The Live Audio Board archives all past postings, including so many that contain really useful information, great real-life stories about gear and techniques, doing shows, not to mention a bunch of people getting all huffy with each other!

What we are doing is digging into the archives, with caver’s helmets and sputtering candles, and selecting some of the best posts to present to you. New threads will go up regularly, so come back often. Enjoy!

Keeping one’s cool. Making sure that the amps and the distro do not overheat is crucial, but it is also important to keep one’s head from exploding. Chris Kathman and some folks discuss how to not be drawn into the drama and games of disturbed individuals.

What needs compression the most? Gary Hendrick had two channels of compression, and wondered where he might best apply them. LABsters differed on their choices, in a situation like this with limited resources and a smaller system.

Distorted Vocals, Vocoders and “Robo-voices”. Jim Gould asked how do ya do it, and a whole chorus of responders chimed in, with many different ways to take a natural human voice and turn it into a fashionably crazed robot. You too can make your client sound like anyone from Trent Reznor to Cher!

Headphones. Is it normal and wise to use headphones to check inputs, or is it crazy, like someone tried to tell Allen Cothran? LABsters agree that PFL-ing things can be a very good idea, particularly to check EFX, and locate channel problems.

“Engineers?” What are the sins of and symptoms of a bad mix? Kevin from Chicago named them – tonally flat, misses the solos, someone half-stepping because “it’s just the opening act” – and feels like it is possibly a combo of too much theory and sound people who haven’t performed live. Or think that owning a rig means you can mix!

SPL backlash. Should we back it down voluntarily, or when legislation and the bureaucrats force us to? The public: victims, or consumers making an informed choice?

Burning Live CD’s. A number of people responded with favored brands and techniques, when asked about how they were burning CD’s from the consoles at shows. Mention was also made of going direct to hard drives, and the editing thereof, as well as minidiscs.

Loaders. Having a rockin’ system is all well and good, but it has to get in and out of the venue. Dealing with the entities known as loaders, some thoughts prompted by Matt Lillie’s originating question about what to pay them.

Phase Characteristics. Wayne A. Plughaupt asked an interesting question, in relation to some graphic EQ’s ­ how do we subjectively hear good and bad phase characteristics? Respondents discussed filter shapes, phase shift, cancellation, and the use of pink noise and Smaart.

Sound for Raves. Robbie Nelson asked if any sound companies specialized in raves; low bass was also eventually discussed, in addition to the eternal question: are raves a “live” event? Truly a best of the best thread!

What If They Don't Pay? Dealing with deadbeats! Extensive advice from colleagues who have been burnt, and learned how not to be victims of the unethical people out there, answering D.D. Pawley's timeless question.

Advancing A Show. This is part of the job, just like mixing or troubleshooting. A posse answered Kevin Zwack's original question about what all constitutes the advancing process. Fax, e-mail, and work that phone!

Trim knobs vs. faders. Randy Scott detonated a monster when he asked about the relationship between how trims are set at the top of the channel and where the faders below live. Many schools of thought posted on gain structure!

Hot Legs n’ Breakers. Current, bonding and general distro reality, many contributions that cover valuable territory, answering Bryan Wright’s question. If you are trying to get a handle on electrical, this thread is super-helpful and goes into very useful detail.

Delaying Mains. The increasingly exact science of delaying mains to match the sound coming off a stage is a great way to go. Some good answers to Alex Keatinge’s basic question about the process.

Punch down versus Euroblock screws. Lively discussion, debate and how-to on approaches for wiring a permanently installed monitor system. Both approaches, pro and con, addressed.

What Is Loud? What? Could you repeat that? Other responses included falling I-beams, Rob Zombie, photons and the eternal Boom-Boom-Boom. LABster Joe Dawson tapped a rich assortment of answers.

Highest dB? Scott Pietig posted his question as to the highest decibel readings that any LABsters have ever heard of. The answers may surprise you!

Cams and Twistlocks An excellent set of comments regarding requirements for a 100 amp power distro, including connectors, ampacity and wire sizes.

Chest-Slammin' Kick Drum! Mics, amps, tuning, and physics, all the aspects of how you make it happen, in response to a query by LAB visitor Jay Thorson.

Favorite Guitar Mics Clyde Thorpe asked the question, and there were a bunch of folks who came back at him with their many and varied personal favorites. The upscale and the budget-minded are both represented.

First Gig Stories Responding to a query requesting true stories about people's first gigs, many people contributed theirs. It's pretty entertaining!

Sub Snakes Live Audio Board visitor Matt Leonard took a poll of how different folks run their stage boxes. You got your upstage box, your stage right and left boxes, your drum loom, your spare box for that keyboard player with too many inputs, and of course they all feed the split, or, as one answer described it, the "snake head"!

Vocals in Monitors Kurt Krueger posted a call for help, about singers who want tons of monitor. You've never had to deal with THAT, have you? He got answers including EQ, mic choice and competing elements on stage.

Live Mics for the Brass Boys. We have all had to deal with the brass boys (and girls) of the trumpet and related instruments, and will have to do so again someday, and when we do, "Neil" asked: what is the best mic to do so with?

Setting up speaker cabinets. We all want "quality" sound from new speakers. How do you measure and determine it? Discussion of frequency specific impulse, polarity and phase, more.

Phase Shift. How do you correct phase shift? It often goes beyond EQ., for certain, as several contributors point out. Also links to filtering resources and discussion of FIR filtering.

Smaart impulse & phase measurement. Intriguing, informative discussion of proper LF alignment, phase and assorted topics. And, some heavy hitters weigh in!

Kick drum mics and overheads. The ultimate kick drum mic? Well, opinions vary -wildly, in fact, as this thread shows. Also includes good application advice.

Who's Got The Biggest Rig? -Who's Got The Biggest Rig? No, the correct answer is not; who care! Check out the varied responses about the biggest system ever assembled.

Making cables: Is it worth it? Well, is it? Like a lot of things "pro audio" - it depends! Get the specifics, opinions and some useful how to on the issue of cables.

Crossovers. Selecting the slope of a crossover, how different capacitors play a role and to what extent. Direct link to capacitor supplier.

Tie neutral to ground on a “gennie”? Numerous grounding and distro issues come up when using a power generator. A selection of solutions and approaches discussed, and a few more issues raised.

My Elco Multi-Pin Project: Show and Tell - Kurt Shetler’s outstanding primer on how to put together a multipin connector, including excellent photo images as well as added valuable info and commentary from several contributors.