Managing Audio for Breeze Live Events with Local and Remote Presenters

Getting Ready for the Breeze Live Event

The Week Before the Breeze Event

Be sure to plan ahead, especially if it is your first Breeze event at a location. One of the first things to figure out is whether or not your presentation room has a built-in audio/PA system, or if you must build one from scratch. I address both scenarios.

If you use a room that has a built-in PA system, I recommend having a conversation with the A/V manager several days before your event to discuss the following:

• The type of audio input required to match (1/8", 1/4", RCA, XLR), and the signal level needed (mic or line).
• The location of the built-in speakers. One potential problem with built-in PA systems is that speakers are often mounted in the ceiling directly above the location of the presenters who will be speaking. This makes feedback and echo a potentially serious problem. If possible, have the A/V person turn off overhead speakers that are near the presentation stage/podium. If this is not possible, you consider building your PA system from scratch.
• Finally, confirm that the A/V person is available at least for set up and testing on the day of your event.

If you bring your own PA system, read the equipment list referenced earlier in the article and make sure you have all the components you need. Generally, in the world of audio, the less you rely on someone else's system, the better. Not only are you familiar with your equipment, you can configure it the way you want.

The Day of the Event

Where to Put the Breeze Audio Station

Usually the audio mixer sets up in the audience so he/she can hear what the audience hears. However, a vocal or visual check with audience members before and during the event can help ensure volume and quality of room audio. This allows the Breeze operator to set up and control the main mixer from the presentation table beside the Breeze computer.

Setting Up

Note: Be sure to connect all components before turning them on.

1. Lay out the components (4 channel mixers, 2 wireless microphone receivers, and an MP3 player or CD walkman), placing the desktop mixer closest to the Breeze operator. Plug in their power cables without turning on the power for each of the units.
2. Place the 2 wireless handheld microphones and the PA speakers on their stands, leaving the mics near the Breeze presentation table.
3. Place the speakers at the edges of the room just ahead of the presentation table, facing the audience.
4. If you use self-powered speakers, plug in the speakers' power cords, but do turn on the power for them.
5. Using a 20' XLR cable, connect the Left Main output of the Mixer to the closer of the 2 speakers, making sure that the volume adjustment is turned down to 0.
6. Run a 50' or longer XLR cable from the first to the second speaker, checking that the volume is down on this unit as well.

7. If you are using an in-house PA, first find out where the audio input and volume control are for the unit. Set the master volume levels before the event, then control the individual audio levels during the event through the desktop mixer.

   The challenge is to figure out what type of interface (XLR, MiniPlug, 1/4", or RCA) and signal level is needed. Again, the A/V person should be available for set up and testing on the day of your event.

   Here's a useful example: You find yourself in a conference room with a 1/8" MiniPlug input on the podium used for laptop presentations. Simply connect the mixer's Main Left output using the green XLR(f) to 1/8" MiniPlug(m) cables and using the 40dB attenuator to transform the line level signal to mic level if necessary.

8. Connect the XLR output from the wireless microphone receiver A to the channel 1 (XLR) input on the mixer, and connect receiver B to channel 2 input. Be sure the volume and mic. gain for each of these channels is dialed down to zero.

9. Next, begin connecting the desktop mixer to the Breeze computer. From the Right Main output (XLR) of the desktop mixer, run the green (XLR to 1/8") cable to the Breeze computer's 1/8" mic input using an XLR to mini adaptor (HOSA XVM-101).

   Important: You may need to adjust the input to sound in versus mic in in your sound control panel on your computer, as the audio coming out of the mixer is at line level, not mic level. If your remote audience hears distortion in your transmitted audio, this could be the reason. If the audio input on your Breeze computer cannot be switched in this manner, it may be necessary to use a 40dB signal attenuator, which converts the audio signal from a line to mic level before arriving at the Breeze computer interface (a 10:1 difference in voltage).

Next, using the BLUE (1/4" to 1/4") cable and a 1/4" to 1/8" adaptor, connect the headphone/speaker output of the computer to the Channel 3 input of the desktop mixer. Make sure the computer volume is set to 70-100% of full. Adjust to meet your needs.

If you are using a music source (MP3 player, CD walkman, and so forth) for the presentation, plugged it into Channel 4 of the mixer, using the 1/8" stereo-to-dual RCA (with 1/4" 2 adaptors) cable at this time.

I recommend plugging in a pair of headphones to the mixer so that audio can be monitored more critically for troubleshooting. Make sure to begin with the headphone volume knob at 0.

Powering Up

1. Assuming the Breeze computer is started, turn on the mixer first, followed by the wireless receivers, speakers, and microphones (which may need new batteries).
2. Once you have turned everything on, you can begin bringing the volume controls up to normal operating levels. This is the first point in the event when unexpected loud sounds can destroy the relaxed working atmosphere you have so carefully created. Piping music through the system (channel 4 on the mixer) can be useful for setting initial powered speaker and mixer main output audio levels. Often, professional audio engineers will send a test tone of 1 KHz to set a reference level, but you can use music quite effectively in this regard. If you do not have music, turning on one of the microphones sufficiently helps you set the three initial volumes: Speaker, Individual Channel input level, and Main Mixer Outs.
3. Turn each of the speakers up to about 50%. Then, turn up the Main Mixer Out to about 70%.
4. Turn channel (1, 2, or 4) up until the mic signal or music can be heard at reasonably loud volume with no distortion.
5. Repeat Step 4 for all three of the channels. You will not be able to test the final channel (3) until there is audio coming in from a remote Breeze presenter. Do this well before the event is scheduled to start!

Safety

Use 2" gaffer tape to tape down all cables if audience members may step or trip over them. You can wait until all components and cables have tested successfully to do this.

Setting Up the Mixer for Dual Outputs

1. At the center of the Breeze Live audio system is a multi-channel mixer, which allows the input of four channels with independent volume control and panning for each channel. “Pan" is simply the left/right balance of each signal that is sent to each of the output channels of the mixer. Currently, the two audio output streams are identical. The Green Right Main out going to the Breeze computer and the Black Left Main out going to the self-powered speaker or in house PA system.

2. The challenge is that the local audience wants to hear the remote Breeze presenters though the PA system, but you don't want to re-broadcast that audio back into Breeze. Since the left and right channels are separated, you can differentiate which signal to send where, effectively creating a dual-output mixer. You can simply pan channel 3 (remote Breeze audio) all the way to the left, while leaving all other channels panned center. Now you have independent control over the volume in the room and the Breeze input.

   This is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of overcoming this audio challenge. Another, slightly more complicated method, is to use a more advanced mixing board and use the AUX Send to create sub mixes, which would then be routed to a separate output. The benefit of this technique is being able to send and receive stereo signals both locally and over the Breeze interface. However, this might require a professional audio engineer to successfully implement.

Testing the Breeze Connection

At this point, work in tandem with another remote Breeze operator to confirm with each other that your respective audio sounds satisfactory.

1. Set your Breeze status as presenter and test each of your audio sources in series; channels 1 and 2 are the local microphones, and channel 4 has the music feed.
2. Have the remote person type instant messages (IM) to you, to confirm that he hears you and/or music coming through the Breeze connection. You should hear the audio through your PA system as well, unless you have turned down the Left Main output of the mixer. Remember, it is the mixer's Right Main Output (green XLR cable) that is being sent to the Breeze, so channel 3 should be panned left to avoid creating a feedback loop. Channels1, 2, and 4 should be panned center.
3. Have the remote person set their status as presenter and begin speaking. Listen for their audio to come through on channel 3 of the mixer. If it is too quiet, you can fix it by turning up the computer's audio level, turning up the gain on channel 3, or turning up the master volume on the mixer's Left Main output. During reception of remote audio, turn down the other audio channels to keep the audio as pristine as possible. In other words, you want to minimize the room noise and potential feedback.

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