vArranger Forums

Are there many users using both SD2 stereo outputs with their unit.
For clarification your 1/4" jack plug should also have two black isolator rings on the plug tip. (one black isolator ring is mono) .
I use the two SD2 outputs but merged together into one Mono 1/4" jack plug into my amp.
Personally I do not use and see the advantages of stereo in a live gig situation.
I understand that stereo is really only about left and right panning of sounds not quality?
In a dance hall you normally have approx. 40-80 people sitting on the left and 40-80 people on the right.
The middle of the floor is empty for dancers. The middle is where you will hear best all the left and right panning. 
If a sound is panned to play on the left speaker the people sitting on the right do not hear it very much as they are sitting too far away from the left speaker to hear it as well as the people on the right. So the problem will be that they do not hear the intended sound ballance panning?
Thats my theory anway.   
I think stereo is only effective if you have headphones on or sitting in your house in a small room close distance to two speakers.
Maybe Im missing something on this so please inform me of any experiences of deeper understandings etc.
If you read this and do not know anymore or have not a clue what im on about please say that.
Its good to know varranger forum users are alive and not silent lol
Jon
uk   

I personally always use STEREO on gigs.
I hate listening to mono sounds !
Even if some are saying that audience is not only in front between the 2 speakers, I think stereo sound is giving a spectral dimension to the sound.
It's true that many sound engineers are plunging my keyboards in MONO, and I have to fight that I need 2 tracks

I seldom use both of my Bose Speakers on gigs anymore.  The Stereo effect for gigs has
been debated on several forums for years - some swear by it - others don't.  Regardless of the stereo effect I am finding vArranger along with the SD2 unit really jumps out at me when I use both of my Bose speakers.   It is not just the stereo - but seems to be a fullness in the sound that a single speaker is not providing. 

On the Bose Compact L1 speakers there is a single inputs which I use when using only a single speaker.  I run one cable with 2 RCA plugs from the SD2 and it combines into a single plug which goes into the speaker.  This setup provides pretty good overall sound but not like using two speakers.

Deane

It's like playing a CD MONO or STEREO... For me it's not a question !
If you play with a full band, it's less important, but I am a stereo fanatic...

Dan/Deane,
But what I am unsure about is that if all channels/tracks panning is set to left/right MIDDLE (CC10=64) is stereo still making a better sound.
If it does then stereo is not only about left and right panning.
Maybe it also makes a rounder fuller sound?
jon

Everyone,
Although I have all my left/right panning in the middle I guess I still have stereo?
Rather than having passive crossovers in my speakers which automatically sort low and high frequencies to the relavant speakers . 
I prefer to manually pan L/R on my amplifier.
I split my mono sound into two and  pan (left) to the my lower speaker being a Peavey 15" black widow speaker for the low /bass sounds and pan the  (right) to my higher speaker being my 12" EV for the high/top end sounds and about 80% vocals (the other 20% of the vocals are sent to my 15" speaker) for lower depth.
My 12" speaker sits on top of the bass 15" speaker.   
Im not a believer in the Bose compact systems etc.
I dont think their bass carries. Bass from all speakers is lost the further away you go from the speaker source.
I still believe you need a 15" speaker to produce good bass and that the bass speaker should be sittling on the ground so the bass can be fealt not only heard.
(there are quite complex WWW discussions that you actually get more +6DB from speakers and amps placed on the ground/earth level)  rather than suspended in the air on poles.
So - is this stereo or panning and what is the difference if any?
jon

The way you are doing is not common.
The standard way to do is :
On each of the 16 vArranger tracks you have a PAN slider. You can place your sound track in the stereo field. More in left, in the center or more in right.
Usually, we put the drums at the center (the ketron drum kits are already panned... hi hit more in right, toms moving from right to left, ride cymbal in left...)
The Bass is in the center. 
When 2 or more guitars and pianos tracks are playing in the same range, you hear better if you place some tracks more in right, and other more in left.
This is opening the sound.
Also, the Right Hand sounds presets are often many sounds played together and panned. This give the impression of a full and rich sound.
Just plug a stereo headphone on your SD2, and you will understand what I mean.
To profit from this, in your live gigs, you have to use stereo too.   Usually, 2 speakers with some space between them, around the listeners.

Dan,
I will try this with styles because the bass is always on the same channel.
But midi files use different bass channels from one midi file to the next midi file.
Maybe I will have to edit all my midi files so all files use the same channel for bass etc.
jon

It's not depending on the channel.
Every channel has is own PAN slider (on top of the volume)

Yes  but one midi file will use CH3 for bass and another midi will use CH4 for bass etc.
So unless I edit all midi files to have same bass channel or edit the pan on each midi file so all midi have same pan.
jon

most of the styles and midifiles available, already own their own PAN values for each tracks.

Question for SD2 users:

When you are on a gig, do you use the RCA outs to your PA system or do you use the headphone jack?
Why do you connect it the way you do? What do you feel are the advantages and disadvantages of your method?

I mostly use my SD2 at home, with my sequencing program for recording only.  However, I have used the SD2 on gigs a few times.

Here is how I set it up for a live venue:
I use the RCA outs on the SD2 with an REC to 1/4" TS phono jack, to a stereo channel on my board.
I set the pans on the MIDI files to center pan. and the channel's pan to center.  The only reason I use stereo rather than mono is for the stereo effects that are on some of the samples in the SD2.
I pan files center because stereo at a gig, especially when an instrument is hard panned, will not be heard well enough on the opposite side of the room.

JazzCat

Dan,
do you have the various channels already setup  - "Panned" for stereo or is that something we as users need to do?

Deane

On gigs, I always use RCA outs to the mixer, but I don't know if there is difference with the headphones out.

Even if some people will hear less some instruments some times, I feel a lot more pleasure to hear stereo sound than mono or center panned sounds.

Styles and sounds in vArranger are already STEREO and are panned by my ear

You can also tweak panning as you want when you create sounds, or if you want to mix your styles better.

Hi guys,

While on the subject do you turn speakers inwards towards the center of floor or closer to front?

Personally stereo for me is giving the listener the impression of the sound moving from left to right or vice versa.

It all about them...

Lionel

Directed inwards towards the dance floor. Never exactly directed toward a wall

I always aim towards center of floor, and also to allow yourself to hear what's playing as the crowd sometimes gets loud particularly on sing alongs.

Anybody else have some good tips..

Lionel