Best practice for plugging in powered speakers

[jlcpremier]

I have (2) ELX 115P and (2) 118P. When plugging them in, what's the best way to do it...power wise

Most events I'm lucky if I can get 2 separate outlets to run my audio system on one, and the lighting on the other. In the past I had an amp rack that fed into a power conditioner which ran all the audio. Now that I have 4 individual speakers with amps, I'm trying to figure out what the best way is to wire this all up based on the assumption I would only have 2 outlets to work with.

Ideally for larger events I would keep the 2 subs together in the center and split the tops on the sides. The subs I would probably still be able to plug into the power conditioner, and I could run big extension cords from the tops into the power conditioner as well, or to save outlets could I plug all the speakers into a surge protector, then into the power conditioner?

Thanks for your help. I'm kinda new to the whole powered speakers thing.

[Al Poulin]

I have (2) ELX 115P and (2) 118P. When plugging them in, what's the best way to do it...power wise

Most events I'm lucky if I can get 2 separate outlets to run my audio system on one, and the lighting on the other. In the past I had an amp rack that fed into a power conditioner which ran all the audio. Now that I have 4 individual speakers with amps, I'm trying to figure out what the best way is to wire this all up based on the assumption I would only have 2 outlets to work with.

Ideally for larger events I would keep the 2 subs together in the center and split the tops on the sides. The subs I would probably still be able to plug into the power conditioner, and I could run big extension cords from the tops into the power conditioner as well, or to save outlets could I plug all the speakers into a surge protector, then into the power conditioner?

Thanks for your help. I'm kinda new to the whole powered speakers thing.

Audio in one outlet, lights in the other. You should be fine. Power conditioners do NOTHING and are a waste of money IMO. Only the VERY expensive ones actually do something other than look pretty in a rack.
Al

[Incognito]

Power conditioners do NOTHING and are a waste of money IMO. Only the VERY expensive ones actually do something other than look pretty in a rack.
Al

That's because the cheap ones aren't power conditioners in the first place, all they are is over priced surge protectors (& not even good ones at that).

[djscrizzle]

That's because the cheap ones aren't power conditioners in the first place, all they are is over priced surge protectors (& not even good ones at that).

Bingo. The only form of power conditioning I would entertain the idea of getting, is a 120v 15A 1:1 mains isolation transformer, like the type that is used in working on electronics.... For working on power amps n other electronics at home.
The only power conditioning I have in my rig is a 2 or 3 AT&T branded plugin surge arrestors, just in case I get a nasty (330+ volts) spike down the line.
I save my valuable rackspace for better stuff, like controllers, more signal processing gear, or amps.

I second the recommendation of having sound and lighting on separate circuits... And if you're using larger power amps, they can often times benefit from being on their own feed as well. Especially older Big Iron power amps.

[jayhwk]

OA Windsor makes some very nice looking quad boxes and other electrical distribution devices:

http://oawindsor.com/

If you want real surge protection/power conditioning, you'll have to pay for it. SurgeX is one of the only companies that makes products that do what they advertise and aren't trying to rip you off, but it's a lot of cash:

http://www.surgex.com/