Speaker Positioning

[frost]

Hi All,

 

In a small venue I work in we have to speakers hung either side of the auditorium in the middle of the space between the stage and back of the audience. During performances we can have problems with Gain Before Feedback - therefore some of the performers struggle to be heard.

 

I have suggested that it would be better to have the speakers positioned at the front of the stage facing the audience hanging from the roof at an angle, which would give us better Gain Before Feedback. Am I right in saying this?

 

Any comments/sergestions are extremely welcome :)

 

Thanks,

 

Toby

[Dj Dunc]

Make sure that the speakers are closer to the audience than where the furthest point of acting (with a mic) is otherwise it will be feedback.com

[bigglesuk]

Which way are the speakers facing now?

 

Also, knowing the size of the venue and the speaker make and model would help us try and figure out the best position for the speakers.

[Andrew C]

Are these speakers pointing across the room, or towards the back? If the former, you will definitely get an improvement, otherwise it is unlikely. Taking them too high at the front can give an odd "feel" to the sound, but the human head is only really designed to differentiate L - R positioning.

[frost]

Thanks for the quick replies :)

 

The Speakers are Yamaha (I think Club V series - C115VA?). The venue is small - (I'm not really sure the size) possibly 10m across and 40m Long, But I don't really know!

 

The speakers are currently along the side walls facing inwards (across the room).

 

Hope this information helps

 

Thanks,

 

Toby

[MarkPAman]

In that case, as Andrew C has said, you will get an improvement by positioning the speakers as you suggest. You want to end up with them pointing towards the audience, and not at any microphones. :)

[paulears]

It's going back to basics, but gain before feedback is reliant on as little amplified sound getting back into the mics, so if there is a direct path from the speaker to the mic - (as in if you stand on stage can you see the front of the cabinet?) - then gain will be a problem. If you can see the side and rear of the cabinets from the stage, the only path will be a reflected on, which will be weaker, and delayed, both making gain before it takes off better.

[frost]

Thanks for all your help.

 

I think we will move the speakers and see what happens - going by the replies on here it should give us an improvement on Gain Before Feedback.

 

Thanks Again

 

Toby