ZZ Top NYC = +100 db SR system

[robertbartsch]

Well after a nearly 30 year absence from attending concerts my wife and I
attended numerous shows during the last 18 months. For the most part, these have been decent sound systems consisting of flying JBL cabs and stage or flown subs.

The disparaging part is the SPLs never reached a very high level. I read here that many venues have local ordinances preventing high SPLs.

Well, the ZZ Top show on Friday at the Beacon Theater in NYC was the only exception. The sound was loud and I estimate at least 100db during the entire show!

Vocals were very clear, and the sound did not bounce off walls causing distorted music. Bass cabs (32 - 18" sub drivers) were stage mounted and their performance was very convincing.

The hall is small - 3000 seats.

[robertbartsch]

...this is picture of the Beacon

[stephane RAME]

The sound was too loud, the picture has changed

Stéphane

[JBL 4645]

The sound was too loud, the picture has changed

Stéphane

Yeah, it cracked the lens!

Is that it just one picture and you forget to take the SPL db meter! I always take my SPL db metre with me when going to the 56KW JBL THX Empire, always.

So did you take some ear plugs with you because I wouldn’t go anywhere near to one of those concerts without ear plugs.

You should have waited for most of the cowards at the front to leave after the concert then walked up closer to get a few more pictures.

I would say more than 100db! You have crowds of people yelling and that would put me off going because I go to listen not to listen to screaming mindless cowards adding on a few more extra db! Performances like this don’t have any true reference sound level, unless the crowds no the virtue of silence! Hush and listen for one in your lives!

[Tom Brennan]

Today Rock and Roll shows are much louder than the shows in the 1950s of such people as Elvis, Fats Domino, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis were.

But somehow I doubt the modern shows are better.

[JBL 4645]

I think the screaming crowds would drown out the old sound systems! That’s why they need to make them louder to drown out the crowds. But if more attended then they’ll just drown out the PA system.

What is the average sound of the mindless scramming person? 90db 95db? Times that figure by given so many crowds what would the value of the SPL db figure be?

Plus there’s the risk of hearing loss, attending such concerts!

[hjames]

I think the screaming crowds would drown out the old sound systems! That’s why they need to make them louder to drown out the crowds. But if more attended then they’ll just drown out the PA system.

What is the average sound of the mindless scramming person? 90db 95db? Times that figure by given so many crowds what would the value of the SPL db figure be?

Plus there’s the risk of hearing loss, attending such concerts!

Screaming crowds all but ended when the Beatles stopped touring ...

When exactly was the last Rock and Roll concert you attended??

[Eaulive]

As a rule of thumb for a rock concert the last row should have at least 105dB.
The first row should stay under 120 but it's not always the case

Ideally I guess 110dB all over the place shoud be the goal, but we're not there yet.

[Fred Sanford]

I'm gonna be sitting in the 4th row for Metallica/Gojira/Lamb Of God on Saturday, should I bring my SPL meter?

je

[grumpy]

earplugs for your ears, windsock for SPL

[MikeBrewster77]

...should I bring my SPL meter?

You simply must! And while you're measuring, just remember this:

[Fred Sanford]

earplugs for your ears, windsock for SPL

Oh, yeah, earplugs are on everybody's list- most of us attending are musicians, and half of us are motorcyclists. We all carry ear plugs by habit.

Not sure how I'd carry the SPL meter in without security thinking it was some kind of recording device, though.

je

[jblnut]

Screaming crowds all but ended when the Beatles stopped touring ...

When exactly was the last Rock and Roll concert you attended??

Oh you think so, eh ?

A few years back (OK, maybe 10) I went to see Bela Fleck at a huge outodor stadium. Usually I like to see him in smaller venues but it was a good double bill. He was opening for Dave Matthews, and as soon as Dave came on the entire crowd went nuts. For like 30 minutes they kept screaming at the tops of their lungs, mostly that high pitched young female scream you hear from old Beatles recordings. It was unreal and totally drowned out the band! We left 4 songs in and listened to the rest of the show from the parking lot. At some distance you could finally hear the band but in the venue the screaming girls overpowered everything.

Wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it myself...

jblnut

[Eaulive]

I'm gonna be sitting in the 4th row for Metallica/Gojira/Lamb Of God on Saturday, should I bring my SPL meter?

je

Please do, I want to know

[Eaulive]

Oh, yeah, earplugs are on everybody's list- most of us attending are musicians, and half of us are motorcyclists. We all carry ear plugs by habit.

Not sure how I'd carry the SPL meter in without security thinking it was some kind of recording device, though.

je

You could arrive early and go talk to security with your owner's manual