B AUDIO INTERACTIVE INS Asia Apniviey 2004 44 Fixing iC IN THE MIX sen os - the MieMinieioecon | Normally, in the audio world, the term “fixing it in the mix" describes the efforts a recording engineer goes through to conrect pitch, mix, and other problems that occur during recording. In this article, however, we will apply that term to @ concept known as mix-minus design that is used to fix Potential Acoustical Gain (PAG) problems in permanent installations. | fis Sai IMustration 1 ‘As you may recall from previous articles, the PAG of a system is the maximum gain allowed by acoustic before feedback occurs. PAG is calculated primarily by the distance relationships ofthe loudspeaker to mic, ‘mic te source, source to listener, and loudspeaker to listener. I the microphone is too far from the person ‘talking and very clase to @ loudspeaker, the potential ‘in ofthe system will be very small and generally not enough to make the user very happy. Where this becomes. ‘most evident is where the end user wants the “invisible” ‘microphones ~ usually inthe ceiling. There isn't a microphone or audio mixer manufacturer who doesn’t shudder in horror at the thought. Yet, sometimes, ‘through careful design, some people make this work very well without problems. How? {In almost all cases, this works through the use of the ‘mix-minus design. Though somewhat more complex than most overhead 70V or 1O0V distributed systems, the mix minus design can save an installation from disaster. This method must be used in conjunction with other carefully considered acoustical issues. The room should be acoustically treated — no hard walls, linoleum floors that reflect sound, no huge glass surfaces ‘or marble table tops. What IS mix-minus? Mix-minus is @ speaker/mixer design that provides a unique or different mix of microphones to each speaker in the room. All it really oes is make changes in the PAG formula by increasing, the mic to speaker distance. The speakers ae always ‘on but do not carry signal from every source in the system — only the ones that would be impossible to hear otherwise (lke distant microphones atthe other ‘end of the room or recorded materials) Look at illustration 1 — notice that microphone one is. ‘only one metre from speakers one and two, 3 metres {rom speakers 3, 6m from speaker 4 and 9m and more from speakers 5 through 7. If all loudspeakers get the ‘same mix ofall rom microphones, the following problems occur. Microphone one is going to be VERY prone to feedback in speakers one and two due to the close proximity. It will also be able to get into a regenerative oop with the speakers at 3 & 4. But once ‘you mave further down the table, the speaker/mic Interaction becomes less ofa problem,B AUDIO INTERACTIVE Iustration 2 setapplein Steet nd? ‘Reece nor Ilustration 3 ‘But what if microphone one is only mixed to loudspeakers 6 and 7? Now the mic to loudspeaker distance has improved from only one meter to 6 to 9 metres. Gain ill improve by nearly 1968! But how do we achieve this? One must use a matrixing mixer (there are several on the market), The matixing ‘mixer allows the user to assign the individual level of | each microphone toa set of outputs so that each output has @ different mix. This requites a separate amplifier for each loudspeaker or zone and a cable run from each ‘speaker to each amplifier Let’ take another look at the system, now configured _as mix minus. (See illustration 2) Microphone M1 is strongly amplified only in speakers 5, 6, 7. M1 is NOT mixed in to Speaker 1 and 2 at all and the levels ‘coming from speaker 3,4 and 5 are at moderate level | Gain has increased by 198 and the ystem i functional Of course, that means the people seated in the center of the table have little amplification to benefit them, ‘They can be helped by a lower level of amplification that wil still boost what they hear from the person. talking (plus they also hear some level from the louder ‘speakers atthe far end ofthe table). So we mix MI at lower levels into speaker 3 and 4. Now, the people are the middle benefit from some boost from the overhead ‘speakers 2s well as the direct sound fram the person || talking at M1. Remember, they are only a few metres ‘away anyway ~ they should be able to hear even if there is not amplification. INS Asia ApriMay 2004 46 crop ME smi at Se —_——_—————— 1 sed iat gh tes tiprerinsiss "3 Speatan'6 9887 kes What do we do with the person in the middle talking ‘on microphone M7? We adjust their amplification so they are louder at each end of the table but not mixed into the speaker overhead. See Illustration 3 for a ‘graphical representation of the relative levels for M7 at each overhead speaker. How do these matrixing mixers work? Most involve programming the relative level into the matrix via a | software interface. To do so, itis most easily planned with a simple spreadsheet before you begin programming. The spreadsheet shown on page 49 ilustates the initial planned levels to set in the mier. So, if we look at microphone MI, we see that its at {ull volume at Speakers S6 and $7, down 5 48 at $5, down 848 at $4, down 12d8 at $3 and completely off in the mises at speakers $1 and S2. The speakers physically farthest from any microphone will be set at FULL level while those closest will be have NO level ata fom that mic Anthereuire etr of he ting miei the abit tautmatealy mx the meroptaes. ed automatic mer wl cont the numberof een Ilrophones an ee gin ava al tone open | microphone, Tis ald he NOM function or | Number of Open Microphones) and is essential to help | tert ether mtn ne porn inn ‘aa fen rsa, of instalation woul he | required an Automatic mixer with direct outputs for | een han, eparate atone mr, mut-Bl AUDIO INTERACTIVE slelslelalelelsl= EG BE channel equaliser (one EQ for each speaker zone) and | what can you do if the room has furniture that gets ‘an amplifier for each speaker. Fortunately today, there | moved around? This is very difficult to sole. If the ‘are many options for a DSP-based automatic mixer that | microphones are moving around the room, then the will effectively complete al the functions except mix minus zones have tobe different for every possible ‘amplification. Multiple channel amplifier are readily | configuration. There are some creative solutions available from as litle 2s 10 watts per channel (more | available. ‘than enough fora low ceiling with efficient speakers). ‘One method isto carefully design a unique mix for DSP systems make the job easier. See Illustration 4. | every possible microphone layout this works when This basic block diagram details a system using 11 |. the om has predictable furniture layouts. For example, microphones, a 16 in by 12 out auto-mixer, an 8- the room is used for courtroom procedures in the channel amplifier and seven speakers. Multi-channel | daytime but the furniture is moved around for a council sources such as CD, DVD ete can be added tothe extra_| meeting t night. Using the preset memories in the inputs as well as a conferencing interface for either _|_DSP, you can design each mix minus system using the video or telephone conferencing, Those signals would | same equipment but with different configurations for be mixed to ALL speakers because they cannot develop either use. feedback in the system, ‘The other most common “solution” isthe microphones, Due to the flexibility of the DSP unit, all audio signal | in the ceiling. The BIG warning here is that the mix ‘management is accomplished in the one box. minus zones must be much bigger than they can be with desktop microphones. But only one configuration Mix minus is effective in a fixed installation such as | will be needed since the microphones and speakers ‘a conference room, board room or traning facility but | are now in fied positions regardless of the position of Illustration & INS Asia AprivMay 2004 erg 49B AUDIO INTERACTIVE INS Asia AprivMay 2004 50 Illustration 5 M1 the furniture. In illustration 5, see how the microphones In the ceiling ae mixed fortwo larger zones. There are several drawbacks to this sort of desig. FIRST, and most important is that by increasing the distance of the microphone from the source ~ (moving it away from the table tothe ceiling), you will lose gain in the system. Lost gain cannot be made up in the DSP realm ~ there are NO electronics that can recover lost potential acoustical gain (PAG). If @ manufacturer claims otherwise, they either do not understand PAG or they are deceiving someone (themselves perhaps). The microphones, since they are now off axis (people don't talk to the ceiling), will deliver a different frequency response. And finally, reflected sound from the walls, floors and furniture will be closer in evel to that of the talker, o the sound will have mare reverberance or echo than a closer microphone would give you. The ONLY time this sort of design is advantageous is when either furniture or esthetic restrictions prevent you from installing microphones in the correct location — right in front of the person talking. The PAG for a ceiling ‘microphone room will aways be lower than a table m2 M3 Ma ‘mounted mie design even when both designs are mix minus. Mix Minus does not cure impossible rooms but itwill help the difficult room. Mix Minus is not @ new concept. In live sound, the ‘monitor mix is a form of mix minus, It allaws good gain before feedback while allowing the performer to hear the music from their fellow performers. Mix minus in the conference room is the same principle using specialised DSP-based auto-mixers, multi-channel ‘amplifiers and careful speaker/microphone placement. Wile never as effective as @ propery designed system with good microphone practices and techniques, the ‘mix minus design offers another tool in the AV systems Integrator's design tool box. Used with care and with the proper warnings tothe client, it can solve difficult room installations where fied ric positions cannct be effectively used. About the writer... Gordon Moore, CTS, is the VP for Sales at Lectrosonics. He was ICIA Educator ofthe Year 2000 and 1s 3 serie faculty member for ICI Academy. He can be reaced at gordon@lectrosonics.com ‘You may also send your feedback to the above article to insasia@spinwerka.com,