costs and don't need wireless, you can replace these with a wired Microphone-Sennheiser E835.
• 2 microphone stands. These should be of the boom variety for the greatest flexibility of use.
• 1 pair of headphones (Senneheiser HD202)
• 1 MP3 player or CD Walkman (optional)
• Power strips and Extension cables as needed

Specialty Cables

You can order these from HAVE,Inc. (www.haveinc.com)

• One 5' blue XLRm to 1/8" cable (connects incoming Breeze audio to mixer input)
• One 5' green XLRf to mini 1/8" cable (connects mixer output to outgoing Breeze audio)
• One 1' XLR 40dB attenuator cable (ATC) (for use between mixer output and green XLRf when converting from line to mic level) You can buy the attenuator cable from www.posthorn.com.
• One 1/8" mini-to-dual RCA with 2 RCA to 1/4" adaptors (for the MP3 device)
• 1 black XLR to mini 1/8" cable to use with a built-in, house public address (PA) system
• One 25' and 50' XLR cables for self-powered speakers

A Note About Microphones

The choice of wireless audio system is one of the most important components in ensuring quality sound. In my experience with Breeze Live events, the Sennheiser ew100 and the newer G2 systems have worked wonderfully. The handheld dynamic microphone has given the best results in Breeze applications where a PA system is used to amplify the presenters (local and remote) for a local audience.

Use handheld microphones because presenters can carry it or place it in a stand, keeping the program flowing more smoothly; presenters can quickly hand the microphone to the next presenter or even to audience members.

The microphones should be dynamic (instead of condenser) because it has a very short pick-up range (unlike many lavalier microphones). This makes it less prone to feedback.

A Note About Self-Powered Speakers

An increasingly popular solution for a self-contained PA system is to use a pair of self-powered speakers. You can connect the first speaker directly to the Right Main Output of the mixer using a 25' XLR cable. Then, connect the second speaker (output of one to the input of the other via 50' XLR) in series. Each speaker has its own volume control as well as a MIC/LINE switch (set it to line) to ensure proper level control and minimization of line noise.

Two speakers will suffice for most situations. If the audience numbers grow beyond 150, or if the distance to the back row from the presenters is more than 80 feet, it may be necessary to add one or more additional speakers to fill out the sound for those audience members at the back of the room. Often, you can rent these speakers at local audio/visual (A/V) and musical equipment stores.

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