How to get clear wedding reception audio

[Seth Bloombaum]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

...There are some DI boxes that have the facility to accept speaker level input - a 20dB pad is nowhere near enough, and although capable of taking a pro spec +4dB outpute down to something a bit more sensible, can't cope with the hundreds of Watts (sometimes thousands) that might be present at the speaker terminals...

I was responding to Martin Pauly's post, which had nothing to do with speaker level, the mixer outputs line level.

Martin stated that he has access to two record outputs, left and right, from the mixer, that are RCA/Phono plugs. These will be -10dbu, and will peak out at something over a volt. A standard DI with switchable pad will take this down to balanced low impedance mic level very comfortably.

[Martin Pauly]

Originally Posted by Seth Bloombaum

If you can take XLR-mic level into your mixer as well, an easy approach that will yield good results is a passive direct box. You'll want one with switchable pads.

RCA/phono male to 1/4" mono male cable into the direct box. XLR out of the direct box to a mic input on your mixer. There you are with low-impedance balanced signal. Switch in the pads, probably at least -20db, listen for distortion, check that the signal is not overloading and clipping the input of your mixer.

Thanks for this suggestion, Seth. While my mixer has four XLR mic inputs, I typically use them all to connect my own mics to record sound from the audience.

I could sacrifice one of the four audience mics and use it according to your suggestion, but I'd much prefer to feed the stage mic from the PA system into one of my additional line inputs if that's possible.

- Martin