Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

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Peavey Pro
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Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by Peavey Pro » Tue Oct 28, 2008 4:59 pm

A/A Guys I love the PZS 140RA Multizone mixer, But we need to take this up another level, We need a unit with built in XM/SIRIUS Radio reciever, I sell these and install them all the time seperately, ADD the XM Radio to the PZS Multizone mixer and youve got a instant winner, also it needs bigger amps, can you make this with the CS 800 X 4 Amp or even a smaller amp but more then 35 watts.
Its a greta product but we need some updates, also add XLR style connectors to the Input scheme, While EURO inputs are good, cutting the ends of perfectly good mic cables just makes me cringe.....

XM Radio, Larger amps, XLR Inputs and youve got an instant hot seller for the Background, Foreground Installer like me.
Don Lanier
Pearl Pro Audio
http://www.pearlproaudio.com
Facebook.com/Pearl Pro Audio

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SemperFiSound
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by SemperFiSound » Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:03 pm

Don,
EURO Input? Please elaborate or send a pic. Tried Googling but all I got was the electrical two prong thing for 220v. Must have missed that connector style somewhere....

Also, not sure what the licensing malarky would be to have Peavey install Sirius/XM trademarked stuff - may make the device over-costly. But definitely more power over different amp sections (800x4 - great analogy) sounds like a 'norm' and of course XLR is the industry standard for longer runs.

I have been asked to do some light install work in friend's homes and on military bases - they know they won't be allowed to pay me - so I use it for experience and community service time.

Cheers,
Steve
SemperFi Sound; the website
SemperFi Sound On FaceBook
"The Art of War teaches us to rely, not upon the calculated likelihood of
the enemy's coming or not, but on our own readiness to receive him... no
matter what he does." Sun Tzu

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Enzo
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by Enzo » Mon Jan 05, 2009 1:38 am

Beats me, I get a mental picture of those little DIN connectors like German tape recorders used 40 years ago.

Oh wait, I bet he means those terminal strips. Not these things, but something like them maybe:

http://www.mouser.com/images/molex/images/39100iso.jpg

N0YYM
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by N0YYM » Mon Jan 05, 2009 9:11 am

I think it's one of those termial strips that actually unplugs from a header connector. You strip wires, and use screws to make the connection, then plug the connection block in. I've seen them somewhere, but can't remember what they were on.
I'm just guessing.

Johnny

Lucas MC
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by Lucas MC » Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:18 pm

I think what they are referring to are phoenix connectors
here is a link to a picture
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k220/ ... s_800w.jpg

Marty McCann
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by Marty McCann » Mon Jul 26, 2010 8:56 am

Yes, us live audio guy's dislike the Euro Block/Phoenix connectors (like on the Digitool MX).

I have seen them back out when trucked down the highway. I use a little silicon after I confingure a rack for portable live audio.

However the contractors like them.

The new Digitool targeted for Jan 2011 release will have a version with XLR's. Hooray!

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Enzo
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by Enzo » Fri Aug 13, 2010 6:26 am

The OP objected to clipping the end off perfectly good mic cords. I'd hate that too. That is why I much prefer my behind the rack signal wiring be done with cable like the Belden 8451 or similar. Foil shielded cable.

Peaveypro
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by Peaveypro » Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:19 pm

Yes the Phoenix connectors, YAK ...XLRs a good locking connectior, why try and improve with something thats worse...Installers dealling with bare wires but these are a pain in the arse....Cant wait to see the New Digitool Live..
Don Lanier
Pearl Pro Audio
Facebook.com/PearlProAudio

jimm1909
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by jimm1909 » Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:52 pm

Peaveypro wrote:Yes the Phoenix connectors, YAK ...XLRs a good locking connectior, why try and improve with something thats worse...Installers dealling with bare wires but these are a pain in the arse....Cant wait to see the New Digitool Live..
What's the expected release date on the New Digitool Live? Need to install it in one of my (link deleted)

Thanks in advance,

-Jim

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JoshM
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by JoshM » Fri Mar 30, 2012 5:59 pm

I think all of you need to learn how to use Phoenix connectors correctly.

They DO NOT EVER back out when they are plugged in CORRECTLY.

The larger connectors that are on the back of the Digitool MX have little clips on the top that are supposed to clip OVER the top of the hood of the connector on the board. So, as the weight of the cable pulls down on the connector, it stays securely locked in place. These are FAR more secure than a typical 1/4" cable with considerably higher connector retention. Obviously they are not as secure as the XL connectors with their little locking tabs, but they are more secure than the X connectors that do not lock.

Likewise, if you are installing your equipment in a rack to cart around, I highly recommend the use of rack panels for I/O. For example, I've built a lot of amp racks for things like monitor systems that use a DSP processor (with the phoenix / euro terminal strips) and amplifiers (also with the phoenix / euro terminal strips for inputs) to provide several monitor mixes. The fantastic part is that I have a female XL connector on a panel for an input (and probably an adjacent male XL connector for an output) and NL-4 connectors for the amplifier outputs. Inside the rack it is so handy to not have to deal with XL connectors since the I/O connections are all via terminal strips. If you are using trustworthy gear (like the Digitool MX) you are not (unless you generally abuse your equipment) going to have failures to deal with out in the field.

All of you need to get with the program and quit whining about a different style of connector. Sure, it isn't an XL connector, but it isn't supposed to be. I certainly do not have issues with the Phoenix connectors on my XFrame 88 backing out. It lives in a rack with 2x GPS-3500's, 2x GPS-1500's, and a GPS-900 and gets bounced around plenty. I just love the fact that I don't have to waste more than $3 per connector on connections that I'm not going to be unplugging anyway. I'll save that for the mic cables that are going to see some abuse.

Oh, and if you are going to take issue with my use of XL connector when referring to what all of you guys keep calling "XLR" connectors, perhaps a history lesson is in order:
http://www.soundfirst.com/xlr.html

Thank you, please drive through...
Josh Millward
Danley Sound Labs
Burnt Orange Studios

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JoshM
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by JoshM » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:33 pm

Lucas MC wrote:I think what they are referring to are phoenix connectors
here is a link to a picture
Ahh yes, but you lose cred points for posting a photo of:
1. A Crown CDi amplifier on the Peavey forums. :wink:
2. A balanced input configured to have RCA connectors attached to it. :o

Here is the back panel of the Crest Audio Ci20x8 with its CobraNet module removed.
CrestAudio_Ci20x8_rear_3_sm.jpg
CrestAudio_Ci20x8_rear_3_sm.jpg (91.15 KiB) Viewed 73228 times
As you can see, if we would just replace all those pesky Phoenix connectors with XLR connectors, and the infinitely annoying screw terminals with binding posts and NL-4 connectors, we would have to make this thing a 3RU unit instead of 2RU. Progress... :P

edit: I suxors @ teh grammerz... (translated: I nearly failed at elementary grammer and spelling.)
Josh Millward
Danley Sound Labs
Burnt Orange Studios

ctclark1
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Re: Restaurant Multizone with XM Radio Needed

Post by ctclark1 » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:00 pm

An additional thought...
Installer-type devices also aren't typically in need of quick/convenient connect/disconnect on a regular basis which is where those XLRs and NL4s are really necessary. Also usually with installs like this if a mic input is needed they'll be done via an external panel (http://www.mcmelectronics.com/content/p ... 7-5805.jpg) with custom wiring done.

I do have to mirror the thoughts of Don and Steve (and Peavey/AA aren't the only ones guilty of this) it is very hard to find any kind of mixer/amp combo (multizoned or not) that has the power to cover what's needed. More often than not when I've installed a couple systems like this at the park I find myself using the (typically ~30-60w) mixer/amp as just a mixer, and using a dedicated 70V amp that pushes more like 200-400W to power the speaker zones...
Chris - Lead Technician/Audio Specialist
Technical Services Coordinator @ Darien Lake Theme Park Resort

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