Help me design my live 5.1 rig !

[Ryan Earnhardt]

I have a unique oppertunity before me:

I currently run a music ministry that produces meditative worship times in churches. These productions are meant to make an "experiance" for people. There is lighting, sound, video DJing, ect. I'd like to make a system for playing back 4 channel surroundsound records of nature that I've made with my Zoom H2. The music will also have some surroundsound elements to them, with some of the tracks in Ableton Live going to 5 outs.

I've like to know how to get from a Presonis Firepod with Line outputs(1/4") to a low-z XLR cable for the Active PA. Currently I plan to buy 5 Mackie 350s being that I need them small and portable, active, and I don't need a ton of power with so many. I will also have one or two of the Mackie subs for crossovers of the front left and right.

So to repeat my question: What's the best way to get 5 line levels trs to 5 active speakers xlr?

Do I need 5 DI ?
Is there any really good DI ?

Another thing: I don't do any mixing live except for the master volume. However this master volume, or master(s) because of 5 mono signals will need to be monitored and set depending on the room, loudness, ect. Is there a risk of blowing speakers when all of my faders for the 5 master channels are all controlled by a "Soft" fader (midi controler). Is there a solution for a "last stop" so I can have a safe gape before signal reaches the PA?

Is there a mulichannel DI with faders or built in compression?

I'm sure I'm not asking all the right questions here, but I think you get what I'm trying to do. Thanks guys for all your help.

Ryan

[Bixby]

Use either a TRS-TRS or TRS-XLR cable. The Mackies accept line in on both XLR or TRS. No DIs necessary.

[Ryan Earnhardt]

yeah, but what about the low-z ? I may be running these cables 50 ft or greater. you think that would be a problem?

I did notice that they have built in limiters on them, which is also helpful.

[ESL]

Both the Mackies and the Firepod have balanced connectors - as Bixby typed, all's you need is TRS-TRS or TRS-XLR. I would go with TRS-TRS if there's a possibility that you will want to send line levels from your Firepod to other systems as well. I've found TRS-TRS cable to be less expensive too.

50 feet is no problem. 100 feet should be no problem - except for clean up.

Good luck trying to blow up the Mackies - you'd need to be connected to some seriously sketchy AC for that to happen. Or get struck by a holy lightning bolt. They usually shut themselves off before anything gets smoked.

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