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interference from blackberries [message #115814]

Tue, 20 December 2005 17:06

Andres Gonzalez
Messages: 351
Registered: October 2004
Location: Central New Jersey

Active Member

Not sure if this is the proper place to ask this but thought I would try anyway.

My drummer just got a blackberry and it has been the source of alot of interference with our PA when we play live. Neutrik has just come out with a XLR plug that has a built-in filter that will filter out the interference. I am considering upgrading my PA with these connectors.

My question is this: It seems to make sense for me to do this for my PA. However, I am in the process of wiring up a new portable recording rack. I have a Brent Averil chassis with 8 API 312 pres and I am about to purchase an Apogee Rosetta 800 converter. Should I use these new Neutrik connectors for this recording rack? My concern is if it will effect the quality of the sound. The Neutrik spec says that the filter in the connector provides for "55db attenuation at 1 GHz" I do not know what its -3db point is. I am assuming that the -3db point is WAY ABOVE what my rock-n-roll ears can hear.

What is your opinion? Should I use these connectors or not in this new recording rack?

Thanks,

-Andres

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #115906 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Tue, 20 December 2005 21:48

James Duncan
Messages: 584
Registered: May 2004
Location: Indiana

Gold Member

I'll just say that I have a Blackberry, and have not noticed any "issues" in the studio with it at all.

James Duncan

"Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
Napoleon Bonaparte

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #115985 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 06:18

Geoff_T
Messages: 392
Registered: May 2004
Location: Hollywood

Active Member

Hi

Before you stump up money to buy the special XLR's you might want to check the efficiency of the grounding to your amps. A good ground is the enemy of RF.

Plan B, get the guy to turn it off when you perform!

Smile

Geoff Tanner
http://www.auroraaudio.net/main.shtml
http://www.grandmasterrecorders.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0595093329/ref=sib_dp_pt/104 -6861899-0350336#reader-link

NB Please do not pm me if you want a fast response... please email me.

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116034 is a reply to message #115985 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 10:15

frinjplayer
Messages: 24
Registered: November 2004
Location: Pacific Northwet

Member

Geoff_T wrote on Wed, 21 December 2005 04:18

Hi

Plan B, get the guy to turn it off when you perform!

Smile

Repeat that but louder.
If he needs to answer his blackberry during a set you have bigger issues than grounding.

Always drink upstream from the herd

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116037 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 10:20

synthetic
Messages: 70
Registered: August 2004
Location: Glendale, CA

Member

There's been a related thread in the John Klett board about RFI interference:

http://recforums.prosoundweb.com/index.php/mv/msg/8564/0/0/4 313/?SQ=2d575fa87d2c25a8ccae918218781369

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116039 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 10:20

Fibes
Messages: 4275
Registered: April 2004
Location: Joja

Platinum Member

In my shop all cell phones go OFF. They create interference a lot and especially when it's gettin in contact with the tower. I've had bass players with active basses getting a "click track" out of their cell phone in their pocket too.

There is nothing worse than watching a player get a call on his cell from some crazy person and it ruining his whole performance that night. So unless your wife is 10 months pregnant the phone goes off.

Fibes
-------------------------------------------------
"You can like it, or not like it."
The Studio

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116081 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 12:06

Fletcher
Messages: 2775
Registered: April 2004
Location: München

Platinum Member

A drummer with a Blackberry... oh, that's rich...

Funniest thing I've heard all day.

CN Fletcher

TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik

mwagener wrote on Sat, 11 September 2004 14:33
We are selling emotions, there are no emotions in a grid

"Recording engineers are an arrogant bunch.
If you've spent most of your life with a few thousand dollars worth of musicians in the studio, making a decision every second and a half... and you and they are going to have to live with it for the rest of your lives, you'll get pretty arrogant too. It takes a certain amount of balls to do that... something around three"
Malcolm Chisholm

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116100 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 12:56

Andres Gonzalez
Messages: 351
Registered: October 2004
Location: Central New Jersey

Active Member

Thanks for the responses.

Some of you guys missed my point. My drummer's Blackberry is not the problem because he turns if off like everyone else in the band. It was his Blackberry that identified the problem. We can control what goes on in the band but I have no control over the people in the audience. If my drummer's Blackberry causes interference in the PA during a sound check, then a Blackberry in the audience can cause interference in the PA during the performance.

-Andres

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116145 is a reply to message #116100 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 14:13

Geoff_T
Messages: 392
Registered: May 2004
Location: Hollywood

Active Member

Hi

Look at this, search for other similar products, but don't tell that I told you!

http://www.globalgadgetuk.com/Personal.htm

Smile

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116232 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 18:31

synthetic
Messages: 70
Registered: August 2004
Location: Glendale, CA

Member

Doesn't that jammer change the problem from sporatic noise to constant noise?

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116264 is a reply to message #116232 ]

Wed, 21 December 2005 20:57

Geoff_T
Messages: 392
Registered: May 2004
Location: Hollywood

Active Member

synthetic wrote on Wed, 21 December 2005 16:31

Doesn't that jammer change the problem from sporatic noise to constant noise?

Hi

It's not an area I have any expertise in other than by observation.

I've noticed that a wide range of equipment can produce a chirping noise if the cellphone you have is calling up to check its nearest cell but when the cellphone is dialing, ringing or answering/sending a call, you don't get the interference.

So, wildly guessing, it may be that sporatic noise is more a pain in the rear than a continuous signal.

I've read about theatres that use these jammers (illegally, of course) and I'd also guess that the very high frequency has no effect on the sound system.

I'd welcome better qualified answers!

Smile

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116414 is a reply to message #115814 ]

Thu, 22 December 2005 10:36

Andres Gonzalez
Messages: 351
Registered: October 2004
Location: Central New Jersey

Active Member

I am a little confused. How would a jammer help this situation? And why would theaters use them? I would think that theaters would typically have alot of wireless mics and would not want any more RF contaminating their air waves.

-Andres

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Re: interference from blackberries [message #116465 is a reply to message #116414 ]

Thu, 22 December 2005 13:09

Geoff_T
Messages: 392
Registered: May 2004
Location: Hollywood

Active Member

Hi

It's a matter of frequency band allocation. The radio mics don't work in the same band as cellphones or they'd jam them.

I read about a theatre out here using a jammer because they were p.o'd with folk answering their cell phones in the middle of a live performance.

Any well designed piece of audio equipment should not have issues with RF... Neve consoles like the BCM10 were often situated next to the transmitter room in remote locations.

Certainly, a pair of inductors and small caps on each mic input will give a degree of protection against RF (that's probably what's inside the special XLR) but, before stumping up $$$, I recommend you check the grounding arrangement... which was the point of my first post.

You'd be surprised at how many outboard racks, especially for Neve modules, are sold without a sniff of ground going to the modules.

RF city...

Smile

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