mp3jrick
So I am contracted to do a prom and through out the process I am getting cleared for video content, audio content and fog.
I inquire about the room which is on the second floor and learn of an elevator, ooh thank you lord.
The manager then mentions the room is a disaster in sound.
And, I think, ya right like i've seen it before.
Well, I arrive to find a 200X200' octagon shaped room with hardwood floors and a 20" cieling, no drapery and windows up the wazoo.
So I set up and do my first sound check and oh my god it was so bad it would have given me fits trying to mix, like freakin reverb.
Running the 2 York 750's and 200's under.
The first thing I did was eliminate the subs.
Well that didn't do shit for it.
Then I eq'd a bit to try to tone it down, n/g.
Then i'm thinking turn the tops to the outside, n/g.
Well, the only thing left to try was to turn the tops 180 and bounce the sound off the wall behind me.
I'm thinking this is going to look like shit, the backs of the 750's are ugleeee, but if it works it works.
Sure as hell it did, and then I plugged in the subs and was blown away by my sound check walk around the room.
I was going to mention it so people didn't think I was nuts or something.
I mentioned this to the advisors and told them that I play louder because the sound is usually in front of me some.
I told them that this was a different set up and to let me know if it was too loud.
They said "don't worry we will"...........ahh ok.
Well all night I had staff walking behind me sniffing around and looking I was set up 10' from the wall.
The principle in particular was quite awed by the set up.
People wonder when you ask for only one 6' table.
Anyway at the end of the night the oldest advisor walked up to me and said thanks, "he had never worked a dance without getting his ears blasted".
And, I thought 'wow', because I was throttling on the system pretty hard all night, and really on it if it was a kickin hit.
And the funniest thing was that nobody even noticed the tops backwards.
Just some insight for you guys if you ever run into off the hook sound conditions like this, it worked absolutely perfect.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/pac6a690789cce1c8d16ac6465b981950/f4482111.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/p7137546453795dfbc14868579f7ee43b/f4481de2.jpg
I inquire about the room which is on the second floor and learn of an elevator, ooh thank you lord.
The manager then mentions the room is a disaster in sound.
And, I think, ya right like i've seen it before.
Well, I arrive to find a 200X200' octagon shaped room with hardwood floors and a 20" cieling, no drapery and windows up the wazoo.
So I set up and do my first sound check and oh my god it was so bad it would have given me fits trying to mix, like freakin reverb.
Running the 2 York 750's and 200's under.
The first thing I did was eliminate the subs.
Well that didn't do shit for it.
Then I eq'd a bit to try to tone it down, n/g.
Then i'm thinking turn the tops to the outside, n/g.
Well, the only thing left to try was to turn the tops 180 and bounce the sound off the wall behind me.
I'm thinking this is going to look like shit, the backs of the 750's are ugleeee, but if it works it works.
Sure as hell it did, and then I plugged in the subs and was blown away by my sound check walk around the room.
I was going to mention it so people didn't think I was nuts or something.
I mentioned this to the advisors and told them that I play louder because the sound is usually in front of me some.
I told them that this was a different set up and to let me know if it was too loud.
They said "don't worry we will"...........ahh ok.
Well all night I had staff walking behind me sniffing around and looking I was set up 10' from the wall.
The principle in particular was quite awed by the set up.
People wonder when you ask for only one 6' table.
Anyway at the end of the night the oldest advisor walked up to me and said thanks, "he had never worked a dance without getting his ears blasted".
And, I thought 'wow', because I was throttling on the system pretty hard all night, and really on it if it was a kickin hit.
And the funniest thing was that nobody even noticed the tops backwards.
Just some insight for you guys if you ever run into off the hook sound conditions like this, it worked absolutely perfect.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/pac6a690789cce1c8d16ac6465b981950/f4482111.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid166/p7137546453795dfbc14868579f7ee43b/f4481de2.jpg
Mensajes Sun 01 May 05 @ 3:12 pm
digijoc-Mele
Mp3jrick,
Thanks for sharing your experience. As mobile DJs we are often faced with a challenge such as this and it is always amazing how speaker placement can make a big difference. I often have a challenge in getting the right sub placement for maxium bass.
As you mentioned, there is nothing worse than trying to mix with an echo.. (the whole reason for a DJ monitor speaker). In a very bad situation, you would have to resort to your cans on both ears. This is when you are really thankful for the dynamic range of cans like the Sony v700.
I think your concept hinges around the fact of getting the high frequencys as directly toward you as possible. Do you think it was more so the directness of the highs to you than the bouncing off the wall 10' behind you that made the difference ? It's a little hard to tell from your PICs, but it appears that your hi drivers were in front of your table and pointing toward your area.
In regard to my earlier mention of sub placement, if anyone has any great resource for examples of placement, I would be interested to see them posted in this thread. It seems hard to find a resource that gives good practical examples. The best I've been able to determine is that it is generally effective to place the sub about 4' - 5' away from the wall in a corner of the room.
By the way, If anyone is just looking for a name brand to work with, I've found a great combination in using self-powered Mackie 450's with self-powered JBL Subs.
Thanks for sharing your experience. As mobile DJs we are often faced with a challenge such as this and it is always amazing how speaker placement can make a big difference. I often have a challenge in getting the right sub placement for maxium bass.
As you mentioned, there is nothing worse than trying to mix with an echo.. (the whole reason for a DJ monitor speaker). In a very bad situation, you would have to resort to your cans on both ears. This is when you are really thankful for the dynamic range of cans like the Sony v700.
I think your concept hinges around the fact of getting the high frequencys as directly toward you as possible. Do you think it was more so the directness of the highs to you than the bouncing off the wall 10' behind you that made the difference ? It's a little hard to tell from your PICs, but it appears that your hi drivers were in front of your table and pointing toward your area.
In regard to my earlier mention of sub placement, if anyone has any great resource for examples of placement, I would be interested to see them posted in this thread. It seems hard to find a resource that gives good practical examples. The best I've been able to determine is that it is generally effective to place the sub about 4' - 5' away from the wall in a corner of the room.
By the way, If anyone is just looking for a name brand to work with, I've found a great combination in using self-powered Mackie 450's with self-powered JBL Subs.
Mensajes Sun 01 May 05 @ 6:54 pm
mp3jrick
Actually the tops were dead even with the table, probably more like 6-7' from the wall.
Strangest shaped room I have ever seen, that was the main reason for the pics to show.
The bounce was what made the difference in overall sound not ease of mixing.
I could walk out onto the floor and the sound really didn't change much at all which was great, and lucky also as I had no other options really.
This is where it becomes science in a way.
Strangest shaped room I have ever seen, that was the main reason for the pics to show.
The bounce was what made the difference in overall sound not ease of mixing.
I could walk out onto the floor and the sound really didn't change much at all which was great, and lucky also as I had no other options really.
This is where it becomes science in a way.
Mensajes Sun 01 May 05 @ 8:21 pm
bogart
Good trick to get sound you needed. Never thought of that. Closest thing I had was a gym; no windows though.
Mensajes Mon 02 May 05 @ 3:43 pm