DB technologies T12/T8 and LVX speakers

[AVwise]

A friend recommended DB technologies T12, T8, LVX 10 & IG3T for a very large install for an auditorium of 10,000 pax,

 

Anyone has experience with this systems, are they reliable?

 

 

[TonyMitchell]

A friend recommended DB technologies T12, T8, LVX 10 & IG3T for a very large install for an auditorium of 10,000 pax,

 

Anyone has experience with this systems, are they reliable?

 

 

Happy to stand corrected, however I doubt very much if any sizeable installations of that brand even exist.

Not because there's anything wrong with the brand, just that for this scale of installation, there will be a tender process and the tried & tested products, with the support infrastructure in place, always win.

I can only speak for the UK, things may be different where you are.

[Simon Lewis]

A friend recommended DB technologies T12, T8, LVX 10 & IG3T for a very large install for an auditorium of 10,000 pax,

 

Anyone has experience with this systems, are they reliable?

 

 

 

We have used the T8 boxes (with the older single 18" powered subs) for a number of years. The T12 is a newer line array box, with larger amps / higher SPL / wider response.

 

The good points... quite a light, easily handled box. Rigging is fairly simple and easy, as long as the pins don't get rusty. If flying a large number of boxes, you'll probably need some form of power distribution / switch on procedure as powering up four T8s when all the amps are switched on will take out a 16A MCB.

Sound is quite acceptable. It's not the loudest box in the world, but then again it's a relatively low cost unit. The brand does seem to be taken fairly seriously, but it's not too high on the rider acceptance radar. We use our rig in a teaching environment, and they've been pretty good for us.

 

The not so good points... we have rattles on some boxes, one or two amps have more hiss than others, we have had one sub amp module blow up, but we were able to drop in a replacement module for a few hundred quid. Some of the switches are intermittent now. Our units look a little battered, but we share them with an arts centre who do outdoor work, and they have accelerated wear and tear in that environment (!). The speaker aiming software was not very easy to use, and I haven't checked if they've updated it at all.

 

For several years, the dB Tech boxes were our main sound system, and they worked well for us. We now have some d&b audiotechnik Y series, B subs and Max2 wedges, driven by D20 amps. The sound quality, workmanship, performance and support is in a different league. So too was the price tag.

 

If you or your organisation are going to drop a lot of money on a dBTechnologies rig, then I would be asking for demonstrations of the system, and checking out the support etc. available. If d&b / L'acoustic level boxes are out of your budget, the I would certainly consider dBTechnologies. However, I would also be checking other manufacturers too and seeing what they had to offer.

 

Whereabouts in Africa are you?

[AVwise]

Thank you very much for the info sir,

 

Very good review of the kit

 

Im in Mombasa, Kenya

[cedd]

I mixed on a T8 rig a couple of years ago on a panto. It was brand new kit (literally delivered in the cardboard boxes - the hire company had just bought it) so I didn't have chance to see any of the age-related issues Simon mentions above.

A few findings though;

They do sound pretty ok. Out of the box I felt they lacked mids and they seemed to have slightly excessive HF. Soon tamed with a graphic though.

They have built in noise gates, which I found a little odd. I only found out about them when I kept losing quiet sound effects playback (tweeting birds, wind etc.). Sadly I think they're only there to hide the hiss that the amps generate, which in our smaller theatre was audible while the place was empty.

We had one sub fail. I seem to remember the mains terminal rattled off of the fuse holder. Probably loose since manufacture or worked loose during transit.

They have pretty incredible feedback rejection. No idea why, but I've never been able to get an actor wearing an omni headset that close to a loudspeaker system before (literally sat 2m in front of it).

 

The hire company sold the rig on a year or so later in favour of some D&B Y series to improve rider acceptance.

 

Have you looked at any of the RCF TT range? I suspect slightly larger price tag, but they're a fantastic sounding system and still aren't up in the D&B price tags.

[Simon Lewis]

Have you looked at any of the RCF TT range? I suspect slightly larger price tag, but they're a fantastic sounding system and still aren't up in the D&B price tags.

 

I would also look at some of the slightly smaller Nexo speakers.

 

What goes on in this 10,000 seater auditorium? Is it a concert venue, a church etc.? There can be quite different demands placed on gear, and the number of patrons is just the starting point for system selection!

 

 

[Stuart91]

For several years, the dB Tech boxes were our main sound system, and they worked well for us. We now have some d&b audiotechnik Y series, B subs and Max2 wedges, driven by D20 amps. The sound quality, workmanship, performance and support is in a different league. So too was the price tag.

 

Following on from Simon's point, you will probably get on better with enough of the dB boxes to cover the room properly, than an inadequate amount of higher-end product. It doesn't matter how nice the speakers sound if you are having to drive them into distortion to get adequate level throughout the audience.