Soundcraft Spirit Lx-7

[soundguyna-g]

I was wondering if you guy's had any input on a problem I'm having with my board. First a background I have a Spirit LX-7 24 channel that I use for live sound mixing. Ok now my problem is that every once in a while I'll be sitting here doing nothig and all of a sudden it will start recieving radio interference and playing it into the mix through any chaneel that it darn well pleases. If you have any ideas I would appreciate the help. Btw I have already tried grounding it and that didn't work.

[michaelhoddy]

Does it do what you say it does with no channel faders up, or better yet, with no inputs connected?

[cmchamp]

Here's a question for you soundguyna-g: how close is the nearest radio station? I'm having the same issue with an install in Hillsdale, MI due to the proximity to our local AM/FM station. I've emailed a few broadcast trade magazine editors regarding my problem, and the church is in the saturation zone, and there's not much that can be done.
C.

[soundguyna-g]

No the faders have to be up for it to happen. The closest radio station is about 6 miles away. Thanks

[cmchamp]

Could be simply dirty mic connects, and faders don't have to be up for RF to leak in.
Is this radio station an AM or FM station and how many watts?

[michaelhoddy]

Does it happen with all the inputs disconnected?

[soundguyna-g]

It's an AM station. I thought that it might be that too. The inputs do have to be connected it only happens with XLR.So I cleaned all the connections and it still happens. I can make it happen by turning up the gain all the way. It is just getting really annoying. So how long have you been in hillsdale. I live in Mt. Clemens. Actually the problem I'm having is at my church in Chesterfield.

[cmchamp]

Been in the Hillsdale area all 36 years of my short life!
Does the RF happen with all the XLR cables, just a few, phantom on, phantom off, new florescents installed? Any other items new to the church?
You said you can make it happen by turning the gain up all the way, with or without a cable plugged in?
Cory

[xstatic]

try lifting the ground to see if it is coming through electricly....

[jrlaudio]

Generally, RF will rectify on any dirty contact point but the problem may be systemic. Meaning, it could be simply the RF field is so strong in your location it gets into the electronics itself.

Soundcrafts, in my experience, seem to be more prone to these for some reason, especially in the mic pre or the gain stage of the faders. The latter is what I suspect your having a problem with. Let's qualify this statement. I say Soundcraft is more susceptable, but that isn't saying they are bad. In fact, they are generally very fine. It is more a case of the environment being very bad from a RF perspective.

A few preliminary questions:

• Do you hear this problem thru pre-fade auxes?
• Does this problem exist with nothing plugged into the XLR inputs of the board?

You have to answer both of these questions first before I can help you.

John LeVasseur

[soundguyna-g]

1. Yes It does come thru the PFL and any auxex that are set to pre-fader.

2. No, the XLR cables must be plugged in for it to happen.

What I find funny is that it when it happens if you russle in the XLR cables it seems alomst to amp the rubbing. Literally you can hear it coming thru the channel. I finally got on my nerves when in the middle of the sermon music started playing ( in the pre-fader on-stage aux monitor . That was bad.

[soundguyna-g]

CMChamp Where is fortress Prod. Do you guys have studios or are you an installation Co. ?

[cmchamp]

Yes, and Yes. I'll get you details off line. Unless I get permissioin from a forum leader to post everything here.

[soundguyna-g]

Cool you can e-mail me. I would love to come see the studios maybe I'll plan a field trip to them.