PA Install

[fergiemac]

Just a kind of open-ended question guys, any suggestions for a PA suitable for a 650 seated / 1000 standing venue, it's about 50m long by 30m wide, flat, no mez or balconies. Stage is approx. 12m x 8m deep can't remember how high the place is.

It's quite a 'boomy' hall and you get terrible reflections off the rear wall if you're not careful.

Just looking for some ideas,

p.s. it's used for all sorts of events !

 

Cheers

[Simon Lewis]

I would a) determine if you can sort out the acoustics b) determine coverage / SPL / bandwidth requirements and then ask the question again... As you say, it's rather an open ended question, and it's not possible to make recommendations without a better understanding of the venue's needs...

[azlan]

What do you use in the space normally?

How much budget is there for the changes, and is it just for PA or can the room be treated as well?

Are there any installed rigging points, house trusses etc?

[fergiemac]

What do you use in the space normally?

How much budget is there for the changes, and is it just for PA or can the room be treated as well?

Are there any installed rigging points, house trusses etc?

 

The space is used for Concerts, Conferences in fact, anything you can put in it ! The room can't really be treated as such, they have a kind of 'marquee' type thing that they can drape round it to tart it up for weddings etc which does cut the reflections down a bit.

There are rigging points installed just front of stage and truss running the length of the hall. There's also truss at the sides near the stage.

Not too sure of budget as yet as it's a council owned facility and they wont commit themselves.

I'm really just looking for ideas of makes of PA for this size of venue and whether it would be better to fly (my preference) or ground stack.

I,ve heard l'acoustics arcs in there which sounded really good and d&b which didn't ! I suppose it may come down to personal preference and cost in the end !!

[smalljoshua]

There are far too many variables even with that more information. Generally speaking a flown system will allow you to get more even coverage with less sound hitting the back wall reducing reflections.

 

Where in the country are you? There are likely some great local installers who could come out and not just quote for a PA install but to actually make the PA work for the space.

 

Josh

[haymere]

Just a kind of open-ended question guys, any suggestions for a PA suitable for a 650 seated / 1000 standing venue, it's about 50m long by 30m wide, flat, no mez or balconies. Stage is approx. 12m x 8m deep can't remember how high the place is.

It's quite a 'boomy' hall and you get terrible reflections off the rear wall if you're not careful.

Just looking for some ideas,

p.s. it's used for all sorts of events !

 

Cheers

 

If you are in the North or Midlands, the company I work for would be interested in having a look at tendering

 

VME

 

[fergiemac]

Just a kind of open-ended question guys, any suggestions for a PA suitable for a 650 seated / 1000 standing venue, it's about 50m long by 30m wide, flat, no mez or balconies. Stage is approx. 12m x 8m deep can't remember how high the place is.

It's quite a 'boomy' hall and you get terrible reflections off the rear wall if you're not careful.

Just looking for some ideas,

p.s. it's used for all sorts of events !

 

Cheers

 

If you are in the North or Midlands, the company I work for would be interested in having a look at tendering

 

VME

North West Scotland m8, not too many install companies up this way :)

[bruce]

How far "north west"? There are plenty of install companies in the central belt.

[fergiemac]

How far "north west"? There are plenty of install companies in the central belt.

I know there are, I've worked with quite a few, this post is getting out of hand, I was only looking for a bit of 'devine insperation' so to speak, I couldn't be bothered thinking for my self :) so thought I'd shove it on here and see what ideas I could get.

I'm more than capable of installing it myself but just wanted to see what was the 'in' thing at the moment.

Thanks all, I'll just close this now

[paulears]

Thanks all, I'll just close this now

I'm afraid it doesn't work like that here. You couldn't be bothered thinking for yourself, so you thought you'd shove it on here??

 

If by this you mean everyone wasted their time because it wasn't a serious enquiry - then that's not the kind of post that gets you a great reputation, is it?

 

People have gone out of their way to help you, and you've for some very strange reason decided you don't want the info.

 

North West Scotland m8, not too many install companies up this way

 

Then you say you know there are?

 

Please - in future only ask a question if you actually want an answer. It hasn't got out of hand at all - you just seem cross because people want to help! I'm not sure anyone has had a toys and pram moment before because people actually wanted to help, but the person who asked the question didn't want an answer - A record!

[fergiemac]

Thanks all, I'll just close this now

I'm afraid it doesn't work like that here. You couldn't be bothered thinking for yourself, so you thought you'd shove it on here??

 

If by this you mean everyone wasted their time because it wasn't a serious enquiry - then that's not the kind of post that gets you a great reputation, is it?

 

People have gone out of their way to help you, and you've for some very strange reason decided you don't want the info.

 

North West Scotland m8, not too many install companies up this way

 

Then you say you know there are?

 

Please - in future only ask a question if you actually want an answer. It hasn't got out of hand at all - you just seem cross because people want to help! I'm not sure anyone has had a toys and pram moment before because people actually wanted to help, but the person who asked the question didn't want an answer - A record!

OK, I'll try to clarify this,

I did not want anyone to waste their time, I think I probably wrote the post the wrong way, I wasn't looking for a detailed answer, only for a few ideas of 'brands' of PA that might work in this type / size of hall.

If you, paulears, read my answer to the bit about the install companies, you would have seen that the guy who answered said 'the central belt' and I answered 'I know there are'. I know there are companies in the central belt but there aren't any up in this end of the country and I have worked with a few in 'the central belt'.

I know guys have gone out if their way to try to help, but, as I said, I should have worded the post differently.

[paulears]

The wording of posts changes reader's opinion on the poster - I read it in a way I guess you didn't intend. It's difficult to get the hang of how forums work - perhaps we're a bit stuck in our ways, but history suggests that new members often find it difficult to see that we're not a typical forum, in so much that many of us in this quite small industry know each other, or perhaps know somebody who knows somebody, so we're probably a bit more like a club you might join, rather than a collection of random people.

 

I've no idea if central belt is North West Scotland - it just read like an about turn? Not to worry really, now we know you meant well.

P

[Stuart91]

Hi Fergie,

I think I can guess the venue you are referring to, having seen the marquee lining style hanging in place when I was there with HRH a few summers ago. :)

 

It can often be difficult judging PA brands by what touring productions bring through a venue. I've heard plenty D&B rigs that sound just fine, and a couple that have sounded terrible. It may have been that you heard a rig that had serious problems (blown drivers / stuff out of phase / whatever) or the band engineer could have been deaf, clueless, or both. There's also the problem that shoehorning a large touring rig into a smallish venue can be a bit of a challenge.

 

Can you remember what models of D&B boxes it was you heard, or what in particular sounded objectionable about them?

 

There are heaps of options available from all manner of manufacturers. It's more a case of what's going to be the best fit for the venue, in terms of power and coverage, and also how it sits with the available budget. Can you justify spending the money on L'Acoustic / D&B level kit? Your average conference or wedding reception aren't going to care what badge is on the box, and touring acts may well have their own PA on the truck anyway. They might use your boxes to save a bit of hassle, but you can bet they won't pay a penny extra for the privilege.

 

From a value for money point of view, you might be best getting something mid-range, like RCF or Electrovoice, rather than paying a premium for the top level badges. The other option might be to explore the second hand market. There's often very serviceable kit available at decent prices. Slightly bulkier/heavier boxes which have fallen out fashion in the touring world would still sound great in a small venue and would still be rider friendly. And since they're not getting moved, nobody cares about the weight. A bunch of Crown Macrotechs would be fine, for instance.

 

Flying the boxes will definitely give you more even coverage from front to back, which will be a definite advantage for all sorts of events. But you have to have sufficient capacity available, and look into getting rigging points fitted. Subwoofer deployment could be interesting too. Stacking them left/right will give you a power alley down the middle of the room, which is best avoided if possible. Flying subs gives you more even coverage, but you lose output compared to having them on the floor, and it's more weight and space taken up in the air.

 

Ultimately, the defining factor is going to be budget. If there's a millionaire benefactor going to fund all this, then brilliant, you can start looking through all the ads in LSI magazine and work out what might fit into the space. But it's more likely that the question will be "what's the best compromise for £x,000?". That's where getting unglamorous hard-working boxes can pay off in the long run. Especially if this leaves you with more cash to devote to other parts of the system as well. (For instance, I've been in venues where they have top-brand speakers hanging from the ceiling, but the mic stands are falling apart and there are random lines down on the multicore. Think of the system as a package and make sure you're not starving one area to add the icing on another)