One powered speaker - 2 channels

[damasp]

When only using one speaker cabinet is there any benefit or detriment of running L&R channels from keys to mixer and sending L&R from the mixers main into the two channel inputs of the one speaker cabinet?

Do any of you do this?

I realize it's not stereo, but I'm thinking I get more balance of overall sound of the keyboard instead of one channel.

Thanks, as always I appreciate your thoughts.

[damasp]

I actually do this with my Live Rig.

I have an Ashly MC308B line mixer and send the Stereo sub outs to FOH, and the main stereo outs to both inputs of my QSC K-10. This way I get the full signal from both channels my keyboards for monitoring, and a stereo (panned hard L and R) for the mains. The stage monitor of course is not stereo, but the left and right signals are there.

-dj

[damasp]

Great! Tonight I'll do that. But I may just give the FOH a line from my AUX out. I don't think it's stereo since it's just one jack. They usually only provide one DI box.

I'm still not very familiar with my new mixer, so I'm unsure how I would send the FOH a two line stereo feed. It's a Allen & Heath ZED 10fx. I'm not sure where the stereo subs are on this one. It could either be the Main MIX Inserts L&R or possible Record out RCA jack.

Are you familiar with this mixer?

[damasp]

I'm in the exact opposite camp. It only really matters for acoustic piano sounds, but in my experience the sound I get by summing both channels is just really awful.

Of course, there are drawbacks to using one channel. The only real problem I have run into is the ping-pong delay.

[damasp]

I connect my NS2 like this:

NS2
-L--->[amp IN] [Rec OUT]----> FOH (L)
-R-------------------------------> FOH (R)

So I monitor only one channel, but play stereo to the audience.
Some amps have an Effect Send output that can also be used instead of the Rec OUT. My old Roland Cube 60W has both.

[damasp]

I'm in the exact opposite camp. It only really matters for acoustic piano sounds, but in my experience the sound I get by summing both channels is just really awful.

Of course, there are drawbacks to using one channel. The only real problem I have run into is the ping-pong delay.

Interesting, I have never had any unusual sounds or artifacts at all with this setup. I don't know how the signals are handled inside the K-10, so I don't know for sure if this is the same as summing or not. I think it has the ability to process two discrete signals, so maybe it is slightly different.

On your Zed 10x mixer, you could probably use the Left and Right Main Inserts with a standard TS cable (send the Mains signal with no return) for the FOH stereo signal-

-dj

[damasp]

Last night the sound guy told me the FOH wasn't stereo and that he just wanted one line from each of my keyboard into each of his DI boxes. He didn't want to pan it left and right either. I took the return lines back into my two mono channels (left channels). Then I used a line from my left main into my speaker cabinet on stage. He wanted total independent lines for FOH. So I was using left mono channels all the way.

It sounded pretty good and clear, but using just the left mono channel, I don't get enough higher register sounds from some of the piano sounds. It's a simple way of setting up when time is short though. We were one of four bands and played for a little over an hour. I could even eliminate the mixer if I wanted for this gig to save time.

The alternative is just sending a AUX line out from the mixer, which is pre-mix. Both keyboards would not be separated for FOH and the line would just go into the DI box FOH. Doing it that would give me the option of using both channels of my keyboards and using my mixers L&R mains out to my speaker.

[FunKey]

It sounded pretty good and clear, but using just the left mono channel, I don't get enough higher register sounds from some of the piano sounds.

Yes, I had that problem as well, so I use the right channel instead. If my bass notes are a little quiet, that's not as big a problem as my right-hand lines getting buried under left-hand chords. The difference in loudness isn't actually all that large, though.