Control Several Speakers Individually

[Morganhuw]

Right then

 

I want to control several speakers as different outputs.... However the director does not want cable on the stage floor :(

 

I have suggested using http://www.amazon.co.uk/Remote-Wireless-Microphone-Headset-Receiver/dp/B009QUYJF2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390919465&sr=8-2&keywords=wireless+microphone and instead of connecting a microphone I would connect the desk (The desks has several outputs) and connect the receiver to a battery powered speaker.

 

Would this work? I am trying to do this on as little budget as possible. But I welcome any comments or suggestions that is not offensive.

 

Thanks

[Robin D]

What do you mean by "battery powered speaker"? You can get battery power amplifiers that drive speaker, and some active speakers that are designed as portable sound systems and hence have the provision for on-board batteries.

 

I can't help wondering if you are perhaps tackling this from the wrong end but to know that we need a lot more information about what you are trying to do and why speakers cannot be placed in such a way that you can get a decent signal lead to them.

 

The units you show give no indication if you can use multiples in the same space or if you would just get crosstalk/interference.

 

More information is likely to bring other idea's.

 

I've just realised, the "Frequence :FM 80- 12500 Hz" is the supposed frequency response not the transmission frequency which remains unstated. As these are available on a well known auction site direct from China, I strongly suspect, they may be illegal to us in the UK .... unless anyone knows differently.

[Shez]

I strongly suspect that a radio system that costs <£9 is going to be tat. The absence of any control for selecting a frequency suggests that it can only operate on a single channel so you wouldn't be able to use more than one if you need different signals to go to different speakers. And as Robin says, it's not likely to be legal to use in the UK anyway.

 

If you can give us some more details on your exact application, we can probably suggest other ways of achieving it. Your director does need to be aware that "wireless" and "as little budget as possible" don't go well together though.

[Morganhuw]

What do you mean by "battery powered speaker"? You can get battery power amplifiers that drive speaker, and some active speakers that are designed as portable sound systems and hence have the provision for on-board batteries.

 

I can't help wondering if you are perhaps tackling this from the wrong end but to know that we need a lot more information about what you are trying to do and why speakers cannot be placed in such a way that you can get a decent signal lead to them.

 

The units you show give no indication if you can use multiples in the same space or if you would just get crosstalk/interference.

 

More information is likely to bring other idea's.

 

I've just realised, the "Frequence :FM 80- 12500 Hz" is the supposed frequency response not the transmission frequency which remains unstated. As these are available on a well known auction site direct from China, I strongly suspect, they may be illegal to us in the UK .... unless anyone knows differently.

 

thanks for the reply

 

http://i39.tinypic.com/bdv7k1.png

 

this is the sort of layout we were trying to do. The speakers such as this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rokono-Speaker-iPhone-Player-Laptop/dp/B007NJ3SIM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1390921299&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+powered+speakers would be placed within suite cases.

 

As for the frequency I have no idea about frequency as I am only still learning the ropes. I am the technician on the show along with a stage manager with no technical experience and two actors.

 

 

 

 

 

[the kid]

Could you drop the cables ? run them across bars and down ? or even fly them?

 

 

You can buy ultra flat under carpet cable http://www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/SPC06.html?id=QIbnEvwH or even this http://www.cybermarket.co.uk/shop/wire-cable/speaker-cable/50m-under-carpet-floor-flat-speaker-735255.html. It does depend on what speakers you are using.

 

What is the "motivation" even bell wire is pretty discrete

[Shez]

Another thing you may need to be aware of if those are the speakers you end up using is that they expect a stereo (not sure why!) unbalanced input whereas your desk will likely have mono balanced outputs - you'll need to do some creative wiring to get them to work together if you go down the wired route.

[S&L]

I'm still hung up on trying to work out why little speakers in suitcases

there is a story here - even if it doesn't affect your final solution I'm sure I am not alone in wondering why small speakers are sitting in suitcases on a stage.

Tell us a story, if we know the exact whats and whys, not only can people on here assist more but others can understand the problem for the next time we all face a similar request.

are these talking suitcases? musical suitcases? do the audience walk among them and so can tell which suitcase is talking? Enquiring minds want to know.

oh and the amazon thingy - I would be surprised if it worked even in your living room for any length of time - and certainly not with any quality.

[the kid]

I am thinking much like Mark Thomas Bravo Figaro where he "talks" to some lights and houses (good show if he is still doing it) that was done with a left and right send if I remember and a centre back of stage speaker to boost it. (I might be wrong) But to have an off stage line or 2 would help the "where the noise comes from"

 

IS that to go on tour ? because you will need to think about the robustness of everything, those small speakers are good but once through a box I cannot imagine they have much poke, the Logitec boomboxes are far far superior if you could get those.

[Robin D]

Under insistence from a director of the business (Rather than an artistic director) we purchased one of those speakers for in-house presentations as "I've read the reviews and it will be perfectly adequate for what we need". Suffice to say, it was used just one with about 10 people in a 20' x 12' room and was close to useless. It's sat on the shelf gathering dust ever since.

 

Can we also assume you mean suitcases you carry clothes in and not not "suite cases"? AFAIK, suite cases are wooden cases that they put furniture in for overseas shipping. If my assumption is incorrect, then please advise what you mean.

 

Personally, given the scope and budget, I would hide two small speakers on stage and then use the pan on the mixer (or even balance on the amp) to give the impression that the sound is emanating from each individual position.

[Dave m]

I'm guessing this is a school production?

 

are they spot effects with repatch time?

 

Ignoring the cable issue, you could do this with a surround sound system, but more kit and planning.

[ojc123]

Personally, given the scope and budget, I would hide two small speakers on stage and then use the pan on the mixer (or even balance on the amp) to give the impression that the sound is emanating from each individual position.

+1

I've seen this trick used and it works well. If the actors look at the apparent noise source, or it's indicated by lighting, then the audience go with it.

 

I'm used to doing the impossible with no budget but I can't see this working unless you got IEM kit and messed about with that. You'd still need a fairly hefty speaker and batteries to make a noise worth hearing. Good, quick & cheap; perm any two from three.

 

If your director insists on this method then work out a sensible budget for doing the effect reliably and come up with a much cheaper and more reliable wired option budget. What he probably doesn't want are dirty black cables snaking all over his stage. If you can come up with a way of doing it discreetly and cheaply he might go with it. Emphasise your reliability concerns if he insists you try to do it on the cheap.

 

Good luck.

[Bazz339]

Avoid cheap wireless speakers they will almost certainly bite you. They are quite possibly on frequencies illegal for use and very susceptible to interference, mobile phones being a prime culprit for inadequately screened devices.