Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 17

Thread: Live Show Sound Quality

  1. #1
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Rocinante
    Posts
    8,163

    Live Show Sound Quality

    Just went to an outside festival Governor's Ball at Citi Field NYC. Must say I was impressed at how good these massive PA systems sounded. I was wondering if any of you have had similar experiences. The output these systems are capable of is startling and the bass response is just plain amazing! They just seem to be getting better and better!!

    Some of the smaller indoor venues have also updated their sound systems and they sound great as well. Hope the trend continues!

    Rob
    Attached Images Attached Images    
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    WDC USA
    Posts
    309
    Line array tech coupled with DSP signal processing and class D amplifiers have changed the game. It would be a different experience without those technologies. The classic 'pile up enough speakers and hope for the best' sounded pretty damned bad.

  3. #3
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    San Francisco
    Posts
    9,715
    Quote Originally Posted by Riley Casey View Post
    Line array tech coupled with DSP signal processing and class D amplifiers have changed the game. It would be a different experience without those technologies. The classic 'pile up enough speakers and hope for the best' sounded pretty damned bad.
    +1

    That said, there were some venues that had pretty decent sound, but these modern systems are seriously good.

    That show looks like it was fun Rob!


    Widget

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Ontario Canada
    Posts
    86
    Ya when you look at the exploded view of JBL wedges it's no wonder stuff sounds that good. Amazing tech in those. Plus as mentioned all the DSP too boot.
    Long way from some metal round horns at the speedway.

  5. #5
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Rocinante
    Posts
    8,163
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr. Widget View Post
    +1

    That said, there were some venues that had pretty decent sound, but these modern systems are seriously good.

    That show looks like it was fun Rob!


    Widget


    Hello Widget

    It was! Weather was perfect with overcast and a cool breeze. It goes for 3 days I just did the Saturday. Fun crowd really engaged with the bands. Found some new music to check out always a plus at these large festivals!

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Covington, Ohio
    Posts
    785
    Today's high end live sound systems can produce amazing results................when properly deployed and the person mixing the show actually knows what their doing. We have all heard truly awful sound while one band was playing and the next band sounds fantastic, the band itself can have a part in that but it generally comes down to who is running sound for said band.
    Even at the national act level I wonder how some sound people manage to keep their jobs! At the local / regional levels that I work it can be even more hit or miss.

    The system on the first stage picture is a L-Acoustics.
    The system on the second stage pictures is a D&B Audiotechnik system.
    Both very high end, both very out of my price range!

  7. #7
    Senior Member edgewound's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    2,776
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Caldwell View Post
    Today's high end live sound systems can produce amazing results................when properly deployed and the person mixing the show actually knows what their doing. We have all heard truly awful sound while one band was playing and the next band sounds fantastic, the band itself can have a part in that but it generally comes down to who is running sound for said band.
    Even at the national act level I wonder how some sound people manage to keep their jobs! At the local / regional levels that I work it can be even more hit or miss.

    The system on the first stage picture is a L-Acoustics.
    The system on the second stage pictures is a D&B Audiotechnik system.
    Both very high end, both very out of my price range!
    Mike is spot on. It's who's driving behind the board.

    Most acts before the headliner sound terrible. Sometimes the whole night sounds terrible and just gets abusively louder.

    Saw Darius Rucker and Lady A at the the Five Points Amphitheater in Irvine about a year ago. Outdoors...JBL VerTec...Sound was awful. Midrange was distorted...too much bass.

    Saw a few other country acts at The Forum in Los Angeles, including Blake Shelton and Friends. JBL VerTec. Sound was terrible, same as above. Jason Bonham Experience was ok, Peter Frampton was pretty good.

    Saw the Eagles at The Forum, Los Angeles. Sound was excellent.

    Saw Keith Urban at The Forum inside Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas. Meyer Sound installation for the house system. The sound was amazing. Best concert I've ever heard.

    The EQ curve on most of these systems looks like a bass tidal wave. I saw the display. Ridiculously loud and not a pleasant experience. Painful without earplugs. Why bother?

    Makes me not want to go to concerts anywhere but Ceasar's Palace anymore.
    Edgewound...JBL Pro Authorized...since 1988
    Upland Loudspeaker Service, Upland, CA

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    7,939
    Quote Originally Posted by Robh3606 View Post
    Hello Widget

    It was! Weather was perfect with overcast and a cool breeze. It goes for 3 days I just did the Saturday. Fun crowd really engaged with the bands. Found some new music to check out always a plus at these large festivals!

    Rob

    You would have needed a Road Atlas to find your way back home wouldn't you ya....ol.....faaaart.

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Covington, Ohio
    Posts
    785
    Quote Originally Posted by edgewound View Post
    Mike is spot on. It's who's driving behind the board.

    Most acts before the headliner sound terrible. Sometimes the whole night sounds terrible and just gets abusively louder.

    Saw Darius Rucker and Lady A at the the Five Points Amphitheater in Irvine about a year ago. Outdoors...JBL VerTec...Sound was awful. Midrange was distorted...too much bass.

    Saw a few other country acts at The Forum in Los Angeles, including Blake Shelton and Friends. JBL VerTec. Sound was terrible, same as above. Jason Bonham Experience was ok, Peter Frampton was pretty good.

    Saw the Eagles at The Forum, Los Angeles. Sound was excellent.

    Saw Keith Urban at The Forum inside Ceasar's Palace in Las Vegas. Meyer Sound installation for the house system. The sound was amazing. Best concert I've ever heard.

    The EQ curve on most of these systems looks like a bass tidal wave. I saw the display. Ridiculously loud and not a pleasant experience. Painful without earplugs. Why bother?

    Makes me not want to go to concerts anywhere but Ceasar's Palace anymore.


    I'll add to my original post and say that a good sound person can get excellent results from an adequate yet average sound system.

    Shows that I went to see that sounded fantastic, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Sting, Annie Lennox.
    And of course the shows I run sound for !!!!!!

  10. #10
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Rocinante
    Posts
    8,163
    Quote Originally Posted by Ian Mackenzie View Post
    You would have needed a Road Atlas to find your way back home wouldn't you ya....ol.....faaaart.

    No roll of string tied to the door knob!! Bread crumbs tough with the pigeons!

    Rob
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

  11. #11
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    7,939
    Quote Originally Posted by Robh3606 View Post
    No roll of string tied to the door knob!! Bread crumbs tough with the pigeons!

    Rob
    Glad you have a sense of humour on my in joke. I will always recall your guided tour of NYC back in 2004. I remember before we left to go into the city your amazing late wife Issa saying “ lan you had better take a map with you as Robert has no idea”. “He’s not been into the city for many many years.”

    We call that the wife taking the piss out of the hubby.

    That was kinda funny. I mean you living right next to the Big Apple and your not familiar with it!

  12. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Ontario Canada
    Posts
    86
    I've been to NY city only a few times. But I'm not sure how long it would take to actually know your way around there !!!
    I drove there those 2 times and it was nerve racking to say the least....no thanks to that ever again. Too scary too....

  13. #13
    Senior Member BMWCCA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    7,735
    At one time we had two daughters living in NYC and we'd drive up to visit them. Too stressful, too expensive, too much trouble. We now have just one up there and, prior to the pandemic, we'd take the train and Uber our way around or use the subway. Much easier to enjoy the city rather than worry about where to go, how to get there, or whether or not the parking attendant actually knew how to drive a stick-shift.
    ". . . as you have no doubt noticed, no one told the 4345 that it can't work correctly so it does anyway."—Greg Timbers

  14. #14
    Administrator Robh3606's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Rocinante
    Posts
    8,163
    Great place to see an outdoor show in NYC is the old Forrest Hills Tennis Stadium! Easy to get to fun crowd! The Lumineers!

    Rob
    Attached Images Attached Images    
    "I could be arguing in my spare time"

  15. #15
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    7,939
    Quote Originally Posted by BMWCCA View Post
    At one time we had two daughters living in NYC and we'd drive up to visit them. Too stressful, too expensive, too much trouble. We now have just one up there and, prior to the pandemic, we'd take the train and Uber our way around or use the subway. Much easier to enjoy the city rather than worry about where to go, how to get there, or whether or not the parking attendant actually knew how to drive a stick-shift.

    Hi Phil,

    The trains are very good over there. They are actually on time. I’ve always commuted by train to and from NYC when visiting. As l recall l had to change trains at Jamaica to get the Long Island rail line. I was escorted across the road to the Long Island line by a nice tall black American gentleman so l would get mugged! He joked with me about the Crocodile Dundee movie. The trip by train to Washington is nice. I’ve also caught the train up to Boston then driven around Maine up as far as Bar Harbour. Dang nice seafood up there.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. JBL D131 sound quality
    By bran kulez in forum Lansing Product DIY Forum
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 12-25-2011, 06:38 PM
  2. MD vs MP3 sound quality
    By SEAWOLF97 in forum General Audio Discussion
    Replies: 15
    Last Post: 04-29-2009, 03:37 PM
  3. Live Concert sound
    By Akira in forum General Audio Discussion
    Replies: 25
    Last Post: 11-19-2008, 12:11 PM
  4. I'm surprised at the sound quality
    By Boss96 in forum Lansing Product General Information
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-16-2004, 08:12 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •