Need advice on reverb for vocals

[vade64]

I am running the soundboard for our church and need to add reverb to 4 vocalists individually. Is there such a device, similar to the Lexicon MX200, that will accept multiple inputs/channels (ex. 4)? I realize that I can route the vocals out a sub on the board and then in to the reverb but then they all get the same effect applied.

Thanks in advance....

[Reegs]

Most signal processors are only one or two channels.

I'd buy two MX-200s or similar 2-channel reverb (or all-in-one) processors and run them as inserts to the four channels. 2x$200 plus a few insert cables brings the total to about $430. If you want to get fancy you can toss them in a rack next to the mixing board, which would probably cost you another $30. As an alternative, older model signal processors can often be picked up cheap on ebay or craigslist.

This, of course, assumes inserts are possible. What sound board are you using?

[bouldersoundguy]

Originally Posted by vade64

I am running the soundboard for our church and need to add reverb to 4 vocalists individually. Is there such a device, similar to the Lexicon MX200, that will accept multiple inputs/channels (ex. 4)? I realize that I can route the vocals out a sub on the board and then in to the reverb but then they all get the same effect applied.

Thanks in advance....

Use a post-fader aux send do drive your reverb. Then you can have different amounts of the effect on each voice.

You should be able to set up the MX200 as two reverbs with two mono inputs and mixed stereo output (Mono Split mode, page 12 of your manual). Then use one aux send for each effect and a single stereo return (stereo aux input, stereo channel, two mono channels etc.). Then you can have two different effects with different amount of each vocal.

[vade64]

Thanks for the tips. I probably should have included this before. What I plan to do is use this effect as part of the mix that I am sending to the stage via Avoim personal mixers. The vocalists would then hear themselves with reverb, etc, as they dial up the mix on the Aviom. The config, as I envision it, would be to plug in a 1/4" TRS in to the insert on the channel for a given vocalist (this would be actually only plugged in to the first "click" in order to "tap" the input pre-fader going to the mixer (as I don't want the effect on the vocals going on to the house, only in their monitors). This would then pass on to the MX200 as a left (or right) input and then out to the Aviom AN-16i and on to the A-16ii via the MX200 left (or right) output. The MX200 would be set up as dual-mono.

Do I have it close?

[bouldersoundguy]

Originally Posted by vade64

Thanks for the tips. I probably should have included this before. What I plan to do is use this effect as part of the mix that I am sending to the stage via Avoim personal mixers. The vocalists would then hear themselves with reverb, etc, as they dial up the mix on the Aviom. The config, as I envision it, would be to plug in a 1/4" TRS in to the insert on the channel for a given vocalist (this would be actually only plugged in to the first "click" in order to "tap" the input pre-fader going to the mixer (as I don't want the effect on the vocals going on to the house, only in their monitors). This would then pass on to the MX200 as a left (or right) input and then out to the Aviom AN-16i and on to the A-16ii via the MX200 left (or right) output. The MX200 would be set up as dual-mono.

Do I have it close?

That sounds like it would work, in theory. "First click" insert taps can be tricky, sometimes not picking up signal and sometimes breaking the through path in the jack.

If you use aux sends and return the stereo effects to a channel then the reverb return can be on the Aviom channels allowing each singer to dial the amount of effects they want, but it would be the whole effects return with all the voices.

[GZsound]

You should be able to route your effect return to the monitor mix, or the house or both.

And I do not see why you need individual effect units for four vocalists.. I can't imagine how bad it would sound with different reverb amounts on each voice.

For most live gigs, I use a short delay instead of reverb. It sounds better.

[TimmyP1955]

In the house mix I often put reverb only on the lead singer, as it keeps down the mud.

I've always been a fan of great reverbs (1st LedZep album, 1st Sabbath album, DSotM). I'm not much of a delay user - possibly because when digital delays first became affordable for bands , everyone overused the heck out of them live (and many still do).

Instead of reverb, I'd first try putting some "ambience mics" in the room and make them available in the Aviom system. And then if needed, the house reverb mix or a single reverb that's dedicated to the Aviom. They can live without each person having his/her own dedicated reverb.

If their Aviom mixes are stereo capable, they'd be a lot better off with a single stereo set of ambience mics (or reverb) than dedicated mono reverbs.