Skip to main content

I was just wondering how everyone goes about Talk back in thier systems?
What signal chain, hardware and config you use.

Is it common to run a GEQ pre the headphone amp to EQ vox for the singer's comfort?

Topic Tags

Comments

lilith_envy Sun, 01/30/2011 - 15:40

I'm running 002 rack + 8 ADAT light pipe+Joe meek SPDIF Dual pre.
No desk.
This is my signal chain:
MiniMon (built -in mic) - AUX Input (dedicated PHONE send) on protools - ADAT Ch 8 out- HP AMP main in- 4 wall plates throughout studio.
If needed I can double this chain and have two different mixes for the muso's. 2 x AUX channels and 2 x ADAT outs.

Phones send is a little thin and tinny, so was going to add a GEQ to correct.

Was just wanting to see everyones elses set-up. As there might be a better way.

TheJackAttack Sun, 01/30/2011 - 17:40

Do you need more than one headphone mix or just the single? First, I don't normally eq any talkback microphone. What is the point of that?

If you are speaking of the mix you're sending out, if it sounds good in the monitors it should sound good in the cans. In a live situation for a vocal in-ear or monitor then I might eq at the board prior to sending out to the monitor amp. The eq of course at that point comes from the board. In your situation sans board, it is a little trickier for multiple mixes. Especially when usually you would real time monitor from the preamp directly out to the hp amp.

I guess my best off the cuff answer would be to record to (presumably PT) like you are normally. If the vocal is coming in on an ADAT or SPdif preamp the 002 should be able to route that immediately back out to line out on the 002. Take that line out into an outboard eq and then into the HP amp. EQ to taste of screacher. Multiple mixes.......I'm not familiar enough with the 002 to answer that. Just remember that even digital is all about gozinta and gozouta.

RemyRAD Mon, 01/31/2011 - 05:03

The secret to the traditional "Talk Back", SA (Studio Address) system, was making sure that when you hit the button for the control room Talk Back microphone that your control room monitors automatically muted by at least 20 DB! If you're monitors don't mute, you & your clients will end up being mute yourselves. So that's the big trick. Even if you have a talkback system that only talks back to the headphones, if you're monitors don't mute in the control room when you hit that button, it will still cause an incredible feedback situation guaranteed to lose your clients, lose your clients hearing, lose your hearing and generally just losing. There are big issues on how to accomplish this without compromising your monitor outputs through additional FET transistor junctions if you don't have to. No one wants to use VCA's to monitor through either. So frequently, a relay, which is an electronically controlled hard switch, was utilized. This would generally create some relatively annoying clicks & pops onto the recorded tracks & in the headphones. Thankfully, that's nothing you're intending to release anyhow. However, there were those of us but also build another types of fade in/out circuitry so as to minimize these jarring pops & clicks & only going through completely resistive elements & no transistor junctions. So basically our talkback button is actually a button controlled Opto limiter that has a spring-loaded button in instead of a RMS or Peak Sensor. Since the Opto limiter is nothing more than a light-sensitive resister, it's not a transistor/diode, distortion producing, semi conducting junction point. It's stupidly simple. So it keeps your monitor path cleaner. So basically, all you're doing is turning on or turning off a little LED inside this little plastic box that also has a light-sensitive resister inside of it.

You can basically accomplish this passively since this talkback signal is not intended to be a primary recording item. And if you could place nothing more than a resister across your monitor output line to your control room speakers, that's all you need it to do. The relay in turn also switches your talkback microphone to feed L-R, Aux 1, headphone 1, headstone 2, bus 1, bus 2, etc. and may also be trimable with independent volume controls for each feed. It's sort of an inverse mixer 1 in 4 or more out. All the while muting control room monitors so as to prevent feedback.

There are now specifically designed DAW monitor/talkback controllers. Some are affordable. Some are ridiculous. But the common thread between all of them is the muting of the control room monitors during " Talk Back".

Can we try that take again?
Mx. Remy Ann David

Big K Mon, 01/31/2011 - 06:59

Have a look at Presonus Central Station & remote. Serves me well for years.
Other DAWs have complete control room facilities for TB, monitor system switcher, EQs, multiple Headphone mixes capabillity, separat headphone FX
and clicktrack/metronom channels build in. At least mine has..lol...

audiokid Fri, 02/25/2011 - 12:23

Central Station looks very nice. And two more...

SPL MTC 2381 is awesome . So is the more elaborate Dangerous Music [[url=http://="http://www.dangerou…"]Dangerous MONITOR ST-SR[/]="http://www.dangerou…"]Dangerous MONITOR ST-SR[/]. I have them both and can't imagine needing better or replacing either of them for something else.
The SPL MTC 2381 is by far the most logical and well designed monitor talkback controller to work specifially with your DAW system. Get that and be done with it.

If you are more hybrid and have a bit more cash for a bit more pristine, the [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.dangerou…"]Dangerous MONITOR ST-SR[/]="http://www.dangerou…"]Dangerous MONITOR ST-SR[/] is another option....