live vocal processing advice

[lowkey]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here and i need some help. I think i'm in the right forum...cause i aint got much $$ to spend!

I play electronic music and have vocalists. 1 male 1 female. Mostly spoken word, but a bit of singing. I want to get a better vocal sound live. We always play in clubs that are set up for DJs rather than bands so I mix it all myself on my Behringer 802 and send 2 channels to the dj mixer.

We currently get the clubs to supply us with mics, which are sometimes cheap chinese dynamics, so i am going to buy 2 mics. Probably Shure SM58 and Shure SM57 or Audix OM3. That should improve the level before feedback right? i thought 2 different mics would help separate the 2 vocalists and can match their voices better?


i have been looking into a few processing options and need some input...budget is fairly limited

option 1: 2 vocal channel units such as the dbx 286A or similar. it has Desser, gate/expander compression, enhancer. i could use the eq on my mixer when required. Any adice on good voice channels? should i get 2 different ones or 2 of the same?

option 2: 2 channelmic pre amp RNP with 2 channel compressor RNC or an Art VCS dual gate/expander, compressor, limiter. im not sure if the RNC can accomodate 2 mono channels with the same settings?

option 3: Get a Focusirite Saffire or newly announced TC Konnekt and use the built in mic pre's and software DSP plugins for eq/compression. this will also improve the quality of the audio coming out of my iBook. i would send the processed vocals to the mixer to control the levels. the plugins are supposed to be the same quality as the Focusrite Forte plugins forTDM and the TC ones are from the powercore suite. they also come with reverb which will be a bonus.

has anyone used an audio interface and plugins as the live front end? would it be a bad idea?

sorry the post is so long, but i wanted to put down everything that might be important. btw i have promised myself that i will not buy Behringer gear ever again!

thanks for any advice!

[aussie_techie]

live work is very different from studio work save your self the trouble and get a live enginear.

if you insist on doing it your self, stick with shure mics and dont use computer based systems.
dont bother with extra pres, save for a decent desk, cannon have decent prices on Allen & Heath
then some decent compressors something like a dbx 1046 will be a workhorse

[lowkey]

Originally Posted by aussie_techie

live work is very different from studio work save your self the trouble and get a live enginear.

unfortunately we play in techno clubs, set up purely for DJs. there are no foldback wedges, no stage, no mixer except the DJs cd inputs, no sound people except DJs [who generally think the mixer isnt working unless all the red lights are on!].

there is no chance of a live engineer because they cant stand next to me behind the keyboard stand. there is definately no foh. about the only thing we ususally get is a sound check before the club opens :(

so it is all up to me!

[SureShotStudio]

hi,

first of all i have to say that aussie_techie is spot on ..... at the moment i'm the live engineer for an electro-pop-punk band called Matik (www.matik.nl). We also play at a lot of venue's that are set up for Dj's solely. Because i only have to do the live sound the musicians can concentrate on making the music. Besides you can't hear what it will sound like in the audience if you are on stage. I

about your mic choice: get 2 of the same type microphones this wil help avoid feedback. Eq them to get them to sound better. I personally almost never use compression on lead vox, because the vocalist has good mic skills and is musical enough to not need it. i do ride the fader sometimes if it's needed.

hope this helps

greetings,

thomas

[aussie_techie]

ive done a number of shows where have to pre mix and send the house a stereo signal best thing to do is set up the desk on the side with your own enginear. you cant play and get a good mix at the same time and i have tried it.