Electric/analog organ/sound system help!
  • JazFenn
    Posts: 6
    We are looking to move our electric organ up into the choir loft, where all of our other music equipment already lives and plugs into a sound board. The priest is on board, and I have people ready to help move it — I’m just stuck on the audio/output side of things, since I’m not very knowledgeable in that area.

    I’m realizing I don’t even know how to properly describe the organ’s output system, so I’m hoping for some guidance on what I should be looking for and how this typically works.

    Here’s what I’m trying to figure out:
    What are the common output types on electric organs? What should I look for to know what type it is?
    How can I tell whether the organ has:
    a line-level output that can go straight into a mixer?
    or if it’s designed to power its own speakers, meaning we’d need a DI box or some other solution?

    If the organ currently has built-in speakers, is it common/safe to:
    bypass them? How to do that??
    or run the signal to the sound board in addition to them? How to do that??

    Everything else in the loft (keyboard, mics, etc.) already runs into the sound board, so ideally we’d like the organ to do the same. I’m very happy to report back with photos, model numbers, or details once I know what to look for.

    Our dream scenario would be to have this ready for Midnight Mass, but I want to make sure we do it correctly and safely.
    Any advice whatsoever — even “start by checking ___ on the back panel” — would be deeply appreciated. Thank you all so much in advance!
  • JazFenn
    Posts: 6
    Any help or guidance at all is appreciated as I would like to move quickly!
  • davido
    Posts: 1,157
    What brand and model is your electronic organ?
  • GambaGamba
    Posts: 645
    DO NOT run the organ through the sound system.

    Again I say:
    DO NOT run the organ through the sound system.

    Sound systems are designed and built to do most of their work mostly in the mid-to-high frequencies, with sound that decays quickly (speech, piano, guitar).

    Organs pump out huge and continuous amounts of low frequencies/bass. Even if the system is designed for EDM or something, the organ will destroy the speaker cones in your woofers and fry the amps. Organ amps and speakers are purpose-built to handle their particular task, with all frequencies divided and carefully sent to appropriately-hardy circuitry and speakers.

    Additionally, all electronic organs are set up to route their sound over >2 channels. In the cheapest ones with internal speakers, you’re looking at minimum L and R channels plus a dedicated bass channel. More likely it’s a 4+ channel setup. Trying to sum this into even a stereo PA will create phase issues and additionally make the organ sound flat, distorted, and lifeless.

    If you take pictures of the organ from all angles, and any cords which may be running out of the back, I could probably tell you what you’ll need to do next.

    Good luck and merry Christmas!
    Thanked by 1MatthewRoth
  • irishtenoririshtenor
    Posts: 1,409
    I'm probably not as experienced with this as Gamba, but I want to echo that you DO NOT want to run the organ through the sound system. I sincerely recommend you consult a professional who works with electronic organs rather than risking damaging something by jury-rigging things you don't thoroughly understand
    Thanked by 1MatthewRoth
  • francis
    Posts: 11,184
    Do not even consider to try to do this by Christmas. The sound system of an electronic organ is very sophisticated. The company that owns the Organ should be your consult.
Add a Comment