Crowd numbers for speaker sizes

[Dynamic Entertainment]

This is a fairly daft one, but im getting some new speakers within a week and am going to be changing my website accordingly. As has been said in a recent post alot of people look at the size of the sound system (RMS wise) in accordance with tyhe number of guests thats there. I realise that sound can be swallowed up by the furnishins/room/everything else, and likewise amplified if its bare but what sort of crownd numbers would you put the following down to as a rough guide for folk:

System 1 - 600w (RMS) with SPL @ 1w/1m 99dB

System 2 - 1,600w (RMS) with SPL Peak (Havent got SPL 1w/1m): Bass Bins 130dB, Tops 128dB

System 3 - 3,200w (RMS) with SPLPeal (havent got SPL @ 1w/1m): Sub Bass Bins 134dB, Bass Bins 130dB, Tops 128dB

Many thanks

Steve

[Tom]

The numbers you have posted for SPL are max output not 1w@1m apart from system 1. :)

[Dynamic Entertainment]

The numbers you have posted for SPL are max output not 1w@1m apart from system 1. :)

Cheers Tom, should have been paying attantion to what i was reading. Thanks :)

[nigelwright7557]

I find a few hundred watts RMS is fine for the places I go to.

The exception is a local club which is long and thin with the stage in the center. This plays havoc with bands as they usually just face forward. No one to the right and left of the stage can hear very well. Its also quite a big club so yo uneed a lot of spl to fill it.

I have yet to play there but if I did I would use a dual amp setup with four speakers to spread the sound around.

[A1DL]

System 1 - 600w (RMS) with SPL @ 1w/1m 99dB

System 2 - 1,600w (RMS) with SPL Peak (Havent got SPL 1w/1m): Bass Bins 130dB, Tops 128dB

System 3 - 3,200w (RMS) with SPLPeal (havent got SPL @ 1w/1m): Sub Bass Bins 134dB, Bass Bins 130dB, Tops 128dB


A 99db 1w/1m box will give a calculated peak SPL of 127db, however in reality this may be nearer 124db as some of those watts will be converted into heat (power compression)

Remember that all things even, the 3,200w system will only be 3db louder than the 1,600w system. To double the perceived volume you need ten times the power (+10db).

Double the distance from the source, -6db SPL



I find a few hundred watts RMS is fine for the places I go to.

How loud are your speakers though Nigel?

[nigelwright7557]

A 99db 1w/1m box will give a calculated peak SPL of 127db, however in reality this may be nearer 124db as some of those watts will be converted into heat (power compression)

Remember that all things even, the 3,200w system will only be 3db louder than the 1,600w system. To double the perceived volume you need ten times the power (+10db).

Double the distance from the source, -6db SPL

How loud are your speakers though Nigel?

Only about 5% of the power put into a speaker is converted to sound pressure the rest is lost to heat.

My 18 inch speaker is 99db.
My 10 inch speakers are a little less but I have four in the cabinet.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Cheers A1, so at a what crowd numbers would you generally link each system with?, i.e 600w system suitable for upto 50 guests? Its just so people can have a (very) rough idea on what they are looking at.

[CRAZY K]

Cheers A1, so at a what crowd numbers would you generally link each system with?, i.e 600w system suitable for upto 50 guests? Its just so people can have a (very) rough idea on what they are looking at.

Im not a techhie at all ( leave that to Tony )

BUT

you just need to use common sense and talk about the kind of watts--are they peak, music power or RMS?

I would work not on number of people but the max capacity of the hall/ venue.

So if you need to quote these figures refer to a VENUE with a maximum capacity of xxxx

Also of course the acoustics of a venue will affect things.

Very generally I would say 600 watts RMS is way too high for 50 people in a venue designed to hold around 50:eek:

However, let the experts pronounce;)

CRAZY K

[soundtracker]

It also depends whether you want to fill the venue with sound or just have it loud enough on the dance floor.

[DJ James Lake]

It also depends whether you want to fill the venue with sound or just have it loud enough on the dance floor.

Which is also where a lot of djs go wrong by choosing incorrectly and get a bad name for being too loud.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Im just after a rough guide, most folk know how many guests they have coming, if its too loud then ill turn it down. Im just after basic figures that each system will happily deal with.

Crazy, i only work in RMS, and SPL @1w/1m, the rest is just more sales pitch :)

Soundtracker, my aim is to have it loud enough on the dancefloor, but still be hearable around the room (each room is different after all :) )

[Tom]

Im just after a rough guide, most folk know how many guests they have coming, if its too loud then ill turn it down. Im just after basic figures that each system will happily deal with.

Crazy, i only work in RMS, and SPL @1w/1m, the rest is just more sales pitch :)

Soundtracker, my aim is to have it loud enough on the dancefloor, but still be hearable around the room (each room is different after all :) )

Get a Bose? :eek: :sofa:

Most people blag about how many thousands of whats they have, and its worthless. Efficiency is the key. Clients don't really care about how many watts your system is. A;; they care about if that it's going to be loud enough for people to hear from all over the venue.


Why not say that System A for example is capable of handling 100 people in a medium sized room. System B for this and System C for that.

But what happens of you get a gig that only 100 people. You recommend system A but you turn up and the hall is a lot bigger than you thought???

[Dynamic Entertainment]

What i currently have on the site is "Bronze sound system is suitable for smaller venues and upto approx. 50 guests", "Silver is suitable for medium sized venues...... (you get the general idea?).

I realise that it will never be even 50% accurate but it gives people a loose idea which we can use as a starting point. Most venues i know of, or can find out about and better advise them whilst on the phone.

[DeckstarDeluxe]

Why not just get a sound system of 800-1000. You dont have to have the speakers working at full pelt!! For example ive done gigs for up to 150 people on a venue that doesnt hold much more and been perfectly ok with a 1000 rms sound system working off a 1500w amp. Volume on the amp is barely 50%

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Because the sound system has been bought, and its the one i wanted to get.

[sleah]

I've always stated that I will bring the appropriate sound system for the event, rather than specifying options.
If the gig is going to need more than you can provide, you tell the client and give them the option of going elsewhere or paying extra for you to supply the required gear.

Personally, I won't entertain the idea of not taking a suitable sound system.
To my point, you would be better buying the biggest system you can justify and wish to use. What will do alot will do a little. You can always leave bass bins at home blah blah. That said, you would need to ensure the system had the flexibility to scale down.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

That is what i have done, its the dB tech fortyline system, The 3,200w is the is the mid-tops, bass, and sub bass units, the 1,600w is the mid-tops aqnd bass units and the 600w is the skytec actives which are perfectly fine for smaller venues.

Not getting at anyone in particular but will someone please read the original post, and post something useful.

I dont care what other people do/have. I could just say that its the biggest sound system at top whack. But i dont. I give people packages as a starting point so they have half an idea of what they want before they ring/email me. Its worked very well for me for the last few years. I occasionally get someone enquiring about the smallest setup and having a huge venue and vice versa and that is when a disco is tailored to their needs/wants. I.e, we may go with the lighing out of the bronze package, with the silver sound system. As i have said on other posts my pacvkages are not set in stone. If you tell a typical client that you have a 600w sound system that has a SPL @ 1w/1m of 99dB, most wont have a clue. If you say the 600w soundsystem is suitable for smaller venues and crowds of upto 50 (? as a figure) it becomes easier for them.

Anyway rant over :)

Forgot to add...Tom, Bose is on next years shopping list. :D

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Deleted - Duplicate post somehow :)D

[Tom]

If people ask me how loud my sound system is I just say its very loud. Simple. Lol


I agree in getting one large pa and scale it to your needs. That way for small gigs you can state 600 watts, what ever, and just take your speaker tops. If you get a gig where you need a much larger pa, then you just add the kick and sub bass in your case.

Plus it takes up less room aswell. Lol


You can still offer packages but you only use the one pa system.


Just my 2p. :)

[Steve the DJ]

...but what sort of crownd numbers would you put the following down to as a rough guide for folk...

Maybe a slightly backwards way of doing things but why not have a look at the HK Audio System Checker (http://www.hkaudio.com/lsc2/lsc2006_en.php)?

You simply select the amount of people and the type of application and it shows you how hard their portable systems need to work. You can then compare the various system outputs to your own set up.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

If people ask me how loud my sound system is I just say its very loud. Simple. Lol


I agree in getting one large pa and scale it to your needs. That way for small gigs you can state 600 watts, what ever, and just take your speaker tops. If you get a gig where you need a much larger pa, then you just add the kick and sub bass in your case.

Plus it takes up less room aswell. Lol


You can still offer packages but you only use the one pa system.


Just my 2p. :)

Thats basically what im doing. The dB Tech system is used for the silver with the tops and bass, and the gold package incudes the sub bass. The 600w is the skytec actives that ive got lying around that gets used for dance events as monitors, so thought id put them to use seen as they are sat there. I have to use the skytec ones as the dB Tech tops are passive and fed from the bass units.


Maybe a slightly backwards way of doing things but why not have a look at the HK Audio System Checker (http://www.hkaudio.com/lsc2/lsc2006_en.php)?

You simply select the amount of people and the type of application and it shows you how hard their portable systems need to work. You can then compare the various system outputs to your own set up.


Cheers, ill have a gander :)