Vance: I use SIA Smaart for system testing. It gets me the results I need very quickly and accurately. As far as methodology, I usually take one part of the system at a time. Work through the individual components, setting band-pass EQ, alignment delays, level matching, and then combine components and see what that does to the overall system.

Vance (continued): All along the way, I listen to music and some speech to make sure it's moving forward and not backwards. One thing I've found is that it's much easier to EQ a well-designed system than a poorly designed one. I know that my design could have been better if I have trouble getting it to come together in the EQ phase. Fortunately, that happens less and less. Maybe some day I'll figure this stuff out.

TJ: What are your "killer tracks" that you use to evaluate a system via ear?

Vance: I finally have moved to the 21st century and have a CD that is a composite of some favorites. It includes James Taylor, Eric Clapton, Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour, Fourplay, Dave Grusen, Extreme, Tommy Emanuel, Tower of Power. All of these are artists I happen to like.

Jstevens: Hey Vance! Jerrold Stevens here. I'm curious what you've been doing with choir monitoring to get sufficient level to the choir without excessive bleed into the house. Care to comment?

Vance: Hey Jerrold. I don't have any real secrets on that one, other than just working the microphone type and placements so that the monitors are in the rejection pattern of a cardioid mic as much as possible. Much of the time we're putting them up in the ceiling in front of the choir.

Vance (continued): Depending on the acoustics of the choir loft, it may work well or it may not work so well. Depends on the mics you use too. I like the good DPA mics; I forget the model number. Sometimes it works best to have them use (Galaxy) Hot Spots on stands. Heck, you know, whatever works!

Jstevens: I'm getting at the bleed from the monitors into the house. I end up doing a lot of HP filtering on it.

Vance: Through the choir mics, or acoustically into the house from the monitors

Jstevens: Choir mics.

Vance: Make sure you're not putting the choir back into the monitors. Give them as little monitor as they can get by with. If they are good with just piano and maybe lead vocal, then keep it to that. Keep their mix to a minimum... make 'em suffer. Besides we all like to hear the sopranos complain. It's what they do.